Weekly Trends | August 17th 2016
Social News and Trends
- What it’s like to start a clothing line from your dorm room, with solely an Instagram account, an iPhone, and some smart marketing chops. — Via Fortune
- Here are four brands that are killing it when it comes to using Virtual Reality as a marketing tool. — Via Masthead Marketing
- Snapchat wants more high-caliber TV-like content for it’s Discover feature. They’ve been in talks with TV Networks and production companies for months to create original series for the likes of BuzzFeed, Mashable, and Refinery29, with the goal of turning Snapchat Discover into the destination where younger users can return daily to catch up on their favorite shows. — Via Digiday
News and Culture
- IKEA is looking to upgrade it’s image — but how? Some postulate that a “store within a store” model hawking higher tier goods could get the Crate & Barrel customer to look twice. And Kanye wants in on the action in the form of a hype collaboration. IKEA beds and dressers made in partnership with Yeezy is unlikely, but a massive re-structuring of their marketing mix and product offering is. — Via RetailDive
Sales at home improvement retailers rose 6.4% in July 2016 compared year-ago totals, in sharp contrast to surprisingly flat overall July retail sales data reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce. In an era when the Great Recession and the great rise of Amazon have helped make commodities cheaper than ever, garden and home improvement stores have largely been spared. The reasons are both psychological and practical. The psychological: Many home owners don’t see spending on their homes as a luxury or discretionary purchase, but as an investment. The practical: Shoppers still see a need to run to a home improvement store to browse and buy colors of paint, for example. Add to that the fact that about two thirds of homes in the U.S. are older, requiring more upkeep, and that low interest rates and rising home values are making such spending highly palatable. — Via RetailDive
- BlueMercury, a luxury cosmetics chain, is racking up the cash by selling and marketing their product to a consumer best described as the “suburban power woman.” — Via Yahoo Finance
- For Lululemon, the sky is the limit when it comes to their race to the top of the athleisure pile. — Via the New York Times
- Relevancy beats personalization for most consumers when it comes to brand loyalty, according to the Direct Marketing Association. — Via Warc.
“.. As the relationship between brands and consumers changes, the DMA argued that relevancy beats personalization; for example, 40% of consumers wanted services that could not only remind them about an upcoming birthday, but give relevant suggestions on what to buy.”
Home & Style Trends
- Now trending: Mid-century modern furniture with laid-back, bohemian decor. — Via Amy Bartlam Photography
- A deep dive into the why’s of this year’s whitewashed trend in interiors. — Via Design*Sponge
- Modern cabins go luxe with clean lines, considered design, and top-tier materials. — Via SF Girl by Bay
Today’s Trending Hashtags
- Reccomended engagement: #WednesdayWisdom
