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Weekly Industry Brief: 9.4.2018

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It’s that time: back to school, back to work, back to reality. And for my retail friends, this basically means the holidays are here, so….Happy Holidays!

Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.  Next week I’ll be back to Monday posting!

Brands and Retailers

  • Ulta shares hit 52-week high after announcing Kylie Cosmetics will be in stores by the holidays.  CNBC
  • Hard lessons breathe new life into retail stores.  The New York Times
  • Amazon strikes $1T market cap, four weeks after Apple did the same.  TechCrunch
  • Urban Outfitters gains as it launches a new vision for Anthropologie.  Forbes 
  • How haircare and skincare brands won Amazon Prime Day.  Glossy
  • Sales soar 27% at American Eagle’s Aerie.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Campbell Soup to sell international business and fresh unit.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Kroger expands Instacart home delivery to half its stores nationwide.  USA Today
  • The revamped Tiffany flagship will have more sales and VIP space.  Bloomberg
  • Inside J.Crew’s new CEO’s plans to revive struggling chain.  Fashionista
  • FAO Schwartz to return with store based on experience.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Walmart will have 30% more toys in stores this holiday.  CNBC
  • Target is already thinking of expanding Heyday, it’s first-ever consumer electronics brand.  Forbes

Marketing and Social Media

  • Can Instagram save offline shopping?  The Economist
  • Instagram is driving jewelry sales.  Retail Dive
  • Celine unveils a new logo.  Vogue
  • Tricky ads from a vitamin company that talks up openness.  The New York Times
  • Assessing the fallout – good and bad – from Nike’s Kaepernick ad.  AdAge
  • What happens when Facebook mistakenly blocks local news stories.  Wired
  • Inside Twitter’s long, slow struggle to police bad actors.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Sources say Instagram is building a standalone app for shopping.  The Verge
  • Kylie Jenner joins Adidas as latest brand ambassador.  Forbes
  • Can a festival help Zalando build a memorial brand? The Business of Fashion
  • New video ad gives brands a way to promote deals on Amazon.  AdAge 
  • Snapchat’s latest ecommerce play sells out again, this time with Adidas.  AdWeek

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Apple buys Denver startup building waveguide lenses for AR glasses.  TechCrunch
  • Dyson moves ahead on $2.6B electric car plan.  Bloomberg
  • Kroger to open innovation center at  University of Cincinnati.  Market Watch
  • The rise of giant consumer startups that said no to investor money.  Recode
  • Narvar raises $30M in new funding.  The Wall Street Journal
  • New Balance turns to AI.  Fast Company
  • How apparel store are innovating.  AdWeek

International

  • Inside Alibaba’s new kind of superstar: robots, apps and overhead conveyor belts.  CNBC
  • Tommy Hilfiger’s pivot to Asia.  The Business of Fashion
  • The booming male KOL market on Little Red Book.  Jing Daily
  • Alipay: Alibaba’s $150B moat.  Seeking Alpha
  • Amazon launches a Hindi language version of its site and app.  Fast Company

Weekly Industry Brief: 8.13.2018

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

Brands and Retailers

  • VF Corp considers sale or spin off of denim businesses Lee and Wangler.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Samsung unveils new Galaxy Note smartphone amid slowing sales.  The New York Times
  • Party City joins parade of brands looking to grow via Amazon.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon captures 5% of America retail spending.  Bloomberg
  • Spotify’s $30B playlist for global domination.  Fast Company
  • WeWork’s first financial report shows off growing revenues and $1B SoftBank deal.  Fast Company
  • Playing catch up with Walmart, Amazon offers digital grocery pickup at Whole Foods.  The New York Times
  • Four women sue Nike for violating equal pay acts.  Fast Company
  • Casper to open 200 stores.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Tesla stock sinks as reality sinks in.  Fast Company
  • Sports Direct buys House of Fraser for 90M GBP.  Business of Fashion
  • Jimmy Choo sales help Michael Kors beat estimates.  Business of Fashion
  • Shopify battles the scammers behind fake web stores.  AdAge
  • Online retailers are using empty mall spaces to test products.  Digiday
  • Move over millennials, it’s Gen Z’s turn to kill industries.  Bloomberg
  • Rite Aid and Albertsons terminate merger talks.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Wayfair opening its first store.  Forbes
  • Nestle’s plan to bring customers back to big food.  The Washington Post
  • Pet pampering surges as millennials practice parenting.  AdAge

