'Fortnite' maker Epic Games plans its own app store

The challenge to Google and Apple is expected to let developers keep more of the money generated from download fees and subscriptions.

By Robert Williams • Jan. 3, 2019

5 stories that shaped retail marketing in 2018

Some stories — and trendlines — stuck out more than others, both because of their impact at the time and for what they say about other moves in the space.

By Cara Salpini • Jan. 3, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

What you need to know about data in marketing

The pressure on marketers is only intensifying to master data and analytics capabilities that can strengthen personalization and foster loyalty.

By Marketing Dive staff

Roku's mobile streaming service takes aim at Amazon Prime Video

The updates will likely expand the streaming platform's reach beyond viewers' living rooms to their mobile devices.

By Robert Williams • Jan. 3, 2019

How Cars.com drives a 40% chat-to-lead conversion rate on Facebook

CMO Brooke Skinner-Ricketts — previously head of brand strategy at Twitter — discusses how social media is changing the way auto brands, consumers and local dealerships interact online.

By Jacqueline Renfrow • Jan. 3, 2019

Netflix nixes iTunes billing for new subscribers

The move cost Apple millions in "taxes" on the streaming service's $853 million in App Store revenue.

By Robert Williams • Jan. 2, 2019

NBCUniversal tests Comcast's blockchain-powered data-sharing platform

Blockgraph promises a way for TV and media companies to activate their data at scale without needing to share it with third parties.

By Erica Sweeney • Jan. 2, 2019

Alexa-powered shopping triples during holiday season

While Amazon didn't provide exact numbers, the e-commerce giant said holiday sales broke records.

By Robert Williams • Jan. 2, 2019

Farmers Insurance launches episodic ads on Hulu

Two spots are broken into three sequential segments to tell a full story, a first for an insurance brand on Hulu. 

By Erica Sweeney • Jan. 2, 2019

Ringing in your mobile marketing New Year's resolutions

'Tis the season for stronger data, better ad experiences and preparing strategic road maps to make 2019 the year of the user, writes Fluent's Mary Lister.

By Mary Lister • Dec. 27, 2018

Move over SaaS — why containerization is headed for the marketing world

The container-as-a-solution model is the way forward for first-party consumer data, writes Affinio CEO Tim Burke.

By Tim Burke • Dec. 27, 2018

5 stories that shaped mobile commerce in 2018

Mobile tech demonstrates how stores are evolving — and that we are living in the middle of a shift in consumer behavior. 

By Kaarin Moore • Dec. 21, 2018

Coke leads $15M investment round in Dirty Lemon parent Iris Nova

The company focuses on cashierless, text-to-pay consumer goods and has grown the popularity of its brands through platforms like Instagram.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 21, 2018

Amazon will continue to dominate smart speaker space in 2019, eMarketer says

However, Google and other companies will cut into Amazon's market share, which is set to dip from 66.6% to 63.3%.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 21, 2018

Nike execs see digital as 'the majority' of future business

E-commerce grew by 41% in Q2, and executives said that digitally focused store concepts and initiatives are paying off.

By Cara Salpini • Dec. 21, 2018

Report: Apple may soon let iOS users gift in-app purchases

A change in App Store guidelines hints that app users may soon be able to buy virtual goods and give them to others.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 21, 2018

Coty infuses stores with VR tech for personalized scent shopping

People don a VR headset and smell scented stones to activate a 3D video that helps to determine their perfect perfume.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) , Erica Sweeney • Dec. 21, 2018

ANA calls on FTC for comprehensive US data privacy law

The goal would be to avoid myriad state-level standards, such as the CCPA, which could create a compliance headache for businesses.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 20, 2018

AppsFlyer: App install ad spend to surge to $64.1B by 2020

The rise in media costs will outpace the growth of app installs that are driven by marketing activities.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 20, 2018

Nissan drives interactivity at college football tailgates with biometric-powered pop-ups

Converted semi-trucks boasted games that used gesture recognition and skeletal tracking tech to place fans into a virtual sporting experience.

By Erica Sweeney • Dec. 20, 2018

Vail Resorts' chatbot delivers ski lift status, weather and terrain details

The "digital mountain assistant" can answer text questions to expedite Vail's customer service operations.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 19, 2018

Shiseido blends ad on Hong Kong airport app with store beauty promotion

When travelers approach the duty-free area, beacons signal a push notification to smartphones to offer free product samples while they await their flight.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 19, 2018

Walmart testing in-house visual search technology

A TechCrunch report revealed that Walmart Labs is collaborating with Hayneedle to scale search objectives. 

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 19, 2018

Four Seasons' live chat service exchanged 3.5M messages since launch

The luxury hotel chain recently added Facebook-owned WhatsApp to its suite of chat channels.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 19, 2018

3 ways to prep for a voice-driven holiday season and beyond

Brands like Tide and Dunkin' illustrate how marketers can tap into the emerging tech, which is set to command $19 billion in ad spend globally by 2022.

By Rebecca Stone • Dec. 19, 2018

Twitter will slide UK soccer highlights into overseas fans' inboxes

Fans in 10 markets can get video clips of top English teams by chatbot-powered direct messages.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 19, 2018