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May 31, 2011

Media Logic Retail Marketing Report May 2011 Update: Kirkland’s buys Likers; finds they come cheap!

Kirkland’s adds 200,000 Likers at 12.5¢ per. Build-a-Bear Workshop and Pottery Barn Kids draw big fan participation. Office Max works the co-op. And Walmart adds 1.6mm, while six other retailers grow on Facebook at a 40 percent or better clip since March.

Facebook has been the story of the Media Logic Retail Marketing Report since our research began last July. Brand after brand has ticked past a million Likers, with a full one-third of our tracked retailers now north of that magic mark. New members of this no-longer-exclusive club include Tommy Hilfinger, Foot Locker, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Walgreens and Bass Pro Shops (with Party City and Cabela’s crossing the line after this survey’s close).

And for many brands, the pace of growth is only accelerating.

Twelve retailers saw better than 40 percent growth from mid-March to mid-May, led by Kirklands and its ³Cha-Ching² sweepstakes, which drove an incredible 280% liker spike. Kirklands attracted 200,000 likers with a $25,000 prize. That¹s only 12.5¢ per! Yet, while Kirklands proved likers can be bought cheap, Build-a-Bear Workshop (up 137 percent) and Pottery Barn Kids (up 98 percent) confirmed Media Logic’s claim that recreation brands and certain specialty hardlines brands can grow simply by inviting fans to share stories and handiwork via an open Wall. And Office Max (up 124 percent) proved discounters could add fans by leveraging that classic retail funding source – co-op.

Media Logic’s May 2011 Update confirms the value of the recommendations made in our original report and its subsequent updates (Jan-11, Mar-11 and May-11). Recreation brands and specialty hardlines brands can open their Walls to customers and turn Facebook into a powerful platform for brand goodwill. Department/discount brands can build Facebook into a solid DM device by engaging Likers though a steady stream of interactive social promotions and games. Specialty apparel retailers (see Lane Bryant and Fashion bug) can create a self-reinforcing cadre of brand advocates through a steady stream of insider info targeted to a discrete demographic.

However, not all retailers get it. The three “Js” – Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Jones New York and J. Jill – just can’t seem to get anything going. All three still languish below the 10K liker line. If they hope to gain any real power on the platform, they are going to have to do … something. If they believe in their products and feel they’ve got a natural audience in their sights, they should just bite the bullet and buy themselves some Likers!

Better than a year into the Facebook retail phenomenon, retailers are still discovering big opportunities, and that’s not likely to slow for a while. Media Logic will continue to track the use of Facebook as a retail communications channel to identify and recommend new promotional ideas to our growing retail client base (Welcome, Cabela’s!).

Meanwhile, we’ve also got our eye on Twitter.

Twitter, we think, will prove itself to be an even better tool than Facebook for customer service, small-scale sweepstakes and simple daily contact. When actively (regularly, intelligently and sensitively) managed, Twitter builds brand goodwill like crazy.

H&M is setting the pace on Twitter, with 205K followers and 104 percent growth over the last two months, though even they aren’t maximizing the channel – no tweets on weekends or during non-business hours and very few goodwill promotions. Media Logic also monitors Staples, Sephora, CVS, Target, Nordstrom and Toys ‘R’ Us, and we expect to report more extensively on Twitter for these brands and others in the coming months.

Be sure to look for Media Logic’s new Retail 101 Social Brand Index, coming to this site and its streams soon. Subscribe today for updates.

And remember, we’re here to talk about your brand, your promotional opportunities, our unique services and marketing for a social world at any time. Contact us today.