Marketing and Social Media

  • The flourishing business of fake YouTube views.  The New York Times
  • Why Snapchat is shrinking.  Recode
  • YouTube is about to pass Facebook as the second biggest website in US.  CNBC
  • L’oreal adds to Facebook sales push with virtual make-up tests.  Reuters
  • Google still stores location data even if users opt out, report shows.  AdWeek
  • Google launches Cameos, a video Q&A app aimed at celebs at public figures.  TechCrunch
  • Snapchat expands stoppable AR to its top creators.  Digiday
  • Facebook builds its own AR games for Messenger video chat.  TechCrunch
  • Inside the hyper-targeted world of alcohol influencers.  Vinepair
  • Spotify tests letting listeners skip ads.  AdAge
  • Walmart to sell Gobble Meal Kits in new partnership.  Fortune
  • Snapchat Storytellers is the app’s new way of connecting brands and influencers.  AdWeek

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Inside Store No. 8, Walmart’s incubator that is testing VR and conversational commerce.  Digiday
  • Uber hit with cap as New York City leads in crackdown.  The New York Times
  • Amazon launches an Alexa auto SDK to bring its voice assistant to more cars.  TechCrunch
  • How H&M is betting on AI and big data to regain profitability.  Forbes
  • Wayfair unleashes mixed-reality shopping.  RetailDive
  • Unmade raises $4M to help fashion brands make customizable clothes and cut waste.  VentureBeat
  • How L’oreal’s tech incubator is transforming in-house product development.  Glossy
  • New supply chain jobs are emerging as AI takes hold.  Harvard Business Review

International

  • Inside Google’s effort to develop a censored search engine in China.  The Intercept 
  • Google’s path back into China includes a host of local partners.  Fortune
  • Music.ly investor bets on internet radio with $17M deal for Korea’s Spoon Radio. TechCrunch
  • Walmart and JD.com invest $500M in a Chinese online delivery company.  CNBC
  • Urban Outfitters expands in UK and Europe.  Drapers
  • There’s only one way to break into China’s crowded retail market.  Harvard Business Review

Weekly Industry Brief: 8.6.2018

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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.  Stay cool!

Brands and Retailers

  • Sephora, Ulta and the battle for the $56B US beauty retail market.  Forbes
  • Brookstone files for bankruptcy and will close all of its mall stores.  CNN
  • Apple’s value hits $1 Trillion.  The New York Times
  • Wrigley billionaire moves from chewing gum to medical marijuana.  AdAge
  • Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi to step down in October.  Fast Company
  • Gumps, a 157-year old retailer, files for bankruptcy protection.  SF Chronicle
  • Mattress Firm explores US bankruptcy to close stores.  CNBC
  • Speaker maker Sonos goes public but acknowledges vulnerability.  The Guardian
  • Amazon’s health and beauty sales soar.  eMarketer
  • Apple looks to services to move beyond iPhone price ceiling.  Bloomberg
  • Subscription startup Kidbox launches its own clothing lines.  TechCrunch
  • Zara uses downtown stores to shop online orders.  The Wall Street Journal
  • From Amazon to Alibaba, grocers’ agony is endless.  Bloomberg
  • Inside Levi’s ambitious plan to cut its carbon footprint.  Fast Company

