The Daily Retail News Digest for brands and media – 24/10/22

Main Image: Accessorize

PRShots Digest brings you the latest retail news from Matalan, Ted Baker, Frasers Group, Ray-Ban, Castore, Adidas, River Island, Dobbies and articles on why consumer loyalty needs extra care, has fast fashion lost its appeal, why advertising needs actions not words and more.

To see the latest news go to our Twitter account @prshotsr

THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS

Matalan poised to fall into hands of lenders

Matalan’s lenders are preparing to take control of the business after the Friday deadline of 12pm for offers on the retailer was extended to allow interested parties to finalise offers

Authentic Brands Group adds Ted Baker to European portfolio

US conglomerate Authentic Brands has completed the acquisition of Ted Baker and now has control of its 370 stores, shop-in-shops and concessions worldwide.

Frasers Group lifts stakes in ASOS

Frasers Group has become the fourth largest shareholder in the ASOS online fashion retailer and now holds 5% of the business after building up shares.

Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica's sales rise as Asia-Pacific rebounds

Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica reported a rise in its Q3 revenues €6.39bn up 8.2% on the year with Asia-Pacific the fastest growing region with a 22.7% rise to €761m followed by the US up 3.4%.

Frasers Group ups Hugo Boss holding

Frasers Group has increased its investment in Hugo Boss, and now has a combined holding of 32.8% of its shares.

Castore sales and profits surge in latest year

Castore in which tennis champion Andy Murray and the owners of Asda hold stakes, saw turnover for FY22 hot £48.8m, up from £17m in FY21 with a profit of £8m up from £2.99m.

Adidas' sales up by 11% to €6.408 bn in Q3

Adidas sales were up 11% to €6.408bn in Q3 with net income at €179m down from €479m in 2021 due to €300m one-off costs for winding down in Russian.

Online retail figures remain positive despite wider industry decline

Online retail figures from the Office for National Statistics show a slight rise to 26.4% for September, with figures holding at just over a quarter (26%) of all retail sales since May 2022.

Reworld Media to acquire Grazia from Mondadori group

Reworld media has signed an agreement with Mondadori to acquire lifestyle magazine Grazia, which is present in 21 countries, as well as men's magazine Icon.

TRENDS, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY

Why your consumer loyalty needs extra care in a downturn

During a recession, consumers do not simply ‘trade down’ for cheaper equivalent products across the board, but consumer loyalty does become more fragile as we re-evaluate purchasing decisions.

Has fast fashion lost its appeal?

In early 2021 Asos was absolutely cruising through the pandemic, largely at the expense of struggling bricks-and-mortar retailers but now things have changed.

Why brands need to be sustainable in everything they do

Why smart brands are increasingly put sustainability front and centre not just in the materials they use but also in the manufacturing and in their technology.

Why advertising has to move form empathy to actions

Great advertising has always traded off emotion, but right now people need brands to move beyond words and deliver on their words if they are to earn genuine consumer support.

BRAND NEWS

River Island to launch entertaining podcast series

River Island has announced its first-ever podcast with Notes From The Island covering “fashion, life and everything in between”.

Boots to hire over 10,000 workers this festive period

Boots will hire over 10,000 employees with over 6,500 Christmas customer assistant roles, up to 3,000 roles at two distribution centres, and 2,000 roles for in-store customer operations assistants.

Dobbies to open largest ever store ahead of Christmas

Dobbies is set to open its largest ever store 70.000 sqft in Tewkesbury is Dobbies’ biggest to date and the largest garden centre in Southwest England.

AND FINALLY

Instagram launches new safety tools aimed at public figures

Instagram has announced new safety feature updates it says will help public figures and other high-profile users better protect themselves from abuse.

Balenciaga severs ties with Kanye West

Fashion house Balenciaga has severed ties with music artist-turned-designer Kanye West, joining other major brands and retailers that are distancing themselves from West's controversial remarks.

PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES

What were our users searching for on PRShots week-ending Oct 21^st 2022?

1/ Christmas  

2/ Halloween    

3/ AW22  

4/ Bedroom

5/ Dress

6/ Coat

7/ Pyjamas

8/ Bauble

9/ Fireplace   

10/ Skirts

COLLABORATIONS ON PRSHOTS

Our PRShots brands are looking for media and influencers who want to work with them on collaborations. Register for free at PRShots new collabs service to find out more https://collabs.prshots.com/ 

NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS

Fabrap makes fabric gift wrapping that stands the test of time. Inspired by Indian textiles and the traditional Japanese art of Furoshiki, these fabric gift wraps combine timeless elegance, sustainability and ease of use.

Boutique agency Emslie Creative has joined PRShots adding jewellery from Joanna Laura Constantine and KJJ Fine Jewellery and handbags from Sambar

Papier was launched in 2015, and creates stationery – notebooks, diaries, planners, photobooks  and stationery for weddings, birthdays etc  – and gifts that invites curiosity and contemplation. In every piece of Papier is the promise of what's to come, the endless possibilities of a blank page.

