Weekly Newsletter - 10.17.2024

PLUS: Solawave’s LightBoost skincare line brings LED-enhancing topicals to market

Author

Priscilla Soedarpo
October 17, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

THOUGHTS FROM ADWEEK NEW YORK 🎤
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.

Ami Colé

Ami Colé, a clean cosmetics brand, is making significant strides in the beauty industry, expanding its presence across nearly 600 Sephora locations in the U.S. This growth follows its initial launch in late 2022 and is bolstered by funding from L'Oréal's venture capital arm, BOLD. Founder Diarrha NDiaye-Mbaye, inspired by her mother's Harlem hair salon, anticipates $3.5 million in sales for 2024, with a projected 75% sales increase this year. Despite the momentum, NDiaye-Mbaye acknowledges the challenges of 2024, emphasizing the need for industry support for Black-owned brands like Ami Colé.

The brand's expansion strategy includes a focus on retail, with Sephora expected to account for 60% of sales. Ami Colé's product lineup, including the popular Lip Treatment Oil and Skin-Enhancing Stick, is gaining traction. The brand's success is attributed to its ability to connect with a multicultural audience, particularly in Canada, where it recently launched. NDiaye-Mbaye highlights the importance of data-driven decisions and strategic partnerships, such as with Sephora, to navigate logistical challenges and enhance brand visibility.

Looking ahead, Ami Colé aims to expand its digital footprint and strengthen its leadership team to support growth. The brand is also exploring international markets, with an eye on the U.K., while maintaining a focus on product quality and community engagement. NDiaye-Mbaye remains optimistic about the brand's potential to thrive amidst industry challenges.

HOT IN D2C E-COMMERCE
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:

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.

All Golden

Sarah Kugelman introduces All Golden, a pro-aging beauty brand for Gen X, aiming to redefine beauty for those 45 and older. With innovative products like a Peptide Power Serum and Root Changer, the brand combines humor and edginess to challenge cultural perceptions and engage a broader audience.

Estée Lauder Companies has announced leadership changes for its West Coast brands. Somer Tejwani and Michelle Shigemasa will lead Too Faced, Smashbox, and Glamglow, succeeding Tara Simon. They aim to boost brand equity and consumer engagement. These changes align with the company's strategic growth in the beauty market.Solawave is expanding its skincare line with the LightBoost range, including serums, a moisturizer, and an eye cream. Launching October 16, these products aim to enhance their LED devices. The brand's strategy focuses on integrating topicals early, supported by targeted marketing to educate diverse skincare consumers.

LoopMe introduces Brand Outcome Scores, an AI-driven tool enhancing ad performance by predicting ad effectiveness without cookies. This innovation aids marketers in optimizing campaigns across mobile video, CTV, and display ads. Initially launching in the US and UK, BOS aims to revolutionize advertising strategies globally.

Solawave is expanding its skincare line with the LightBoost range, including serums, a moisturizer, and an eye cream. Launching October 16, these products aim to enhance their LED devices. The brand's strategy focuses on integrating topicals early, supported by targeted marketing to educate diverse skincare consumers.

Bravo Sierra, a military-themed personal care brand, is relaunching with a prestige line of hair and skin products, supported by $2.5 million in funding. The new line features advanced formulations and packaging, while the original mass-market line becomes an Amazon exclusive, continuing to support military families and veterans.

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.