Earlier this fall I ran into a friend who is well connected and well versed in the chic Manhattan universe of society, celebrity and fashion. “That’s a great dress,” he said, complimenting me on the brighter-than-navy blue, three-quarter sleeved, gabardine […]
Ralph Lauren: The Great American Brand Takes a Look in the Mirror and Decides to Change Read More »
The long-anticipated merger of two powerhouse European supermarket operators finally happened this summer. The merger of the two firms—Ahold of The Netherlands and Delhaize of Belgium—has great implications for food retailing in the U.S., far more than in Europe. That’s
The Wall Street Journal reported that HBC had made an “overture” to acquire Macy’s. And even though HBC’s market cap is around $2 billion, a bit small to digest Macy’s roughly $10 billion cap, HBC could leverage its considerably high-valued
HBC + Macy’s: Real Estate or Retail? Read More »
There’s a great irony in the kind of cold, technology-driven world we are evolving through: and at the same time, tech’s ability to provide retailers and brands the tools to personalize products, services and experiences. That’s awesome. The use of
Find Your Soul, The Ashley Stewart Way Read More »
The end of the beauty-retail “starchitect” era is upon us. And nudging it out the door is Christopher Skinner, a buzzy young brand-builder who cut his teeth at LVMH before opening his own agency 18 months ago. Dubbed School House,
Hey, if orange is the new black, then anything is possible. Given the impact of Amazon.com and online on traditional retailers, maybe bankruptcy is the new black. Will it help or hurt Amazon to drop reference pricing from their website?
Amazon is the New Walmart…Or Is It? Read More »
Branding, brand choice, brand image, brand story, brand loyalty, brand blah, blah, blah, are popular branding concepts. Brands anchor economies. And depending on the cultural mores of the time, we’ve had a series of so-called original ideas about branding that
Branding by Another Name: Empathy Read More »
A Conversation with David Campisi, CEO & President, Big Lots Big Lots is a compelling turnaround story in the off-price retail segment. Same-store sales have climbed for ten consecutive quarters running—a solid rebound from two years of quarterly of declines.
Rallying ‘Round the Consumer Read More »
This year is shaping up to be the year of the shopper experience, and that experience is, in large part, being driven by what is happening in stores. Retailers have realized omnichannel is about more than inventory efficiency and availability
Taking Marketers’ Blindfolds Off for the In-Store Experience Read More »
For gutsy, focused beauty brands, freestanding stores can be lucrative showcases. While there’s little chance that the young whippersnappers swarming the 24 boutiques in Covent Garden’s Beauty Quarter ever heard of the schmaltzy Kevin Costner flick “Field of Dreams,” you
