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Weekly Industry Brief: 6.18.2018

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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

  • Is co-working the next hot retail concept?  Retail Dive
  • These brands are benefiting from fumbles at Victoria’s Secret.  CNBC
  • To compete with Amazon, big-name consumer brands have to become more like it.  Havard Business Review
  • CoverGirl is opening its first store.  Elle
  • Rent the Runway extends logistics tools to luxury fashion brands.  Fast Company
  • Google enters deal with Carrefour to sell food online.  Bloomberg
  • Zara goes high-tech in race with Amazon.  Bloomberg
  • Home Depot sets $1.2B supply-chain overhaul.  The Wall Street Journal
  • AT&T completes its acquisition of Time Warner.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon is facing questions from U.S. senators about Echo privacy.  AdAge
  • Adobe could be the next $10B software company.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon’s clever machines are moving from the warehouse to headquarters.  Bloomberg
  • JetBlue founder launching another low-cost airline.  Fast Company

Marketing + Social Media

  • Voice assistants are the new marketing battleground.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Cannabis has officially arrived in the realm of luxury wellness.  Quartz
  • Inside Coach’s latest bid for brand love.  Retail Dive
  • Inside Nike’s mission to change the future of our planet.  Dazed
  • Snap introduces ads for its stoppable AR games.  VentureBeat
  • How Depop is catering to Gen Z and millennials to get an edge over competitors.  Glossy
  • Get ready to activate marketing campaigns with mobile wallets.  Forbes
  • Facebook is building a $750M data center in Huntsville, Alabama.  Fortune
  • Instagram’s new shopping bag icon adds commerce element to advertisers’ Stories.  MarketingLand
  • In study, Conde Nast seeks to understand which factors influence purchase on the path to purchase.  Glossy
  • Oprah partners with Apple on subscription video service.  Fast Company
  • Snapchat builds app services for Tinder and more.  AdAge
  • Unilever says it won’t work with influencers who buy followers.  CNBC

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • L’oreal is bringing the makeup counter experience into your home with live-streaming and AR.  AdWeek
  • Macy’s and B8ta partner on new retail concept.  Retail Dive
  • Why are grocery retailers teaming up with tech giants?  Reuters
  • Microsoft is developing its own cashier less store technology.  TechCrunch
  • Marketing startup Influential raises $12M from WME and others.  TechCrunch
  • Zelle forecast to overtake Venmo this year.  TechCrunch
  • WeWork in talks with SoftBank to double valuation to as much as $40B.  The Wall Street Journal
  • LOLA raises $24M for a subscription service that ships tampons, pads and now condoms.  TechCrunch
  • Square jumps on receiving license to let New York customers buy and sell bitcoin.  Bloomberg
  • These high-tech clothes make you money by selling your data.  Wired

International

  • Chinese shoppers look to live videos to discover American beauty brands.  Glossy
  • How ecommerce with drove delivery is taking flight in China.  The Economist
  • Google invests in JD.com.  Seeking Alpha

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.4.2018

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And just like that, it’s JUNE! Here is a recap of industry news over the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • WalMart’s personal shopper service launches in New York.  Fortune
  • Microsoft is now more valuable than Google.  The Verge
  • Improvement seen across the board for Urban Outfitters in the first quarter.  Forbes
  • Howard Shultz to exit Starbucks.  The New York Times
  • Sears Holdings closing 72 more stores after another terrible quarter.  Fortune
  • Madewell continues to help J.Crew, with sales up 39%.  Fashionista
  • How today’s newest underwear brands are changing the game by focusing on inclusivity.  Fashionista
  • American Eagle beats earnings, Aerie sales on fire.  Reuters
  • Coca Cola just started selling its first alcoholic drink ever.  Fortune
  • Valentino and L’Oreal are joining forces to create a new beauty collection.  Harper’s Bazaar
  • Etsy to close wholesale market to focus on main website.  Bloomberg
  • 20 Takeaways from Mary Meeker’s 294-page Internet Trends report.  TechCrunch
  • WalMart CEO highlights innovation, performance.  CNBC
  • Lululemon climbs as sales pick up pace.  Bloomberg
  • Ikea rethinks US expansion, invests in online.  USA Today