Marketing and Social Media

  • Facebook taps banks, but for chatbots not purchase data like Google.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook is now a major mobile browser in the US, with 10% market share in many states.  TechCrunch
  • Forget photo shoots.  Why GQ and Gucci are betting on cult podcasts.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Burberry changes logo for first time in two decades.  AdAge
  • The bizarre new way people are finding jobs: Tinder.  MarketWatch
  • Best Buy targets youth in new campaign promoting teen tech centers.  AdAge
  • Kylie Jenner launched her own Instagram face filter.  Harpers Bazaar
  • Snapchat quietly launched sticker packs to win over creators.  Digiday
  • WhatsApp finally earns money by charging businesses for slow replies.  TechCrunch
  • Snapchat launches its first speech recognition lenses.  TechCrunch
  • Ikea attempts to co-opt Ikea hacking.  Fast Company
  • Twitter elevates executives in restricting aimed at more engaging content.  USA Today
  • Google reveals Android P is named Pie. The Verge
  • How Estee Lauder is rethinking consumer engagement to drive innovation.  Business of Fashion

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Peloton snags $550MM in new financing, valued at $4B ahead of expected IPO.  Fast Company
  • The startup behind New York’s retail reawakening.  Business of Fashion
  • Lessons CPG brands can learn from startups.  AdWeek
  • Walmart testing robots to fill grocery orders more quickly.  PYMNTS
  • Uniqlo launches is own digital shopping assistant.  VentureBeat
  • Zillow gets into the mortgage business, acquires Mortgage Lenders of America.  TechCrunch
  • AirBnB for Work now accounts for 15% of all bookings.  TechCrunch
  • How Poshmark’s sellers made $1B off the ‘social mall.’ RetailDive

International

  • LemonBox brings US vitamins and health products to consumers in China.  TechCrunch
  • China’s online shopping giants open thousands of brick-and-mortar stores.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Malls are making a surprising come back in southern India. Quartz

Weekly Industry Brief: 23 July 2018

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Alphabet reports strong Q2, tainted somewhat by massive EU fine.  Fast Company
  • How Best Buy is thriving in the age of Amazon.  Bloomberg
  • WeWork opens a retail operation, highlighting products made by its members.  Entrepreneur
  • How Nordstrom changed its merchandising strategy for the DTC brand era.  Glossy
  • ‘Fast beauty’ company Be For Beauty wants to be the ASOS of the cosmetics industry.  Fashionista
  • What the fashion industry can learn from North Face and Vans parent company VF Corp.  Forbes
  • Walmart, Microsoft in partnership to use cloud tech.  Reuters
  • Petco tries to ‘Amazon-proof’ its business with a new store.  CNBC
  • Why a former pro soccer player and his co-founder decided to make Allbirds all about simplicity.  Inc
  • Comcast lets Disney win the 21st Century Fox bidding war. Fast Company
  • Target uses Prime Day to its advantage, logging its biggest online shopping day so far this year.  CNBC
  • Sonos to raise up to $264M in IPO.  Bloomberg
  • Gap CEO looking for acquisitions.  Fortune

Marketing and Social Media

  • Now for sale: the empty space insider retailers’ packages.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Are influencer brands the key to bringing millennials to department stores?  Fashionista
  • Equinox and SoulCycle are launching a talent agency for fitness influencers.  Fast Company
  • How brands are making pop-up shops more interactive and Instagrammable than ever.  AdWeek
  • Snapchat is shutting down Snapcash.  Fast Company
  • AMC teams with Facebook for movie ticket purchases.  Variety
  • Why Club Monaco is stealing tricks from scrappy startups.  Fast Company
  • Amazon advertising is working directly with brands now, cutting out ad agencies.  Digiday
  • Facebook pulls Walmart and P&G’s ads for lacking ‘political’ labeling.  AdAge
  • Retailers are getting into the media and advertising businesses.  Axios
  • Snapchat beefs up ad targeting deal with Nielsen.  AdAge
  • Inside the mating rituals of brands and online stars. The New York Times
  • Snapchat partners with 4 news discovery platforms to help push content beyond the app.  MarketingLand
  • YouTube is testing its own ‘Explore’ tab on iPhone.  TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • P&G reportedly bought First Aid Beauty for $250M.  Allure
  • Will virtual shopping malls save retailers? Forbes
  • Marks & Spencer, Founders Factory form JV to support retail startups.  WWD
  • Why online marketplaces fell out of favor and why VCs should love them again.  Forbes
  • Rocket Internet turns to US with new fund.  Bloomberg
  • Robot truck upstart Embark hauls in $30M to take on Waymo and Uber.  Forbes
  • Eventbrite is reportedly going public in the second half of this year.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook confirms its working on a new internet satellite.  Wired
  • HoneyLove looks to reinvent shapewear.  TechCrunch
  • How voice is changing everything.  AdAge
  • Uber partners with Cargo to enable commerce in your next Uber ride.  Fortune

