Kristin Patrick

Amazon Prime Video extends streaming deal with WNBA Did you watch the Women’s March Madness? It seems someone inside Amazon Prime Video did and believed that extending their streaming deal with the WNBA for an additional two years. The WNBA draft is in a weeks time and Amazon is counting on the fact that consumers will want to watch the WNBA now that Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and others will be drafted by WNBA teams. Prime Video and the WNBA have signed a rights renewal deal, extending their partnership to the U.S. for 21 games per season, including the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship Game, for 2024 and '25 seasons. Prime Video partnered with WNBA for 2021 season, streaming 16 games. 2024 season, May 14-Sept. 19, will feature 40 games each, with financial terms not disclosed. The WNBA has renewed its deal amid a surge in interest in women's sports, with college stars like Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese expected to attract new fans. WNBA chief growth officer Colie Edison expressed satisfaction with Prime Video's commitment to the WNBA, stating that the platform will continue to showcase world-class athletes during the regular season and Championship Game streaming. https://lnkd.in/g2eyzWRZ

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The state of the Industry has obviously changed post pandemic. So has the demographic of toy consumers. 3 years ago when I entered the toy space, I not only heard No like it was going out of style, or had companies pretend to be interested in working with me while pilfering my ideas to apply to their products already on the market, yes you read that right, but I kept being told I had to have an outrageous following before they'd have a conversation. Do I agree that manufacturing is expensive? Absolutely. Do I think that a brand owner should have done the work necessary to establish their brand? You bet! Do I think you need 10s of thousands of followers on socials to have a successful brand? Heck No! I feel like this ideal is archaic. I say this as someone who had over 500 followers on fb during our first plush launch and sold 1,500 of the 2,000 made thru just that dtc sales channel. No paid marketing. No mass market exposure and less followers than units sold. Because I have experienced this first hand is why as I launch a new business venture I have the confidence to work with new AND established brands. Im confident in my decades of experience and knowledge in this area. We all start somewhere. And just because the audience for the Mattels of the world today, were not present when they started, these magnates also experienced the same thing all us noobs are now. Do not let those who will never be invested or have interest in your brand, make you think you're not enough. Show them who you are and watch your brand grow!

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Some exciting news today. Reaching viewers at the right moment and mindset is now driving big outcomes in real life metrics like sales and foot traffic. It is still early days for streaming TV. The market is beginning to adopt new technologies like the IRIS_ID. Driving outcomes, not just matching an IP, is the biggest opportunity to expand the TAM of streaming. We're focused there—growing the whole market and all of our work is around one product, the IRIS_ID. Building trust as a content data clean room for publishers, and acting as the infrastructure and enrichment service to connect publishers with the leading computer vision AI data co's in contextual, emotional, and brand suitability has been hard. But now that we're seeing the IRIS_ID available at scale, it is becoming easy for advertisers to place ads when their ad is relevant. We now know that relevance drives business outcomes. This case study is consistent with performance trends we're seeing for buyers in all of our research across top of funnel (lift, purchase intent) and bottom funnel metrics (sales, foot traffic, app downloads). For publishers and ad platforms—that means higher CPM and yields. We're excited to it on the record! Placing ads next to relevant content makes sense, but you have to prove it works. A big thank you to Jennifer Tate.,CKE Restaurants, Inc., Michael Treon, Doug Paladino and the whole PMG team for being great partners. I hear there is pretty visionary head of partnerships at PMG in Sam Bloom too ; )

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"...The other good news is that there will always be a market for new, innovative and high performance product. Just look at the continued success of On, Arc'teryx and Vuori or the emergence of newer brands like Wild Rye, Gnara and LIVSN." This synopsis on the saga that has been the outdoor industry since I entered it, which recognizes that what we are doing at Gnara with our GoFly Technology is both important and working (from a PE-backed retail CEO with successful exits to Walmart and Dicks Sporting Goods, who also happens to be a personal mentor I look up to in this industry, no less) means a lot. #femalefounder #outdoorindustry #patentedtechnology #inclusivedesign #innovation #entrepreneurship #startup

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Had the great opportunity to feature on the Shajwani's Notions podcast to talk about the power of personal branding! If you’re interested in my thoughts, you can listen here - https://lnkd.in/epV6gc7k Thank you Aditya for the invite and a great discussion - really admire the conversations you have on the podcast and happy to alongside some great guests! #personalbrand #personalbranding #personalbrandpodcast #podcast

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When it comes to protection, I've got you covered. 🌞 Sun-protective clothing 👚 is just one way I can do that. Find out what else I can do for you. #brandawareness #brandloyalty #businesspromotion

