Industry Brief: 2.25.2020

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Hi! Here is a quick round-up of some news from around the industry over the last few weeks. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brands + Retailers

  • Victoria’s Secret to go private at $1.1B valuation.  The Wall Street Journal
  • As DTC brands move into wholesale, analytics platforms follow.  Vogue
  • How brands are battling knock-offs on Amazon.  AdWeek
  • Apple stores reopen in China despite coronavirus outbreak.  Fast Company
  • As Walmart grows in ecommerce, investors look for a plan to stem the losses.  CNBC
  • Nevermind the internet, here’s what’s killing malls. The New York Times
  • How Amazon is causing us to drown in trademarks.  The New York Times
  • Inside the fall of Softbank-backed Brandless.  Axios
  • Pier 1 declares bankruptcy.  CBS News
  • Bed Bath & Beyond to sell gift unit in Turnaround bid. Bloomberg
  • Amazon opens its first cashier-less grocery store.  TechCrunch
  • Target moves up among ecommerce players.  Forbes
  • Forever 21 will live on with new owners.  NPR

Marketing + Social

  • Amazon’s new web TV series merges content and commerce.  LA Times
  • Unilever will stop targeting kids in advertising. Digiday
  • Inside Glossier’s fight to trademark its iconic bubble wrap bags.  Fast Company
  • How brands are using TikTok to go after a new age group with huge spending power.  Inc
  • Facebook blocks device-level phone data.  AdAge
  • How Gen Z is using Instagram to shop.  Glossy
  • Inside RxBar’s new influencer strategy. Digiday
  • Beyond subway ads, how startups are investing in out of home.  Modern Retail
  • Instagram prototypes letting IGTV creators monetize with ads.  TechCrunch
  • Google ends its free Wifi program.  TechCrunch
  • Disney Plus has over 28M subscribers. The New York Times
  • Toy industry looks to YouTube talent for next generation of merchandise.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Is technology subsuming marketing? Harvard Business Review

Emerging Tech

  • New tool aims to track whether influencers and other digital ads actually drive online sales.  AdAge
  • Goodyear finds uses for AI and IoT in tires, tools.  Forbes
  • Salesforce buys Vlocity for over $1B.  TechCrunch
  • Apple is teaming up with Johnson & Johnson to see if the Apple Watch can reduce the risk of stroke.  Fast Company

2.4.2020 Industry Brief

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Hi! This is a big week for me. This week, I go back to work the day before my daughter turns three months old. It’s crazy to think about all that has happened over the last 13 weeks and I’m here with mixed emotions of extreme gratitude (wow, I got 13 amazing weeks to be home with my baby) but also anxiety (wow, how is maternity leave already over?).  I’m about to start a new routine, learn how to be away from her all day, make room in my brain for work-mode…plus a start a new commute to a new office with new team members (note: start-up life means constant change – you miss a lot in 13 weeks!).  And because I’m apparently a glutton for change, we also moved last week so there’s a new apartment in the mix, too!

But life is meant to be lived so I need to embrace these changes. I went to a yoga class recently and the instructor ended class with something that I can’t stop thinking about: “Blessed me or poor me. Every day it is your choice.” It really stuck with me. Perspective, the narrative in our heads – this is our reality.  Today I choose blessed. I’m grateful for the time I had with her, grateful for my village – because we know it takes a village – and grateful for the opportunities I have to live life fully.

WISH ME LUCK (or whatever all you wise working mamas who have gone before me know I’ll need).

So, ANYWAY aside from all THAT, I thought it’d be a good time to catch up this week 🙂 Here is some industry news from the last few weeks. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brands + Retailers

Alphabet breaks down revenue by business division for the first time.  Fast Company

Coronoavirus quarantine will ripple through global manufacturing.  The Wall Street Journal

Is the consumer goods industry ready for the new world of work? McKinsey

Get ready for a DTC shakeup in 2020.  VentureBeat

How Under Armour lost its edge.  The New York Times

The CEO of Ralph Lauren is surprisingly excited about people not owning their clothes.  Fast Company 

How Ganni used tech-world tricks to grow from cult fashion table to a global brand. Fortune 

