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Room # 108
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Retail Management Institute Newsletter - Spring '07
Touring Cost Plus Headquarters
by Ashley Block '07
Cost Plus World Market tour Far left and front RMI alumni Kellan McNamara, associate marketing manager '06, and Christine Brooks, Internet planning analyst '06, Far right Lily Wong, corporate recruiter.
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January 19, a group of Santa Clara University Retail Management students were able to take advantage of the opportunity to tour the Cost Plus World Market headquarters in Oakland, Calif.
We met Lily Wong, manager of corporate human resources who led the tour of the building as well as the sample room with her assistant Heather Ferguson. We all recognized the privilege of viewing the sample room, which showcased product that would soon be in stores. While in the sample room, we spoke with the divisional merchandise manager of Decorative Home, Guido Galli, who discussed vendor relations and the product development process. We also heard from Jennifer Beesley, vice president of visual merchandising, who explained the increasingly recognized importance of visual merchandising as a profit driver as opposed to previous notions of simply window dressing. The sample room was colorful and inviting, and summoned feelings of suddenly wanting to redecorate.
Once back in the main headquarters we listened to a PowerPoint presentation by Frank Castiglione, senior vice president of marketing, who reflected on the importance of creating a cohesive vision for any brand. We looked at a number of recent promotional print and television ads that emphasized World Market’s current mantra “One world, One store.” He also walked us through case studies of Target and Marshall Fields with relation to the creation of value through innovation and renovation.
Retail Management alumnae, Kellan McNamara ’06 and Christine Brooks ’06 have made quite the impression on the Cost Plus World Market business and spoke about their recent contributions to the brand. Kellan McNamara, associate marketing manager, discussed her part in the recent promotion, “Unwrap the World” Instant Win Game in partnership with American Express and Ghirardelli Chocolate. Kellan’s efforts on this Black Friday promotion led to sales and traffic numbers that far surpassed their plan. Christine Brooks, Internet planning analyst, commented on the recent growth of the e-commerce channel and the typical metrics she considers in order to gauge the business.
In the course of a few hours, we gained a heightened understanding of the Cost Plus corporate culture and how it translates to employees as well as shoppers. The humble corporate headquarters, as well as the modest store floors and ‘no frills’ fixture use, pass on both the impression of shopping in a bazaar but also real value to customers. Seeing the recent alums contribution to the Cost Plus business was quite inspiring to the group, and the RSSA students learned more about what it is like to work in retail, as well as all of the exciting opportunities available at Cost Plus World Market.
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