The Brand Show spoke to Jay Howard this week, CEO of I.O. Metro, a fast growing furniture retailer that prides itself on being different. The company has opened 21 stores in the U.S. within the past five years and saw an 80% sales increase in 2008 – the largest increase seen among independent furniture retailers. Learn how brand differentiation plays a role in the I.O. Metro growth strategy and why… read more.

The Brand Show is excited to introduce a new format, customized for busy marketing professionals like you. Enjoy our condensed 3-minute take–away from our interviews with some of the most fascinating and successful brands.

This week we interviewed global home-fashion icon, Kathy Ireland from Kathy Ireland Worldwide (KIWW), to speak about her philosophy in leading a successful retail empire. KIWW currently ranks above brands such as Harley, Sony and Coca Cola on the Top 100… read more.

La Jolla Group, Inc. (LJG) is a premier multi-brand apparel licensing company, with a portfolio of prominent brands including O’Neill Clothing USA, Rusty Clothing and Metal Mulisha Clothing. LJG applies its core competencies in design, marketing, sales, production, and distribution to each of its licenses to build a successful brand mix. LaJolla CEO, Toby Bost guides this collection of brands in financial performance, operations and product design. He speaks with The Brand Show about… read more.

To access all interviews from the special series “Teaching the pet industry new tricks” visit twowest.com/specialseries.

Founded in 1958, the American Pet Products Association is made up of 1,000 pet product manufacturers, representatives, importers and livestock providers. Each year, this organization hosts the Global Pet Expo, the pet industry’s largest… read more.

SPECIAL SERIES PART 1: TEACHING THE PET INDUSTRY NEW TRICKS.

To access all interviews from the special series “Teaching the pet industry new tricks” visit twowest.com/specialseries.

The all-natural pet treat segment is a $2 billion business that is expected to grow 18 percent in 2010. Since 1989, Three Dog Bakery has been a key player in this developing category providing wholesome, natural, oven-baked pet food products throughout the United States, China and Japan. Jeff Fromm, part-owner of the all-natural pet food retailer,… read more.

In 2008 and 2009, scores of major retailers delivered a steady stream of bad news, from layoffs to store closings to bankruptcy. While the plagued economy has decimated the retail sector, one category remains seemingly unscathed by anemic consumer spending: the companion animal industry. March 25 – 27, 2010 independent retailers, distributors and mass–market buyers will gather in Orlando, Florida for the Global Pet Expo presented by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and read more.

Real estate tycoon. TV star. Brand mogul. Donald Trump seems to be everywhere. And, if our guest has anything to do with it, his next stop is your house.

Cathy Hoffman Glosser, Executive Vice President of Global Licensing for the Trump Organization, joins The Brand Show to talk about Donald Trump: the man, the myth and the brand. Since joining team Trump in 2004, Cathy has expanded the brand’s product line to include clothing, mattresses, and most recently, home furnishings. Cathy shares how this larger-than-life brand has evolved to deliver… read more.

If you are shopping online today for great holiday deals, you are not alone. The National Retail Federation predicts “Cyber Monday” 2009 (the Monday after Thanksgiving) will catch the attention of more than 85 million shoppers. As consumer behaviors change, and e-commerce becomes the preferred method of shopping for many, retailers are being forced to evolve their online strategies. Peter Green, Director of Marketing for Geeks.com , shares how keeping costs low and focusing on customer experience has been instrumental in his company’s continuous, 13-year growth pattern.