The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC: August 9, 2024 edition

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

New Balance is launching a five-sneaker series, called “City Exclusives,” with each pair meant to celebrate a specific city around the world, Footwear News’ Riley Jones reports. The New Balance 991v2 shoes feature waffle mesh and pigskin suede in varying colors to represent Baltimore (royal blue), Shanghai (red), Tokyo (pink), Paris (lime green) and, jointly, Seoul and Melbourne (taxi-cab yellow). Launching globally on Aug. 10 for $250 per pair, the collection will only be available at select locations, with each pair sold at a single retailer in the city it represents.

See also: “ASICS Releases ‘City of Lights’ Pack Inspired by Paris During the Olympics” (Retail Wire)

More launches and commerce marketing campaigns:

• “Auntie Anne’s Is Launching a Signature Fragrance — and Its Name Is Perfect” (Food & Wine)
• “Urban Outfitters’ Nuuly rental brand airs its biggest ad campaign yet — behind the strategy” (Ad Age)

Travel and lifestyle brand BÉIS just announced the launch of its limited-edition Utility Collection, which it will promote at pop-up BÉIS Camps near national parks across the country, per a brand statement. Created in collaboration with Cotton Incorporated, the all-cotton Utility Collection includes new styles “inspired by classic workwear and built for durability,” as well as the brand’s top-selling roller in a new color. In addition to olive and black, pieces from the collection will be available in lavender. Launching online Aug. 14, the Utility Collection also includes a luggage vest and sun hat — with prices ranging from $38 to $138 — as well as luggage covers, national park stickers and patches. BÉIS Camp will set up pop-ups near a different national park every weekend, including Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. During the two-day events, visitors can shop the Utility Collection as well as other BÉIS products and merchandise.

More pop-up activations/campaigns:

• “Why Dior Launched A Floating Wellness Retreat For The Paris Olympics” (Forbes)
• “Glossier and Shopify Created a Shoppable Treasure Hunt to Promote a New Brow Product” (Adweek)

Bloomingdale’s and luxury resale platform Rebag just announced a partnership designed to help bridge “the gap between new and pre-owned luxury markets,” per a company statement. Through the Rebag x Bloomingdale’s collaboration, a curated collection of more than 2,500 designer items, from handbags to watches, will be available for purchase on Bloomingdales.com as well as in select Bloomingdale’s brick-and-mortar locations. At those locations, customers can also present items they’re hoping to sell and receive offers and payment on the spot with the help of Rebag’s proprietary AI tool CLAIR.

Previously: “Bloomingdale’s launches AQUA X Venus Williams collection and a limited-time shop,” from the June 14 edition of The Week in Retail.

More collaborations and partnerships:

• “Authentic signs new Ted Baker partners” (Fashion Dive)
• “Florsheim and Psudo launch capsule collection” (Fashion Dive)