International

  • Google fined a record $5B by the EU for abusing the dominance of Android.  Business Insider
  • Report: Amazon temporarily killed all international traffic to deal with Prime Day outage.  Fast Company
  • Alibaba and Tencent in talks over stake in WPP’s Chinese unit.  Reuters

Weekly Industry Brief: 07.16.2018

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon suffers glitches at the start of Prime Day, its biggest shopping day of the year.  CNBC
  • Amazon’s share of the US commerce market is now 49% or 5% of all retail spend.  TechCrunch
  • Nordstrom Local expands its innovative, inventory-free retail hubs.  Fast Company
  • Fabletics plans to open 75 new stores in global push.  CNBC
  • Home Depot getting into the home decor space.  Forbes
  • US mobile data use, cell sites set new records in 2017.  Wireless Week
  • Study finds that Amazon Prime Day suppresses foot traffic at other retailers.  Fortune
  • Nike’s digital reboot is working.  CNN Money
  • New Nike concept store goes live in LA.  Retail Dive
  • How Kylie Jenner built a $900M fortune in less than 3 years.  Forbes
  • Why brands like Madewell and Reformation are driving growth for Nordstrom.  Fashionista
  • How Huda Kattan built a multi-million dollar beauty brand from a blog.  Fast Company
  • This retailer is betting big on made-to-order brands and is opening 15 stores dedicated to it.  AdWeek
  • Strong retail sales in June boosted growth.  The Wall Street Journal
  • CPG giants seek out tie-ups and push M&A to 15-year high.  Forbes
  • Apple launches clean energy fund in China.  NBC
  • Netflix stock plummets after missed subscriber targets by 1M.  Fast Company

Marketing and Social Media

  • Target has a secret app for superfine and it looks like Instagram.  Fast Company
  • Google works with Shopify to spur commerce, retail ad spending.  Bloomberg
  • Aerie’s latest campaign features women in wheelchairs, with illnesses and more.  Fashionista
  • Pinterest’s rudimentary consultancy gives retailers advice on in-store marketing.  The Drum
  • On Instagram TV, brands go longer, weirder.  AdAge
  • Facebook testing AR ads in the news feed and new tool to help brands create video ads.  MarketingLand
  • Google expanding store visitation and local conversion reporting.  Search Engine Land
  • How H&M’s millennial brand Nyden is crowdsourcing design on Instagram.  Glossy

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Alibaba, Amazon and Nike all point to the next innovation in retail: personalized physical spaces.  Forbes
  • AdQuick raises over $2M to make billboard advertising more programmatic.  TechCrunch
  • Lady Gaga is quietly working on a new beauty startup.  Recode
  • Retailers use AI for more personalized approach.  AdAge
  • Facebook taught bots how to navigate New York City using natural language.  Fast Company
  • Adobe is bringing real Photoshop to the iPad, possibly in 2019.  Fast Company

International

  • Burberry to cut prices in China.  Jing Daily
  • Louis Vuitton expands ecommerce to cover all of China.  Jing Daily
  • Instagram is changing the way fashion sells in India.  Quartz
  • WeWork’s biggest rival in China is on an acquisition spree.  TechCrunch

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.11.2018

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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

