Google Shopping Ads, Metaverse in Retail, and Holiday Spending - Weekly Snacks #87

Campaign corner

Just like winning. ?In the run-up to the Super Bowl LVIII, Frito-Lay's NFL playoff campaign features three NFL veterans and numerous fans to suggest that enjoying fresh packs of Lay’s, Ruffles, Doritos, or Cheetos, collectively branded as “The Official Chip of Super Bowl LVIII” (even though Cheetos are technically puffs), feels akin to experiencing the triumph of winning the Super Bowl.

200 years. As part of its 200th-anniversary celebration, Cadbury has reimagined its "Mum’s birthday" advertisement. The new campaign film titled “Birthday,” produced by VCCP, is a remake of its 2018 ad, the agency's first creation since acquiring the creative account in 2017. This 60-second spot uniquely encapsulates two centuries of evolution. The broader campaign, named “Yours for 200 years,” extends beyond this film, encompassing outdoor and social media content that showcases images of people relishing Cadbury products.?

Technology in retail

Google Shopping ads. Instacart has partnered with Google to offer enhanced Google Shopping ads using its retail media data, as announced in a press release. This collaboration, which includes brands like Danone's Oikos and several from Kraft Heinz, as well as Publicis Media's clients, expands Instacart's off-site retail media presence by promoting ads with same-day delivery on Google Shopping pages. This partnership also aims to increase Google's competitiveness in online shopping, a domain traditionally dominated by Amazon.

Retail media. Albertsons has teamed up with Criteo, a commerce media company, to enhance its retail media arm with both demand- and supply-side advertising features, aiming for tangible commerce results, as revealed in a recent announcement. Through this partnership, Albertsons Media Collective will use Criteo's platforms to link advertisers with shoppers and monetize its online assets, offering self-service options. This move reinforces Albertsons' position as a leader in the burgeoning retail media sector, especially following its 2023 efforts to standardize retail media networks industry-wide.

Expertise in retail

Metaverse in retail. Reflecting on the evolution of the metaverse and its impact on the retail industry, how can we reconcile the initial failures and setbacks with the potential transformative power of virtual experiences? This was the topic of Retail Wire’s discussion where various retail experts shared their opinions. Here’s what Neil Saunders mentioned:?

Happier employees. How can organizational leaders reconcile the emerging employee wellness trends like “Bare Minimum Mondays” with the pressure to meet business requirements and maintain high productivity levels, especially in roles that require timely responses or continuous effort? Various retail experts shared their opinion regarding this topic in one of Retail Wire’s discussions. Here’s what Lisa Goller stated:?

In other news…

Holiday spending. Holiday e-commerce spending reached a record $222.1 billion from November 1 to December 31, a 4.9% increase year-over-year, driven by robust Cyber Week activity and a surge in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) usage, according to Adobe Analytics. BNPL, hitting an all-time high, contributed $16.6 billion to this total, up 14% from the previous year. Additionally, mobile shopping surpassed desktop for the first time, accounting for over 51% of online sales, while curbside pickup remained a popular option for consumers, used in 18.4% of online orders during the holiday season.

AI-driven shopping. A global study by the IBM Institute for Business Value reveals a significant gap between consumer expectations and the current retail experience. Surveying nearly 20,000 consumers across 26 countries, the study found widespread dissatisfaction with both in-store (only 9% content) and online shopping experiences (14% content), largely influenced by economic factors like inflation. Despite this, there's a strong interest in artificial intelligence (AI) enhancements, with over half of the respondents expressing eagerness for AI applications like virtual assistants.