America runs on ... credit theft?

Pity John Gilbert. The newly named CMO at TJX Cos. faces a tough marketing challenge. The company’s computer systems were hacked, and that may have compromised millions of customer credit- and debit-card accounts going back a full four years. The bad press is pretty ubiquitous. A class-action suit was filed against the company on Monday. So now, instead of thinking up new names for lattes at his former employer, Dunkin’ Donuts, Gilbert must devise strategies to keep the TJX brands (T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Homegoods) from becoming synonymous with terms like “security breach” and “identity theft.” TJX chairman Ben Cammarata (shown here) even posted a video message on the TJX Web site to reassure customers, so you know things are bad. Come to think of it, I bought some socks at Marshalls not long ago. Luckily, when I checked my bank account, the balance was what I expected: $6.43. More than enough for a large with two sugars and a frosted coffee roll at Dunkin’.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

January 30, 2007 | Permalink