Retailers' back-to-school ads resonate by empathizing with uncertainty, study finds

Ads from Kohl's, Walmart and others address uncertain times with upbeat messages during a markedly different back-to-school season.

By Dianna Christie • Aug. 17, 2020

Retail Therapy: The last Blockbuster lists itself on Airbnb

Because this is the year where apparently anything goes, the Bend, Oregon, store is inviting local residents to spend a night.

By Caroline Jansen • Aug. 14, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

How retailers are thinking about in-store experience

Complementary shop-in-shops, age-appropriate experiences and integrated technology are just a few ways retailers are reworking stores to suit shoppers.

By Retail Dive staff

What COVID-19 did to customer loyalty

As retailers grappled with out-of-stocks, research found that 75% of consumers opted to shop alternative brands.

By Caroline Jansen • Aug. 12, 2020

CVS to sell DTC brand Public Goods in bid for the healthy shopper

The two started a pilot in January, and have now expanded it to put the brand's sustainable, health-focused products into 2,000 stores nationwide.

By Cara Salpini • Aug. 11, 2020

Michaels adds new perks to its rewards program

The arts and crafts retailer aims to strengthen relationships with its customers digitally. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 7, 2020

Retail Therapy: Cheetos Mac n' Cheese gives humans a ray of hope during apocalypse

The pasta comes in three flavor varieties and is made with "authentic Cheetos cheesiness." 

By Kaarin Moore • Aug. 7, 2020

Fashion brands team up for flash sales event

Shopping platform BestKeptSecret aims to raise $1 million for charity with the help of multiple brands.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 6, 2020

Athleta names interim CMO

Gap Inc. has been shuffling its marketing leadership, with the head of Banana Republic's marketing taking over at its namesake brand in February.

By Cara Salpini • Aug. 5, 2020

Macy’s enlists influencers for its ‘Style Crew’

The department store is integrating shoppable content, and new fashion and beauty buffs into its program.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 5, 2020

Walmart fortifies ad platform with omnichannel analytics offering

Procter & Gamble, Mondelēz and Clorox beta tested Performance Dashboards, which could better position the retailer against rivals like Amazon and Google.

By Peter Adams • Aug. 4, 2020

Three years after Fenty Beauty, Rihanna debuts Fenty Skin

Aimed at inclusivity, the products were tested on all skin tones and types, and are also built around key trends like sustainability and clean ingredients.

By Cara Salpini • Aug. 4, 2020

PetSmart gamifies reptile adoption with Snapchat AR quiz

An immersive lens includes a discount on a pet reptile to drive store foot traffic, which rose during the pandemic's early days as people stockpiled supplies.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 3, 2020

BuzzFeed goes DTC with content-driven commerce deal

The media company looks to create its own e-commerce offering designed to turn readers into active shoppers.

By Dianna Christie • Aug. 3, 2020

Retail Therapy: Oskar Blues, French's brew up summer in a can

While absolutely nobody asked for it, the two brands teamed up to release a one-of-a-kind mustard-flavored beer.

By Caroline Jansen • July 31, 2020

Gen Z, millennials drive growth in mobile video during pandemic, Snap study says

Nearly three quarters of young consumers said they watched more video on their smartphones this year than in 2019, according to the report.

By Robert Williams • July 31, 2020

Old Navy partners with Popsugar on retailer's first tween collection

The collaboration is aimed at an underserved tween market during the critical back-to-school shopping season. 

By Robert Williams • July 29, 2020

Back-to-school marketing takes on a somber tone under COVID-19, but carries key silver linings

Ads addressing activism, mental health and remote learning arrive in place of typically sunny seasonal fare, but they might resonate more with grounded Gen Z teens. 

By Peter Adams • July 28, 2020

DSW’s debut hashtag challenge on TikTok racks up 1.3B views

The shoe retailer enlisted five influencers to promote the #TooManyShoes challenge on the popular social video app.

By Robert Williams • July 28, 2020

Retail Therapy: Starburst goes all-in on self-care

Leaning into the pink Starburst meme, the Mars Wrigley brand released a kit to help consumers feel like their best selves.

By Caroline Jansen • July 24, 2020

Hollister enters shaky back-to-school period with campaign led by top TikTok talent

An effort featuring the D'Amelio sisters, Noah Pugliano and Bill Nye arrives amid uncertainty for both school reopenings and TikTok's future in the U.S.

By Peter Adams • July 21, 2020

Target, L’Oréal, Ralph Lauren test Snapchat’s new brand profile pages

The new feature gives marketers a permanent home to build a following and directly engage with app users.

By Robert Williams • July 20, 2020

Instagram Shop launches with Facebook Pay at checkout

A centralized e-commerce hub will offer personalized recommendations, exclusive items and collections of products from brands and creators.

By Robert Williams • July 20, 2020

Crisis Management: Why Madison Reed launched a new product in a pandemic

The company's online business "exploded" as the coronavirus hit the U.S., but its men's line had already been in the works for months.

By Cara Salpini • July 20, 2020

Retail Therapy: Target, Zappos launch new collections with inclusivity in mind

The mass merchant brought back its adaptive Halloween costumes, while the shoe retailer is selling single shoes or shoes in differing sizes.

By Caroline Jansen • July 17, 2020

Ulta launches Conscious Beauty initiative

Starting in the fall, the beauty retailer will certify brands under various pillars, like cruelty free, vegan and sustainable packaging.

By Cara Salpini • July 16, 2020