Welcome to The Week in Direct-to-Consumer, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news in the DTC space.
E.l.f. debuts AR murals
E.l.f. Cosmetics just unveiled outdoor augmented reality (AR) murals in London, Birmingham and Manchester, per Marketing Communication News. Part of the DTC beauty company’s “Express Your e.l.f.” campaign, the murals launch audio and visuals when an integrated QR code is scanned with a mobile device, bringing an illustration of rapper Meduulla to life.
With the move, E.l.f. continues to expand its digital marketing strategy. The beauty brand just partnered with Snapchat to launch the platform’s first Bitmoji Beauty Drop that allows users to apply lipstick to their avatar, Adweek’s Brandy Shaul reports, and last month, the brand debuted on Roblox with a product-themed experience, as we noted in an earlier installment of The Week in Direct-to-Consumer.
Related coverage:
- “Elf unveils immersive AR mural” (Global Cosmetics News)
Lacoste launches a new experience on gaming platform The Sandbox
Lacoste has partnered with The Sandbox to create a new multiplayer experience called the Lacoste World Tour, Forbes’ Stephanie Hirschmiller reports. Set in Golf Island, Paris, São Paulo and Tokyo, each virtual location features a mini game and an exclusive digital collection on The Sandbox Marketplace.
“Since the launch of our exploration of Web3 opportunities in 2022, we have considered these emerging trends as the pioneer part of our customer experience,” Lacoste VP of Global Brand & Customer Experience Benjamin Blamoutier said in a statement shared with Forbes.
Related coverage:
ICYMI: Shein files for U.S. IPO
Global DTC fast-fashion brand/retailer Shein filed to go public in the U.S., seeking a valuation of $90 billion, Reuters’ Kane Wu and Anirban Sen report. Founded in China in 2012, Reuters notes that the rapidly rising brand has already grown to control nearly one-fifth of the global fast-fashion retail market.
The news comes on the heels of Shein’s continued expansion efforts, which include an October acquisition of British fast-fashion brand Missguided and the launch of a new co-branded product line with Forever 21, as we noted in an earlier installment of The Week in Direct-to-Consumer.
Related coverage:
- “Shein quietly files for U.S. IPO” (Retail Touch Points)
ThirdLove expands into swimwear
Known best for its inclusively-sized line of intimates, DTC women’s lifestyle brand ThirdLove just launched into swimwear. Dubbed ThirdLove Swim, the collection is designed to “combat common swimwear pain points, such as poor fit, lack of support, nipple coverage and adjustability,” per a company statement. The swimwear collection is available online and at ThirdLove brick-and-mortar stores in Boca Raton, Newport Beach, Chicago and Scottsdale.
Related coverage:
- “ThirdLove launches into swimwear” (Retail Dive)
Further Reading
- “Little Words Project to open store in Mall of America” (Retail Dive)
- “Glossier and Starface Give Face in a New Collaboration” (Vogue)
- “Emma Chamberlain and Warby Parker Team Up on Limited-Edition Frame Collection” (Variety)
- “Squishmallows Collaborates With H&M on Apparel and Accessories Collection” (Women’s Wear Daily)
- “Claire’s expands into Mexico with flagship store” (Chain Store Age)
- “Brooks Running posts record 14% increase in Cyber Monday sales” (Retail Dive)
Thanks for reading. We’ll see you next week.
If you’d like to catch up on prior installments of this column, start by heading to last week’s recap: “The Week in Direct-to-Consumer: December 1, 2023”