Marketing and Social Media

  • Pinterest 2017 sales rise 58%.  Bloomberg
  • Facebook nears deals on new shows for video platform.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Kanye skips Tidal exclusivity, drops new album on Spotify and Apple Music.  TechCrunch
  • TV ads on AMC networks will be able to deliver offers directly to viewers’ smartphones.  AdWeek
  • Facebook pulling plug on Trending feature.  AdWeek
  • Abercrombie’s comeback traced to marketing.  AdAge
  • Teens dump Facebook for YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat.  TechCrunch
  • Why wellness brands are betting on podcast ads.  Glossy
  • Snapchat preps Snapkit platform to bring camera, login to other apps.  TechCrunch
  • Pinterest unveils new video ad format.  Mediapost

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Hello Alfred, the in-home assistant service snags $40M.  Fast Company
  • Warren Buffet offered Uber a $3B investment but the talks fell apart.  The Wall Street Journal
  • WalMart’s future may include in-store drones and smart shopping carts.  CNBC
  • Alibaba’s new autonomous robot delivers packages at a modest pace.  Engadget
  • HelloFresh takes meal kits to Giant, Stop & Shop.  The Wall Street Journal
  • The number of smartphone driven retailers is growing.  Bloomberg
  • L’Oreal says AR beauty is just the beginning.  Forbes
  • Softbank to invest $2.25B in GM’s self-driving car division.  Fortune

International

  • Amazon India rebrands, expands online groceries service.  LiveMint
  • Canada goose to expand in China.  Financial Post
  • Amazon geo-blocks Australia from US website as tax change kicks in.  Reuters
  • Apple’s HomePod launches in Canada, France and Germany.  The Verge
  • Alibaba to invest $15.5B in logistics network.  ZDNet

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.29.2018

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Welcome back to work! Here is a recap of industry news from the last two weeks (yes, two weeks…you can stalk my Insta to know why I didn’t post last week!).  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • BJ’s Wholesale files for IPO. The Wall Street Journal
  • Urban Outfitters launches third-party marketplace and tests self-checkout in stores.  Marketing Dive 
  • Target’s first quarter store traffic highest in a decade.  AdAge
  • Netflix tops Disney market value as top media stock.  AdAge
  • Facebook, Google face first GDPR complaints over “forced consent.”  TechCrunch
  • Amazon made the top 10 of the Fortune 500 for the first time ever.  Quartz
  • Best Buy expands Geek Squad services with roll out of Total Tech Support.  Star Tribune
  • Ralph Lauren shares surge on designer’s vote of confidence in CEO.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon’s map-tracking package locator now offered to all US shoppers.  CNet
  • Gap leans on heavy discounts to clear store inventory.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Nordstrom wants brands to embrace the size spectrum.  Glossy
  • Matches Fashion saw sales climb a whopping 44% last year.  Fashionista
  • Urban Outfitters sees profits triple in first quarter. Seeking Alpha
  • Poshmark has officially distributed $1B to its sellers.  Fashionista
  • Walmart quietly launches JetBlack, a personal shopping service for affluent city moms.  Recode
  • With three new brands, Target takes aim at Generation Z.  Business of Fashion
  • Target cuts delivery fees by almost half, putting pressure on Walmart and Amazon.  USA Today  
  • The Real Real’s radical vision of secondhand luxury.  New Yorker 
  • How Ulta is winning in the age of Amazon.  Quartz
  • Next time you buy a TV at Best Buy, you may also be offered health care.  CNBC
  • How OPI is hacking Amazon and data algorithms to improve its online site.  Glossy

Marketing and Social Media

  • Why it’s primetime for Instagram Stories.  AdWeek
  • Paypal starts deeper integration with Google; users can now pay directly in Gmail, Youtube.  TechCrunch
  • Snapchat launches first lens that responds to sound.  Engadget
  • A leaked look at Facebook’s influencer marketing search engine.  TechCrunch
  • Ikea’s witty social posts about the Royal Wedding.  AdAge
  • Instagram adds options to mute posts in your feed.  VentureBeat
  • How Lego infuses social media marketing with play.  CMO
  • L’Oreal films Chinese influencer marketing videos at Cannes.  SCMP
  • Ulta partners with Like to Know It.  Glossy
  • Publicis Groupe reveals much anticipated AI platform.  The Drum 
  • New Balance launches shoppable AR in Snapchat. MediaPost 
  • How Vans became the brand that can do no wrong.  High Snobiety
  • Victoria’s Secret has a plan to upgrade its image for younger women.  CNBC
  • Facebook Stories sees 150M users per day and will soon launch ads.  TechCrunch
  • YouTube Music subscription service to relaunch this week.  Seeking Alpha
  • Amazon Prime members now get 10% off at Whole Foods.  Fast Company 
  • Twitter looking to expand its programatic offerings with Timeline Ad Network pilot program.  MarketingLand

