Stephanie Anne Castillo (Collado)

I've been thinking a lot this year about marketing (as I always do) but in particular: how do you communicate to people what's truly different about your brand, especially in a climate where people are pickier shoppers than ever? I think E.l.f is an example of a brand that has built a really interesting, differentiated marketing strategy -- I recently dug into their collaboration strategy, which is just one part of their marketing strategy, but an important example of how they endear themselves to a Gen Z audience (and have resulted in them posting 22 consecutive quarters of sales growth). As their senior manager of brand marketing Neiv Toledano told me, the goal with these collaborations -- and all of these marketing efforts -- is to establish E.l.f as a "brand that's rooted in culture." Exclusively for Modern Retail subscribers https://lnkd.in/e22y2Y2a

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Top beauty editor and friend Dahvi Shira shares great tips about pitching products, especially when gifting and what to do not to get editors mad. This is especially important for young PR execs. #beauty #pitching

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NEW: Brieane Olson, CEO of Pacsun, is courting GenZers in all the right ways. PACSUN is among a handful of trendy fashion retailers that’s consistently breaking through to teens and young adults and earning their loyalty. Olson, who became sole CEO of Pacsun in 2023 after a nearly two decades-long career with the company, has cracked the code on how to keep customers coming back for more. Brieane Olson sat down with me for Bagable.com's first feature on game-changing retail CEOs to discuss Pacsun’s evolution, AI, turning customers into co-creators, baggy versus skinny jeans, and the need to give back. #retail #genz #AI #innovation #shopping https://lnkd.in/exMq6jZS

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NEW: Brieane Olson, CEO of Pacsun, is courting GenZers in all the right ways. PACSUN is among a handful of trendy fashion retailers that’s consistently breaking through to teens and young adults and earning their loyalty. Olson, who became sole CEO of Pacsun in 2023 after a nearly two decades-long career with the company, has cracked the code on how to keep customers coming back for more. Brieane Olson sat down with me for Bagable.com's first feature on game-changing retail CEOs to discuss Pacsun’s evolution, AI, turning customers into co-creators, baggy versus skinny jeans, and the need to give back. #retail #genz #AI #innovation #shopping https://lnkd.in/eAbC-YnQ

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“Lock It, Lose It”: Leading Media Expert Reveals Majority of Shoppers Abandon Purchases When Products Are Behind a Lock LOS ANGELES, CA — In a consumer behavior shift that retailers may not want to ignore, a recent survey conducted by Consumer World reveals that locking up merchandise to deter shoplifters may be doing more harm than good. The survey found that 55% of shoppers would leave a store entirely if the product they wanted was locked up, opting to take their business elsewhere. In contrast, only 13% of respondents said they would search for an unlocked alternative. As retailers increasingly secure everyday items—everything from earbuds to toothpaste—behind locked cases, the question arises: is the deterrent worth the lost sales? Some experts believe the shoplifting epidemic might be overestimated, and stores could be alienating loyal customers in the process. Michael Levine, America’s leading media expert and renowned author of Broken Windows, Broken Business, weighs in: “Locking up products may seem like a necessary response to theft, but it creates friction that drives consumers away. Retailers need to ask themselves whether preventing theft is worth sacrificing customer satisfaction and sales.” The findings pose a significant challenge for businesses striving to balance loss prevention with delivering a seamless shopping experience. With nearly six out of ten shoppers choosing to abandon their purchases entirely, the data suggests it may be time for retailers to rethink how they address theft without punishing the honest consumer. www.BrokenWindowsBook.com

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At UMAI, we often get asked if professional photography or if UGC (user-generated content) is best for marketing CPG brands. The answer? Both! I’m going to let my fashion background help me explain this one… I’ll compare UGC to on-the-fly athletic wear vs. perfect styling and dressing to the nines as reminiscent of studio assets. Both are aesthetically “cool” for different reasons and convey different meanings. Dressing up with pristine makeup, hair, and crisply ironed clothes, makes you feel like a powerhouse. People look at you and know you put a lot of effort into looking that good, and that garners respect. VS. just leaving pilates, a bit disheveled, albeit wearing a cute matching athletic set, evokes cool, relatable, and approachable.  Just like humans, brands are multi-faceted, and people expect brands nowadays to be more vulnerable and share more transparency in all aspects of their business. Professional studio photography and videography in marketing show that your brand is legit, polished, and high-quality. People see these stylized brand assets and want your product to feel just as elevated in their lives. You’re essentially selling “the dream” here. Then, UGC-style content shows that your brand is friendly and relatable. It portrays your brand's social and community aspects and builds trust. Here, you’re selling the KLT (know like trust) and relatability of your brand. So, when considering your Instagram feed, ad creatives, and other marketing needs, remember to strike a balance between both!