In Paris, ecommerce warehouses get a chic makeover.  Wired

Forever 21 reaches $81M deal to sell its retail business to US mall owners and Authentic Brands. CNBC

Amazon Prime’s numbers and influence continue to grow.  Fortune

Dying malls? This one has found a way to thrive.  The New York Times 

Ikea offers data controls for consumers.  The Wall Street Journal

Consumer goods maker Reynolds raises $1.2B in IPO.  MarketWatch

Apple closes Chinese stores. The Wall Street Journal

Nordstrom to launch secondhand fashion sales.  Washington Post

Retailers get serious about sustainability.  Forbes

Marketing Stuff 

When community becomes your competitive advantage.  HBR

These five brands saw biggest boost on Amazon during and after the Super Bowl.  AdWeek

What the death of third party cookies means for retailers.  Modern Retail

Netflix’s ‘The Goop Lab’ is branded content and maybe the future of media.  Fast Company

Aerie has become the go-to brand partner for celebrities with a mission.  Fashionista

TIkTok was just pulled into a years-long fight between Snap and Facebook.  CNBC

Inside Prada’s pop-up private club.  The New York Times

In a new milestone, the internet will account for half of ad spend in 2020. AdAge

Estee Lauder, Sephora debut shoppable makeup try-ons on Pinterest.  RetailDive

Innovation + Emerging Tech

How to run a business in 2020.  The New York Times

The new business of garbage.  HBR

ASOS trials AR tool that allows you to see dresses on models sized 4 to 18.  Evening Standard 

The gym of the future will be virtual, gamified and totally immersive.  Fast Company

This startup wants to help indie booksellers combat Amazon.  Wired

Streaming services entertain pets, distract pet parents.  The New York Times

Google tests photo printing subscription service.  Fortune

Other Fun Stuff 

Benedict Evan’s “Tech in 2020” Deck  – Really interesting overview of Benedict Evan’s predictions and point of view. It’s also very easy to digest which is a plus for my current state of mom brain. 

Industry Brief: 1.13.20

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Hi! Happy New Year! If you follow this newsletter you’ve noticed I’ve been radio silent the last couple of months. This is because I’ve been quite busy with a new job of becoming a mama. But, now that my baby girl is two months old and I’m *sort of* out of the initial fog, I thought I’d catch up on what’s been going on in the industry. I won’t go so far as to say this will be weekly this year because, well, I’ve got this new full-time job of being a mom plus my other full-time job, plus trying to be a normal, decent human being  as well.

So for now, I hope you enjoy this quick recap! As always, sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. 

Brands + Retailers

  • Goop is coming to Sephora.  CNBC
  • Abercrombie & Fitch says its willing to walk away from any mall.  Bloomberg
  • More brands are leaving Amazon, but the strategy could backfire.  CNBC
  • Men may not buy into the growing clothing rental market.  The New York Times 
  • In 2020, retail is moving back to Main Street.  Fast Company
  • Away’s CEO returns weeks after stepping down. The New York Times
  • Will Gap really spin off Old Navy?  Retail Dive
  • Alphabet nears $1T market cap on ad-growth optimism.  AdAge
  • How the way we shop for sneakers has changed over the last decade.  Fashionista
  • Lord & Taylor plots its comeback under new owner.  CNBC
  • Kohl’s and J.C. Penney lose more ground amidst sluggish holiday sales.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon’s Business-to-Business marketplace could be a $31B business in four years.  CNBC
  • Why UK luxury department stores are outperforming their US counterparts.  Glossy
  • Cartier partners with TMall to grow Chinese presence. WWD
  • Mexico is Walmart’s biggest international market.  Reuters

