Digital Marketing

Los Angeles -- Earlier in October, shoppers were put off by holiday displays in store; now people are warming up to them. Analysis of social media buzz for the week of Oct. 30 – Nov. 5 by social media research firm Fizziology shows that positive conversation about displays rose from 15% to 22%, while negatives dropped from 10% to less than 1%.

Toys “R” Us is debuting the Toys"R"Us Toy Channel, the company's revamped and updated YouTube channel. The channel launches with eight playlists, segregating content by topic to showcase in-demand playthings and new products, interviews with toy industry experts and current commercials from the beloved brand and top toy manufacturers.

San Francisco – Twitter began trading shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Nov. 7 after reportedly raising $1.82 billion in its IPO. According to Bloomberg, Twitter sold 70 million shares at $26 each in its IPO, giving it a $14.2 billion market capitalization that is 12.4 times estimated 2014 sales of $1.14 billion.

Twitter will trade on NYSE under the TWTR symbol. The company’s revenue reached $534.5 million in the 12 months that ended Sept. 30, 2013.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has begun to notice some changes in that most iconic of holiday shopping events: Black Friday. From earlier start times, to new and more elaborate marketing and promotional efforts, Black Friday has evolved into something very different than a one-day holiday season kick-off sale. This year, we are already seeing an expansion of that trend, including changes that might give us insights into the mindset of many brick-and-mortar retailers as they prepare for the final sprint to the seasonal finish line.

A pricing glitch on Walmart.com this week generated enormous publicity and did more to promote the retailer’s e-commerce business in advance of the holiday season than any of its other marketing efforts.

Target created A Bullseye View a little more than two years ago as an innovative digital platform to achieve a deeper level of engagement with those who have an interest in all things Target. Billed as a behind-the-scenes magazine, A Bullseye View was recently relaunched to incorporate new features and functionality to build upon its original mission.

New York -- A marketing stunt ended up driving hundreds of visitors to entertainment and events retailer Make Meaning’s location on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Inspired by the creativity of the infamous and elusive guerilla street artist Banksy, whose handiwork has been popping up around New York City for the past month, the CEO and CMO of Make Meaning arranged for renowned New York street artist Alex Gardega to spray paint the façade of the building with a Banksy-esque silhouette in the middle of the night.

By Christian Davies, [email protected]

Meet the most complex shopper of all time – Generation Z. By 2020, today’s 14-19 year olds (Gen Z) will be the largest group of consumers worldwide, making up 40% of the U.S., Europe and the BRIC countries, and 10% in the rest of the world. The needs and behaviors of this group will influence the future of mainstream retail.