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🚨 My most recent podcast guest spot is here!! I had the pleasure of sitting down to tape The Influence Factor podcast with Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory - Influencer Marketing Agency to discuss Fueling Brand Connections. This podcast is a quick and easy listen, just over 20 minutes but we were able to pack in the topics and takeaways. From the evolution of influencer marketing to mistakes brands are making to the value of social listening and much more! Give it a listen and lets discuss. Check out the full podcast here: https://lnkd.in/gdhSQjt8! #influencermarketing #creatoreconomy #marketing

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Not surprisingly, I spend a great deal of time evaluating how brands communicate with people over 50. It’s taken a while, but progress is being made. Americans in their sixth, seventh, eighth, even ninth decade of life are among the most powerful consumers in the market because they have money, time and the willingness to try new brands. Check out the latest brand tracker from Ad Age and The Harris Poll, which measures how brands fared in 2024 amongst 50-plus consumers. Not surprisingly, brands associated with travel topped the list. This sector has been one of the more creative, innovative and authentic in depicting and communicating with audiences over 50 and beyond. But, FINALLY, the beauty industry is demonstrating that it now understands the power of the 50-plus consumer. For years, this sector was among the worst offenders in marginalizing or rendering invisible people in their later years, but that has really begun to change. Two beauty brands made the top 10 cut amongst those in the survey. This goes to show that understanding real lifestyles (vs. outdated preconceived notions) opens entirely new markets to consumer brands. Take a look and then share your thoughts on the brands that made the list – or others you think are really getting this right! #Marketing #Advertising #OlderAdults #BeautyIndustry #TravelIndustry

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With the potential TikTok ban, brands that went viral on the platform are shifting strategies. "CAKES body, which makes medical grade silicone nipple covers, has been gradually expanding to other marketing channels other than TikTok. In 2023, half of the brand’s revenue came from organic content on TikTok. This year, however, platforms like Meta and Google have made up the majority of Cakes Body’s sales, with TikTok only driving about 20%, according to co-founders and sisters Taylor Capuano and Casey Capuano Sarai." "Apparel start-up Collars & Co, which also found early success on TikTok, has been gradually testing out marketing strategies on other platforms. In the last 90 days, the brand decreased its ad spend on TikTok by about 12% and funneled it into other channels, namely Meta and Google, according to Collars & Co’s founder and CEO Justin Baer." Story from Modern Retail's Allison Smith https://lnkd.in/eAiGFvZC

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Beauty and fashion brand marketing execs, if you're looking to finish out 2024 strong, now is the time to ensure your PR plan is in order. With August comes back-to-school, and before you know it, we're caught in the whirlwind of the holiday season, Q4 chaos, and end of year tasks. Whether you're looking for the coveted holiday gift guide coverage (which your PR team should be pitching NOW) or to announce a new product launch or campaign, this is the time to make sure everything is ready to go. If you need some inspiration as to what is resonating with editors and media, download our 2024 Lifestyle Editor Trend Report (linked in comments!) We know that busy beauty, fashion, and CPG executives and founders know that they need to factor in what topics the highly influential lifestyle media is looking for when planning messaging and campaigns.   VLIV Communications created the 2024 Lifestyle Editor Trend Report for brands to navigate the key trends and messaging most important to right-fit beauty, lifestyle, fashion, and business outlets today. Send me an email if you have questions or want to chat about an upcoming PR campaign! #beautypr #beautymarketing #beautyindustry #fashionpr #fashionmarketing

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Love to see hims & hers named as one of Ad Age's Hottest Brands of 2024 as part of it's special yearly America's Hottest Brands report thanks to the work we've done and momentum we've achieved in entering the weight loss conversation. Check out the feature on Hims & Hers, stating, "Hims & Hers, a telehealth company that sells sexual health and hair loss products, has been on a growth tear ever since it made its foray into the world of weight loss drugs in late 2023." 🚀

