蘑菇AV

Unilever, Publicis emphasize AI: The companies are incorporating AI technology into their marketing efforts while maintaining a cautious approach that鈥檚 paying off.

Infinite Reality鈥檚 latest move suggests the metaverse isn鈥檛 done just yet: The company is buying virtual shopping platform Obsess in a move aimed at reimagining how brands connect with consumers online.

A lot happens in a week, so every Friday we're going to analyze all the new data and provide you with some of the key takeaways. Welcome to the Friday 5. This week, Temu and Shein get a scare, consumers use buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps to discover new products, and Super Bowl viewers don鈥檛 really care about ads for AI products or services.

Retail foot traffic is bouncing back, especially in malls, thanks to diverse tenant mixes and engaging experiences that attract shoppers, Ethan Chernofsky, senior vice president of marketing at Placer.ai, said during a recent 蘑菇AV webinar. The pandemic鈥檚 lasting influence has also changed how we shop, with more people visiting multiple grocery stores for the best deals and quality, while small-format stores are helping retailers meet local needs.

And they also self-report, at least, being willing to try new products, new grocery and CPG products when shopping online.

Gen Z鈥檚 complicated path to purchase leans heavily on digital platforms and channels. But offline resources still play a key role.

Noom expands into hormone replacement therapy: Companies must tread carefully as they enter a new prescription drug segment that comes with medical risks.

Gamified features are popular in retail and CPG brand loyalty programs. Consumers are most interested in large prizes and instant wins in these sectors鈥� programs, according to Merkle. Other elements such as milestone tracking, status tiers, and challenges can appeal to consumers by rewarding them with a sense of achievement. Gamification is a route to enhanced personalization.

Advertisers want in-store purchase data from retailers but are dissatisfied with retailers鈥� performance when it comes to delivering the data, according to our 鈥淐笔骋 Retail Media Networks Perception Benchmark 2023鈥� report. Definitions for key measures vary, depending on the advertiser, further complicating matters.

And that is an area where Amazon's going to need to focus and maintain the health of those sales in order to continue to keep luring CPG brands to spend ad dollars on their platform. Marcus Johnson:. So $10 billion in Q1.

Record holiday sales helped retailers, but purchasing patterns across income groups diverged starkly. Middle- and lower-income consumers grew more selective, carefully weighing where and when to spend amid economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, higher-income shoppers continued to spend freely.

Reddit lets users block content from specific advertisers: While the change could improve user experience, it may also jeopardize Reddit鈥檚 main revenue source.

Delays in core features could stall everything from Vision Pro to smart home devices, just as rivals double down on smarter assistants.

Burger King gave consumers a reason to spend in Q4: Limited-time menu options, such as Addams Family-themed items, along with the Million Dollar Whopper campaign, boosted US same-store sales 1.5%.

Inflation accelerated in January: Rising prices of eggs, chocolate, and other goods keep costs in the spotlight, potentially squeezing discretionary spending and pressuring retailers.

So really when it comes to their investments in the physical space, it's really all about just investing in omnichannel so you can meet the shoppers where they are when it comes to these types of CPG products and then continue to be able to court advertising dollars from CPG brands.

Join over 100,000 subscribers that have access to thousands of forecasts, charts, and insights around key topics, like Amazon Prime Day 2023, marketplace growth, direct selling strategies for CPG brands, and the impact of TikTok Shop, all developed and derived from a rigorous and proprietary methodology you can count on.

Third-party grocery intermediaries lost share to grocer platforms in 2023, securing 15.2% of US digital grocery sales in Q4, down from 18.3% in Q1, according to December 2023 data from Incisiv and Wynshop.

Amazon Fresh could get a refresh to conquer the grocery market, Finesse uses AI to reduce fashion waste, and Claire鈥檚 leans on content to engage Gen Zalphas. Meanwhile, Macy鈥檚 downsizes, e.l.f. Beauty aims to go viral, and Walmart makes strides in media. Here are six retailers that are most likely to makeover, reinvent, go viral, and more, as predicted by our analysts in a recent 鈥淩eimagining Retail鈥� podcast episode.

Value is top of mind for grocery-shopping consumers: Aldi, Dollar General, Grocery Outlet, and Walmart will open more stores to attract cost-conscious shoppers.

Our analysts have already made their big predictions for the year ahead, but the newsletter team has a few more to add to the list. As Amazon hits the gas on grocery, it may use its Amazon Fresh stores for fulfillment. Plus, we think beauty will get personal, Amazon could give digitally native brands a helping hand, and a healing economy could spell trouble for discount stores.

So, the key thing is that this is increasingly for consumer goods. They're finding that they can basically have a really nice attribution loop in terms of spending money with Amazon and being able to track the sales tied to it. They're spending more on average on these ads, but they're getting more in return and people are coming back.

The Ozempic effect could have wide-ranging implications beyond the food industry鈥攊f it exists: Apparel makers, beauty brands, and airlines could capitalize as GLP-1 adoption grows, but only if users stick to the meds.