Marketing + Social Media

  • As Instagram reaches upper limits of US user growth, expect to see more ways to shop.  Forbes
  • Rent the Runway CEO says transparency about logistics problems boosted brand loyalty.  AdWeek
  • Who is buying 2020 Super Bowl Ads.  AdAge
  • Zuckerberg outlines Facebook’s five areas of focus.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Natura CEO plans to reinvent Avon Ladies into a glamsquad of “influencers.” Fortune 
  • Facebook and Instagram will allow users to see fewer political ads in 2020 election.  Fast Company 
  • Podcast listeners are active and open to brand messaging.  eMarketer
  • The boutique fitness industry’s mission to monetize community. Quartz
  • With customer acquisition costs on the rise, DTC leans on referral programs.  Glossy
  • Gen Z shoppers want a cute, cheap outfit that looks cute on Instagram.  The New York Times
  • The new trend of piercing pop-ups. The Wall Street Journal

Emerging Tech + Start Ups

  • Casper files for IPO.  Fast Company
  • P&G acquires women’s shaving company, Billie. CrunchBase
  • Walmart expands robotic workforce to 65o stores.  AdAge
  • Visa to buy Plaid for $5.3B in effort to reach start-ups.  Bloomberg
  • Procter & Gamble’s innovations at CES show shift to data-driven products.  Forbes
  • This AirBnB-style startup wants you to skip long-term leases and go month-to-month instead.  Fast Company 
  • BMW debuts AR windshield that responds to gaze.  Next Reality 

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.5.2019

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Tuesday edition! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

    • StitchFix is giving deep into data for a more tailored experience.  Fortune
    • Shopify now has 1 million businesses.  Fast Company
    • J.C. Penney plots a comeback: less clutter, more yoga.  The Wall Street Journal
    • Starbucks is opening a NYC micro-cafe without menu boards.  AdAge
    • Apple sets out to tackle California’s housing crisis.  Fortune
    • McDonald’s fires CEO after employee relationship revealed.  AdAge
    • Walmart appears to be gaining ground against Amazon.  CNBC
    • Under Armor is subject of federal accounting probes.  The Wall Street Journal
    • Six numbers that explain the fate of department stores.  Retail Dive
    • Why a top VC and a former LinkedIn exec think hobbies are the future of commerce.  Fast Company
    • Walmart offers curbside alcohol pickup, beer and wine delivery in Florida.  WFLA
    • Why Ayurveda could be the next K-Beauty.  Glossy
    • Rental and resale are transforming how we shop this holiday season and beyond.  Forbes
    • Barney’s new parent company shares plans for the brand’s future.  Forbes
    • How Amazon is trying to win over more online grocery shoppers.  Modern Retail
    • Some DTC brands are trading equity for manufacturing expertise.  Glossy
    • Estee Lauder downgraded by Piper Jaffray who says teenagers are wearing less makeup.  CNBC
    • All the things Amazon is doing to encourage indie brands to sell on its platform.  WWD
    • MZ Wallace launches men’s accessories.  Fast Company

Social Media + Marketing

    • Venmo launches a rewards program offering up to 5% back at Target, Sephora, Dunkin’ and Wendy’s.  TechCrunch
    • Fears over Chinese ownership of TikTok grow as U.S. launches security investigation.  Fast Company
    • Google is staying silent about political ads on YouTube while Facebook and Twitter squabble.  CNBC
    • Facebook’s new branding distinguishes app from acquisitions.  TechCrunch
    • Amazon to have nearly 10% of 2021 US digital ad market.  eMarketer
    • Pinterest’s sales fall short on less-lucrative overseas growth.  AdAge
    • LinkedIn sets record for members, unveils principles.  AdWeek
    • Facebook tweaks Messenger, ad metrics.  Marketing Land
    • Facebook reports increase in ad revenue and users in third quarter.  AdAge

Start up + Acquisitions + Emerging Tech

    • Google is buying FitBit for $2.1B.  Fast Company
    • Wearable spending forecasted to increase 27% in 2020.  TechCrunch
    • New sites are helping customer make sense of the DTC landscape.  Modern Retail

International 

    • You can now use AirBnB in 31 more languages.  Fast Company
    • Amazon now sells movie tickets in India.  TechCrunch

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.28.2019

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Happy Monday! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