TaskPR has added it’s rosta of big name brands to PRShots with womens wear images from Joules Bias Cut DKNY Jaeger Guinea London Knitwear Queen and Leocé Couture mens wear from Jaeger jewellery from Annie Haak Tateossian Thomas Sabo watches and jewellery from Movado and occasion wear from Azazie    

Somerset by Alice Temperley embodies all of the hallmarks of the Temperley aesthetic –whimsy; unabashed femininity, wild prints and dresses that float from office to after hours.

Little Mistress is a specialist in occasion wear. From proms to graduations, weddings to christenings and every social event in between, their hyper-feminine details, jaw-dropping silhouettes and ultra-luxurious fabrics they’re designed to make the wearers feel like a million dollars. The new ranges include a phot shoot with celeb Dani Dyer.

Bridge Coffee Roasters launched Bridge in 1985 by sourcing and providing the very best coffee from around the world, and since then Bridge Coffee Roasters has bloomed into roasting and selling coffee, coffee machines and accessories

Threadbare is a proud family-owned British brand bringing great quality up-to-date fashion trends for men, women, children and dogs at affordable prices. Elevated, everyday, essentials

Ivyline creates contemporary accessories for the home and garden. Founded in 1976 the UK team works on everything from initial design to eventual dispatch. Its ethical product range comprises everything from fire pits and candles to planters, plant pots and everything in between.

Cutter & Squidge is a family-run, all-natural bakery created by two food-obsessed sisters. Playfulness is their passion, they love to create exciting, experimental flavours and artisan designs. Their bakes and gifts are lovingly handcrafted to taste delicious and look exquisite on any occasion.

HELP WITH YOUR IMAGE SEARCHES

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BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES

Clothing, beauty and accessories

F&F has new womenswear and Christmas jumpers

Oliver Bonas has new winter and party clothing, jewellery, bags and accessory ranges

Peacocks  has a new festive collections for young and old, Christmas jumpers and Louise Redknapp collaborations

White Stuff has new winter woolies, boots and accessories

River Island has new going out clothes

Accessorize has new bags and accessories 

M&Co  has new AW22 drops for men, women and kids and Christmas gifts and clothing

Matalan has new Christmas jumpers, AW22 collections, Halloween outfits

Roman Originals has new party and going-out outfits

New Look has new women’s shoes and Christmas outfits and jumpers and loungewear

Barbour has new cosy clothing and a House of Hackney collaboration

Primark has KEM ranges, Christmas party outfits, Stacey Solomon collections, new clothing and accessory ranges for men, women and kids, new beauty ranges and Breast Cancer awareness

Monsoon  has new womenswear and kids ranges

Dancing Leopard has new AW22 wear

Shoe Zone has winter boots and shoes

Cotton Traders has new menswear modelled by Will Mellor

Fatface has new Christmas ranges

Dune London has new going out shoe and boot ranges

Marks & Spencer have new clothing, shoes and boot ranges and Christmas jumpers

Dune London Men’s  has new bags and shoes for winter

Sonder Studio has new Christmas and AW ranges

Hope Fashion has new party outfits

PrettyLittleThing  has Gemma Owen ranges, winter coats, a Girls Versus Cancer range and new Halloween ranges

Joe Browns  has new Christmas ranges

See more new clothing and accessories images from the last two weeks from

Seol + Gold From my mother’s garden Aspiga Very Radley Freemans Hope Fashion The Range F&F Lemuel MC

Home and food

Biscuiteers Baking has new Christmas food

White Stuff has new Christmas Decorations and gifts for the home

M&Co  has new Christmas games

Cult Furniture  has new office seats, desks, bar stools and furniture

Paperchase has added more Christmas decorations and gifts

National Trust Shop has new Halloween ranges

TK Maxx and Homesense have new homeware and Christmas goodies

Fritz Fryer has new lights

Sofology has new sofa ranges

Cambridge Imprint  has new gifts for AW22

Oliver Bonas has new homeware and pet ranges

The Range has Christmas and Halloween ranges

Dunelm has new Christmas gifts

Cartwright & Butler has hampers, advent calendars and treats for Christmas

Monsoon  has new Christmas decorations

Daisy Park has new kitchen ware from Emma Bridgewater for Christmas, Halloween and Bonfire Night

George Home has Christmas goodies for the home

Primark shows its Christmas decorations, gifts and homeware

Nest has new desks tables and chairs

Marks & Spencer have new personalised Christmas gifts and Christmas decorations

Dobbies Garden Centres has new home goods, pet accessories, Christmas decorations and gifts and spooky Halloween plants

Cardfactory has new personalised gifts and hampers

M&Co  has new Christmas decorations and homeware

KMI Brands have new curly styling essentials

DFS has new ranges for the living room and bedroom including a Cath Kidston collaboration

Wilko has festive decorations and gifts for Christmas and Halloween, and AW22 home 

See more new home images from the last two weeks from

Fatface Very Habitat Luxdeco Hotel Chocolat Cuckooland B&M Cath Kidston Abstract House Christy Matalan Oliver Bonas

Looking for inspiration??