  • Lord & Taylor is closing 10 stores including its Fifth Avenue flagship.  Fortune
  • Gucci aims to rival Louis Vuitton with $12B target.  Fortune
  • The world’s largest apparel companies 2018.  Forbes
  • Amazon introduces the Fire TV cube.  Quartz
  • Ikea no longer just a furniture company.  Fast Company
  • Why 2018 is the year of modernization for Target.  Retail Dive
  • Five surprising findings about how people buy shoes and clothes.  Harvard Business Review
  • Kayla Itsines’ Sweat app will rake in $77M this year.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon taps into the indie beauty craze with new online store.  Glossy
  • Target, Sycamore tried to acquire Toys ‘R’ Us assets.  Bloomberg
  • Rue La La is buying GIlt.  Bloomberg
  • How FitBit is trying to transform healthcare and itself.  Fast Company
  • Yahoo Messenger to shut down.  Fortune
  • How pop-up shops are evolving as commerce brands expand their footprints.  AdWeek
  • Starbucks increases price of coffee.  AdAge
  • J.C. Penny to open 650 Fanatics shops in stores.  Women’s Wear Daily

Marketing and Social Media

  • Facebook allows video with copyrighted music, tests Lip Sync Live.  TechCrunch
  • SeatGeek brings ticket selling into Snapchat.  TechCrunch
  • Is H&M’s influencer-drive line the future of fashion?  Fast Company
  • Behind the messy, expensive split between Facebook and WhatsApp founders.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Facebook shared data with Chinese telecom Huawei, raising US government security concerns.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook monetizes Marketplace with ads from users and brands.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook takes on Twitch with launch of new game streaming.  Tech Radar
  • Snapchat ad prices go from ungodly to cheap.  AdAge
  • Instagram plans to launch a Snapchat Discover-style video hub.  TechCrunch
  • Direct-to-consumer brands sour on Facebook ads.  Digiday
  • Publishers are seeing traffic from more than just Facebook.  AdWeek
  • How Generation Z’s social media savvy entrepreneurs are giving millennials a run for their money.  CNBC
  • US podcast ad revenues hit record $314M in 2017. TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • The Honest Company accelerates growth strategy with investment from L Catterton.  BusinessWire
  • Casper launches a $35 nap pillow for sleeping on-the-go.  TechCrunch
  • Apple drew up a patent for a new kind of blood pressure monitor.  The Verge
  • H&M tests voice-activated mirrors at NYC flagship.  Retail Dive
  • Why Microsoft is willing to pay so much for Github.  Harvard Business Review
  • How shopping app Wish is building a retail empire.  CNet
  • Microsoft acquires a bunch of game studios.  TechCrunch

International

  • Amazon extends UK hiring spree as Brexit uncertainty lingers.  Bloomberg
  • Chinese buyers crave a new sales pitch: “experiential luxury”.  Jing Daily
  • Luxury sales are rebounding in China. Just not in stores. The New York Times
  • India’s online sales to grow 31% in 2018. LiveMint

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.16.2018

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Nordstrom opening a New York store as other retailers close theirs.  The New York Times
  • H&M announces Moschino collaboration.  Vogue
  • Amazon expands Prime Wardrobe.  RetailDive
  • What beauty players can teach the consumer sector about digital disruption.  McKinsey
  • Toys ‘R’ Us gets 11th hour bid from Little Tikes’ Larian.  Bloomberg
  • Levi’s CFO turns to robots to help keep the books.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Gap follows J.Crew in giving up on the bridal-wear industry.  Bloomberg
  • At Lands’ End, gone are the stilettos and trendy clothes that didn’t fit the brand’s customers.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple’s business is now being powered with clean energy.  Bloomberg
  • Domino’s will now delivery to 150,000 parks, pools and other non-traditional locations.  TechCrunch
  • Why Sephora merged its digital and physical retail teams into one department.  Glossy
  • Estee Lauder adds two women CEOs to its board as it nears gender parity.  Fortune
  • Walmart recruits Postdates to help grocery delivery push.  Fortune
  • The retail industry is focusing on customer experience and convenience to win in ecommerce.  AdWeek
  • Netflix stock skyrockets on yet another subscriber growth spurt.  Fast Company
  • Target brings same-day delivery of in-store purchases to five cities.  Engadget
  • T-Mobile fined $40M by FTC for inserting fake ring tones.  Fast Company
  • Sears to close more stores.  Business Insider

