HOW SWEET IT IS

Content creators—from podcasters and musicians to TikTokers and streamers—helped contribute to a record $1.57 billion in sales this past year, marking 2022 as the third consecutive year that audio equipment retailer Sweetwater has surpassed $1 billion in sales. What started with pandemic-era pivots toward at-home content generation now has creators poised to reap the best of both worlds: inside and outside. Waiting to fulfill all of their A/V needs with only a single brick-and-mortar store? Sweetwater, and their online empire.

Full article from Retail Dive

7-ELEVEN CATCHES A VIBE

Studies show that Gen Z likes a trip to the convenience store more than other generations (who knew?), and 7-Eleven is taking notice. The c-store giant's new campaign, Take it to Eleven, which homes in on Gen Z's relationship with the brand's coffee program, highlights the diversity of 7-Eleven's customer base and will air in over 90 markets. These newest TV spots, “directed by award-winning filmmaker Christine Yuan,” coincide with promotions revolving around the Big Gulp and the Slurpee.

Full article from C-Store Dive

MAY-DAY! MAY-DAY!: MAYBELLINE ENLISTS THE SERVICES OF A DIGITAL AVATAR

Per marketing agency The Influencer Marketing Factory, 58% of people follow a virtual influencer, and 35% of people admit report having purchased something from one. Enter May, Maybelline’s first-ever digital avatar and face of the brand’s new line of mascara, Falsies Surreal Extensions. With Gigi Hadid offering a human touch to the promotion, the campaign seeks to take advantage of a growing cohort of consumers—mostly Gen Z and millenials—who engage with brands in the metaverse as much as they engage with them in the universe.

Full article from Marketing Dive