Chuck E. Cheese had a few reasons to feel optimistic in the early weeks of 2020. First, the family entertainment and restaurant chain had a new leader in David McKillips, who joined parent company CEC Entertainment as CEO that January after spending more than a decade at Six Flags. Second, sales were improving. CEC Entertainment,…
Massive shifts in the advertising landscape are forcing CPG brands to explore new platforms and channels for their advertising spend. P&G’s Marc Pritchard recently called for a shift away from upfronts and toward programmatic TV ad transactions. Mobile in-app advertising, especially on Facebook, is suffering in the wake of Apple’s privacy changes. And open web…
While ecommerce giant Amazon has an eye on expanding its cashierless retail experience into travel and entertainment, another retail titan, Dollar General, is turning its attention to self-checkout. In a recent Q1 2022 earnings call, COO Jeff Owen said Dollar General has launched a pilot of self-checkout-only stores and plans to test this concept at…
Despite its thousands of superstores across the United States, Walmart could soon lose its status as the country’s biggest retailer to Amazon’s massive online shopping business, a new report projects. The study, published by digital commerce service Edge by Ascential, predicts Amazon will surpass Walmart in its share of the overall U.S. retail market in…
On average, Americans paid 8.3% more for everyday goods and services in April compared to the same time in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This rate of inflation–one of the highest shoppers have seen in four decades–has left some consumers wondering: If companies are raising prices to offset higher costs, why are…
Fashion retail brand C&A is set to introduce a new integrated international brand platform with the appointment of DDB’s European agencies for its development. The 181-year-old retailer, founded in Germany but now headquartered in Vilvoorde, Belgium, owns 1,300 stores across Europe and employs over 25,000 people. Last autumn the company revealed that it had completed…
Founded in the social media age, activewear brand Gymshark, valued at over $1 billion in 2020, has developed a following most apparel brands would kill for. To showcase that fanaticism, and to reward its many fans, the company opened a pop-up stall in London, fronted by its founder Ben Francis to sell authentic branded products…
Best Buy is moving beyond its staple electronics lineup, adding beauty gadgets, yard products and personal electric transportation to its in-store and online selection. The retailer will begin carrying the new categories across hundreds of stores and online as part of a two-year plan to expand its business into new areas that have proven popular…
In a world abuzz with Whatsapp pings and email notifications, handwritten notes are a rarity. Whether it’s a poem in a birthday card, an apology letter or silly scribble on a Post-It, the written word has the ability to evoke emotions in ways that can elude the digital form. Customer loyalty–and the drivers behind it–are…
As people begin to socialize again around the world, clothing retailer H&M aims to position itself as the brand that can help men rediscover their own style and be confident–a message promoted through a global campaign featuring Saturday Night Live comedian and actor Pete Davidson. The campaign, titled “Wear That Feeling,” was developed by B-Reel…
Walgreens has filled the five-month vacancy in its chief marketing officer post with Linh Peters, whose track record includes brand leadership posts at Calvin Klein and Starbucks. Peters, who also takes on an svp role, steps into the job previously held by Patrick McLean, who departed Walgreens in January during a period that saw over…
Editor’s note: Today’s column is part of a series with Snap on augmented reality. Below, Rose Ahn, vp of partnerships, shares tips on taking the technology’s current capabilities beyond an ad campaign into a fully integrated commerce strategy. The last two years have shown us there is always a tipping point when the masses will…
Marketing from the home improvement sector tends to hit a single note, encouraging people to constantly notice flaws and fix up their houses. Floods of interior design content on social media may also make some people feel as if their homes will always fall short of an idealized, Instaworthy image of a dwelling. A new…
For over 47 years, Mitre 10, a retailer of hardware products, builders’ supplies and DIY essentials, has been catering to New Zealanders who, after being stuck at home for a prolonged period, dreamt of making home improvements perhaps beyond their capabilities. This realization meant that it was time for the brand to implement change to…
Life was different in 2000, when an episode of Sex and the City catapulted Magnolia Bakery into the national consciousness. The iPhone and Instagram didn’t exist. Ecommerce represented around 1% of total U.S. retail sales, according to the Census Bureau. Now, the iPhone is ubiquitous, a reported 2 billion people scroll through Instagram each month,…
Meta is entering the brick-and-mortar retail arena, but in real life, not the metaverse. Facebook’s parent company said Monday that it will open the doors to the roughly 1,550-square-foot Meta Store on the company’s campus in Burlingame, Calif., May 9. The Meta Store marks the company’s first physical retail space, and shoppers will be able…
Across all of the different search landscapes, retailers will likely see some of the biggest changes in years to come. Google is trying everything it possibly can to make up ground in the commerce space. This has resulted in more aggressive testing in what types of results it shows users–in other words, it’s attempting to…
Victoria’s Secret Pink, the lingerie and apparel line that appeals to younger consumers than its parent company, has partnered with its first-ever male brand ambassador, the actor Darren Barnet. While not a household name yet, he’s best known for his role on Mindy Kaling’s Netflix series Never Have I Ever. Throughout 2022, Barnet will promote…
Like most Barbie accessories, the iconic doll’s DreamCamper features everything a child could want, from a pool slide to bumper stickers and puppies. Alas, it’s only big enough to accommodate Barbie’s 11.5-inch frame. Until now, that is. In a three-way promotion from Barbie, peer-to-peer RV marketplace RVshare and experiential toy retailer Camp, the DreamCamper is…
For a couple of years now, Twitter users have been pointing out something odd about Guitar Center’s logo. The crux of the discussion: The guitar, which has a slight gap between its body and neck, is meant to represent the letter “G.” Some consider it a stretch: I just feel like we’re being really generous…
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