Month: October 2018

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.29.2018

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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 and Retailers

  • Legacy retailer and disruptive brand partnerships are on the rise.  Forbes
  • Mattel sales fall despite strong showing from Barbie.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Target focuses on private label brands to compete with Amazon.  Glossy
  • Buzzfeed launches Goodful product line with Macy’s.  MediaPost
  • The affordable cashmere wars are heating up just in time for sweater weather.  Fast Company 
  • Sam’s Club looks to fend off Amazon with cashier-less stores.  Fast Company
  • How Peapod plans to win over customers in the crowded online grocery market.  Digiday
  • Shopify adds Venom as a checkout option just in time for the holidays.  AdWeek
  • Measuring the fashion world’s go-to-market strategy.  McKinsey
  • Foundation is becoming the most innovative category in makeup.  Fashionista
  • Nordstrom adds “early-bird” pick-up this holiday season.  USA Today

Marketing and Social Media

  • Tinder preps programmatic ad partnership with Google.  Digiday
  • Twitter beats on Q3 earnings.  TechCrunch
  • Stickers are coming to WhatsApp.  AdWeek
  • The Standard hotel created a virtual lobby so you can meet fellow guests IRL.  Fast Company
  • Levi’s, Disney partner on sales via Snapchat. AdWeek
  • What Gen Z wants for Christmas.  RetailDive
  • Amazon’s ad bonanza continues with $2.5B last quarter.  AdAge
  • Apple plans for subscription TV launch.  Mashable
  • Blue Apron partners with Jet.com.  TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • IBM buys Red Hat for $34B.  Fast Company
  • Grocery, food delivery firms raises billions in new funding.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Facial recognition system to approve alcohol and cigarette sales to be trailed in British supermarket.  Telegraph
  • Samsung teases a reveal for its foldable, dual-screen smartphone.  
  • IBM is making a perfume based on artificial intelligence.  Vox
  • Entrepreneurs create $750M bra business by exposing Victoria Secret’s weakness.  Forbes

International

  • Cartier meets TMall in Richemont-Alibaba online luxury tie-up.  Bloomberg
  • India has already hit record number of $1B startups this year.  Bloomberg
  • Vogue said to launch Hong Kong edition.  South China Morning Post
  • Goop, new to London, is already being reported to U.K. regulator. Fast Company
  • Yoox-Net-a-Porter ink joint venture deal with Alibaba to target Chinese consumers.  The Drum
  • Alibaba used shoppers’ data to invent spicy Snickers bar.  Bloomberg 
  • Russia’s Yandex trumpets fastest growth in six years.  Reuters

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.23.2018

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Happy Tuesday! Here’s a recap of industry news from the last week plus one day 🙂  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Walmart’s marketplace items get free 2-day shipping, in-store returns.  TechCrunch
  • How Everyone plans to rid its supply chain of virgin plastic.  Fashionista
  • According to survey, Vans is the breakout brand for teens.  Quartz
  • Amazon Business Prime adds same-day and 1-day shipping among other benefits.  TechCrunch
  • Warby Parker is coming to a suburban mall near you.  Bloomberg
  • A look inside the convenience store of the future.  Bloomberg
  • Hasbro’s holiday cheer may be delayed by Toys ‘R’ Us bankruptcy.  The Wall Street Journal
  • eBay launches instant selling, a new trade-in service for smartphones.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon revisits some cities as H2Q decision looms.  The Wall Street Joural
  • Rent-the-Runway is teaming up with WeWork to boost subscription services.  Glossy
  • Jimmy Choo co-founder is reimagining the shoe industry with her namesake line, Tamara Mellon.  CNBC
  • Starbucks opens it first U.S. sign language store.  AdAge
  • P&G reports best quarter in five years.  USA Today

Marketing and Social Media

  • Instagram inches ahead of Snapchat in popularity among teens.  CNBC
  • L’oreal CMO says that companies that just sell products will not be successful.  MarketingWeek
  • Tommy Hilfiger combines content and commerce in Messenger.  AdWeek
  • Inside the $2.6B subscription box wars.  Fast Company
  • Oculus co-founder departs Facebook.  AdWeek
  • Crate & Barrel teams up with Zola hoping to win over Millennial couples.  AdWeek

