Starbucks builds out 'third place' with foray into NFTs

As a means to build a community around coffee, the chain will link the upcoming digital tokens to exclusive content and perks.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • May 5, 2022

Snap expands e-commerce reach for brands with new AR tech

Puma, American Eagle and Zenni Optical tested the upgraded tools to offer virtual product try-ons via Snapchat and within their own apps.

By Robert Williams • May 5, 2022

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Retail Marketing

Top stories that underscore the leading influences on retail marketing, including Gen Z, pop culture and generative AI.

By Marketing Dive staff

TikTok's new premium ad unit aligns brands with top 4% of videos

TikTok Pulse is bought at a fixed CPM and on a reservation basis, speaking to the app’s efforts to cater to deeper-pocketed advertisers at the NewFronts.

By Peter Adams • May 5, 2022

Snapchat partners with Cameo to streamline brand-creator ad deals

Mattress Firm, Molson Coors and Kraft have been beta testing the program, letting them draw on over 45,000 personalities for custom video ads.

By Peter Adams • May 4, 2022

Panera partners with T-Pain and Ntwrk to promote chicken sandwich

The rapper will host a day of merchandise drops on the shopping app, including a line of items branded with Panera’s logo and images of its chicken sandwich.

By Sara Karlovitch • April 28, 2022

TikTok deepens AR investment with Camera IQ tools

Estée Lauder’s Smashbox and Cartoon Network piloted the new tech, the latter of which notched 4 million views from an AR effect without paid promotion.

By Robert Williams • April 28, 2022

Benefit Cosmetics reinforces gaming link with 9-tournament series

A monthslong effort builds on the brand's Game Face program it debuted in 2020 to connect the beauty and female gamer communities.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • April 28, 2022

Facebook sees users grow again while metaverse bets gain traction

Wendy's recent activation in Horizon Worlds drew 52 million visitors, a promising development as Meta's broader ad business continues to slow.

By Peter Adams • April 28, 2022

What Elon Musk's Twitter takeover means for advertisers

The Tesla CEO's stated mission around preserving "free speech" tees up looser content moderation policies on a platform already infamous for toxicity.

By Peter Adams • April 26, 2022

Snap's ad business challenged as global chaos adds to Apple headwinds

While the Ukraine war and inflation are impacting revenue, the Snapchat owner has secured upfront commitments more than 60% higher than last year.

By Peter Adams • April 22, 2022

Spot Pet Insurance employs Cameo for star-studded campaign

The company is teaming with talent like Lindsay Lohan, Gabby Douglas and Erin Andrews to produce social media-friendly videos to promote its insurance.

By Sara Karlovitch • April 21, 2022

NBA and Google gamify playoffs with virtual app experience

The tie-in builds on the duo's multiyear partnership and aims to deepen fan interest around the tournament through avatars, trivia and 3D game highlights.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • April 21, 2022

Restaurants leverage delivery boom to reach 4/20 enthusiasts

Promotions from Jack in the Box, Wingstop and others cater to stoners at home as weed experiences wider legalization and mainstream acceptance.

By Peter Adams • April 18, 2022

Mobile app trends 2022: A global benchmark of app performance

See top trends and benchmarks from the top 2,500 fintech, e-commerce and gaming apps.

April 18, 2022

Why McDonald's leveraged buzzy Szechuan sauce to boost its app

Promotions like the recent mobile-only offer for Szechuan sauce can onboard more app users and deliver insights into consumer spending habits.

By Robert Williams • April 14, 2022

Meta leans into monetizing Horizon Worlds VR platform

The social media giant will reportedly take a 47.5% cut of virtual assets sold by creators on Horizon Worlds, which is a bet on the potential of the metaverse. 

By Sara Karlovitch • April 14, 2022

Epic Games raises $2B to develop its metaverse efforts

The funding brings its valuation to nearly $32 billion, and includes participation from Kirkbi, the investment firm behind The Lego Group.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • April 13, 2022

Walmart preps mealtime inspiration with shoppable Snapchat lens

The retailer's collaboration on a new AR lens aims to help mobile users find recipes using ingredients they have at home or can order from Walmart.

By Robert Williams • April 7, 2022

Tito's Vodka distills AR packaging to mark 25th birthday

Scanning a QR code on in-store displays will activate a four-part story of the brand's history and give fans a chance to win a prize.

By Sara Karlovitch • April 7, 2022

Brands ramp up gaming marketing but still lag consumers

At the IAB's first PlayFronts, brands like American Eagle and Unilever dished on using gaming to support commerce goals and court favor with hard-to-reach audiences.

By Peter Adams • April 6, 2022

How ethnic e-grocers are turning up the heat on shoppable recipes

Companies like Weee, Umamicart and Quicklly are promoting user-generated recipes, holding contests and even paying people for the dishes they develop.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • April 6, 2022

Adidas goes sci-fi with personality-based metaverse avatars

The integration with Ready Player Me lets users explore the metaverse with a consistent identity while boosting visibility for Ozworld shoes from Adidas.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • April 5, 2022

Coke promotes new pixel-flavored cola with Fortnite island

Zero Sugar Byte is the second offering out of the brand's Creations innovation platform that previously tried to capture the taste of space.

By Peter Adams • April 4, 2022

New Balance among brands trying on Twitter's first 3D product ads

Three new formats seek to make brand experiences more interactive on the platform, with a focus on driving actions like a purchase. 

By Peter Adams • April 1, 2022

How Express drove revenue gains, 20% traffic bump with digital experiences

After adding more modern shopping features and functionalities in its app, the retail brand saw average order value rise 27% from a year earlier.

By Robert Williams • March 31, 2022