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The fashion industry is using a remarkably unfashionable way of evaluating its earned media! Check out this piece from last week's British Vogue: "SS25 generated $839.6 million in earned media value (EMV) this season, up 59 per cent on AW24 and up 16 per cent on SS24, according to influencer marketing platform Lefty and brand agency Karla Otto. (Lefty analyses the impressions and engagement generated by Instagram posts referencing every on-schedule show from influencers with over 10,000 followers. EMV is calculated as $1 per like.)" https://lnkd.in/ehX6bnHn When I explain to clients why AVEs / earned media values are nonsense, the media outlet Vogue often springs to mind - it harks back to my days working in a PR office in the 90s when coverage in glossy consumer magazines were the end goal. It used to cost a lot to advertise in Vogue, assume it still does, so a page of editorial in that outlet had the potential to return a considerable 'ad value'. But if your comms objective is to encourage local residents to recycle more - then British Vogue has no relevance to your target audience despite the high 'AVE' it might return. The metric was always flawed, and with methodologies like "$1 per social like" noted above the associated thinking is deteriorating. But here we are in 2024, a generation later, and frustratingly these myths about 'ad values' perpetuate. I'm sure the 'earned media' given to the concept of the 'ad value' isn't helping. So my rallying cry to all journalists and editors out there who see terms such as 'free publicity' or 'ad value' is to have more discernment. C'mon guys, the AVE is as dead as the dodo, you need to stop feeding the beast with this nonsense! ps, Richard Bagnall, Hon FCIPR, FPRCA, FAMEC's excellent list of reasons why AVEs are invalid on the AMEC website covers this in great detail, link in comments

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A new survey from AfterShip reveals that three-quarters (76%) of online shoppers browse social commerce platforms (such as TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping) for products, but buy through a retailer's website, primarily due to trust and security concerns (41%). 📱🛒 https://lnkd.in/gUuKR2_i #retail #ecommerce #socialmedia Chain Store Age

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Ryan Babenzien shared some thoughts recently around Saks not paying money owed to his brand (+ others) and it resonated greatly. We have a Net 30 policy on payment, but we're flexible where needed. We want to build relationships with brands, do right by them, and not focus on making what we do simply a transactional relationship. It's never going to be smooth sailing when running a business. You'll have payment plans. Stories of a company missing their mark and needing more time, and you want to do what you can to help them out. At the end of the day you need to balance patience & understanding with the fact that you're running a business and make decide when "enough is enough." The last few weeks have been difficult as we've had a particularly difficult situation regarding a client and payment. It's not just being late. It's being incredibly late. It's breaking numerous payment plans promised. It's a handful of broken promises from those in various leadership positions. At some point you need you to protect your business, self respect and make sure you're not walked all over. We're flexible but we won't be made fools. Hard lessons in running a business, but you become better for it. Can't always be amazing campaigns & amazing clients (though I'll take that 90% of the time!) #work #life #career #business #entrepreneurship #advertising #marketing https://lnkd.in/ezXhPrEE

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DTC brands including cookware are having a hard time post-pandemic, according to The New York Times article by Ella Quittner. During the height of the COVID pandemic, we were stuck at home and consuming lots of social media content, including endorsements for DTC (Direct-To-Consumer) products. Restaurants were closed, and we still needed to eat. What could help us to create delicious meals quickly and easily? Buying beautiful, pastel-colored non-stick cookware would solve our problems for those of us who could afford to buy it. Alas, buying the pretty, Instagrammable cookware did not solve all of our cooking problems. We still need to grocery shop, chop, measure, sauté, and do the dishes. Consumers also became disappointed with the quality of some of these DTC brands. Thankfully, I resisted the siren call of cute frypans during the pandemic. https://lnkd.in/g5YsHyZR

