General Merchandise

SEATTLE — Bartell Drugs' is partnering with manufacturers in its eighth annual school supply donation drive, the retail pharmacy chain said Tuesday.

Bartell, which operates 58 stores in Washington state's Puget Sound region — the metropolitan area around Seattle — said it would collect donated school supplies at all of its stores from Friday through Aug. 28. The chain is partnering with suppliers Mead, Avery and Bic to support the drive.

RACINE, Wis. — Global advertising agencies BBDO and Ogilvy & Mather have been selected to serve the marketing needs of SC Johnson, the company announced Friday.

SC Johnson said that BBDO will support the company's pest control and home storage divisions, while Ogilvy & Mather will support SC Johnson's home fragrance and home cleaning divisions.

Prior to the announcement, advertising agency network Draftfcb served the global marketing needs of SC Johnson.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Sharpie has put its brand in the spotlight with its Start with Sharpie back-to-school campaign, a multichannel effort that includes a new product lineup and website makeover.

As part of its campaign, Sharpie will debut print and digital ads and an upcoming YouTube platform. Additionally, Sharpie will run interactive digital display and video ads on other websites, including Alloy, AOL, MTV and Hulu.

PERRYSBURG, Ohio — Glass container manufacturer Owens-Illinois announced its acquisition of a single-furnace glass container plant in France.

O-I, which announced its intent to acquire the VDL Co. plant in Vergeze, France, last November, said that purchasing the plant was the result of the company's strategic relationship with Nestlé Waters — the plant is located near Nestlé Waters' Perrier bottling facility, and has a longstanding supply relationship with Nestlé Waters.

SLOUGH, England — Second-quarter net revenue increased to 2.34 billion pounds ($3.83 billion) for Reckitt Benckiser, the company announced in an earnings statement Monday.

The company attributed its increases to growth in developing markets. For the quarter, RB said net revenue increased by 13% and 5% on a like-for-like basis. LFL growth excludes the impact of changes in exchange rates, major acquisitions and disposals, RB noted.


LITTLETON, N.H. — Retail sales of insecticides and other mosquito-related products are trending upward thanks to an unusually active mosquito season. A wet winter and spring, together with recent heavy flooding throughout much of the middle of the country has resulted in standing pools of water and ideal mosquito breeding conditions. This summer’s high mosquito population has been good news for companies like Tender Corp., the maker of AfterBite, a product that has shown increased sales over the past month.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — PNI Digital Media on Monday announced an agreement with Walgreens to provide and operate an online stationery service for the Chicago-based pharmacy.

The service will allow Walgreens customers to create and customize unique cards, invitations and other printed material, including personalized photobooks and photo calendars, wedding invitations and business cards.

According to reports, the PNI Digital Media Platform reaches more than 14,000 retail locations around the world, 9,000 of which offer a one-hour pickup service.

SUPPLIER NEWS — SC Johnson’s latest Windex product touts 90% less plastic than the traditional 26-oz. trigger bottle. New Windex Mini is a concentrated refill pouch that “saves six times as much plastic waste that goes into a landfill, compared with a traditional bottle,” according to SC Johnson chairman and CEO Fisk Johnson. Windex Mini will be available nationwide in three-packs of “snip ‘n’ pour” pouches.