Company Name	Sector	FB 3/11	FB %+-	FB 5/11	FB %+-	T 3/11	T %+-	T 5/11	T %+-
Abercrombie & Fitch F | T	Spec Apprl	3928703	0.10	4497894	0.14
AC Moore Arts & Crafts F | T	Recreation	39474	0.08	42559	0.08	2894	0.05	3148	0.09
Aeropostale F | T	Spec Apprl	3900483	0.10	4433277	0.14	25715	0.12	28853	0.12
American Apparel F | T	Spec Apprl	456532	0.10	502932	0.10	332054	0.15	368246	0.11
American Eagle F | T	Spec Apprl	3956797	0.10	4440666	0.12	62725	0.60	67292	0.07
Ann Taylor F | T	Spec Apprl	132028	0.81	146198	0.11	6694	0.20	7707	0.15
Banana Republic F | T	Spec Apprl	255129	0.11	289120	0.13	33387	0.16	38813	0.16
Bass Pro Shops F | T	Recreation	834582	0.21	1028024	0.23	11789	0.23	15163	0.29
BCBG F | T	Spec Apprl	113621	0.09	126658	0.11	198451	0.19	231242	0.17
Bebe F | T	Spec Apprl	1044075	0.27	1262983	0.21	29359	0.06	30820	0.05
Bed Bath & Beyond F | T	Spec Hrdlns	88166	2.52	118726	0.35	2073		2275	0.10
Best Buy F | T	Spec Hrdlns	2613552	0.13	2925999	0.12	34195	0.04	35403	0.04
BJ's Wholesale Club F | T	Dept/Disc	30765	0.15	38120	0.24	1165	0.12	1418	0.22
Bloomingdales F | T	Dept/Disc	58491	0.09	66523	0.14	28488	0.23	33151	0.16
Bob's Stores F | T	Spec Apprl	6286	0.15	6643	0.06	1195	0.16	1237	0.04
Buckle, The F | T	Spec Apprl	166968	0.08	183866	0.10	4446	0.16	5161	0.16
Build-A-Bear Workshop F | T	Recreation	452619	0.50	1070563	1.37	14994	0.14	16005	0.07
Burlington Coat Factory F | T	Dept/Disc	20129	0.34	37086	0.84
Cabela's F | T	Recreation	759003	0.20	969195	0.28	9982	0.33	11983	0.20
Cache F | T	Spec Apprl	9977	0.09	11712	0.17
Calvin Klein F | T	Spec Apprl	1274812	0.11	1423550	0.12	59574	0.28	72006	0.21
Casual Male F | T	Spec Apprl	11293	0.05	11949	0.06	882	0.02	911	0.03
Cato F | T	Spec Apprl	45959	0.12	54020	0.18	19	0.00	27	0.42
Chico's F | T	Spec Apprl	34756	0.75	43257	0.24	2003	0.13	2219	0.11
Children's Place F | T	Spec Apprl	821774	0.05	903580	0.10	7925	0.14	8869	0.12
Coach F | T	Spec Apprl	1663098	0.09	1911667	0.15	275449	0.01	276466	0.00
Cost Plus World Market F | T	Spec Hrdlns	284143	0.23	291736	0.03	9207	0.08	9978	0.08
Crate & Barrell F | T	Spec Hrdlns	117368	0.17	154186	0.31	6687	0.21	7854	0.17
CVS F | T	Dept/Disc	344126	1.20	427197	0.24	20343	0.28	43352	1.13
Dick's Sporting Goods F | T	Recreation	240366	0.05	264539	0.10	13216	0.07	13950	0.06
Dress Barn F | T	Spec Apprl	85543	0.10	113239	0.32	3370	0.05	3664	0.09
DSW F | T	Spec Apprl	126256	0.14	144921	0.15	18597	0.17	21515	0.16
Eastern Mountain Sports F | T	Recreation	7740	0.09	12417	0.60	4338	0.08	4707	0.09
Famous Footwear F | T	Spec Apprl	103400	0.12	129555	0.25	5025	0.07	5495	0.09
Fashion Bug F | T	Spec Apprl	155216	0.15	205426	0.32	849	0.20	1832	1.16
Foot Locker F | T	Spec Apprl	993666	0.12	1178706	0.19	6125	0.18	6992	0.14
Forever XXI F | T	Spec Apprl	4102160	0.04	4475697	0.09	138825	0.15	164142	0.18
Gap, The F | T	Spec Apprl	1378400	0.07	1473660	0.07	59459	0.15	66685	0.12
Gilly Hicks F | T	Spec Apprl	94370	0.11	110046	0.17	SITE GONE		208
Gymboree F | T	Spec Apprl	188071	0.07	220351	0.17	6804	0.08	7262	0.07
H&M F | T	Spec Apprl	6341244	0.05	7049753	0.11	100450	0.15	205101	1.04
Hollister & Co F | T	Spec Apprl	4464258	0.09	5044656	0.13
Home Depot F | T	Spec Hrdlns	234209	0.10	331154	0.41	34226	0.10	38869	0.14
Hot Topic F | T	Spec Apprl	2715301	0.06	3048663	0.12	61087	0.13	68943	0.13
J. Crew F | T	Spec Apprl	295878	0.03	317297	0.07	28534	0.23	35176	0.23
J.C. Penney F | T	Dept/Disc	1506925	0.05	1736435	0.15	14481	0.20	16079	0.11
J.Jill F | T	Spec Apprl	649	0.12	796	0.23	878	0.12	1053	0.20
JoAnn Fabrics F | T	Recreation	76062	0.19	93995	0.24	4104	0.11	4554	0.11
Jones New York F | T	Spec Apprl	3220	0.78	3371	0.05	1112	0.19	1192	0.07
