From Alix Earle to Tinx, TikTok creators at Cannes Lions this year were, well, everywhere, a signifier of the strong presence TikTok and its users have established in the world of marketing, particularly for retail brands.

That’s why Sofia Hernandez, global head of business marketing at TikTok, told Retail Brew her top priority is to help brands show up on the platform in a way that the app’s community will embrace.

When Hernandez joined TikTok four years ago, she said the video sharing platform was considered “experimental” and “still trying to get brands’ attention.” Then, there was a pivot around 2021, she said, when brand CMOs started really thinking about the importance of utilizing TikTok for their businesses. It hasn’t been easy for CMOs, she noted, who are being asked to “be really creative again” rather than follow a data-driven approach that they’d grown accustomed to.

But it could be worth it: When brands take a TikTok-first approach, their purchase intent rises 37%, and brand favorability jumps 38%, according to the app, and 79% of users say they want to see brands on the platform. That’s only if they “do it right,” Hernandez said, so she broke down how brands can become the main character of the For You page.

Keep reading here.—EC

We know, we know. It’s early early. But just like snowflakes, every holiday shopping season is different and deserves unique prep. So what sets this year apart?

Find out during LTK’s holiday webinar on July 31, where you’ll learn about key consumer trends shaping the shopping landscape this season. Here’s a spoiler: Consumers are starting to shop earlier and placing a bigger emphasis on discounts.

You can expect to walk away with:

• a first look at the LTK Holiday Shopper Study
• insight into 2024 holiday trends and forecasts
• actionable tips for successful creator holiday strategies

Even if you can’t make it to the actual webinar, register anyway for access to the recording.

Start your holiday prep with insight and inspo. Save your spot at the webinar.

Surplus food marketplace Too Good to Go this week announced its largest US grocery partnership to date, rolling out at 450 Whole Foods Markets nationwide—and the Surprise Bags are already going viral.

The collaboration began earlier this year with a pilot in seven stores in Austin, Texas, and added 200 more locations in early June. The largest batch of stores came online this week, per Too Good to Go. Stores in New York and Massachusetts are set to debut later this year.

Consumers can use the Too Good to Go app to buy bags of surplus food items, choosing between prepared food bags containing ready-to-eat meals and soups, offered at $9.99 for a $30 value, or bakery bags with pastries like breads, muffins, and cookies at $6.99 for a $21 value.

Keep reading here.—EC

The midsummer promotional cycle will keep chugging along this week. On Friday, Wayfair will kick off its “Black Friday in July” sale, promising discounts up to 80%. The furniture and appliance store is just the latest retailer to bring Black Friday-level discounts to the middle of July. Best Buy held its own “Black Friday” sale last week, and LG Electronics launched a promotion last Thursday that will run through this week.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In advocacy: The National Retail Federation is holding a series of events this week as part of its Retail Advocates Summit 2024, which brings retailers to Washington, DC, for two days of engagement with lawmakers. After a series of advocacy sessions on Wednesday, the NRF will host an event called the Retail Experience on Thursday, which it described as “an interactive, educational showcase designed to take policymakers on a journey through the retail industry.” The trade group will close out the summit with its Retail Champions awards dinner, celebrating exceptional small business advocates.

Keep reading here.—AV

Oh hi there, holiday shoppers. It’s never too early to start thinking about your holiday content strat. Get Bazaarvoice’s Maximizing 2024 holiday ROI with a full-funnel content strategy to see how you can supercharge your holiday campaigns. Learn how to evolve your strat from last year + how to budget plan for the holiday season.

Does finding new customers feel like searching for a needle in a haystack? Welcome to the e-commerce maze! With soaring acquisition costs, privacy law puzzles, and ad fatigue making you want to wave a white flag, even the sharpest DTC brands are feeling the strain. Join us this Wednesday, July 24th, to crack the code for effective customer acquisition and learn how to leverage AI for personalized shopping experiences. Register now.