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Dog-sitting start-up, Rover, raises $155M.  TechCrunch
  • PayPal acquires European payments start-up iZettle for $2.2B.  The New York Times 
  • Kroger buys meal-kit start up Home Chef.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Why Nike’s AR experiment with Facebook Messenger was a hit.  MarTech Today
  • Your favorite stores could be tracking you with facial recognition. Racked
  • Why Nordstrom is betting on high-touch tech in stores.  Fortune
  • Adobe buys Magento for $1.7B.  Bloomberg
  • Target rolling out AR tools in stores to stay competitive in beauty.  Glossy
  • You’ll soon be able to use augmented reality to try on sneakers.  Quartz
  • Cult ‘fast-beauty’ brand Winky Lux raises $6M in Series A to fund experience-first retail plans.  Forbes

International 

  • Ikea pushes into South America.  Reuters
  • Starbucks to open 3,000 more stores in China.  CNN Money 
  • Amazon leads $12M investment in India-based digital insurance start-up.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon plans China event for global growth strategy.  SmartBrief
  • Meet the start-up building a market from scratch to become Africa’s Alibaba.  The Wall Street Journal
  • China may be about to cut import tariff on consumer goods from lipstick to food.  Fortune
  • Retailers’ global expansion cools as businesses get smart about opening new stores.  CNBC

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.14.2018

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TGIM (“Thank God It’s Monday”)! Here is your recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Have an awesome week.

Brands and Retailers

  • Target testing a retail ‘flow center’ for faster, nimbler distribution.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Five more Nike executives out amid inquiry into harassment allegations.  The New York Times 
  • WalMart to start selling Harry’s razors.  Bloomberg
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills could be valued at $3B after minority stake acquisition.  CNBC
  • Why Nestle is paying $7.2B to sell Starbucks Coffee.  Fortune
  • Sears extends partnership with Amazon as transformation continues.  Retail Dive
  • Stadium Goods positioned itself as the Tiffany’s of the high-end sneaker resale market.  The New York Times
  • Amazon launches private label pet brand.  Retail Dive
  • Apple is reportedly working on a credit card.  Quartz
  • Handy wants to take care of the heavy lifting for furniture retailers.  Forbes
  • Canadian Tie to buy sportswear brand Helly Hansen in $770M deal.  Reuters
  • Shopify launching a brick-and-mortar store.  Forbes
  • Urban Outfitters experiments with pop-ups and artist collaborations.  Glossy
  • Marriott to compete with Airbnb in home-sharing game.  Fast Company
  • Mondelez buying Tate’s Bake Shop for $500M.  Fortune
  • How product customization is driving a new business strategy at Tapestry.  Glossy

Marketing and Social Media

  • Instagram adds video chat to its host of features.  The Drum
  • Brands can turn social video views into conversions.  PYMNTS
  • How social media issuing used to sell real estate.  AdWeek
  • Amazon stops buying shopping ads on Google. AdAge
  • Why beauty brands are shifting their focus from the feed to Instagram Stories.  Glossy
  • Why Revlon brought its digital marketing and sales organizations in-house.  Glossy
  • Snapchat’s redesigned redesign starts rolling out.  The Verge
  • Amazon, Snapchat could bring competition to Facebook and Google.  Digiday
  • Businesses on Instagram are getting calls to action, direct messaging improvements.  AdWeek
  • Instagram’s emoji slider sticker added a new element to polling friends and followers.  AdWeek
  • Facebook suspends 200 apps for potential misuse of data. AdAge
  • Bonobos looks to cash in on fashion’s inclusivity movement.  Glossy

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Google’s Style Match feature applies image recognition to finding products.  Racked
  • What blockchain could mean for marketing.  Harvard Business Review
  • LVMH to invest in Lyst upon new round of funding.  Fashionista
  • Uber unveils the flying taxi it wants to rule the skies.  Wired
  • Amazon is setting up model ‘smart’ homes to sell Alexa gadgets.  New York Post
  • Blockchain used to track gems to counter blood diamonds and fakes.  Forbes
  • Google and Levi’s connected jacket will let you know when your Uber is here.  TechCrunch

International

  • Alibaba’s brick-and-mortar malls herald new growth strategy.  Nikkei
  • How Chinese consumer engage with luxury livestreamers.  Jing Daily

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.6.2018

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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. Cheers!

