Consumers are great at spotting the difference between a product that exists because someone is famous and a good product that exists because someone built an audience around shared interest and expertise.
Is Jennifer Lawrence’s New Launch Backfiring? Read More »
The world of constant connectivity has, quite naturally, extended to how customers interact with the staff at their local store. The same drive for authenticity propelling next-gen customers to forego flaw-covering concealer for an expressive pimple patch drives them to connect with real local store associates online.
Gap Plays It Creative Cool Read More »
Over 6o percent of Gen Alpha say social media makes them want to buy something. Some product categories are more digital-first than others, and 78 percent of Gen Alpha consumers discover beauty products through at least one online source. Restrictions on social media, or even outright bans, will mean that marketers need to rewire the Gen Alpha marketing playbook.
The Social Media Reckoning Read More »
Retailers that plan for the margins secure the center. The case for inclusive design extends well beyond neurodivergent shoppers. Sensory-friendly environments also benefit parents managing young children, older adults, employees working long shifts, and people having a stressful day who just want to grab their items in peace. Inclusive design isn’t merely an accessibility initiative; it’s a growth strategy.
Retail Stores Are Driving Customers Away Read More »
Many Americans work in retail as a first-time job. Why do so few choose retail as a career? Tech jobs are sirens to recent grads; millions of people learned what retail is from an entry level job that was never designed to show them the business. And the result is a missed opportunity.
Why Is the Frontline Stuck at the Counter? Read More »
As celebrity merchandise gets increasingly extravagant (see Beyoncé’s $900 empty box), a new kind of endorsed merchandise is on the rise: food. Some of the most memorable celebrity partnerships take place at an unlikely venue—the drive-thru.
Celebrity Fast Food Frenzy Read More »
Savvy retailers enhance value through the treasure-hunt experience with a self-rewarding customer journey. The formula can be replicated across other retail formats; a rare find of an award-winning wine at a discounter such as Aldi is a pure treasure. Surprise and excitement can win over consumers just as much as price. The question retailers need to ask is: What’s your treasure-hunt strategy? And how do you make it relatable to your customers, not a knock-off meme that consumers will recognize and reject long before you do?
TJ/TK Maxx: Addicted to the Treasure Hunt Read More »
The ads that actually capture Gen Z’s attention aren’t on the social platforms you’d expect—and that can make all the difference for brands. YouTube is unlike social feeds, where it’s easy to swipe past sponsored posts in a split second, Viewers often have to watch at least part of an ad before getting to the content they clicked on.
Where Is Gen Z Watching Ads? Read More »
The reinvigorated Luddite movement (after 216 years) has some clear messaging to business leaders. The retail industry has a new, unavoidable question: If software is being engineered as an addictive consumer product, how much responsibility falls on digital platform advertisers––the biggest share of which are retailers––to mitigate consumers’ exposure to these addictive devices?
The Summer of Ludd Read More »
So many DTC companies have struggled after going public; Reformation’s IPO comes at a time when its customer base has significantly diminished, and the brand may no longer inspire the same confidence that fueled its rise. Can Reformation transcend younger consumers’ newfound negative perceptions?
Will Going Public Change Reformation? Read More »
