Tamsin McLaren, member of the Bath Retail lab was recently featured in The Guardian where she provided expert commentary on the high-profile collaboration between Greggs and Primark.
| On 9 December 2021, Dr Varala Maraj provided an overview of the current state of meme culture, including how and why social media users share memes and how blockchain markets are monetising memes as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The session also outlined the new and exciting ways that brands and companies are harnessing the power of NFTs for product line extension, promotional strategies and other evolving brand loyalty enhancing tactics. For more information, contact Dr Varala Maraj. |
Categories
Research and Tea #1: Field Experiments
On 18 November 2021, Prof. Jens Nordfält held a session at the Bath Retail Lab on field experiments. Drawing from his own publication experiences, Jens provided an accessible, yet detailed, overview of potential applications of field experiments in retail contexts. The session encouraged the group to reflect on how field experiments could be utilised to identify key areas for improvement in contemporary retail environments, and unlock new opportunities for extending marketing theory.
On 11 November 2021, Jason Edwards, Business Partnerships and Knowledge Exchange Manager at the University of Bath, held a session at the Bath Retail Lab on industry partnerships. The presentation focused on strategies for researchers to increase their research’s relevance, impact, and funding availability through engagement with industry partners.
Even before COVID-19, the British high street was undergoing a slow and painful decline. So has COVID-19 changed everything? Or did the pandemic just rapidly accelerate changes that were already being planned?
In this recent article in The Conversation, Bath Retailing and Contemporary Consumerism Lab member Tamsin McLaren discusses trends such as small scale and “inventory-less” stores, direct-to-consumer brands, and the the need for agility among traditional department stores to successfully meet the needs of the shopper of today and in the future. Online shopping is not the only option, but to survive post-pandemic, businesses must consider which elements of “retail theatre” they wish to provide to remain relevant.
Abstract
This case explores how Allbirds, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) ethical footwear brand was founded, its growth from 2016 to 2020, and how it may continue to expand in the future. In 2016 the brand gained B-corporation status, meaning it meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. As a D2C brand, it sells online without employing a more traditional wholesale model. The brand, now headquartered in San Francisco, achieved sales of more than a million pairs in the first two years. Its marketing and brand management challenge is now how should it expand, both in the US domestic market and internationally. Critical factors in the brands journey are explored; the relevance of the D2C business model in today’s brand-scape, the challenges of international expansion in Europe and China, the threat of counterfeits, product line management, and its marketing communications mix. Key marketing frameworks are outlined in the exploration of central business questions, and their application prompts critical discussion and analysis that could inform future recommendations. This study includes pre- and post-pandemic data, and readers are encouraged to consider how the brand may continue to grow post-pandemic.
| Please join us for the RCC Lab’s third research seminar on Thursday, 28 October at 14:00-15:15. This time we will get the chance to hear more from one of the world’s leading marketing and retailing experts, Prof Dhruv Grewal! Professor Grewal (Babson College and University of Bath, School of Management) will address a number of contemporary research issues in his talk The Future of Technology in Marketing: The Age of Robots and AI. Abstract In recent times, new technologies are changing every aspect of marketing and the interactions of firms with their customers. Two of the most radical innovations that firms need to appropriately consider and leverage are the use of Robots and AI. The focus of the current talk will be to discuss some projects that are exploring these and related domains. Sign up by contacting c.p.n.ahlbom@bath.ac.uk. |
Abstract
This case explores how Allbirds, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) ethical footwear brand was founded, its growth from 2016 to 2020, and how it may continue to expand in the future. In 2016 the brand gained B-corporation status, meaning it meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. As a D2C brand, it sells online without employing a more traditional wholesale model. The brand, now headquartered in San Francisco, achieved sales of more than a million pairs in the first two years. Its marketing and brand management challenge is now how should it expand, both in the US domestic market and internationally. Critical factors in the brands journey are explored; the relevance of the D2C business model in today’s brand-scape, the challenges of international expansion in Europe and China, the threat of counterfeits, product line management, and its marketing communications mix. Key marketing frameworks are outlined in the exploration of central business questions, and their application prompts critical discussion and analysis that could inform future recommendations. This study includes pre- and post-pandemic data, and readers are encouraged to consider how the brand may continue to grow post-pandemic.
Prof Jens Nordfält, co-director of the Bath RCC research lab will join the Univeristy of Bath, School of Management’s Deans series. The host Dr Margaret Heffernan will be joined by Professor Jens Nordfalt to discuss how retailers have responded to the challenges of online shopping; the potential for emerging in-store technologies; and the breakthrough learnings about customer behaviour. Together, they will explore where the future of retail might lie.
Fri 29 Jan, 16:00 – 17:00 GMT
On 13 January 2021, Iina Ikonen held a research seminar on the topic “She Looks Like Me! How Body Type Similarity Influences Online Clothes Shopping“ The presentation slides are available below. For more information, please contact Iina directly at imhi21@bath.ac.uk.
To participate in future events, members of the University of Bath community may sign up by joining the open research seminar group on Teams.