Toys 'R' Us Times Square’s New Sweet Treat

From the gigantic Forever 21 superstore to the soon-to-open Disney store and Aeropostale flagship, Manhattan’s Times Square is a beehive of retail activity these days. Meanwhile, the store that started it all -- Toys “R” Us -- has a new “sweet” attraction: The Nestle-owned Wonka candy brand has opened its first-ever retail shop on the first level of the giant Toys flagship. It’s bright and wildly colorful and enticing, with its sweet scents and candy theme. Now if only Johnny Depp would make an appearance …

Herding Cats … in Ikea

It’s being called the best retail-related video ever posted on YouTube. I wouldn’t go that far, but it certainly is different. British advertising agency Mother London released 100 cats in Ikea’s store in Wembly, England, and then filmed the results for a new advertising campaign whose tagline is “happy inside.” The YouTube film shows footage of the cats being released and exploring the store.

As for the campaign, along with 60- and 90-second TC commercials, it includes a Facebook-linked competition where users have to guess which pieces of furniture the cats in the ad settled themselves down on, to win the furniture in question. The competition microsite at Ikea.co.uk/cats also features a short documentary about the owners of the cats and a "making of" film.