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Uber ambitiously eyes 2021 for food-delivery drones launch.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Former Go-Pro exec launches clothing startup that does away with sizes.  TechCrunch
  • Lufstansa and IBM think AI can convince you to use your vacation days.  Fast Company
  • General Motors expands its peer-to-peer ride-sharing service to 10 cities.  Fast Company
  • China is the world’s retail laboratory.  Bloomberg
  • Tastemade raises $35M in funding from investors including Amazon.  Variety
  • Amazon, Walmart and others are using AI and robotics to transform everything from appliance shopping to grocery delivery.  The Wall Street Journal

International

  • Alibaba looks to take this year’s $25B mega sales event international.  CNBC
  • Hermes launches its first-ever Chinese ecommerce site. Jing Daily 
  • The multi billion-dollar modest fashion industry that’s gone global.  Vogue
  • China’s JD.com unwraps FedEx-style parcel business to bolster sales.  Reuters
  • China’s JD will launch flagship U.S. store on Google this year.  Bloomberg
  • Starbucks is brewing up massive growth in China.  Fortune

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.15.2018

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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 and Retailers

  • Sears files for bankruptcy. Fast Company
  • Luxury labels are going direct to consumer.  Quartz
  • Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger are sending a clear signal that Amazon is the future of fashion.  Business Insider
  • Rent the Runway and the transformational bliss of renting your work clothes.  The New York Times 
  • LVMH shares slide as China concerns linger.  Business of Fashion
  • Travelers teams up with Amazon to sell home security kits.  CNN
  • Google unveils new hardware, including a tablet-laptop hybrid.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Can Knix win the $12B underwear wars?  Fast Company
  • Amazon debuts a retail site for Shark Tank products.  TechCrunch
  • Alexander Wang and Uniqlo to collaborate on new heat tech underwear.  Fashionista
  • Amazon’s Jeff Bezos talks government contracts and Blue Origin Rockets.  Fortune
  • Role reversal: grown-up retailers acting like startups and vice versa.  Forbes
  • Shopify opens brick-and-mortar space for entrepreneurs in LA.  RetailDive
  • Activist investor takes $900M stake in Starbucks.  Forbes
  • Walgreens will open 600 medical testing locations in its US stores.  Bloomberg
  • ModCloth launches size-inclusive collaboration with Anna Sui.  Glossy

Marketing and Social Media

  • Walmart wants to expand video service with HBO, Showtime.  AdAge
  • Instagram is testing tapping through posts instead of scrolling.  The Verge
  • A new Ikea report is an unsettling look at life in the 21st century.  Fast Company
  • How CPG brands and retailers can remain competitive amid seismic change.  AdAge
  • Some advertisers are moving half of their search budget from Google to Amazon.  CNBC
  • Why brands are creating apps for superfans.  Business of Fashion
  • Facebook purges hundreds of “inauthentic” pages and accounts ahead of midterm elections.  Fortune
  • Samsung sees smart homes as a gamechanger for loyalty.  MarketingWeek
  • Target to test app that recruits neighbors for delivery.  Star Tribune
  • PhotoShop is coming to the iPad. AdAge
  • New report cites skyrocketing growth of internal agencies.  AdAge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • AllBirds raises $50M.  Biz Journals
  • Walmart continues M&A spree with acquisition of lingerie retailer Bare Necessities.  TechCrunch
  • Apple reportedly buys music platform “able to find the next Justin Bieber.” Fast Company 
  • Deal expands MedMen’s footprint to more states.  AdAge
  • Nike creates Messenger bots for Jordans.  AdWeek
  • Six things you need to know about the future of retail.  Wired
  • Walmart planning a net-connected shopping cart.  BCC
  • Forbes reveals its picks for the next billion-dollar startups.  Forbes
  • Meditation app, Inscape, wants to be the Spotify of mindfulness.  Glossy

International

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.8.2018

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Happy Monday! Hope some of you were able to enjoy a day off today.  Here is a recap of industry news to get you caught up.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Have a great week!

Brands + Retailers

  • Walgreens takes a minority stake in Birchbox, which will now come to its stores.  TechCrunch
  • Walmart partners with MGM on original programming for Vudu.  TechCrunch
  • Kraft-Heinz starts food technology VC fund with $100M.  AdAge
  • Stitch Fix shares slide 20% amid growing concerns about Amazon competition.  Fortune
  • Nike’s shop for female sneaker heads will be curated by a fashion retail superstar.  Quartzy
  • Express is the latest retailer to launch a clothing rental service.  CNBC
  • Toys ‘R’ Us lenders plan brand revival.  Bloomberg
  • Target is back to its ‘cheap chic’ roots but the retailer has to keep the momentum going.  CNBC
  • How Eloquii fits into Walmart’s quest for upscale growth.  RetailDive
  • Target’s answer to discounters is an even cheaper store brand.  The Wall Street Journal
  • What competitors are missing about Amazon’s new 4-start retail concept.  Forbes
  • Barnes and Noble evaluates possible sale.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Time magazine names its 50 most genius companies of 2018.  Time
  • Netflix is buying a studio.  Bloomberg
  • Why future success on the high street could mean collaborating with ‘frenemies.’ Marketing Week

