INTERNATIONAL. Moodie Davitt NEXUS brings you a curated summary of (and links to) key stories from the related worlds of travel, retail, luxury, brands and beauty. All have been chosen for their relevance to (or repercussions for) travel retail.
NEXUS is available on dual platforms, first via a weekly e-Newsletter and later here at The Moodie Davitt Report.com, which enjoys almost five times the monthly web traffic of its nearest rival.
#01 – THE BUSINESS OF FASHION
Today we start with a very convincingly written opinion piece by Doug Stephens on The Business of Fashion. Citing Walmart as a parallel, Stephens makes the startling claim that Amazon is set to fail within the decade, chiefly because of a reliance on its own success.
Whether you agree or not, it’s a fascinating read.
Soundbites:
The decline of the once impenetrable juggernaut [Walmart] has proven that even the most titanic businesses can fall.
A conspiracy of success is likely to sideswipe Amazon with great brutality and speed.
#02 – RETAIL WEEK
How Amazon has created the future shopper
The Business of Fashion may be forecasting Amazon’s demise but there’s no denying the online giant’s market share, or its influence on the modern shopper. The company’s innovations, once part of its USP, have now become things we simply expect – and not just from Amazon. Next-day delivery? These days it’s same-day or we gripe.
Soundbites:
The retail giant’s dominance is unparalleled. Our recent study, The Future Shopper, found that Amazon is capturing 35% and 52% of online shopping in the UK and US respectively.
#03 – RETAIL DIVE
AR tops list of future shopping experiences
Retail Dive takes a look at augmented reality and virtual reality as the biggest technology trends of the future. From interactive mirrors to stock-checking robots, what would have seemed like science fiction not so long ago is now very much a reality.
As consumers come to not only desire but expect this level of innovation, can retailers keep up?
Soundbites:
“The consumer retail trends are already fast-changing and are prompting several retailers to quickly tap the changing needs and act accordingly,” the Infiniti Research report said.
“Furthermore, the retail sector is going through a fundamental change as players in this sector are identifying new ways to use data and intelligence.”
#04 – JING DAILY
Influencer Marketing in 2018: What Luxury Brands in China Need to Know
We all know celebrity and influencer marketing is big business. But despite its prevalence, tracking its effectiveness is a whole lot more difficult. Little surprise, then, that The Moodie Davitt Report’s business information partner Jing Daily has taken real note of a recent report that does just that.
Released by New York-based data intelligence firm Gartner L2, the report – and Jing Daily’s expert analysis of it – are essential reading for anyone interested in marketing to the Chinese audience.
Soundbites:
Celebrity endorsements remain the most effective way for luxury brands to create online engagement with users.
However, depending on the goals of these celebrity collaborations, the report revealed that only 18% of celebrity endorsements generated “outsized” engagement.
#05 – CAMPAIGN
A handbag by any other name is not the same in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan
Many challenges lie in the way of a brand looking to launch into Asia, and of course language is at the core of many of them. Here, Campaign considers the dangers of a ‘one size fits all’ approach to marketing across China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, using the word ‘handbag’ as a case study. Each region writes the word differently. Marketers need, therefore, to work harder to tailor their campaigns to the various territories.
It seems an obvious approach, but time and again Western brands have failed to understand the complexities of the Chinese market. Campaign’s advice is certainly worth heeding.
Soundbites:
Even regions that share the same written form of Chinese may use entirely different vocabulary or syntax. For example, people in Taiwan predominantly use the word “手提袋” when searching for “handbag” online, but in Hong Kong customers use the shorter character combination “手袋”.
#06 – THE TIMES
Logomania! Why flashing a label is back in fashion
Ten years ago, brand logos were not the thing. Fashion was a private member’s club: the mark of membership was that you simply didn’t need to be told what label someone was wearing. You knew.
In fact, it’s probably been two decades since logos had the catwalk presence they do today. So what has caused this resurgence? Social media, says the Times. And we’re inclined to agree.
Soundbites:
In the age of Instagram, logos are the best way to broadcast your fashion credentials. For influencers and brands on the platform they’re the latest – and most effective – way of making money. Depending on your follower count, a selfie in a logo T-shirt will accrue more eyeballs than a billboard on the side of a building.
#07 – 1843
Can Instagram save offline shopping?
An interesting one here on the power of Instagram-worthy store design and the brands that are getting it right. Pretty as a picture has taken on new meaning in the age of social media, and the aesthetics of a retail space have never been more important. For a certain group of consumers – and a powerful one at that – a store isn’t worth visiting if they can’t post it on Instagram.
In fact, says writer Kassia St Clair, the experience – and the Instagram potential – can be more of a pull than the product.
Soundbites:
An increasing number of companies are opening shops, not so much to sell things – there’s the internet for that – but to advertise their ethos and to entertain.
#08 – THE MOODIE DAVITT E-ZINE
Travel retail’s sizzling summer
While we’re on the subject of Instagram-worthy backdrops and the brands that are successfully catering to the social media-obsessed generation, be sure to peruse our round-up of this summer’s most eye-catching activations.
Using our stunning full-screen format, we highlight the most original, creative and immersive travel retail campaigns of the last few months, from a blowout beauty pop-up from YSL to a David Beckham-branded barbershop.
Soundbites:
The Shilla Duty Free and men’s grooming and skincare brand House 99 by David Beckham are emphasising engagement and experience. It is the brand’s first pop-up store in Asia and has all the impact (and element of surprise) of a Beckham free kick in his footballing prime.