    • LVMH bids $14.5B for Tiffany.  Bloomberg
    • Barney’s moves forward with sale to Authentic Brands Group.  The Wall Street Journal
    • Amazon stock tumbles after earnings and AWS revenues fall short of estimates.  Fast Company
    • Microsoft wins $10B Pentagon cloud contract, beating Amazon.  Fortune
    • Macy’s becomes the biggest US retailer to end fur sales.  The Guardian
    • Twitter stock plunges as company blames ad targeting problems for earnings miss. MarketWatch
    • Visa, Mastercard debut one-click checkout to compete with PayPal, Apple Pay.  Bloomberg
    • Mega-mall opens in New Jersey with more entertainment than retail.  Fast Company
    • Birchbox is looking beyond beauty for its next phase of growth.  CNBC
    • Playing the handbag stock market.  The New York Times 
    • The Body Shop builds sales with return to green roots.  WWD
    • Procter & Gamble beats expectations again amid media hikes and agency cuts.  AdAge
    • How Dick’s Sporting Goods is building a future on sports, not guns.  Fortune
    • Amazon pop-up helps shoppers find the perfect pair of jeans.  WWD
    • First Aid Beauty’s founder on being acquired by P&G.  WWD
    • Report says Google parent company, Alphabet, makes offer for Fitbit.  Fortune

Social Media + Marketing

    • Dior, Snapchat create AR experiences to back luggage collection created with Rimowa.  AdWeek
    • Gap focuses on digital with a holiday campaign that won’t air on TV.  AdAge
    • Facebook rolls out a stand-alone news service in its mobile app. AdWeek
    • Amazon ad sales show marked slow down.  MediaPost
    • Snapchat’s third quarter brings big gains.  AdWeek
    • Kind gets 18M views in less than a day on TikTok.  AdAge
    • 12 important updates made by Instagram this year.  Social Media Today
    • Snapchat makes sharing content easier.  The Drum
    • How programmatic disruption is creating a fourth era of digital marketing.  AdWeek

Start up + Acquisitions + Emerging Tech

    • Target incubator propels mission-driven Gen Z startups into the marketplace.  Fortune
    • Apple is revamping it’s smart home efforts after falling behind Amazon and Google.  AdAge
    • London’s top consumer VC’s share which trends they’re tracking.  TechCrunch
    • Combining StitchFix and Instagram, FlipFit ushers in the next phase of social retail.  TechCrunch
    • Why Target won’t be rolling out in-store robots.  CNN
    • VW is betting big on electric.  Bloomberg
    • Google search is starting to use machine-based learning.  Google

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.21.2019

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Happy Monday! Here is your recap of industry news from the last week. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

    • Authentic Brands Group bids $271M to buy Barneys New York.  Reuters
    • Under Armour to make spacesuits for Virgin Galatic flights.  CNBC
    • Best Buy touts first-party data capabilities as it looks to build its media business.  Digiday
    • Gymboree brand will stage a comeback in 2020 thanks to Children’s Place.  CNBC
    • How big box retailers are competing to win a greater share of holiday toy sales.  Modern Retail
    • Netflix stock skyrockets on profit beats despite looming threat from Disney, Apple.  Fast Company
    • How Amazon is redefining the expensive and wasteful process of returns.  CNBC
    • Ulta wins exclusive Kyle Cosmetics holiday collection.  Refinery29
    • Nike shifts distribution strategy.  Forbes
    • Why your next Louis Vuitton bag may hail from Texas.  The Wall Street Journal
    • Kellogg’s new inclusion cereal features 6 cereals and 6 mascots.  Fast Company
    • Hudson’s Bay in $1.5B deal to go private. Reuters
    • The North Face sharpens focus on sustainability.  Glossy

Social Media + Marketing

    • Facebook tweaks algorithm, opens search ad placement.  AdWeek
    • Adidas admits that it over-invested in digital advertising.  MarketingWeek
    • How Abercrombie ditched its past to try to bring back customers.  CNBC
    • Amazon charges brands top dollar to be in its curated holiday toy guide.  AdAge
    • Shoppable ads pop up on TikTok.  Economic Times
    • Facebook launches new ‘Disruptor Hub’ to outline how businesses are seeing major growth online.  Social Media Today
    • Influencers tell you what to buy while advertisers wonder who’s listening. The Wall Street Journal
    • Google teams up with Dominos for special Pixel 4 deliveries. AdAge
    • Snapchat’s targeting direct-response advertisers with new dynamic ads product.  Digiday
    • Kohl’s teams up with Instagram and Facebook to update its beauty department.  Glossy
    • Small retailers are prioritizing Amazon as search ads continue to grow.  Modern Retail

