And just like that – we are more than halfway through 2018 – WOW!  Might be time for a quick pulse check on the year.

In the meantime, here is a recap of industry headlines from the last two weeks. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

• Sonos files for IPO with plans to raise $100M.  Fast Company
• How Wharton launched Warby Parker and dozens of tore companies just like it.  Inc
• Groupon stock surged this morning on news that it wants a buyer.  Fast Company
• Luxury retail is making a comeback thanks to China, Millennials and men.  Forbes
• Colgate takes minority stake in Hubble.  The Wall Street Journal
• A bigger Amazon Prime Day 2018 arrives July 16 with more deals, devices and longer hours.  TechCrunch
• Amazon makes big push with in-house brands ahead of Prime Day.  CNBC
• Amazon Prime Day and a Half expected to set record at $3.4B.  WWD
• Walmart hires CMO from outside the organization.  AdAge
• Macy’s plans 60 new BlueMercury stores.  Business of Fashion
• Amazon reveals a new plan to deliver more packages: recruit people to run small-scale delivery services.  CNBC
• Xiaomi’s IPO raises $4.7B after pricing on low end.  Bloomberg
• Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie launch new installment payment program online.  Business Insider
• How specialty food retailers are fighting back against Amazon.  FoodDive
• 27% of apparel sales are now online.  Retail Dive
• The American beauty industry is thriving – thanks to these 6 visionary brands.  Fashionista
• Starbucks will stop distributing plastic straws by 2020.  AdWeek
• Kroger is launching its own fashion brand.  Fortune
• How Michael Mente took Revolve from an ecommerce startup to a global powerhouse.  Fashionista
• Net-a-porter launches kids’ wear with Gucci.  WWD
• How Netflix became a billion-dollar titan.  The Economist

Marketing and Social Media

• Snap and Amazon are reportedly working on a visual search feature for Snapchat.  Fortune
• Facebook is shuttering three of its apps, including Moves.  Fast Company
• Dedicated Amazon teams are helping brands develop platform-specific marketing tactics.  AdWeek
• How live events can boost digital marketing.  AdWeek
• How Benefit Cosmetics is home-growing its own influencers on Instagram.  Glossy
• Amazon may send holiday toy catalogs in the mail.  Engadget
• How Frank and Oak is building a data driven subscription service. Glossy
• Instagram Stories is twice as popular as Snapchat.  CNN Money
• Adidas Originals surprised influencers with personalized billboards for the drop of a new shoe. AdWeek
• Tiffany is giving cool a try and it’s working.  CNN Money
• How packaging is helping launch indie brands on social media.  Glossy
• WhatsApp copies Telegram to add one-way ‘broadcast’ mode to group chats.  TechCrunch
• From Muji to Ikea: why the best retailers think like UX designers.  Fast Company
• Inside Instagram’s social shopping master class.  Business of Fashion
• Timehop suffered a data breach that affected 21M users.  The Verge
• Jaden Smith’s latest album is only available on Instagram.  Engadget

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

• How L’Occitane uses AI to improve customer experience online.  Glossy
• The luggage upstart Away is taking on industry giants.  Fast Company
• Kroger plans to introduce driverless grocery deliveries.  The Wall Street Journal
• Walmart-led blockchain effort seeks farm-to-grocery-aisle view of food supply chain.  The Wall Street Journal
• Walmart offers a 3D tour to get shoppers to look, click and buy.  USA Today
• Amazon buys PillPack, an online pharmacy for just under $1B.  TechCrunch
• Uber and Lyft eyeing crowdsourced bus startup Skedaddle.  The Drive

International

• Instagram Lite quietly launches to find a billion more users abroad.  TechCrunch
• Inside JD.com, the giant Chinese firm that could eat Amazon alive.  Wired
• Tencent seeks to list online music unit in US.  Reuters
• The factors behind China’s growing strength in innovation.  Harvard Business Review
• 37% of luxury brands with active WeChat accounts introduced a mini program.  L2 Think Tank
• Siemens inks deal with Alibaba to launch digital products in China.  Reuters