Marketing and Social Media

  • Netflix may spend $300M to buy a billboard company.  AdWeek
  • Hermes plays a hipster tune.  The New York Times
  • Go young, go digital: Gucci and Louis Vuitton have similarly successful playbooks.  Glossy
  • HighSnobiety experiments with a multimedia vertical stories format.  Digiday
  • Bumble ditches Facebook login requirement.  Fortune
  • Women use their phones for way more than just communicating.  AdWeek
  • Pandora vs. Spotify: ad tech streams into audio.  AdAge
  • Snap is testing commerce with Snapchat Discover publishers.  Digiday
  • Abercrombie & Fitch is digging into its archives to gain ground with Gen Z.  Glossy
  • How a teen and Wendy’s proved that social superfine work.  Digiday

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • LVMH backs luxury startups.  Reuters
  • Colgate unveils smart toothbrush.  The Wall Street Journal
  • General Assembly sells to Adecco for $413M.  TechCrunch
  • The RealReal hunts for more funding amid IPO buzz.  RetailDive
  • Startup subscription service Billie raises $6M.  RetailDive
  • Adobe acquires voice interface platform Sayspring.  TechCrunch
  • US early-stage investment share shrinks as China surges.  TechCrunch
  • Google’s new VR tours let you experience imperiled cultural sites around the world.  Fast Company
  • How JetBlue is defining the future of travel and hospitality through JetBlue Technology Ventures.  Fast Company

International

  • Saudi Arabia just had its first Fashion Week.  The New York Times
  • Gap to open 3-4 new stores in India this year.  Economic Times
  • Alibaba is the latest Chinese internet giant to test self-driving cars.  Engadget

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.2.2018

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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 and Retailers

  • AdoreMe to expand brick-and-mortar presence in challenge to Victoria’s Secret.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Bobbi Brown is ready to slay the wellness industry.  The New York Times
  • eBay Fashion aims to reposition in the face of competition.  Glossy
  • Here is who is winning the retail race, and it’s not inside the mall.  CNBC
  • H&M has a problem: $4.3B in unsold clothes.  The New York Times
  • Kohl’s bets on smaller stores to fuel its growth.  CNBC
  • Walmart may be acquiring health insurer Humana.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon may launch a bank account aimed at teens.  TechCrunch
  • Bumble is suing Match Group for $400M for fraudulently obtaining trade secrets.  TechCrunch
  • Rite Aid bid for Albertsons wins U.S. approval.  Bloomberg
  • The Sephora effect: How the retailer wields its power to boost new beauty brands.  Glossy
  • Ikea’s plan to leave the big blue box store behind.  Fast Company
  • Apple insists the iPhone is built in the U.S.  Recode
  • Lululemon stretches its digital marketing wings.  AdAge
  • Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren betting on denim revival.  Business of Fashion
  • Saks, Lord & Taylor report data breach affecting 5 million cards.   CNN Money
  • Toys ‘R’ Us shuts down web operations.  Fortune