Start up + Acquisitions + Emerging Tech

    • Walgreens makes first drone delivery in Virginia test.  The Verge
    • Bose is the latest tech company to expand into healthcare.  Fast Company

International 

    • Travel retail spending on the rise.  WWD
    • ASOS invests to grow global online sales.  Forbes
    • Ikea’s India growth plans feature smaller cities and formats.  The Economic Times

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.15.2019

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Hi! Here is your weekly recap of industry news. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

  • Handbag sales reveal a major shift in where consumers are shopping.  CNBC
  • Toys ‘R’ Us taps Target to fulfill online orders.  AdAge
  • How Glossier grew from millennial catnip to billion-dollar juggernaut.  Vanity Fair 
  • LVMH bets on a mental health-focused streetwear label.  Fast Company
  • Sears, Kmart to shutter more stores by year’s end.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon changes “add-on” policy to allow small-item fast delivery.  Vox
  • With new sampling program, Uniqlo takes page from DTC brands.  Modern Retail
  • Walmart subsidizing some vendors in price wars with Amazon.  AdAge
  • Target expands Goodfellow & co into razors.  Glossy
  • Why eBay, Stripe and MasterCard are bailing on Facebook’s Libra. Fast Company
  • Victoria’s Secret exec resigns as retailer trims HQ staff.  CNN
  • Best Buy promises loyalty members Black Friday price matching.  Star Tribune
  • Wegman’s fan count the days to Brooklyn store opening.  The Wall Street Journal
  • How Unilever plans to dramatically slash its use of plastic.  Fast Company 
  • Google is funding climate-change deniers.  Fast Company
  • Kith’s co-founder in final talks to buy Barneys New York.  GQ

Marketing + Social Media

  • Facebook agrees to pay advertisers $44M over inflated video stats.  AdAge
  • Google introduces price-tracking and enhanced visual search in latest ecommerce bid.  RetailDive
  • Abercrombie & Fitch focuses on mental health.  MediaPost
  • Apps hit $21.9M in global Q3 revenue.  TechCrunch
  • Instagram introduces Threads, taking on Snapchat messaging. Business of Fashion
  • Reddit strikes sharing deal with Snap.  AdAge
  • Gen Z spends more time on YouTube than Netflix.  AdWeek
  • “Aspirational realness,” the Instagram cool-girl look disguises advertising as authenticity.  Quartzy
  • Disney+ tweets full lineup of movies and shows coming to its platform.  TechCrunch
  • Are ‘closet accounts’ the future of fashion journalism?  The New York Times
  • Brands build buzz with TikTok initiatives.  Glossy
  • Amazon Music arrives on Apple TV.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook upgrades business capabilities ahead of holidays.  Social Media Today
  • Pinterest unveils mental health resources.  AdWeek
  • Amazon nibbles away at Google’s search advertising dollars.  AdAge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Comcast and SK Telecom form joint eSports company.  ZDNet
  • Uber to acquire majority stake in grocery-delivery service CornerShop.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon develops drones that won’t crash into other things.  Fortune
  • Whole Foods welcomes robotic barista.  Supermarket News
  • Dyson scraps plan for electric car.  BBC

International

  • Why luxury goods are so expensive in China.  CNBC
  • TMall is becoming luxury fashion’s online gateway to China.  Quartz
  • How China is fueling the growth of beauty brands.  CNBC
  • Nestle’s personalized vitamin-pack subscription service set to expand globally.  Forbes
  • Flipkart confirms its entering the the food retail business in India.  TechCrunch

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.30.2019

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One last post for September! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  As always, sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