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Get to $1MM in Sales for your Fashion Brand with Wholesale! Everyone wants to get into Saks, Anthro and Revolve and other large retailers, but one BIG question to ask is: Can you afford to do wholesale? It’s crucial to understand the margins for wholesaling your line. Typically, you'll need to give wholesale accounts a generous margin for them to make money. At Alala, we use aim for a 60-65% margin when pricing for wholesale and then a 2.25-2.5x markup from wholesale to retail. If you don’t have strong COGS, you might end up losing money going wholesale, especially when factoring in other costs like warehousing and shipping. Get your COGS under control before considering selling to other stores. At the very least, try to break even initially. More insights coming soon! Subscribe to my Substack for weekly newsletters about how to grow your fashion brand to $1MM in sales. #Wholesale101 #Margin #COGS #FashionBusiness

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To my bold peers also hacking growth, below is a well-rounded article clarifying what it takes to build mental availability around disruptive narratives to position brands. https://lnkd.in/efCR2-BG

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"Control your expenses better than your competition. This is where you can always find the competitive advantage." Sam Walton. So why are you shocked by SHEIN? I mentioned the threat of this brand at a talk two weeks ago. It is a company that is managing everything and leading with AI and data. Now, let me shock you instead. Major retailers with operations and supply chain channels in Asia could move their operations there. Why not? The issue with consumers in the Western World is that more and more are falling economically behind. A retailer that offers fashion or other products at lower prices wins the game. If operating out of Asia can improve sales and profits and provide consumers with better finances in the long term, why not? However, that means that the future of stores may be showrooms and minimal inventory and staffing. Yes, e-commerce would grow again. You may say never because that's what we want to believe or have been trained to believe. I would say we have to explore it because there are advantages that cannot be dismissed. I have to throw this in. It's just like AI and EVs; you may say never to either or both, but when they stop making ICEs, and businesses can't do without AI, what choices do you have? #SHEIN is telling us there is another way to compete. Let's listen a little closer. #retailing #strategy #ceo #technology #ecommerce

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One thing I see porn stars and media companies complaining about a lot is how the big budget production won't make any impact, whereas something filmed on a phone might go viral. What it demonstrates to me is that "quality" in it of itself is not necessarily what resonates with audiences, but authenticity and quality of the content, not the quality of recording, lighting, production. Certainly, having high quality production can help... but only if it makes sense and actually contributes to the message and goal of the effort. The purity and quality of message conveyed matters most, esp in the age of social media where authenticity ranks high in what people desire. The "authenticity" aspect is probably the core criticism of "gun bunnies" as a marketing concept. Done poorly, it appears as superficial pandering and cheap use of lust. Done well, it appeals to a deep human appreciation of aesthetics. Most social media platforms are primarily a visual, superficial. My guiding principal when using female models are to make it beautiful, and make sure the model knows what she is doing (or at least looks it). It's all a very delicate balance of art, authenticity, and why marketing is as much art as it is science. The science is all the crazy metrics to measure basically one thing: return on investment (ROI). The art is making the content that can reach, and then resonates with a target audience. Very easy to appreciate and critique, supremely difficult to repeatedly execute on. Why my guilty pleasure of LinkedIn archetype is the online whiner with a weak portfolio and track record.

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Getting into a retailer like SEPHORA is a huge accomplishment. Once small brands get that initial yes they quickly get hit with the reality that they are in direct competition with 100s of other companies. Some of that competition is going to be multi-national companies that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to support their brand’s success in Sephora alone. Indie brands cannot compete with that kind of financial power. It’s one of the reasons I support the merchandising effort this retailer has done under The Next Big Thing. The section highlights many of the new entries coming into the retailer. It gives a collective nod to the underdogs. It also becomes a pivotal benchmark for how much product will be sold from those shelves. Products that do well in this section...stay in the store. Products that do not sell well in this section....get discontinued from the store. I encourage customers to seek out The Next Big Thing sections in Sephora. There are separate sections for skin care and hair care in each store nationwide. Black and brown founded brands are being highlighted here. They must be supported to survive. #IndieBeauty #BlackBeautyBrands #Sephora

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How do iconic #American brands stay relevant in today's digital battlefield? At Ergode, we transform and enhance traditional businesses, ensuring they not only #survive but #thrive. My latest #blog dives into a strategic approach—from meticulous acquisitions to leveraging #AI for a seamless customer experience. Discover how we blend #tradition with #innovation to create a new world of opportunities for beloved brands. Click below to read the blog now. #BusinessTransformation #DigitalRevival #StrategicAcquisitions #Innovation #Ergode #BrandRevitalization

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13 years is a very long time. From a brand partnership perspective, it's relatively rare. It's hard for any long-lasting relationship to end, but there were a few takeaways worth mentioning here (branding-wise.) 🌸 Consistency and quality are crucial, as customers develop strong expectations and emotional connections with long-standing products. 🌸 Effective communication about changes can prevent backlash; Equinox’s lack of advance notice led to significant dissatisfaction. 🌸 Gathering customer feedback beforehand shows that their opinions matter, maintaining trust and loyalty. 🌸 Aligning new offerings with existing brand values is essential to avoid perceived drops in quality. Ultimately, respecting customer preferences and maintaining perceived value is key. #Branding #Partnership #Lessons

