蘑菇AV

Social shoppers find inspiration for their purchases from many different types of content, but none more so than creator, influencer, or celebrity influencer content.

Shoppers want help: Too many choices online can overwhelm consumers and leave them frustrated by the effort required to make a purchase decision.

Before becoming CFO, he led the company鈥檚 beauty and wellbeing unit, which accounted for 22% of turnover in 2024, and is an important prong in Unilever鈥檚 turnaround strategy.

Much of this ad spend comes from Chinese ecommerce brands marketing directly to US consumers, especially in categories like apparel, home goods, and electronics. Higher import costs may reduce these brands' US ambitions鈥攁nd their reliance on Meta鈥檚 performance-driven ad tools. Our take: Legal risks and shifting economics could weaken Meta鈥檚 influence.

Retailers must continually test and adapt their strategies to find what resonates with consumers ahead of the holidays. An extended holiday season requires a dynamic approach to promotions, while brands aiming to reach Gen Z should use creators and video ads. Here are three pieces of advice on a successful holiday ad campaign from Meta and two of its advertising partners, 鈥嬧�婳gee Beauty and AS Beauty.

Ogilvy won the 2024 Grand Prix in the Social & Influencer category for the 鈥淢ichael Cera-Ve鈥� campaign, which went viral for suggesting that skincare brand CeraVe was developed by actor Michael Cera. While creators participated in the campaign, Cannes Lions was criticized for awarding the top prize to a campaign centered around a traditional celebrity, rather than creator-produced work.

鈥淭he most interesting use cases are how companies use automation to personalize messages, whether recognizing me as a VIP customer or someone who just made their first purchase,鈥� said Greg Zakowicz, senior ecommerce expert at Omnisend.

Brands across consumer packaged goods, beauty, electronics, home goods, and insurance have signed on as clients, the company said. Neon鈥檚 ability to tie media investments directly to revenue impact gives brands and retailers a strategic advantage. 鈥淐lients now have an independent, unified measurement view that they can invest in from a place of confidence,鈥� Browning said.

Beauty remain dedicated, arguing that inclusive marketing represents both social responsibility and a business necessity. Our take: As more companies face consumer boycotts in upcoming weeks, brands may adjust their current stances on DEI, especially if the boycotts are surprisingly successful.

The news: Shopify鈥檚 stronger-than-expected holiday season that included its merchants鈥� 鈥渕ost successful Black Friday-Cyber Monday selling period ever鈥� helped the ecommerce technology vendor close the year on a high note. Gross merchandise volumes (GMV) grew by 25.7% year over year (YoY) to $94.46 billion, outpacing FactSet鈥檚 consensus estimate of $93 billion.

Shoppers might start the month focused on value鈥攑urchasing greater volumes of goods at a lower price per package鈥攂ut end the period with a clear emphasis on price alone, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said on the company鈥檚 Q1 call. That鈥檚 in addition to reducing discretionary spend in everything from beauty to services like dining out.

TikTok Shop gears up for busy holiday season in the US, UK: The platform expects hefty ecommerce and ad growth this year as shoppers get used to transacting on the app

If department stores are going to thrive, they must find a way to inspire shoppers and create an experience that resonates beyond just the products they sell. Go further: Read our analysis of department stores鈥� Q3 results in our Retail & Ecommerce Earnings Q3 2024 report. Our Q4 report will go live in mid-March.

UK-based health and beauty retailer Boots. It had been in talks to be sold multiple times over the past few years. What a sale-and-split means for Walgreens鈥� future: A take-private sale could alleviate some of the pressure that Walgreens has been dealing with over the past few years. Not having to meet shareholders鈥� expectations would allow executives to focus on reorganizing the new business units.

鈥淭he linkage that still is not 100% there in the industry is direct attribution to sales,鈥� said Oshiya Savur, chief marketing officer at beauty incubator Maesa. 鈥淚t is very important for a brand, but it鈥檚 hard to put an ROI metric on it in traditional revenue terms.鈥�.

Meanwhile, a growing focus on price and value is pushing shoppers toward lower-priced competitors like Walmart, Amazon, and Ulta Beauty. Our take: The retail landscape is always in flux. Even amid the swirling headwinds, 5,800 new stores are expected to open this year. But the merchants that will succeed are those with a clear, compelling value proposition.

Big-box and ecommerce giants show divergent strengths. Walmart delivered impressive Q4 results with revenue up 4.1% to $180.6 billion and US same-store sales rising 4.6%. Ecommerce excelled, with Walmart's US online sales jumping 20% in the quarter.

Sometimes, consumers don鈥檛 behave how we expect. Despite their digital-native status, Gen Zers still shop in-store, while baby boomers are all about new-kid-on-the-block Temu. And though they鈥檙e still mostly children, Gen Alphas are making their mark on the retail landscape.

Target looks to add $15 billion in sales by 2030: However, 2025 is shaping up to be a tough year, as tariffs dampen discretionary demand and shoppers push back against its DEI policies.

Livestream shopping gains steam in the US: Twenty-four percent of US consumers have participated in a livestream shopping event, up from 16% last year, which is why Shein and Zara are investing in the channel.

This week, it began selling fragrances and wellness products like collagen powder, per Modern Retail. Even as it expands its product range, the retailer has stayed true to its strategy鈥攑roducing items in small batches to minimize waste and maintaining transparent pricing to build consumer trust. Our take: Quince deeply understands a fundamental retail principle: Know your customers.