  • Forever 21 files for bankruptcy.  Fast Company
  • Barney’s receives interest from potential buyers.  The Wall Street Journal
  • WeWork still needs cash after pulling IPO.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple plans to bring feature-length films to theaters.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Lease of faith: Why churches are going into malls.  Retail Dive
  • Healthcare may eventually become a bigger business for Best Buy than selling electronics.  Forbes
  • McKinsey to open a store at Mall of America.  Fortune
  • Rent the Runway pauses taking new customers as inventory and supply chain issues mount.  CNBC
  • Tod’s appoints former Google exec to amp up digital efforts.  The Business of Fashion
  • Old Navy is set to split from Gap.  Fortune
  • Uber is testing letting users record audio if they feel unsafe on their ride.  Fast Company
  • Mattel’s Barbie bets big on gender-neutral dolls.  Fortune
  • Diesel and Coke team up on fashion collection made from recycled packaging.  AdAge
  • Amazon focuses on Alexa privacy as it unveils new gadgets.  AdAge
  • Sneakers are set to outsell fashion footwear in the US for the first time.  Quartz

Marketing + Social Media

  • Instagram launches reminders to support product drops.  Vogue
  • Snapchat extends video ad limit to three minutes.  AdAge
  • How to create an online community that people will pay for.  Harvard Business Review
  • The age of anxiety is making wellness a generational obsession.  Glossy
  • Why brands no longer need CMOs.  Vogue Business
  • Ipsy’s $500M in revenue is driven by influencers.  The Business of Fashion
  • The Food Network’s Peloton-style streaming service will bring Guy Fieri into your kitchen.  The Verge
  • Retailers look to spend more on Amazon advertising.  Modern Retail
  • How Chevy is winning with Gen-Z and millennials.  Forbes
  • Pinterest users are more likely to try new CPG products.  AdWeek
  • Instagram launches a ‘creators’ account to encourage more creation.  TechCrunch
  • Cracking the code on podcast advertising for customer acquisition. TechCrunch
  • Twitch tweaks its visual identity.  AdWeek
  • YouTube TV is now available on Fire TV devices.  TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Facebook to buy startup for controlling computers with your mind.  AdAge
  • The new ways retailers are watching you shop.  The Business of Fashion
  • DoorDash suffers data breach affecting 4.9M people.  TechCrunch
  • Hyundai is getting into the flying car business. TechCrunch 
  • Sephora’s Accelerate startups stress sustainability.  Glossy
  • Unilever sees promise in blockchain ad-buying pilot.  Campaign US
  • Google brings wearable tech to Levi’s trucker jacket.  TechCrunch

International

  • The biggest trend in Chinese social media is fading and another is already taking its place.  CNBC
  • India’s holiday commerce sales to test severity of shopping slump.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Facebook tests hiding like counts, like Instagram, in Australia.  The Next Web
  • PayPal to enter China through GoPay acquisition.  TechCrunch

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.23.2019

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Happy Monday and officially Happy Fall!  Here is a roundup of industry news from the last week.  As always, sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brands + Retailers

  • Walmart is testing a fulfillment service for vendors to match Amazon.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon expands two-hour Whole Foods delivery to more cities.  Bloomberg
  • Walmart launches two new credit cards offering 5% back on digital purchases.  TechCrunch
  • Allbirds to Amazon: don’t seal our design, steal our sustainable practices  Fast Company
  • Gen Z shopping habits can fuel a brick-and-mortar resurgance.  CNBC
  • Macy’s will try free same-day delivery in select markets.  Business Insider 
  • Hollister to debut small-format store in NYC.  CNBC
  • Amazon pledges to meet Paris climate pact 10 years early.  Bloomberg
  • Best Buy to expand lease-to-buy program to more locations.  Star Tribune
  • HP is pay9ing $11M to protect forests.  Fast Company
  • A look at 50 years in Denim and Khahi at the Gap.  The New York Times 
  • Walmart to stop selling e-cigarettes.  CNBC
  • Why and what millennials and Gan Zers rent instead of buy.  AdWeek
  • More of the products you view on Amazon are coming from ads.  Recode 
  • Google says it’s cutting back on audio data collection on Google Home speakers.  Fortune
  • Big brands like P&G and Kimberly Clark try new products in feminine care.  The Wall Street Journal

