Ecomdigest Toys Newsletter - 10.17.2024

PLUS: Windy City expands with exciting U.S. Toy acquisition

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
October 17, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Ad Week New York 🎤

ADVERTISING INSIGHTS
Advertising Week NYC Recap

💡 Balancing Fame and Flow in a Post-Privacy Landscape, by Sam Carter, CEO of Fospha.

AdWeek NYC 2024 was packed full of fresh ideas and powerful reminders of evergreen principles. From navigating privacy challenges to ensuring sustainable brand growth, here are my key takeaways that all brands should be implementing:

  1. Balance Fame and Flow: Brands that focus too much on short-term conversions and neglect long-term brand-building efforts fall into the ‘doom loop’, converting only existing demand without generating new demand. Eventually the convertible audience is exhausted, efficiency plummets, and the brand finds itself in trouble. To avoid this, brands need to strike the right balance between conversion and long-term brand awareness to sustain growth.

  2. Go Full-Funnel for Measurement: To balance short and long-term goals of conversion and brand awareness, marketing teams need to be able to measure the impact of both. Last Click attribution chronically undervalues awareness activities, so brands should opt instead for measurement tools that use a full-funnel methodology.

  3. Privacy-Proof Your Tech Stack: With third-party cookies deprecation and new privacy regulations cropping up regularly, brands need to accept the death of user-level data and embrace privacy-centric solutions to future-proof their measurement. 

Read the full article here. 

Hot in D2C eCommerce 🔥

AI POWERS PRIME
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2024 Breaks Records with AI and Innovation (top links below 👇)

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days 2024 made history with the largest October shopping event ever, saving Prime members over $1 billion globally. This year’s event highlighted Amazon’s cutting-edge AI tools, including its AI assistant, Rufus, and drove massive sales across electronics, toys, and apparel. Top brands like Apple and Dyson offered unbeatable deals, setting the stage for a promising holiday shopping season.

Momentum Commerce reported a 41% sales increase on Day 1, with brands like Crocs and Lego leading the charge, while regions like Canada and Europe saw notable growth despite weather impacts affecting the U.S. Competitors Target and Walmart also launched early sales events, but Amazon's use of innovative shopping tools and AI set it apart in an increasingly competitive market.

For deeper insights into this record-breaking event, explore these key sources:

Specialty Bites 🍪

Just Play introduces two exciting FurReal lines: Peanut the Playful Monkey and Daisy the Yoga Goat. These toys are designed to capture children's imaginations with lifelike features and engaging activities. Peanut, with her super-soft fur and ability to walk, is a standout, while Daisy, inspired by the goat yoga trend, can perform real yoga poses. Both toys are supported by comprehensive marketing campaigns to ensure they are top of mind for UK families during the holiday season.

The marketing strategy includes in-store demonstrations, digital influencer campaigns, and targeted ads on platforms like TikTok and Meta. These efforts aim to boost awareness and demand, ensuring these toys become must-haves on kids' wish lists. Just Play's investment in these campaigns highlights their commitment to driving sales and delighting children across the UK.

Explore top toys inspired by popular shows and movies, perfect for all ages. From Star Wars experiments to Disney fashion dolls, these interactive playthings offer endless fun. Discover Nickelodeon racers, Pokémon cards, and more in our Holiday Gift Guide, ensuring excitement and learning for kids and adults alike.

Explore the world of adult play with these engaging toys and games designed to keep the spirit of youth alive. Here are some top picks:

  • Kanoodle Ultimate Champion: Dive into 500 new 2D and 3D challenges with this puzzle game, perfect for sharpening your mind.

  • LEGO The Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree 2-in-1: Build two versions of the iconic tree with 2,500 pieces, including collectible minifigures.

  • 3Doodler Flow 3D Printing Pen Set: Unleash creativity with this pen, crafting art and DIY solutions.

LEGO THE LEGEND OF ZELDA GREAT DEKU TREE 2-IN-1

These toys offer endless fun and creativity, ensuring that playtime is as enriching as it is entertaining. For more exciting options, explore The Toy Insider's Holiday Gift Guide.

Lalo targets millennial parents with aesthetically pleasing, easy-to-assemble toys, focusing on playtime essentials like play kitchens and new products like a play fridge. Despite financial stress, parents prioritize holiday spending, seeking value and convenience. Lalo's strategy includes subscription toy boxes and licensed products to enhance brand engagement.

Performance Platters 🍽️

Microsoft is transitioning from its retail media platform, PromoteIQ, to a partnership with Criteo. This shift reflects the evolving retail media landscape, emphasizing the need for adaptable strategies. While PromoteIQ's closure isn't officially announced, the move highlights the importance of resilient, owned architectures in the dynamic ad tech industry.

Amazon's Amelia AI, currently in Beta, aims to assist sellers with insights and advice. While it simplifies tasks for new users, its potential lies in evolving features like competitive analysis and content optimization. Amelia is promising, but its future impact on Amazon sellers remains to be seen.

Advertising Week New York highlighted three key trends: the scarcity of third-party data, the rise of the creator economy, and the pressure on marketers to prove ROI. Brands must leverage first-party data, embrace TikTok'spotential, and focus on measurable outcomes to succeed in this evolving landscape.

Ecomdigest is a Contentive publication in the DTC Ecommerce division