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1️⃣ Day One of the WWD Apparel and Retail Summit did not disappoint providing an energetic platform for wide ranging topics focusing “The Power of Resilience” and, if we ever needed it, the time is now. Key takeaways👇 ✅ James Fallon, chief content officer at WWD set the stage: “World disruption, the US Presidential election, pressures from the consumer, and resistance to price increases- all call for resilience and adaptability.” 👉Tory Burch and her husband Pierre-Yves Roussel in talking about change: “The real challenge is not so much the direction but the pace at which you change.” 🚀Tarang Amin, chairman and CEO of E.L.F. BEAUTY shared his path for his “rocket ship” of success: the importance of speed and heart; learning from getting knocked down, democratizing access to the brand and my favorite, “Our heads are in the stars: our feet are in the grounds” 💪Rob Brooks , CEO of Saks Global, “Surround yourself with smart people” and if you are experiencing the “meeting after the meeting” find a way out quickly, as that is a clear sign of a lack of a unified vision. ⌚️⏱️Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO, Bvlgari Group, “Be consistent and daring” will drive growth talking about the thinnest, award winning watch 🔴Rick Gomez, chief commercial officer Target, “Resilience is leaning into creativity despite the volatility.” ✔️Geoffroy van Raemdonck, CEO of Neiman Marcus Group, talked about the Power of One, what you do matters and luxury has to be far more than transactional. 🌽🌽Gary Smith, CEO of The LYCRA Company in talking about using corn, talked about, “field to dreams.” 👚Richard Dickson, CEO Gap Inc. , “Resilience is legacy and asking “What if and why not?” 👉 Stefan Larsson, CEO of PVH Corp. , “Great product and great execution has very little to do with price- it really is about intentionality.” 🌷Narciso Aparecido Rodrigues, “Resilience is the joy of creativity.” In a nutshell: 👉Set the culture necessary for innovation to thrive 👉Be daring and consistent 👉Resilience is dealing with the challenge of the day Loved seeing Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju David Moin, Jean Palmieri, Michael Atmore, Deborah Baron, Lauren Parker Lisa Lockwood #thepowerofresilience #lovewhatyoudo

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In light of the recent discontinuation of the WFA's #GARM, I wanted to share some personal reflections.   First and foremost, I want to assure everyone that Brand Safety will not be left in a vacuum. GARM laid down solid foundations that have significantly advanced the control of brand safety settings across all major platforms. Advertisers will continue to reap the benefits of this important work.   It is crucial to recognize GARM's immense contribution to the advertising ecosystem. In my view, its legacy is nothing short of transformational, akin to how Meta's introduction of filters spurred other platforms to enhance their own content controls. GARM not only motivated platforms to better manage risky content but also played a pivotal role in educating advertisers on the importance of brand safety settings.   At Adfidence, we are proud to have been in the process to join GARM as a member. Although GARM's journey has come to an end, we are committed to filling the gap it has left. We will continue to assist advertisers in truly controlling their Brand Safety settings and will press platforms to further improve their standards.

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TikTok has completely shaken up the influencer landscape. Now, with talks of a platform ban, will influencer marketing be no more? Not exactly. But you should take a second look into how your brand is vetting influencer partners.   “When evaluating new influencer partnerships, analyze influencers based on their following, content style and engagement rate across all social media platforms. This will ensure your brand is positioned positively if a TikTok ban does come into act.”   I enjoyed reading these insights Next PR’s influencer pro Julie Solomon shared with The Independent!

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Summer’s Here! Hoping the only sparks we see in NYC are creative ones. Here’s to: 🌞 Igniting Your Creativity 🌆Tapping New Possibilities! 🌿Unleashing Fresh Marketing Magic 🌟 Transforming Sunshine into Creative Brilliance 🌺 Crafting Unforgettable Campaigns in NYC's Heat 🌞 I see summer as a catalyst for creativity and innovation. It’s about infusing our work with the vibrancy and spontaneity that this season brings. Summer’s state of mind," propels us in the advertising world, to elevate our strategies. Embrace the longer days to fuel our creative processes, Drawing inspiration from the city's vibrant pulse and the natural beauty around us. Heres to creating marketing magic that resonates with the joy and freedom of summer. Here's to a summer filled with innovation, passion, and a touch of that vacation spirit. Let's lead with enthusiasm and make this season our most creative yet. How will you infuse your work with the essence of summer? Share your thoughts and let's inspire each other! #SummerInNYC #CreativeMarketing #Innovation #Leadership #MarketingStrategy #SummerVibes #Inspiration #StoriedWork

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