At the end of the year, we like to regroup and look back at the big brand stories that caught our attention throughout the year. And this year was a particularly strange one. The pandemic experience has become regionalized and our appetite for doom scrolling has kind of disappeared. Political intrigues have been flying under […]
Best Brand Stories of 2021 Read More »
2021 was not the year many had hoped for. The pandemic, natural disasters, inflation, supply chain issues and a persistently polarized planet has put humanity’s resilience to the test. Yet, with the new year’s arrival, there is renewed hope that conditions will stabilize and provide retailers with a clearer look ahead. As a future-focused strategic
What Will 2022 Look Like for Retail Brands? Read More »
Welcome to SLD’s second annual trends report! Last year, we were in the midst of a global pandemic that called into question what the future of design and business as a whole could look like. Though a lot of those questions still linger, 2021 has at least provided some clarity on the trends that will
SLD’s 2022 Trends Report Read More »
As we look back on 2021, it would be nice to be able to view COVID-19 in the rearview mirror with a sigh of relief. But to quote Michael Corleone, “just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” This must be the way a lot of brands are feeling right now,
The Best Brand Pivots of COVID-19 Read More »
Since the pandemic began, retail has been in a state of near-constant crisis and change. For those who have made it this far in solid shape, a new challenge is arising that poses a longer-term threat: staffing. As headlines across the continent state loud and clear, there is a shortage of workers especially in frontline
Five Trends Influencing Retail’s Labour Shortage Read More »
Retail may have suffered a blow during the harshest times of the pandemic, but as we emerge in various stages around North America, people are heading back to stores, salons, restaurants, theaters, and malls. But are they shopping the way that they used to? A significant shift to e-commerce is not the only drastic change
Showrooms, Flagships, and the Future of Destination Shops Read More »
For many years, fast fashion was on top – cheap, ubiquitous, ripped from the runway designs that were so fast and easy they were literally designed to be disposable. However, the impact of this approach to clothing has come under intense criticism. From enormous quantities of product ending up in landfills to chemical dye pollution
The Rise of Slow Fashion Read More »
Transformation is messy and carries a high degree of failure, with more than 84 percent of digital transformations failing and more than 9 billion dollars going to waste. The pandemic has increased the risk due to the accelerated need for organizations to digitally transform themselves to respond to the shift to online shopping, home delivery,
Physi-Digital: Humanizing Digital Transformation for Retail Read More »
Even though grocery stores remained open during lockdown, many people chose to do their grocery shopping online to avoid exposure to COVID. In fact, in SLD’s recent study on e-commerce for CPG brands, 69 percent of respondents said they shopped more online for groceries during the pandemic. For CPG brands, this news is not generally
The Future of E-Commerce for CPG Brands Read More »
Industry leaders ath Power, Bridjr, Engageware, Intel, JohnRyan, OptiFi and SLD have joined forces to create a new collective: H2D. An acronym for Human to Digital, the new group’s mission is to drive greater transformational value for brands through their areas of expertise, which include humanized engagement, immersive experiences, and marketing optimization. To celebrate the
Humanizing Digital Transformation: Webinar Read More »
Industry leaders ath Power, Bridjr, Engageware, Intel, JohnRyan, OPTiFi and SLD have joined forces to create a new collective: H2D. An acronym for Human to Digital, the new group’s mission is to drive greater transformational value for brands through their respective areas of expertise, which include humanized engagement, immersive experiences, and marketing optimization. “The H2D
H2D Collective Launches With Aim of Humanizing Digital Transformations Read More »
The GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN Awards are an annual celebration of the “designers and architects who improve our quality of life and the built environment.” Now in its 14th year, the first round of winners were recently announced, and SLD is proud to have been recognized with awards for our work with bbtease, Maxwell House,
SLD Takes Home Four Awards at Grands Prix Du Design Read More »
The pandemic accelerated e-commerce and there is no turning back. Various sources suggest that in a few short months we have leapt as much as 10 years ahead in terms of growth! Not only are people shopping more online for products: they are utilizing services that previously were primarily available in-person, including health and wellness
How Wellness Brands Can Best Leverage E-Commerce Read More »
Over the past few years, brands have more often ventured into the realm of social justice and politics, whether it’s Starbucks giving their entire retail network a day off to learn about racial equity, Dick’s Sporting Goods taking automatic guns and ammunition off their shelves, or beauty brands making a pledge to stop Photoshopping models,
Social Justice and Brand Building Read More »
From fitness and nutrition to sleep and mindfulness, wellness means something different to everyone, and COVID-19 has led a lot of people to place a renewed emphasis on living happier and healthier lives. This trend is not going away, even post-pandemic, and as such, consumers are looking for holistic and inclusive offerings from the health
Exploring the Future of Wellness Brand Experiences Read More »
This blog is not taking a pro-Israel or pro-Palestine perspective – we are exploring the Ben & Jerry’s boycott from a brand strategy perspective. On July 19, 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced they would stop selling their products in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas occupied by Jewish settlements that are largely seen as
The Ben & Jerry’s Boycott – On Brand or a Major Misstep? Read More »
In North America, demographic changes are creating a more diverse customer base. This means brand strategy and marketing needs to become more inclusive quickly. But some marketers are nervous about making mistakes trying to speak to audiences with different experiences. Today our guest is Puja Prakash, a graduate student at OCAD, completing her Master’s in
Why Authenticity and Inclusivity Must Go Hand-in-Hand Read More »
If video games weren’t hot already, the pandemic sent gaming through the roof as more kids and even adults searched for something fun to do during lockdowns. Even as economies open up and the bump eases, video games are, now and forever, a deeply entrenched part of young people’s lives. Retail brands hoping to engage
Retail and Video Games – Exploring What’s Possible Read More »
Inclusive brand marketing has become a hot topic, and for good reason. By 2036, the number of Canadians who are foreign-born will about 1 in 3, with around 35 percent belonging to one or more visible minority groups. Today, nearly 4 in 10 Americans identify their race or ethnicity as something other than white, with
Inclusive Brand Marketing 101 Read More »
The future is unfolding in real-time, all the time, but most retail brands are in a state of constant catch-up – just being at par before another innovation appears. This is partly a result of fast-moving times, but it’s also the result of an industry that’s been somewhat lackadaisical about innovation. To really become a
Business Leaders, Bold Thinkers, and the Brand of the Future Read More »
