Ecomdigest Sneakers & Trainers - 10.17.2024

Sneak Into Halloween with Nike’s Spooky AF1 👻

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
October 17, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Thoughts on Ad Week New York 🎤

ADVERTISING INSIGHTS
Advertising Week NYC Recap

💡 Balancing Fame and Flow in a Post-Privacy Landscape, by Sam Carter, CEO of Fospha.

AdWeek NYC 2024 was packed full of fresh ideas and powerful reminders of evergreen principles. From navigating privacy challenges to ensuring sustainable brand growth, here are my key takeaways that all brands should be implementing:

  1. Balance Fame and Flow: Brands that focus too much on short-term conversions and neglect long-term brand-building efforts fall into the ‘doom loop’, converting only existing demand without generating new demand. Eventually the convertible audience is exhausted, efficiency plummets, and the brand finds itself in trouble. To avoid this, brands need to strike the right balance between conversion and long-term brand awareness to sustain growth.

  2. Go Full-Funnel for Measurement: To balance short and long-term goals of conversion and brand awareness, marketing teams need to be able to measure the impact of both. Last Click attribution chronically undervalues awareness activities, so brands should opt instead for measurement tools that use a full-funnel methodology.

  3. Privacy-Proof Your Tech Stack: With third-party cookies deprecation and new privacy regulations cropping up regularly, brands need to accept the death of user-level data and embrace privacy-centric solutions to future-proof their measurement. 

Read the full article here. 

Hot in D2C eCommerce 🔥

AI POWERS PRIME
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2024 Breaks Records with AI and Innovation (top links below 👇)

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days 2024 made history with the largest October shopping event ever, saving Prime members over $1 billion globally. This year’s event highlighted Amazon’s cutting-edge AI tools, including its AI assistant, Rufus, and drove massive sales across electronics, toys, and apparel. Top brands like Apple and Dyson offered unbeatable deals, setting the stage for a promising holiday shopping season.

Momentum Commerce reported a 41% sales increase on Day 1, with brands like Crocs and Lego leading the charge, while regions like Canada and Europe saw notable growth despite weather impacts affecting the U.S. Competitors Target and Walmart also launched early sales events, but Amazon's use of innovative shopping tools and AI set it apart in an increasingly competitive market.

For deeper insights into this record-breaking event, explore these key sources:

Top Picks in Sneakers 👟

Nike's Halloween collection for 2024 features the Air Force 1 with a spooky skull toe box, set to release on October 24th. This special edition showcases a crimson orange shade with a cracked black paint effect. Priced at $140, it will be available from Nike and select retailers.

The Adidas Taekwondo shoes are emerging as the next ""it"" fashion sneaker, blending martial arts roots with modern style. Their sleek, laceless design and quilted leather uppers align with retro trends, reminiscent of the popular Adidas Samba. This versatile sneaker is gaining traction among celebrities and on TikTok, where it's celebrated for its adaptability to various styles, from athleisure to chic office wear.

Influencers like Jennie from Black Pink and Bad Bunny have been spotted wearing these shoes, further boosting their appeal. The shoes' popularity is reflected in their dwindling stock, so consider purchasing soon. With over 46 million TikTok posts, the Adidas Taekwondo shoes are a style statement, offering a fresh twist on classic sneaker design.

The Japanese brand nonnative collaborates with Asics to release the GEL-Terrain GTX sneaker in a Brown Storm color. This model, featuring Gore-Tex lining and a mesh-suede construction, debuts on October 19, 2024, exclusively in Japan. Priced at $187, it offers durability and style for outdoor enthusiasts.

Nike's V2K Run sneakers, a Y2K-inspired hit, are now available in unisex sizes and new colors for fall 2024. Known for their comfort and style, these shoes are trending on TikTok and favored by celebrities. Currently, they're on sale for under $100 at Nike and Nordstrom.

The adidas Superstar has evolved from a basketball shoe to a sophisticated leather dress shoe, blending style and functionality. This new iteration, inspired by work boots, features high-quality brown leather and a hand-buffed finish, offering a fashionable option for formal occasions without sacrificing comfort.

Courir plans to sell 15 French stores to Snipes, a German sneaker brand, enhancing Snipes' presence in France. This move is pending approval from the French Competition Authority. Meanwhile, Courir's acquisition by JD Sports awaits European Commission approval, highlighting ongoing shifts in the sneaker retail landscape.

Crocs has launched a new line of footwear for dogs, in collaboration with Bark, priced at $50 or $65 for a lined version. Available for a limited time, these Pet Crocs can be purchased online or in select stores. They come in Green Slime or Pink Dragon Fruit and glow in the dark.

Performance Platters 🍽️

Microsoft is transitioning from its retail media platform, PromoteIQ, to a partnership with Criteo. This shift reflects the evolving retail media landscape, emphasizing the need for adaptable strategies. While PromoteIQ's closure isn't officially announced, the move highlights the importance of resilient, owned architectures in the dynamic ad tech industry.

Amazon's Amelia AI, currently in Beta, aims to assist sellers with insights and advice. While it simplifies tasks for new users, its potential lies in evolving features like competitive analysis and content optimization. Amelia is promising, but its future impact on Amazon sellers remains to be seen.

Advertising Week New York highlighted three key trends: the scarcity of third-party data, the rise of the creator economy, and the pressure on marketers to prove ROI. Brands must leverage first-party data, embrace TikTok'spotential, and focus on measurable outcomes to succeed in this evolving landscape.

Ecomdigest is a Contentive publication in the DTC Ecommerce division