Marketing Tactics

Starbucks is one of the first brands to leverage a new music and entertainment media platform from PlayNetwork.

To further increase both customer and employee engagement, Starbucks can now enable partners (employees) to select in-store playlists and provide a uniquely curated listening experience for customers. The chain is using the platform in more than 7,500 U.S. stores.

Ikea has formed an unprecedented partnership with fashion designers to launch new limited edition collections in Canada.

Between April and September, Ikea will be launching three new collections created in collaboration with fashion designers from across Europe. The move marks the first time that Ikea has teamed up with fashion designers to create collections that respond directly to current trends and fuse various influences to give customers cutting-edge design at affordable prices.

Gen Z and Millennials are big on physical stores — even more so than their older counterparts.

That’s one of the findings of a new research study by insights firm iModerate in which 74% of all respondents said it is important for brands to have a physical location rather than solely selling online. Interestingly, 80% of Gen Zers and 82% of Millennials respondents said it is important, compared to 69% of Gen Xers and 65% of Boomers.

When it comes to buying products, consumers are particular about who and what they trust to get advice.

According to a survey of nearly 14,000 adults conducted in early March by social retail technology provider Collective Bias, Facebook and YouTube are the most persuasive social channels for consumer purchases. About 19% of consumers find Facebook to influence their purchasing decision most, with YouTube coming in second at nearly 18%. YouTube is especially popular with men (23%) compared to women (14%).

One of the most buzzed-about retail brands is setting up shop — temporarily — in some hip hotels.

Canadian apparel retailer Kit and Ace is opening a a series of pop-ups in collaboration with luxury hotels in major cities across the globe. The pop-up, called “The Carry-on,” will make its debut in April, at the Hotel Zetta in San Francisco (for full listing, see end of article). It will offer a selection of easy-pack, carry-on essentials from Kit and Ace.

The Container Store is teaming up with Goodwill on a new spring cleaning campaign with a philanthropic angle.

From now through May 15, The Container Store is encouraging customers to declutter and donate via two item donation weekend events at the retailer's locations nationwide, as well as a monetary donation initiative in partnership with Goodwill through the end of the campaign.