For quick-service restaurants, the past six months have represented somewhat of a golden age of celebrity tie-ins, as more and more athletes, musicians, influencers, and gamers have entered into promotional partnerships with fast food restaurants. Each initiative is unique, with some skewing toward the endorsement end of the spectrum, some being meal-centric, and others highlighting […]
Archive | Retail
Denim DTRs
In the last two weeks, three of the biggest names in blue jeans announced they had signed deals to extend their brands into new categories with the help of leading retailers. All of the agreements put a premium on sustainability: On January 29, Levi Strauss & Co. said it was partnering with Target to launch […]
Artisanal Collaborations
By Karen Raugust on November 9, 2020 in Business models, DIY/Maker, House and home, Lifestyle, Retail
Licensors’ and licensees’ interest in doing business with digital marketplaces has increased significantly in recent years. They are now comfortable, for the most part, with everything from authorizing fans to create user-generated designs incorporating their IP on products sold on platforms such as Redbubble, to opening storefronts on third-party marketplaces like Amazon’s. Etsy is one […]
Resale Circles Back
When the pandemic first hit, many observers thought retailers’ resale initiatives, which offer quality second-hand and slightly imperfect apparel and home goods at a deeply discounted price and had been on the rise prior to the lockdown, would be placed on hold for safety reasons. Consumers, they thought, would potentially be concerned about the merchandise […]
Sporting Goods Get a Workout
Consumers have been boosting their purchases of sporting goods and outdoors products during the pandemic, as they search for ways to exercise safely, look to break up their homebound routines with activities outside, and, in some cases, address their fears in a turbulent time. Total retail sales of sporting goods in June 2020 were up […]
A Little Help From Your Friends
A number of retailers have set up programs in which they assist their customers in supporting healthcare workers, their neighbors, or their broader communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These initiatives are primarily charitable, but they bring marketing and sometimes sales benefits as well: Walmart teamed with NextDoor, a social networking app for neighborhoods, for a […]
To Market, To Market
Licensors, brand owners, and retailers are starting to view online marketplaces as viable partners for a variety of collaborative ventures. In these digital “malls,” vendors small and large operate independent boutiques side by side, creating a one-stop destination for the buyers and attracting higher traffic for the sellers. The configurations of marketers’ relationships with these […]
Game On
Many retailers, both bricks-and-mortar and online, are looking to solidify their relationship with young adult, teen, and tween consumers, as well as younger future shoppers. Increasingly, they are turning to gaming as a tool in this quest. Value retailer Five Below partnered with Nerd Street Gamers, a developer of e-sports competition and training facilities, to […]
Boxes of Health and Beauty
The market for subscription boxes has been challenging for many companies. But the women’s beauty, wellness, and self-care area has been one of the bright spots. Recent examples of partnerships in this sector show its strength, as well as illustrating some of the key ways IP owners and celebrities are working with subscription box marketers: […]
Playing to Win
With the holiday season coming up quickly, it seems like a good time to take a look at what toy industry players are doing to position themselves for success. In the midst of a changing retail landscape, evolving leisure time habits among kids, trade and tariff concerns, and other challenges, companies involved in the production […]