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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Matrixx Initiatives on Tuesday announced a partnership with health expert and former medical director for the Discovery Health Channel Andrea Pennington to help educate consumers on ways to keep healthy during cold-and-flu season. Pennington has appeared on numerous television programs, including "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Today," CNN, "CBS Morning News" and "Fox News."

MADISON, N.J. Pfizer Consumer Healthcare on Tuesday announced it will be supporting its Advil Congestion Relief launch with a text-driven sweepstakes across five metropolitan areas, including Atlanta; Grapevine, Texas; Jersey City, N.J.; Orland Park, Ill.; and Pleasanton, Calif. As many as 100 sweepstake winners will be awarded the services of a personal shopper for use on Black Friday, providing “literal congestion relief” on one of the most congested holiday shopping days.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. Weak sales trends continued at Walmart’s U.S. stores division during the third quarter as same-store sales declined 1.3%; however, the company managed to meet analysts’ third-quarter earnings per share target of 90 cents.

Inclusion of a five cents a share tax benefit resulted in third-quarter earnings per share of 95 cents and caused the company to raise the full-year profit forecast to a range of $4.08 to $4.12 from $3.95 to $4.05.

MINNEAPOLIS — A location-based retail app now is available for Target shoppers in select markets.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Food Marketing Institute on Tuesday announced the appointment of Susan Borra as SVP communications for the nation’s largest food retail trade association, effective Dec. 1.

JERUSALEM — An investigative treatment for allergies made by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries appears to work, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial released Monday.

Teva said phase-3 data from a study of Qnaze HFA (beclomethasone dipropionate), designed to be inhaled through the nose, was effective in treating patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis, while safety results were similar to those for placebo. Data from the study were presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in Phoenix.

DALLAS — Advanced Beauty Systems has announced Texas-based advertising agency Slingshot as its advertising agency of record. Slingshot will work with Advanced Beauty Systems to develop print, broadcast and digital campaigns for its bodycology, Dr. Teal's and Cantu Shea Butter brands.

Slingshot will provide strategic planning, creative conception, media planning and brand positioning for all three brands. Ad campaigns are slated to run in first quarter 2011, coinciding with the launch of bodycology's new Rich & Creamy body lotion.

NEW YORK — Clinique unveiled what it calls a new “consumer-inspired” cosmetics merchandising concept here at Lord & Taylor’s landmark Fifth Avenue store.

SALT LAKE CITY — Identigene last month officially unveiled its Identigene STD test kit, which tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea—two of the more common sexually transmitted diseases—and essentially created a new niche within the growing self-test category.

For the 52 weeks ended Oct. 3, sales of self-test kits—including paternity, drug testing and disease state screening—were up 20.5% to $57.2 million across food, drug and mass (minus Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data.

Consumers may be cutting their budgets, but when it comes to toys, there’s always room for a little splurge. Parents are more likely to cave when the toy offers educational value or is a classic.

Traditional toys are a mainstay of the category—particularly in the drug channel, where price points in the toy aisle rarely top $10. “Evergreen, classic games continue to be popular,” said Adrienne Appell, a spokeswoman for the Toy Industry Association. “They are affordable and have appeal across generations, particularly around the holidays.”

The world of generic drugs has a big year ahead of it. Actually, it has a few big years ahead of it. But 2011 in particular carries a certain symbolic value as the year in which Pfizer, the world’s biggest drug maker, loses control of its patent for the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium), the world’s top-selling drug.