Marketing - The Robin Report

American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney Ad Spawns a Culture War

The American Eagle disaster proves that retailers can no longer afford to confuse stock market performance with DEI awareness. Not in an era when customers dissect corporate messaging, then build communities around it on social media. The Sweeney ad demonstrates what happens when a company’s entire chain of command neglects to question the implications of what they’re putting out in the world, or how that messaging fits into the global climate.

American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney Ad Spawns a Culture War Read More »

Which Next Gens Have Spending Power?

Finance / By Jasmine Glasheen

Generation X is better situated to survive the technological assault on consumers’ economic prospects. They may be leveraged between responsibilities to their aging parents and Zennial children, but they don’t face the student debt, housing, and career crises throttling subsequent generations.

Which Next Gens Have Spending Power? Read More »

How Once-Hot Prime Hydration Flatlined

Operations / By Arick Wierson

Prime sprinted into more than 90,000 retail locations worldwide—without first validating real, sustained consumer demand. That’s a risky formula. Shelf space comes at a premium. Slotting fees, return logistics, and strained retailer relationships can rapidly erode profitability when product velocity stalls. And that’s exactly what happened.

How Once-Hot Prime Hydration Flatlined Read More »

Companion AI Is Your Direct Line to Gen Alpha

Technology / By Sarah Holbrook

AI Girlfriend Scout, a paid subscription service, claims, “Whether you’re looking for emotional support, entertaining conversation, or a judgment-free space to be yourself, this in-depth comparison will help you choose the right AI girlfriend for your specific needs.”

Companion AI Is Your Direct Line to Gen Alpha Read More »

Aspirationals Compromise Luxury Brands

Experience / By Pam Danziger

For brands and conglomerates, such as LVMH and Kering, that have exposure to both aspirational and legacy luxury consumer segments, it’s essential to do a better job of identifying aspirational consumers and tracking their evolution along their luxury journey toward becoming elite customers. This demands insight into how identity is shaped and reshaped over time. The real differentiator is understanding the deep drivers that anchor someone to a brand, even in times of economic friction.

Aspirationals Compromise Luxury Brands Read More »

For Next Gens, Fandom=Trust

Experience / By Jasmine Glasheen

Trust is built in the quiet moments, researching a company’s comments on TikTok and the user-submitted product photos on their Amazon reviews. Loyalty, in turn, is built through the subtle signals of shared language and value alignment, made visible when brands operate transparently, consistently, and with a clear sense of identity.

For Next Gens, Fandom=Trust Read More »

Gen Z Traditionalists: A Generational Misperception

Experience / By Jasmine Glasheen

Tapping into Gen Z’s purchasing power means acknowledging the ideological fault lines that run through the generation—and building assortments that don’t try to blur them and respectfully reflect them. By treating sourcing inventory and marketing as a conversation, retailers can cater to both sides of the spectrum without alienating either.

Gen Z Traditionalists: A Generational Misperception Read More »

Surprising Collabs Empower Customers

Experience / By Kate Newlin

Luxe brands realize it is more than fair to trust clients with their most scarce resource: Authenticity. It is becoming the essential differentiator. People want the genesis story of the brand, its inspirations, its current creative force, its – dare we say it? – relevance to them.

Surprising Collabs Empower Customers Read More »

The Best (& Most Outrageous) Tariff Tactics

Operations / By Warren Shoulberg

They say necessity is the mother of invention, but that goes for calamity too. Bloomberg recently reported that Robert Keely, who runs a guitar pedal company called Keely Electronics, was hit with an $11,000 tariff bill for a load of imported merchandise. With no other options, he cashed in 1.83 million American Express rewards points to pay for it.

The Best (& Most Outrageous) Tariff Tactics Read More »

Good News For Retailers: Malaysia Is the Happiest Asian Country

Operations / By Ross O'Brien

Malaysian consumers are remarkably optimistic in these gloomy times—even by Asian standards. Can it last long enough for global brands to make use of it?

Good News For Retailers: Malaysia Is the Happiest Asian Country Read More »