Marketing and Social Media

  • Snapchat tests ‘Connected Apps’ as people choose to delete Facebook.  Mashable
  • As fallout from Cambridge Analytica hits Facebook, marketers shrug.  AdAge
  • Warby Parker and Arby’s team up to create WArby’s this April Fools’ Day.  AdWeek
  • IoT devices could be the next customer data frontier.  TechCrunch
  • LinkedIn is introducing auto-playing video ads.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook will cut off access to third party data for ad targeting.  TechCrunch
  • The number of OTT-only U.S. homes has tripled over the last five years.  AdWeek
  • Waze officially launches its ad program for small businesses.  TechCrunch
  • Instagram GIFs are back to Stories with stricter moderation.  The Verge
  • Facebook is investing $1B in small-business initiatives this year.  Inc
  • Amazon Spark is not taking off with brands, agencies.  Digiday
  • Influencers are getting long-term contracts that treat them more like traditional talent.  Digiday
  • The six new companies in the Twitter official partner program.  AdWeek
  • Social commerce is here, but is it ready for the mainstream consumer? AdWeek
  • Publicis Media launches global commerce practice.  AdWeek
  • TV’s share of ad spend expected to continue its decline this year.  AdWeek
  • Adobe announces it’s helping companies track people across devices to result in better ad quality.  Time
  • Shorter, skip-able ads coming to YouTube.  TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Google Home drops prices.  Forbes
  • Nike acquires customer data analytics company Zodiac.  MarketWatch
  • A new wave of beauty apps is coming for your skin-care routine.  Fashionista
  • Why Walmart is testing robots in its stores.  Fortune
  • How Shyp sunk: the rise and fall of an on-demand startup.  Fast Company
  • Goop raises $50M in series C round.  TechCrunch
  • New Apple Watch is coming this fall with larger displays, analyst says.  Fast Company

International

  • Farfetched CEO on the Chinese partners catapulting them ahead.  Jing Daily
  • Alibaba bets big on local delivery in a $9.5B deal.  Fortune
  • Alipay tempts Europe’s retailers with Chinese tourists’ massive spending power.  Quartz
  • Alibaba’s auto vending machine.  L2 Inc

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.26.2018

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon has considered buying some Toys ‘R’ Us stores.  Bloomberg
  • WalMart’s ecommerce CEO explains why its many acquisitions will help it reach millennials.  AdWeek
  • WalMart to start selling cars at 250 stores.  AdAge
  • Everlane launches underwear basics.  Fast Company
  • Billionaire CEO wants to launch GoFundMe to buy Toys R Us.  The Washington Post
  • Best Buy to stop selling Huawei.  CNet
  • Ulta, Gap, Target and more: these retailers are still opening stores in 2018.  CNBC
  • Sephora is capitalizing on limited edition by commissioning exclusive products from brands.  Glossy
  • Nordstrom to partner with sneaker marketplace Stadium Goods at its stand-alone men’s store.  CNBC
  • Gap Inc. pledges to conserve 10B liters of water by 2020.  Fashionista
  • Chanel Beauty is expanding distribution in an effort to talk directly to customers.  Glossy
  • How retailers are defending their reason for existing in the Amazon age.  Glossy
  • New Look to close 60 stores.  Telegraph
  • Amazon just passed Alphabet to become the world’s second most valuable company.  CNBC
  • FedEx to add 500 new locations in Walmart stores in two years.  Business Insider
  • Everlane’s five tactics for winning at physical retail.  Business of Fashion

Marketing and Social Media

  • Facebook and Google face emboldened antagonists: big advertisers.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Rivals chip away at Google’s and Facebook’s US digital ad dominance.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Instagram tweaks its feed to show newer posts first again.  Fortune
  • Home Depot expands partnership with Pinterest.  Retail Dive
  • Sonos is yanking its Facebook ads in response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.  Fast Company
  • As Instagram Shopping goes global, brands look to optimize mobile commerce strategies.  Glossy
  • Elon Musk just deleted the Facebook pages for Tesla and SpaceX.  Fast Company
  • Facebook debuted 3 new ad products for retailers at ShopTalk.  AdWeek
  • YouTube just become the top grossing iPhone app of the first time.  TechCrunch
  • Glossier’s customer obsession is about stirring up conversation.  RetailDive
  • Hulu has started to address advertisers’ inventory frustration.  Digiday
  • YouTube to increase ad inventory.  The Verge
  • Snapchat launches Map Explore feature to highlight breaking news.  The Verge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Amazon has patented a drone that reacts to people shouting and waving at it.  USA Today
  • Salesforce is buying MuleSoft at enterprise value of $6.5B.  TechCrunch
  • This sneaker startup’s explosive growth comes from creative partnerships.  Fast Company
  • Dropbox pops in IPO.  CNN Money
  • Google may acquire light-field tech company Lytro for VR/AR.  CNet
  • Cheddar raises $22M for international expansion.  The Wall Street Journal
  • WalMart’s future could include drone assistants and smart cars.  Engadget
  • Tech’s next big wave: big data meets biology.  Fortune