Brands and Retailers

  • Online retailer Sense opens brick-and-mortar.  Glossy
  • Amazon studies body sizes to get that perfect clothing fit.  Wall Street Journal
  • Blue Apron turns to Costco as customer growth slows.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple has already built its next big business.  Fortune
  • Sale spikes continue for Estee Lauder.  WWD
  • Vitamins are trendy.  Vitamin stores are not.  Racked
  • Birchbox has sold majority ownership to one of its hedge fund investors after sale talks with QVC fell through.  Recode
  • Pandora and Spotify surprise investors.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon launches Prime Book Box, a $23 kids’ book selection.  TechCrunch
  • Nestle bets $7B on Starbucks to revive coffee sales.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon’s share of all retail sales could reach nearly 10% in two years.  CNBC
  • Online spending passes $100B for the first time.  RetailDive

Marketing and Social Media

  • Under Armour launches real-time Steph Curry trivia game.  Fast Company
  • Instagram is starting to take payments – but not for products just yet.  Fortune
  • Hulu surpasses 20M subscribers, grows engagement by over 60%.  The Drum
  • Snap stock plunges 15% on disappointing earnings that it partly blamed on redesign.  Fortune
  • Cambridge Analytica shuts all operations after Facebook scandal.  Fortune
  • Facebook is considering a paid, ad-free version of its social network.  Fast Company
  • Twitter advising all users to change passwords after bug exposed them in plain text.  The Verge
  • Facebook announces dating feature for meeting non-friends.   TechCrunch
  • Twitter shares spike after Disney announces it will make shows specifically for the platform.  CNBC
  • Instagram code reveals up-coming music feature.  TechCrunch
  • WhatsApp new lets you play Facebook and Instagram videos within the app.  The Verge
  • Microsoft and Amazon show off their Alexa-Cortana collaboration.  AdAge
  • Bonobos showcases 172 kinds of diversity in priciest campaign to date.  AdAge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • J.P. Morgan files patent for blockchain powered payments.  Fortune
  • The $1B company that’s building wearable AI for blind people.  Fast Company
  • Macy’s acquires New York concept shop, Story.  CNBC
  • For all the hype about VR, advertisers are more excited by AR (for now).  Digiday
  • Oculus aims for the masses with a new $200 VR headset.  Fast Company
  • How beauty brands like Coty and Shiseido are using voice assistants.  Glossy
  • Goldman Sachs to open a bitcoin trading operation.  The New York Times

International

  • Walmart buys 75% share of Flipkart, India’s largest commerce platform.  AdWeek
  • Why Walmart and Amazon are battling so fiercely over India.  Fortune
  • Alibaba beats forecasts with 61% growth and predicts more of the same for the next year.  TechCrunch
  • Impulsive, addictive social commerce is China’s latest craze.  Business of Fashion

Weekly Industry Brief: 4.30.2018

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And just like that, it’s the last day of April. Here is your brief of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • T-Mobile and Sprint to merge.  Fast Company
  • Old Navy to open 60 stores this year, driving Gap’s growth.  CNBC
  • Amazon’s fiscal discipline pays off as it more than doubles profit.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple poised to move further into media.  The Guardian
  • Amazon will now deliver packages to the trunk of your car.  The Verge
  • Ford cuts sedans and marketing spend.  AdAge
  • Amazon breaks $50B in revenues in Q1.  WWD
  • Coach, Fenty and Nike cut the middle man and sell straight to consumer.  USA Today
  • How private equity is boosting some brands and crushing others.  Fortune
  • Adidas is testing how to mass-produce custom shoes like those it makes for elite athletes.  Quartz
  • 12 retailers on the brink of bankruptcy in 2018.  Retail Dive
  • Can online retail solve its packaging problem? Fast Company
  • Gen Z is about to kill cash.  Retail Dive
  • WalMart sells its UK supermarket business in $10B deal.  CNN
  • Retailers benefiting the most from the tax cut.  Forbes
  • GNC is closing 200 stores.  Bloomberg
  • Abercrombie CEO details the brand’s global growth plans.  Business Insider
  • American Apparel relaunches online globally.  Fashionista

