Kiwi Spreads Joy through Augmented Reality

Social Media Campaigns, Technology Lab

Social media is at the heart of the tech-based holiday experience that debuted yesterday at six New Zealand shopping centers.

With the holiday retail season now in full swing, which shopping center doesn't claim to have the power to deliver a magical experience to its customers? Kiwi Property, though, believes it might have found a way to live up to expectations this y[...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

Mog Returns for Sainsbury’s Christmas Ad

Technology Lab, Viral Advertising

The clumsy storybook cat is resurrected for the holidays.

Sainsbury's 2014 Christmas ad was panned by many as a mistake: the brand made use of the story of the Christmas truce of 1914 in what some considered a crass, commercial manner. This year, the retailer has taken a safer path. It reached out [...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

‘Fierce’ Barbie Ad Catapults Moschino Collaboration

Technology Lab, Viral Advertising

Buzz builds around a Barbie ad that challenges the brand’s gender norms.

Just in time for the holiday season, Barbie has a an exciting new look: a full, designer Moschino outfit, accessories and all. It is, in a word, fierce - and that's also the word that everyone on social media is using to describe the ad for the [...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

Taubman Centers Expands Its Use of StepsAway

Apps, Technology Lab

Image credits: StepsAway

The REIT is bringing StepsAway’s mobile retail solution to four more malls before the end of the year.

As the Internet of Things takes over, developers and centers are rushing to find mobile retail solutions that will let them offer shoppers personalized, relevant offers. For Taubman Centers, that solution is StepsAway. “Since we began using[...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

Customer Service Android Arrives at Aqua City Odaiba

Technology Lab, Technology News

Junko Chihira is the ‘second sister’ of a family of robotic assistants created by Toshiba.

Robotic customer service is still a long way off, but if Toshiba continues at its current pace, it could be here sooner than we expect. The company has launched its second lifelike android, and this one is meant for the mall. This new android[...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

John Lewis Has Competition for Its Annual Holiday Ad

Technology Lab, Viral Advertising

£700 parody goes up against £7 million Christmas production.

John Lewis always makes a statement with its annual Christmas ad, and this year is no exception. The retailer spent a reported £7 million (approximately US$10 million) to create an award-worthy short about a little girl reaching out to the man [...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

BCC Finds New Opportunities for Loyalty in an App

Apps, Technology Lab

Bramalea City Centre’s new app makes tracking loyalty program interactions a breeze.

Call it the second wave of shopping center app development: even those centers that opted for mobile websites are now considering apps, because beacon technology allows them opportunities for fascinating app interactions. Bramalea City Centre (B[...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

Barbie Reimagines Possibilities for Girls

Technology Lab, Viral Advertising

The toy brand finds a new approach to empowering its audience.

Recently, we've seen a spate of ads that build an audience by offering empowering messages to young girls and women. Dove, Always, and Goldieblox have all run successful ad campaigns on that principal. Now there's a new contender in the empowerm[...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

REI Chooses to #OptOutside for Black Friday

Social Media Campaigns, Technology Lab

REI entreats members and employees to spend Black Friday in the great outdoors.

After Black Friday infringed right into Thanksgiving dinner for many last year, shoppers and retailers have started pushing back. Many retailers have pledged to keep their doors closed on Thanksgiving itself, offering deals that begin after midn[...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...

Target Treatster: Kid Treat or Parent Trick?

Technology Lab, Viral Advertising

The American department store is inviting families to vote for their favorite Halloween spots, but there’s a catch.

Target has launched Treatster.Target.com, a micro-site where families can explore their town’s best trick-or-treating spots. Once they’ve enabled the location services in their Web browser, they can view and endorse other people’s Hallowee[...] Tactics Subscribers Read More...