Each week, the experts on our strategic services team summarize articles and trends they’re seeing for our clients. We think they’re fascinating — and bet you will too! Here is a peek into what they’ve been talking about lately.
Industry News
Mobile Marketer | Pinterest debuts verified merchant program after 46% revenue jump
Pinterest reported its holiday-quarter revenue surged 46% to a record $399M from a year earlier. The social media company also launched a merchant program to help shoppers buy from trustworthy brands.
Marketing Dive | 56% of marketers think AI will negatively impact branding in 2020
The 2020 State of Branding Report found that 56% of surveyed marketers think AI could negatively affect their brands by diminishing creativity, reducing jobs, or impacting differentiation.
Retail Dive | Can retailers combat consumer desire for counterfeits?
Counterfeit sales were a problem long before digital marketplaces emerged. Now, online sales of fake merchandise have become a growing problem for retailers.
eMarketer | How Afterpay Is Changing the Way Consumers Shop
Digital installment plans are growing in popularity, particularly among more budget-conscious, younger consumers. In 2019, the adoption of digital interest-free payment programs grew from 24% to 30%.
Standout Campaigns
Let’s Color Together
L’Occitane and OMY promoted products that can be colored and customized. The brand offers a free starter kit and a discount to encourage a repeat purchase when new customers sign up for email. The free gift does not require a purchase when redeemed in-store, a tactic to drive traffic to local boutiques and generate opportunities for cross-selling. The brand added interactive content with a coloring game in which customers have a chance to discover exclusive offers in the drawing.
(Click each email to view the original)
Shop by Color
DSW eased the shopping experience for customers with a banner that allows buyers to segment and see shoes by clickable color. This tactic engages customers to find the product they are looking for and increases the chances to convert.
In parallel, the brand announced the winner of an Instagram contest and showcased the steps to participate in the current one, in an attempt to drive readers to social media channels.
Exclusive Preview
Tommy collaborated with sport and art influencers to promote the preview of its new collection, using a product positioning strategy to target audiences that are fans of these celebrities. The message invites the readers to mark their calendars for watching the runway show. An element that attempts to generate a sense of excitement towards the event, and also to build interest in the new products. A call-to-action to explore the collection displays a dynamic countdown clock that strives to produce the same effect.
We’re on Facebook!
Smithsonian dedicated a campaign to promote and drive traffic to its Facebook fan page. The benefits of becoming a fan are described, aiming to engage with the reader as swiftly as possible. Facebook is still one of the top social channels that allow customers to quickly engage with brands due to its interactive features.
Email Trends
Here’s what caught our eye in our inboxes this week.
And the winner is….
We’re seeing quite a few retailers using “And the winner is” tactics to draw interest to their emails. And who doesn’t love a winner?!
President’s Day
Holidays can mean sales for retailers, all approaching the day slightly differently. But we definitely saw more red, white, and blue!
Valentine’s Day
We spotted lots of pink and red in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, along with hearts and flowers.
Trend Alert
We’ve noticed quite a few brands promoting trends that tie into a certain product, whether it be a style or color palette.
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