Marketing and Social Media

  • Is video the future of online shopping? Business of Fashion
  • Amazon now has a multi-billion dollar advertising business.  CNBC
  • Twitter sold Cambridge Analytica researcher public data access.  AdAge
  • Facebook is conquering commerce in the developing world.  Bloomberg
  • Why retailers are trading points for experiences when it comes to loyalty programs.  AdWeek
  • The mad dash to buy vintage clothes on Instagram.  Bloomberg
  • Pepsi eyes investors for Creators League Studio.  AdAge
  • Four ways sneaker brands successfully build hype.  High Snobiety
  • In fashion’s hype-driven era, Hermes is doing its own thing.  Dazed
  • Why Instagram managed to remain unscathed amid Facebook scandals.  Digiday

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Pinterest is using AI to filter beauty searches by skin tone.  Glossy
  • The makers of AI influencer Lil Miquela receive $6M in funding.  Hypebeast
  • Alexa will soon gain a memory, converse more naturally and automatically launch skills.  TechCrunch
  • Tile and Comcast now let you find lost items through voice search on your TV.  Venture Beat
  • Adobe acquires Uru, an AI startup that embeds ads in videos.  Venture Beat
  • Domino’s adds AI to phoned-in orders.  MediaPost
  • BigCommerce raises $64M to power commerce sites.  TechCrunch

International

  • Amazon plays catch-up in Brazil as local rivals thrive.  Reuters
  • How China leapfrogged ahead of the United States in the finch race.  PIIE
  • Muslim fashion is a $254B market – but big brands can’t crack it.  Fast Company
  • Alibaba launches blockchain technology to improve supply chain integrity and enhance trust in platform.  The Drum

Weekly Industry Brief: 2.12.2018

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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

  • QVC’s plan to survive Amazon might actually be working.  Bloomberg
  • Loft moves into plus sizes in attempt to bolster slumping sales.  Glossy
  • Macy’s will be the first major US department store to sell hijabs.  Business of Fashion
  • Lululemon CEO resigns after falling short of company’s code of conduct.  Fast Company
  • Less selection will define retail in 2018.  Retail Dive
  • Estee Lauder targets 5-second attention span in digital makeover. Business of Fashion
  • How Target, Kroger and Design Within Reach are tapping tech to improve your shopping trip. Forbes
  • Getting your product on shelves at Whole Foods just got harder.  Wall Street Journal
  • L.L. Bean to link boots, coats to blockchain. Wall Street Journal
  • Booming Costco courts millennials with online and delivery, but stores still rule.  The Seattle Times
  • Amazon said to launch delivery service to compete with UPS and FedEx.  TechCrunch
  • Coty quarterly profit beats as acquisitions pay off.  Business of Fashion 
  • L.L. Bean drops lifetime return policy.  CNN Money
  • Retail sales expected to climb as much as 4.4% in 2018.  CNBC
  • Amazon is laying off hundred of employees at its Seattle headquarters.  Fortune
  • In the wake of Amazon, trophy retail properties fall short.  Forbes

Marketing and Social Media

  • Instagram give brands a new way to sell in collection ads.  AdAge
  • Snap revenue surges on user growth, advertising gains.  Bloomberg
  • Pinterest users are conducting 600 million visual searches per month.  AdWeek
  • Birchbox, Revolve test Instagram Collection ads.  MarketingDive
  • YouTube usage soars nearly 30%.  MediaPost
  • Twitter posts a profit for the first time.  AdAge
  • The most successful brands focus on users not buyers. Harvard Business Review 
  • Viacom to launch its own streaming service this year.  TechCrunch
  • Unilever threatens to pull funds from social media that breeds division.  AdAge
  • Brands are becoming accountable for where digital ads show up. The New York Times
  • Snapchat starts selling $10+ caption able AR masks for events.  TechCrunch
  • The Affluencers: influencers who have actual influence.  The Cut
  • Facebook testing down-vote option for flagging abusive comments.  Entrepreneur
  • Why you won’t see Olympic-themed McDonald’s commercials this year.  CNN Money