Jos. A. Bank Clothiers F | T	Spec Apprl	4948	0.15	6267	0.27	1114	0.24	1397	0.25
Kenneth Cole F | T	Spec Apprl	135456	0.05	146897	0.08	11831	0.37	12747	0.08
Kirkland's F | T	Spec Hrdlns	71333	0.13	271322	2.80
Kohl's F | T	Dept/Disc	3411282	0.02	4540641	0.33	9466	0.10	11450	0.21
L.L.Bean F | T	Recreation	50558	0.12	59271	0.17	4521	0.24	5881	0.30
Lane Bryant F | T	Spec Apprl	155978	0.31	266750	0.71	7421	0.09	8129	0.10
Lee Jeans F | T	Spec Apprl	40585	0.06	43932	0.08	658	0.09	738	0.12
Justice for Girls F | T	Spec Apprl	70343	0.68	87960	0.25
Lowe's F | T	Spec Hrdlns	513359	0.03	569872	0.11	17048	0.12	19705	0.16
Lucy Activewear F | T	Spec Apprl	20132	0.10	21666	0.08	4508	0.08	4828	0.07
Lululemon Athletica F | T	Spec Apprl	297693	0.05	324917	0.09	65764	0.20	78288	0.19
Macy*s F | T	Dept/Disc	1449329	0.33	1865320	0.29	48931	0.09	55027	0.12
Marshalls F | T	Dept/Disc	328976	0.04	373096	0.13	9654	0.06	10325	0.07
Michael's Crafts F | T	Recreation	273258	0.07	326003	0.19	5316	0.35	6747	0.27
Mikasa F | T	Spec Hrdlns	7313	0.02	7487	0.02	615	0.42	647	0.05
New York & Co F | T	Spec Apprl	268595	2.07	342030	0.27	7263	0.07	7637	0.05
Nine West F | T	Spec Apprl	217471	0.13	255445	0.17	5428	0.48	6801	0.25
Nordstrom F | T	Dept/Disc	427692	0.26	631671	0.48	115078	0.23	123501	0.07
Office Max F | T	Dept/Disc	117075	0.24	262140	1.24	8082	0.12	8693	0.08
Old Navy F | T	Spec Apprl	1694526	0.06	1930463	0.14	36047	0.17	43154	0.20
Oneida F | T	Spec Hrdlns	650	0.14	747	0.15	462	0.04	490	0.06
Pacific Sunwear F | T	Spec Apprl	723866	0.12	855986	0.18	18001	0.09	20401	0.13
Party City F | T	Dept/Disc	893690	0.08	990983	0.11	3202	0.07	3614	0.13
Payless F | T	Spec Apprl	246848	0.33	276624	0.12	15869	0.02	16604	0.05
Pier One F | T	Spec Hrdlns	109969	0.14	126973	0.15	6483	0.11	7345	0.13
Pottery Barn F | T	Spec Hrdlns	389074	0.89	520799	0.34	8708	0.16	10014	0.15
Pottery Barn Kids F | T	Spec Hrdlns	108785	0.14	214999	0.98	3591	0.17	4717	0.31
Ralph Lauren F | T	Spec Apprl	2580597	0.14	3120860	0.21
Ross F | T	Dept/Disc	24494	0.15	43449	0.77
Sears F | T	Dept/Disc	445580	0.23	528132	0.19	10982	0.05	11694	0.06
Sephora F | T	Spec Apprl	1231290	0.08	1391842	0.13	133393	0.14	152629	0.14
Staples F | T	Dept/Disc	133470	0.04	140882	0.06	161455	0.46	177656	0.10
Sur La table F | T	Spec Hrdlns	32129	0.07	34754	0.08	6815	0.09	7427	0.09
Talbots F | T	Spec Apprl	93162	0.18	114897	0.23	2927	0.18	3295	0.13
Target F | T	Dept/Disc	3950376	0.07	4376505	0.11	119306	0.88	135049	0.13
Timberland F | T	Spec Apprl	342582	0.07	385118	0.12	7140	0.28	8680	0.22
TJ Maxx F | T	Dept/Disc	371772	0.02	459945	0.24	19500	0.10	20799	0.07
Tommy Hilfiger F | T	Spec Apprl	926042	0.11	1190849	0.29	15986	0.22	19385	0.21
Toys 'R' Us F | T	Spec Hrdlns	1323611	0.06	1419109	0.07	106842	0.24	122901	0.15
Ulta Beauty F | T	Spec Apprl	105321	0.16	124427	0.18	20327	0.17	23484	0.16
Urban Outfitters F | T	Spec Apprl	628643	0.06	692000	0.10	391587	0.16	431895	0.10
Victoria's Secret F | T	Spec Apprl	11744286	0.06	12998605	0.11	72748	0.47	108359	0.49
Victoria's Secret PINK F | T	Spec Apprl	8156920	0.05	8934626	0.10	33406	0.16	40908	0.22
Volcom F | T	Spec Apprl	1195181	0.07	1312367	0.10	37811	0.14	42803	0.13
Walgreens F | T	Dept/Disc	832607	0.03	1039262	0.25	14177	0.15	16653	0.17
Wal-Mart F | T	Dept/Disc	4088037	0.39	5749701	0.41	22852	1.80	44812	0.96
Wet Seal F | T	Spec Apprl	1331362	0.05	1436054	0.08	12747	0.44	14048	0.10
Williams-Sonoma F | T	Spec Hrdlns	115527	0.49	163642	0.42	10513	0.27	12971	0.23
Wrangler Jeans F | T	Spec Apprl	278474	0.22	306602	0.10
Zumiez F | T	Spec Apprl	274065	0.15	330014	0.20	13512	0.13	15540	0.15