International

  • India’s commerce market is exploding. Quartz
  • Uber exiting Southeast Asia.  TechCrunch
  • How to chase the next half-billion internet addicts in China.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Alibaba is doubling down on Southeast Asia as its rivals are moving in.  Quartz

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.12.2018

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Happy Monday! Here is the industry news round-up from the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Walmart is about to open a technology research center in Plano’s Granite Park.  Dallas News 
  • Nordstrom will start selling Anthropologie home products.  Architectural Digest
  • Sizzling Aerie brand lifts American Eagle.  Seeking Alpha
  • Abercombie’s flagship brand is bouncing back.  Bloomberg
  • L’oreal launches men’s brand with David Beckham.  Bloomberg
  • Blue Apron stock suffers as Weight Watchers gets into meal kits.  TechCrunch
  • Tommy Hilfiger’s bet on instant gratification is paying off.  Business of Fashion
  • At Target, it’s the year of acceleration.  Retail Dive
  • Zara turns to robots as in-store pickups surge. The Wall Street Journal
  • Abercrombie to close 60 more stores.  CNBC
  • Why the toy industry would suffer if Toys ‘R’ Us disappears.  Fortune
  • Netflix eyeing total of about 700 original series in 2018.  Variety

Marketing and Social Media

  • The company that’s taking stoppable video seriously – and driving results.  AdWeek
  • Branded podcasts are the ads people actually want to listen to.  Fast Company
  • Lorde and other US musicians can now start posting on Google.  TechCrunch
  • Google promises publishers an alternative to AMP.  TechCrunch
  • Decoding Chanel’s Gen-Z strategy.  Business of Fashion
  • Twitter might verify everybody to stop bots and fake news.  Fast Company
  • Google is selling off Zagat to restaurant review site The Infatuation.  The Verge
  • The big potential of micro-influencers.  Women’s Wear Daily
  • Facebook’s new tool allows travel brands to shape vacationers’ plans from the start. AdWeek
  • Netflix to introduce mobile previews with vertical video in April.  Variety
  • Snap is reportedly laying off around 100 employees.  TechCrunch
  • 74% of Facebook users visit the site daily and 51% go several times a day.  Marketing Land 
  • Snapchat and Instagram remove Giphy feature due to racial slur GIF.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook has signed a deal to stream 25 afternoon MLB games.  TechCrunch
  • Snapchat’s tagging test could help brands and influencers build their follower numbers.  MarketingLand

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Nordstrom snaps up tech startups to fuel mobile shopping.  Retail Dive
  • Bose is carving out $50M for startups using its new audio-focused AR tech.  TechCrunch
  • Dropbox announces deeper integration with Salesforce ahead of IPO.  TechCrunch
  • Boxed reportedly rejected $400M buyout offer from Kroger. TechCrunch
  • Amazon adds photo confirmation for deliveries.  Retail Dive
  • Alibaba’s Jack Ma and Joe Tsai invest $20M in Rent the Runway.  TechCrunch
  • Now you can have a conversation with Alexa without screaming “Hey, Alexa” for every request.  TechCrunch
  • How L’oreal is using tech to make thousands of custom skin shades.  AdWeek
  • Why Blockchain will survive even if Bitcoin doesn’t.  Wall Street Journal
  • Brands are finally embracing augmented reality, but not without speed bumps.  AdWeek
  • DVF is bringing customization and VR to its flagship store.  Glossy
  • The men’s alternative to Rent the Runway is plotting a $30M expansion to make weddings and job interviews way easier.  Business Insider
  • ASOS’s visual search tool is now available to all of its shoppers.  Engadget

International

  • Zara to launch New Zealand online store in March.  Business Day
  • Amazon to enter Vietnam in challenge to Alibaba.  Nikkei Asian Review
  • Amazon to expand in India by adding original regional content.  Nasdaq