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Cardlytics up 3% following IPO, raised $70M.  TechCrunch
  • Grocery delivery startup Instacart is almost a unicorn.  Fast Company 
  • Amazon wants Alexa to be your home’s brain and this could be the next step.  Fast Company

International

  • How Tmall is fueling the global growth of China’s fashion designers. Glossy
  • Amazon eyes new warehouse in Brazil ecommerce push. Business of Fashion
  • How luxury brands sell and celebrate Chinese New Year online. Jing Daily
  • Alibaba buys sake in Chinese furniture retailer Easyhome.  South China Morning Post

Weekly Industry Brief: 2.5.2018

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

Brands and Retailers

  • J.Crew launches lower-priced swimwear line aimed at millennials.  Fashionista
  • Warby Parker shrunk its beloved frames to launch a kids line.  Fashionista
  • Kroger sells convenience store holdings for nearly $2B.  Fortune
  • Amazon wins holiday with 38% sales gain.  AdAge
  • H&M fashions a plan for a comeback.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Luxury in the age of digital Darwinism.  McKinsey
  • H&M just saw its biggest profit dip in six years.  Fashionista
  • Revlon’s CEO departing amid expected steep losses.  USA Today
  • How Yoox’s mobile app is driving more than 50% of sales.  Glossy
  • Tesla expands sales of solar gear at home depot.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon reports nearly $2B in profit, blowing past Wall Street expectations for holiday quarter.  TechCrunch
  • Five key takeaways from Amazon’s earnings.  Forbes
  • Former Under Armour execs launch direct-to-consumer brand.  RetailDive
  • What drew Amazon and Alibaba to bricks-and-mortar.  Bloomberg
  • The NFL wants to be your favorite lifestyle brand.  Racked
  • Ralph Lauren tumbles after posting weak holiday-season sales.  Business of Fashion 
  • Estes Lauder extends streak on strength of online, holiday sales.  Business of Fashion 
  • H&M is launching a new store ‘Afound’ to sell external brands.  Fortune
  • Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan are joining forces to offer lower-cost health care to U.S. employees.  Inc

Marketing and Social Media

  • Hot 100 retailers embrace video to connect with shoppers.  Internet Retailer
  • Snapchat’s new Snap Store teases in-app commerce potential.  TechCrunch
  • How social media is changing product development in beauty.  Glossy
  • How personalization will evolve in 2018.  AdAge
  • For influencers, Instagram is the clear-cut favorite. eMarketer
  • Five trends you’ll see in Super Bowl ads on Sunday.  AdAge
  • McDonald’s received the most social media exposure worldwide. Business Insider
  • Unilever squeezes $700M out of ad production.  AdAge
  • Forget the spokesmodel – companies want real people.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Super Bowl ads 2018: what worked and what didn’t.  Entrepreneur

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Farfetched gears up for fashion store of the future.  Reuters
  • Retail spending on AI to reach $7.3B by 2022.  RetailDive
  • Bustle is raising roughly $30M to go on a shopping spree.  TechCrunch
  • Google Home will now wake you up with your song of choice.  CNet
  • Storyline lets you build and publish Alexa skills without coding.  TechCrunch
  • Adidas Boost: the sneaker technology that changed a company’s fortunes.  GQ
  • HP is making a bigger VR push for professionals.  Engadget
  • Uber is piloting a bike-sharing service.  TechCrunch

International

Weekly Industry News: 8.7.2017

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Hello!  Here are some industry headlines from the past week.  As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Uniqlo tries new approach: shirts in vending machines. The Wall Street Journal
  • Now at Saks: salt rooms, a bootcamp and a peek at retail’s future. The New York Times
  • Retail’s not dead and physical stores still matter, Goldman says. CNBC
  • Aldo to buy Vince Camuto in a merger of shoe brands. The New York Times
  • The luxury arms race: Michael Kors and Coach target takeovers. The New York Times
  • Amazon is rolling out secure delivery hubs for multi-dwelling buildings. Retail Dive
  • Under Armour shares reach record low as retailer cuts 2% of its workforce. CNBC
  • American Apparel is relaunching very soon. Racked
  • Under Armour’s game plan to revive sales may hit snags. Reuters
  • Yoox Net-a-porter open to partnerships in different markets. Reuters
  • Apple’s services generated more than $27.8B in revenue in 12-month period. The Wall Street Journal
  • Adidas powers ahead against Nike with second quarter growth. Business of Fashion
  • Amazon owns a whole collection of secret brands. Quartz
  • These retailers make the most money per square foot on their real estate. CNBC
  • Netflix makes first acquisition with comic-book publisher. AdAge

