The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC: March 7, 2025 edition

Welcome to The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights.

Timed to Women’s History Month, Anthropologie just announced an expanded partnership with Nest, a nonprofit supporting artisans and makers, that will include a fellowship program, in-store activations, events and more. The six-month Anthropologie x Nest Fellowship Program will provide five recipients with professional development, mentorship and the opportunity to sell their goods commission-free through Anthropologie’s stores and online marketplace. On Saturday (March 8), Anthropologie is hosting pop-up markets at its New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago stores featuring work from Nest artisans and local women-led businesses.

Previously:

• “Gap partners with Nest to support hometown artisans through its Holiday Makers Market,” from the Nov. 15, 2024 edition of this column.
• “Anthropologie collaborates with The Met on new homeware collection inspired by the Gilded Age,” from the Oct. 11, 2024 edition of this column.

More brand partnerships:

• “Uniqlo’s sister brand announces partnership with Undercover” (Fashion Dive)
• “Uber and Nuuly Team Up to Make Clothing Rentals Easier for Students” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Why Teva is turning to Strava to reintroduce itself to customers” (Modern Retail)
• “PGA Tour adds Stanley 1913 as official marketing partner” (Sports Business Journal)

Saucony just unveiled “Run as One,” a global brand campaign that “celebrates the powerful connections forged through running,” per a brand announcement. In addition to encompassing out-of-home, social and display channels, the campaign includes a 30-second spot that’s meant to reinforce “the idea that when we run together, we achieve more than we ever could alone.” To bring the campaign to life, Saucony is hosting a series of run-club events — both virtual and in-person — including a series of coffee shop residencies beginning at Ludlow Coffee Supply in New York City this week and expanding to Boston, London and other cities. The residencies will feature events focused on “creating unforgettable experiences to celebrate community, connection and the power of Run as One.”

More brand campaigns:

• “Volvo Debuts Its First Ad Created Solely By AI — and There’s Not a Single Car In It” (Adweek)
• “Tefi Pessoa Stars in Steve Madden’s Nostalgic ’90s-Inspired Spring 2025 Campaign” (Footwear News)
• “Formula 1 Racer Carlos Sainz, and His Father, Star in Hackett’s Spring Campaign” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “ARC’TERYX Presents ‘SHE, THE MOUNTAIN’ Campaign” (Trend Hunter)

Collab of the week: Haribo and Crocs just launched the Haribo Classic Clog — footwear that combines a Crocs clog with the aesthetics of the iconic candy. Featuring a “translucent gummi-inspired upper” and Haribo Jibbitz charms, the limited-edition clogs go on sale on Tuesday, March 11.

More launches and collabs:

• “Market of Choice Launches Private Label Assortment” (Store Brands)
• “Lee and Buck Mason collaborate on menswear capsule” (Fashion Dive)
• “Banana Republic’s new White Lotus collection is designed for you to look MOV (moneyed on vacation)” (Fast Company)
• “Louis Vuitton and Pat McGrath Have Created 55 Lipsticks, 10 Lip Balms and Eight Eye Palettes” (Beauty Inc)
• “Target Elevates Home Dining With Good & Gather Chef Collaborations” (RetailWire)
• “Natural Grocers Expands Seafood Private Label Mix” (Store Brands)
• “Rodan + Fields Makes Retail Debut at Ulta” (Happi)
• “Limited Too is ramping up adult collections in an appeal to millennials” (Modern Retail)
• “Misfits Market Debuts First Upcycled Bread Assortment” (Store Brands)
• “Sofia Richie Grainge and Tommy Hilfiger Codesign Sofia for Tommy Capsule Collection” (Women’s Wear Daily)

Home improvement retailers Lowe’s and The Home Depot each announced the launch of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools this week aimed at helping customers navigate and successfully complete their DIY projects.

Magic Apron, The Home Depot’s new suite of generative AI tools, was created using large language models (LLMs) that were trained in part on the retailer’s project-expertise content and product catalog, per a brand announcement. Available across product pages on The Home Depot website and mobile app, Magic Apron can answer questions, provide how-to instructions, make product suggestions and summarize product reviews.

Developed in collaboration with OpenAI, Mylow from Lowe’s provides how-to advice and facilitates product discovery in response to questions such as “How do I plant grass seed?” and “How do I get my faucet to stop leaking?,” per a brand announcement. Available for MyLowe’s Rewards members on desktop and mobile web at lowes.com/Mylow, the tool also allows users to refine their search by specifying their budget or Zip Code (to include local recommendations).

See also: “AI Is Transforming E-Commerce Logistics: Reducing Disruptions And Building Trust” (Forbes)

More commerce innovations:

• “Google Adds New Vision Match, Try-On Capabilities to Shopping Experience” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Aldi automates digital product descriptions with AI” (Chain Store Age)
• “Amazon adds new grocery tools to Alexa” (Grocery Dive)
• “EBay turns to AI to power the future of e-commerce experiences” (CX Dive)
• “Dr. Martens Picks AI-Powered Platform to Enhance Customer Identity Resolution Across Channels” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Microsoft Brand Agent Rolls Out In April, Powered By Copilot” (MediaPost)

Women’s designer brand Alice + Olivia is partnering with Bloomingdale’s New York City flagship to bring its spring 2025 collection to life via a “full visual takeover,” in-store activations and a collaboration with the retailer’s Forty Carrots Café, Women’s Wear Daily’s Lisa Lockwood reports. As part of the takeover — which includes elaborate window displays and atrium makeovers inspired by Alice + Olivia’s spring collection — the café features “a full floral immersion, a visual display in the brand’s signature March hero print, branded Stace Face cups and an exclusive custom yogurt flavor,” Lockwood notes.

More promotions and activations:

• “PetSmart celebrates ‘Treats Rewards Members Month’ in March” (Chain Store Age)
• “Ulta Brings Ultimate Beauty Fan Event to San Antonio” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Kim Kardashian Unveils SKIMS Swim Line With Giant Balloon in Times Square” (RetailWire)
• “‘Jaws’ Celebrates 50th Anniversary with ‘Jaws: The Exhibition,’ Theatrical Re-release and New Merch” (License Global)
• “Amazon gets early start on Easter promotion” (Chain Store Age)