Marketing + Social Media

  • Facebook experiments with AI-powered styling program.  Vogue
  • Facebook details three new interactive ad options.  AdWeek
  • Behind Pinterest’s bet on shopping.  AdAge
  • Pinterest’s lens can now recognize 2.5B home and fashion objects.  VentureBeat
  • Twitter wants to be a laboratory for marketers.  AdAge
  • YouTube stars rattled by verification changes.  BBC
  • Snapchat uses AR billboards in LA to back two of its Snap original shows.  AdWeek
  • ‘Play Pass’ is Google’s answer to Apple Arcade. Fast Company
  • Even Tinder is getting into original content with Swipe Night.  AdWeek
  • Facebook reviews millions of third party apps for data privacy.  Fortune
  • Louis Vuitton brings fashion to League of Legends.  AdWeek
  • Instagram’s algorithm favors more realistic content because that’s what people want.  Quartzy
  • Marketers are looking to casual gaming to target audiences.  AdWeek
  • Oracle wants to bring big data to GIFs.  AdWeek
  • Google rolls out massive shakeup to ad business. AdAge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • WeWork to delay IPO.  Gizmodo
  • Stripe launches Stripe Capital to make instant loan offers to customers on its platform.  TechCrunch
  • @ThingTesting gets VC-backing for Instagram DTC reviews.  TechCrunch
  • The Wing has $118M in funding and is just getting started.  Inc.
  • Behind AirBnB’s purchase of HotelTonight and push into hotels.  AdAge
  • Facebook buys startup building neural monitoring armband.  TechCrunch
  • How Peloton made sweat addictive enough to IPO.  TechCrunch

International

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.16.2019

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Happy Monday! Here is a rundown of news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

  • Amazon’s new multi-story warehouse aims to cut delivery times.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Old Navy outlines growth plans as standalone company.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Madewell files paperwork to take itself public, a spinoff from J.Crew. Fast Company
  • Nestle plans for a new world of sustainable packaging.  Fast Company
  • Gap CMO plans turnaround for iconic brand.  The Drum
  • Amazon changed search algorithm in ways that boost its own products.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Online grocery sales grew 15% this year.  GroceryDive
  • Under Armour stresses performance over athleisure.  CNBC
  • As Gucci tripped on social media, sales fell.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Lululemon’s first new brand is finally here.  Fast Company
  • Crate & Barrel to expand restaurant to up to 15 locations.  Fortune
  • Amazon faces a probe by U.S. antitrust officials over its marketplace.  AdAge
  • GameStop closing 200 stores.  Fortune
  • How Hasbro’s CEO s transforming the brand.  Forbes

Marketing + Social Media

  • Why Marriott is betting big on content and starting to look like a media company.  AdWeek
  • Secret Deodorant commits to boosting attendance at women’s soccer games by purchasing 9,000 tickets.  Yahoo
  • Facebook rolls out new video tools.  TechCrunch
  • Why weather data is the hottest new commodity for brands and businesses.  AdWeek
  • Pinterest shares details on Halloween-related searches.  AdWeek
  • Google has a new Tinder-style interface for finding stuff to watch.  The Next Web
  • Facebook leans on Instagram to boost new dating service. AdAge
  • Marketers developing affinity for TikTok. eMarkter
  • Snapchat partners with DoubleVerify for brand safety.  MarketingLand
  • How Dirty Lemon built its brand on Instagram and texting. Yahoo
  • Brands start marketing towards holiday.  AdAge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Consumers increasingly prefer voice and chat assistants to humans.  VentureBeat
  • New hand gesture technology could wave goodbye to passwords.  Forbes
  • McDonald’s buys startup to automate drive=thru ordering.  AdAge
  • Walt Disney Studios partners with Microsoft Azure on cloud innovation lab.  TechCrunch
  • Smile Direct Club makes its debut on the public market.  TechCrunch

International

  • Canada’s Hudson’s Bay ditches 300 brands in quest for cool factor.  Financial Post
  • Jack Ma retires from Alibaba. CNN