Marketing + Social Media

  • Why J&J enlists teens with modest Instagram followings as influencers.  AdAge
  • How Lowe’s is using Pinterest to build customer intent.  Digiday
  • Foursquare closes a $33 million funding round aiming to ‘refine’ its products.  AdWeek
  • Highlights from Snapchat CEO’s 6,000-word leaked memo on survival.  TechCrunch
  • Why you’re buying products from companies you’ve never heard of.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Facebook to allow first-party cookies by the end of the month.  Inc
  • Facebook adds personas to Messenger chatbots.  Mobile Marketer
  • Twitter allows publishers to monetize their organic videos worldwide via in-stream video ads.  AdWeek
  • How L’oreal is balancing data and consumer trust.  Glossy
  • Facebook pushes into smart speakers with new portal video calling device.  Fortune
  • Google is shutting down Google+ in wake of privacy glitch.  USA Today

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Klarna raises $20M from H&M, will build financing and payment services for the fashion retailer.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook messenger internally tests voice command for chat, calls.  TechCrunch
  • Google acquires CRM automation startup.  Seeking Alpha 
  • LinkedIn acquires employee engagement platform Glint.  TechCrunch
  • How AI is helping Amazon become a trillion-dollar company.  Fast Company
  • Forerunner Ventures raises a new $360 million fund.  Fast Company
  • New cannabis tech boosting industry and providing a better user experience.  Forbes

International

  • China’s most famous actress faces huge fines in tax evasion.  The New York Times 
  • WeChat has more users than China’s entire internet – but what’s next? JingDaily
  • Bumble to head to India with help from Priyanka Chopra.  The New York Times

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.2.2018

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Happy TUESDAY! Here’s a recap of news from the last week. Sources are in the hyperlink after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Revolve files for IPO.  Seeking Alpha
  • Kors and Versace form US luxury conglomorate.  The New York Times
  • Target to be first retailer to sell Quip toothbrushes.  Bloomberg
  • Lifestyle brands are building hotels.  Here’s why that makes sense.  Harvard Business Review
  • Amazon to open a New York story that only sells highly rated prodcuts.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon taking a stab at the mattress business.  Bloomberg
  • Tesla shares plummet after SEC files fraud claims againt Elon Musk.  TechCrunch
  • Want to see what’s up Amazon’s sleeve? Take a tour of Seattle.  The New York TImes
  • H&M tests new store to get back in vogue with consumers.  Reuters
  • J.Crew to unviel new brand for younger women.  Chicago Tribune
  • Lululemon, the brand that invented athleisure, plans its second act.  Fast Company
  • How department stores are fighting back to combat declining sales.  MarketingWeek

Marketing and Social Media

  • YouTube launching new ad formats.  AdWeek
  • Snapchat tests a camera feature that lets you easily buy items from Amazon.  The Verge
  • How Instagram rose into a cultural powerhouse.  The New York Times
  • How Pinterest, Google and Amazon are improving visual search.  eMarketer
  • Burger King tries to prove AI can’t replicate creativity.  AdAge
  • Google Maps want to make your commute less taxing and more musical. Fast Company
  • Improving search for the next 20 years.  Google
  • The limits of fashion’s inclusivity.  The New York Times
  • Pinterest is quietly growing into an internet ad giant.  Fast Company
  • Facebook continues to be the top media source for app marketers.  AdWeek
  • Snapchat launches multiple ecommerce ad formats in time for holiday.  MarketingLand
  • The elusive art of going viral on Twitter.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Facebook security breach affected 50 million accounts.  CNBC
  • Google launches new travel planning tools.  TechCrunch
  • Instagram’s co-founders step down from company.  The New York Times
  • Google gets imto game streaming.  TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • VW ups digital push with Microsoft connected cars.  AdAge
  • Investors are pouring millions into streetwear startups.  Fashionista
  • HP made a leather laptop.  Wired

International

  • China’s influencer fatigue is real.  Jing Daily
  • To grow your business abroad, partner with local influencers.  Havard Busines Review
  • Goop comes to the UK.  Vogue
  • China’s game approval freeze forces Tencent to restructure.  Engadget