Campaign corner
Organic rice. In a new commercial, a cluster of ducklings is observed excitedly gathering and chirping near a recently filled bowl of Lundberg rice. Suddenly, one duckling voices the sentiment that the rest of the ducklings won't settle down until it's made clear to observers that Lundberg Family Farms rescues ducklings and offers organic rice choices.
Blokequet. In an effort to foster positive mental health and facilitate open conversations among friends, Yeastie Boys, the world's smallest multinational brewery based in New Zealand, has collaborated with VML to create a beverage named 'Blokequet,' reminiscent of a drinkable bouquet of flowers. Recognizing the alarming rates of self-harm among men in a country like New Zealand, Yeastie Boys aims to provide men with a meaningful incentive to socialize over a beer, promoting genuine connections and meaningful conversations.
Time for retail tech
Sourcing platform. Walmart is enhancing its supplier sourcing process to increase efficiency in its supply chain. The retail giant is collaborating with Bamboo Rose, an enterprise retail technology solutions company, to develop a new enterprise sourcing platform. This platform aims to simplify collaboration between Walmart's buyers, product development teams, and its vast supplier network, offering better visibility on volume and cost.
Grocery e-commerce gap. According to recent data from Insider Intelligence, Walmart is strengthening its dominant position in the online grocery market and is projected to control 26.9% by the end of 2024. This surpasses Amazon, its closest competitor, which is expected to see its market share decline to 18.5% despite growing sales. The report suggests that Walmart's rapid advancement in the online grocery space makes it challenging for Amazon to reverse this trend.
Expert advice
Mobile-first. How would you rate the advantages and shortcomings of mobile shopping versus the laptop and desktop experience? What should a “mobile-first approach” entail? Various retail experts answered these questions in one of Retail Wire’s discussions. Here’s what DeAnn Campbell mentioned:
Gift search. What do you think of the potential of generative AI to transform online product discovery and gift search? Which of Google’s AI-powered product search tools appear most useful to online shoppers? These were the questions that retail influencers answered in one of Retail Wire’s discussions. This is what James Tenser shared:
In other news…
Health and wellness trends. KeHe, a leading specialty distributor, predicts that in 2024, consumers will shift their focus from adding flare to healthy recipes to prioritizing sustenance, emphasizing functionality, convenience, and clean ingredients. The company anticipates a trend of consumers seeking foods rich in essential nutrients to prevent chronic diseases, with an emphasis on clean-label, organic, and nutrient-dense household staples. Shoppers are also expected to prioritize "real" ingredients, such as real dairy and quality meats, driven by increased access to nutritional information online, and a desire for products that align with personal health goals while offering convenience.
Black Friday weekend. The official online holiday shopping season has commenced strongly, with e-commerce sales reaching new records during Black Friday weekend. According to Adobe Analytics, consumers spent a record $9.8 billion online on Black Friday, up 7.5% YoY, with significant growth in electronics (up 152%) and strong showings in toys and gaming. While online shopping dominated, in-store sales also rose by 4.6%, marking a notable increase in physical store activity. Both Adobe and Salesforce note the role of mobile devices, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) payments, and buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS) options in driving strong digital sales during the Black Friday weekend.