Marketing and Social Media

  • Amazon is launching a home makeover show featuring YouTube stars that’s designed to sell products. Business Insider
  • Etsy suspends brand campaign, shifts marketing strategy. AdAge
  • Airbnb and Nat Geo found the perfect place to watch the eclipse. Fast Company
  • How consumer brands can connect with customers in a changing retail landscape. Harvard Business Review
  • Babies R Us wants to give millennial parents a more honest message about parenthood. AdWeek
  • Google is developing technology for Snapchat-like media content. The Wall Street Journal
  • How H&M is using Instagram to drive interest in its newest brand. Glossy

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • For Outdoor Voices, opening stores is all about building community. Fashionista
  • Apple’s AR glasses are no longer an “if” but a “when.” Fast Company
  • Chatbots bring new income stream to ecommerce. VentureBeat
  • Amazon Alex just made it even easier to find the right music on Echo. Fortune

International

  • Europe’s luxury brands may be returning to form. The New York Times
  • Alibaba launches new membership program. WWD
  • Alibaba, Marriott team up to serve Chinese tourists abroad. The Wall Street Journal
  • How Alibaba plans to win over luxury brands. Glossy
  • Brits will soon gain the right to have their online history deleted. Fast Company

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.12.2017

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Happy Monday! Here is a brief of industry news I’ve been tracking over the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Macy’s CEO vows to keep shoppers’ attention as malls fade. Bloomberg
  • Amazon launches ‘My Mix,’ a personalized shop filled with your favorite things. TechCrunch
  • Nordstrom family explores taking retailer private, shares surge. Reuters
  • Macy’s considering turning Herald Square roof into a public park. New York Post
  • It’s not just retail that’s changing, it’s us. Bloomberg
  • Amazon’s lending business for online merchants gains momentum. Bloomberg
  • Ikea to try selling through third parties. Reuters
  • UK-based fast-fashion site and new owner of Nasty Gal, Boohoo.com, just raised $65M. Fashionista
  • The rise of luxury strip malls. Business of Fashion
  • Crew and Ralph Lauren: the hard lessons consumers are teaching the fashion industry. Forbes
  • Nike and Adidas are making huge investments that should terrify Under Armour. Business Insider
  • Amazon CPG sales outpacing overall market. Retail Dive
  • Denim makers are emphasizing stretch, comfort and styles that fit more like leggings. Wall Street Journal
  • Cortana can now do price comparisons when you’re shopping online. TechCrunch
  • Target and Cartwheel apps to merge starting this summer, mobile payments and improved maps to follow. TechCrunch
  • Kids clothing brand Gymboree files for bankruptcy protection. Fast Company
  • Saks owner Hudson’s Bay to cut 2,000 as losses mount. AdAge

Marketing and Social Media

  • How bots are inflating Instagram egos. New York Times
  • Selling stuff is no longer the point of retail stores. Fortune
  • Shopify-powered app Frenzy will combine the experience of buying a product drop on your phone. Fashionista
  • Facebook building feature to let users subscribe to news publications. Wall Street Journal
  • Who What Wear launches an ecommerce app. Glossy
  • Why is Google digitizing the world’s fashion archives?  Business of Fashion
  • Snap is developing a second version of Spectacles which may include augmented retail. Techcrunch

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Shopify makes virtual employee bot free for merchants. Venture Beat
  • This startup wants to turn unboxing videos into a big business. Fortune
  • Apple unveils Business Chat, which brings customer service and shopping into iMessage. Techcrunch
  • How artificial intelligence can help you build your own personalized e-boutique. Fashionista
  • This is the next battleground for Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Fortune
  • Is Farfetch edging towards a $5B IPO? Business of Fashion
  • How StitchFix is using algorithmic design to become the Netflix of fashion. Fast Company
  • Your complete guide to fashion customization. Fashionista
  • Why The Real Real is opening real-life stores. Glossy

International