Campaign corner
Playfulness. Oreo’s newest commercial shows us what it means to be playful. While "I Love It" by Icona Pop fills the air, a young girl flashes a playful smile before joining her father inside an elevator. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she merrily presses all the elevator buttons, prompting her dad to offer apologies to a fellow passenger. The little girl extends a chocolate Oreo cookie toward the woman, her eyes squinting with curiosity, and bursts into laughter when the woman reciprocates by producing her own stash of Oreos. Together, the trio savors their Oreo cookies as the elevator gracefully descends.
Sustainable glory hole. Comedian and podcaster Tom Segura enthusiastically encourages both the in-studio audience and viewers at home to humorously deposit their aluminum cans into his comical glory hole during Liquid Death's entertaining infomercial parody. This playful skit was produced by the canned water brand's internal marketing team and is now available for viewing on YouTube and Instagram, starting today.
Retail technology
Grocery conference. The 2023 Groceryshop conference had a more down-to-earth focus compared to the futuristic themes of previous years, reflecting the current challenges faced by the grocery industry. Vendors showcased solutions aimed at improving in-store sales and efficiency, including electronic signs for product promotion, self-service lockers for cold pickups, and AI-driven self-checkout technology. This shift in emphasis towards practical solutions aligned with the industry's priorities and mood.
Computer vision tech. Toshiba is using computer vision technology, including an arm-shaped camera, to combat theft at self-checkout stations, aiming to make these features available to retailers in November. The system aims to prevent shoppers from leaving without paying for items and ensure correct identification of produce. Other vendors in the industry are also turning to computer vision to address theft, with retailers showing a growing interest in strategies to curb losses, especially during the past three to six months.
Expert advice
Shrinkflation. Do you applaud Carrefour’s move to call out shrinkflation by suppliers on store shelves to incentivize price reductions? Should U.S. grocers push back against shrinkflation? These are the questions that various retail experts answered in one of RetailWire’s discussions. Here’s what Ken Morris mentioned:
Real customers. Do you agree that marketers often chase the “shiny and new” in campaigns at the expense of reflecting the values and priorities of real consumers? How can marketers reduce these apparent tendencies? Various retail experts answered these questions in one of RetailWire’s discussions. Neil Saunders shared his opinion:
In other news…
Holiday shopping online. For the 2023 holiday season, consumers are expected to prioritize online shopping due to its convenience, according to a survey by Celigo. Nearly 70% of respondents prefer online shopping for its convenience and access to a wide selection. A significant majority (79%) plan to spend less than $5,000, with 49% aiming for under $1,000 in holiday shopping expenses. Additionally, many consumers are seeking personalized offers, and traditional holiday promotional events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday are losing significance for some shoppers. Generationally, baby boomers prioritize online shopping for convenience, while Gen Z and millennials are concerned about holiday delivery timelines.
Halloween sales. Halloween spending is projected to reach $12.2 billion this year, an increase from the previous year, with 73% of surveyed individuals planning to participate in Halloween-related activities, up from 69% in 2022. The expected spending on Halloween decorations, $3.9 billion, is set to exceed spending on candy, projected at $3.6 billion (up from $3.1 billion in the previous year). Additionally, spending on adult costumes is estimated at $2 billion, and children's costumes are anticipated to reach $1.4 billion.