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Amazon occupied Pier 36 in Manhattan, NY, showcasing a massive installation featuring shows, movies, and sports like "Fallout" and "The Summer I Turned Pretty." Amazon Prime Video presented its first upfront to advertisers in New York, featuring major stars to announce its original series, film, and sports offerings. An upfront is a crucial advertising sales event held by network executives and significant advertisers to purchase commercial airtime months before the start of the television season. Advertisers were presented with various projects and news aimed at making a substantial impact in the advertising marketplace. Imagine having access to 200 million customers worldwide, including 115 million subscribers in the US market. Now, add to that the power of advertising technology that can segment audiences and deliver better results than traditional network TV. This is the untapped opportunity that Amazon's advertising platform offers to brands with substantial advertising budgets. Considering that many advertisers are based in New York City, it's no wonder that Amazon pulled out all the stops by offering celebrities and entertainment at this event. This raises the question: what are other networks doing to provide their advertisers with access to technology that can instantly monetize intent? #amazon #tv #advertising #primevideo https://lnkd.in/gPgDYX_Y

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I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Dave Knox and Forbes to discuss Nori, Inc.'s growth journey to date. Here are three key learnings Annabel Love and I reference as a three person team that reached eight-figures in annual revenue in under three years: 1. Invest in Innovation! The e-commerce market is flooded with brands that have undervalued the importance of an innovative product. Product acquisition is too expensive for those that are simply rebranding a product or service that already exists. 2. Nail one channel and the rest will follow! While we always hoped Nori would be an omni-channel brand, we focused solely on making Direct-to-Consumer a success, before entertaining Amazon and Wholesale. This channel-focus allowed us to understand our DTC marketing dynamics and ensure channel profitability before our focus was placed elsewhere. Bonus: As we gained market share via DTC, wholesale buyers proactively came to us. 3. Bet on Talented Freelancers. Our team is currently comprised of three full-time employees. We have kept our G&A expenses impressively low without compromising growth, by betting on talented marketing, PR, product and brand freelancers that have the same drive and incentive to grind as an early-stage founder. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eh2McN92

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After LVMH and Saint Laurent, Starbucks is also launching a movie studio. According to Christy Cain, VP of Brand and Partnerships Marketing, Starbucks Studios will “shine a light on the stories and people who inspire us, from young, emerging artists to innovators, changemakers and others who are making a positive impact on the world.” The initiative is in partnership with Sugar23, Michael Sugar's production company. Sugar23 also spearheads The Way Upfronts, a quarterly event where brands and filmmakers can connect on sponsorship opportunities. The media x commerce convergence continues, and it makes sense: • For consumers, it's a much less annoying and more entertaining way to discover brands they're aligned with. • For brands, it can often be less expensive than running a TV commercial, not to mention the earned media—at least until (and if) this, too, becomes commonplace marketing practice. • For streaming platforms, it's a way to reduce the costs involved in original productions. That said, I wonder at what scale a move like this starts to make sense. Even though brands are becoming more comfortable with harder-to-measure top-of-funnel initiatives, producing movies and TV shows still seems like a stretch. One promising trend here is the slow but steady emergence of shoppable media—see, for example, Walmart's Add to Heart, Amazon's latest shoppable ads on Prime Video, or Pinterest's Deliciously Entertaining. Shoppable media might be just what smaller brands need to get closer to the entertainment industry, as it will allow them to demonstrate some resemblance of ROI. But the technology's not there yet—not for the average brand, at least. In other words—unless you're Starbucks (or Starbucks-adjacent), it's *probably* a little early to turn into a movie producer. Tim, Paul, Vinny, I feel like y'all might have opinions on this. Would love to hear them! #commerce #media #retail #marketing #advertising

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I have suggestions to help fashion ecommerce: The demand for functional fashion is on the rise, and pockets are leading the charge. The Wall Street Journal's article, "Women’s Clothes Finally Have Pockets. What Took So Long," highlights the evolution of women's garments, now featuring pockets that offer both utility and style. This shift reflects broader societal changes, promoting equality and recognizing women's active roles in public and professional spheres. As an avid supporter of pockets, I appreciate how they can be designed to either stand out with a cargo style or blend seamlessly into the garment's design. For e-commerce retailers, this trend presents a significant opportunity to enhance the online shopping experience. Here are some actionable insights: 1. Add a "Pockets" Filter: Introduce a filter option specifically for pockets, allowing customers to easily find clothing items that meet their functional needs would improve navigation and discoverability. 2. Detailed Product Descriptions: Clearly indicate the presence and type of pockets in product descriptions. Don't rely solely on images; specify the functionality and design of the pockets. Added benefit of improving SEO. 3. Highlight Functional Fashion: In your marketing and product listings, emphasize the practical benefits of pockets, supporting the growing trend towards functional equality in fashion. By integrating these features, retailers can cater to the increasing demand for practical and stylish clothing, ensuring a better shopping experience for their customers. If you make these updates please let me know any data insights.

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