Our trends lightboxes section has lots of ideas for features and themes but If  you can't find something or you need help then email us at support@prshots.com, and we'll see if we can help

DIARY

Days Until Halloween – 7

Days Until Black Friday – 32

Days Until Cyber Monday - 35

Days Until Christmas Day – 62

October

How to make your products attractive to the media in October    

We’re into autumn and the nights are starting to draw in and the heating is on - at last! Although at a much-reduced rate.  The media are looking for images that reflect the changes so anything that looks cosy and warm is good, roaring fires, big jumpers, coats, hats, knitwear, scarfs and wellies in a leaf-strewn outdoors – all the cliches – are what the media are looking for. If you can do some night shots with sparklers, then you’re also ticking the boxes for bonfire night next month. We also have Halloween at the end of the month, so if you can get a pumpkin in your images then you’re hitting two birds with one stone.  

You should be adding Christmas images and for those magazines with long lead times then start to look for the images of people working off the Christmas excesses for the January issues. 

Don’t forget to add keywords – Gifts, Christmas, Xmas, Autumn, Winter, Halloween, fireworks night, bonfire night will all be looked for. Also, we have a wide audience with media from around the World so add those American holiday versions eg the holidays, Fall, Pumpkin day, Thanksgiving etc and words like hygge that are starting to enter the language. 

Also cost-of living crises maybe a good keyword to add especially on warm clothing

Media will also be searching for party outfits for Halloween, Guy Fawkes, and the office party season will be on us soon.  Christmas gift guides are also useful, try and be creative, do ones for every eventuality eg gifts guides for him/her/mum/dad/kids/teenagers/pets etc also gifts under £150/100/£50 and for guides for secret Santa’s gifts under £20.

Please put prices on everything!!! Otherwise, you stand no chance of getting into any of the features that include “Presents under £50”, “Party dresses for £150” etc   

If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots and try and add those in.

October Diary - Weeks/Months

October is also known as ‘Stoptober’ which started as a campaign around giving up cigarettes, but is now joined by MacMillans Go Sober for October, so if you have anything non-alcoholic then get it on PRShots and make sure you add Stoptober and non-alcoholic as keywords. It’s also breast cancer awareness month, wool month, black history month, vegetarian awareness month, apple month, cookie month, spinach lovers’ month, pork month and national pasta, chilli and pizza month.

The second week is National Chocolate week, and National recycle Week (17-23^rd) and in the US the 14-20^th is national School Lunch week.

October - Days

24^th - Diwali

25^th – World pasta day

25^th – 2 months until Christmas day

26^th – National pumpkin day

27^th – National American Beer Day

28^th – National Chocolate Day (US)

29^th – National Cat Day (US)

30^th – Clocks go back tonight

31^st – Halloween

November

How to make your products attractive to the media in November    

We are well into autumn and the Christmas season and the media are looking for images that help them fill all those “what to buy on Black Friday” features, the endless Christmas gift guides, and all those “What to wear for the Christmas party season” articles.

You should be uploading Black Friday and Christmas images for most media, but long lead time magazines will be looking at January issues so anything that helps illustrate the inevitable “New you for 2023” issues, so athleisure, outdoor healthy sporty images will all be useful.

As always don’t forget to add keywords – Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving, Gifts, Christmas, Xmas, Winter plus all those words beloved of home and women’s magazines like cosy, cosiness, hygge, wellbeing.

Clothing wise the media are looking for party wear, party dresses, nightwear, “going out out” (thanks to Annie Mac Ex-Radio 1), Christmas Jumpers, jumpers, scarves, bobble hats, beanies, cardigans, coatigans, jackets, and coats. So, make sure that you have plenty of images in those categories uploaded and labelled with as many of those words as you can.

Also make sure that if your clothing is made from a fabric associated with winter that it’s flagged up somewhere in the title/keyword or in more information. Wool (woolovers are a thing), cashmere, fur (faux obviously) and velvet.

If you’re aiming at being included in Christmas Guides then make sure you have added prices. Guides are normally price-led eg “Presents under £50”, “Party dresses for less than £150” and without prices your items won’t be included.    

If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots in the Keyword Search Report and try and add those in.

November Diary - Weeks/Months

Events to add to your marketing diary for November include

Movember which centres around men’s health issues and moustaches, so beard and shaving-related things might be useful, in the US it’s also national peanut butter lovers month, sweet potato month and candy month.

The first week of November is National Sausage Week in the UK – the perfect accompaniment to Guy Fawkes - the first week is also national fig week and the second week is national split pea soup week

November Diary - Days

1^st – World Vegan Day

1^st – All Saints’ Day

2^nd – All Souls’ Day

5^th – Guy Fawkes/Bonfire night

5^th – Two years until the US presidential elections

6^th – New York Marathon

11^th – Armistice/Remembrance Day

11^th – Chinese Singles Day

11^th – Veterans Day (US)

12^th – World Pneumonia Day

12^th – National Happy hour Day (US)

13^th – World Kindness Day

13^th - Remembrance Sunday

15^th – International Cheese and bread Day

17^th – Homemade bread day (US) 

17^th – International Students Day

19^th – International Men’s Day

24^th – Thanksgiving (US)

25^th – 1 month until Christmas Day

25^th – Black Friday

26^th – US Small Business Saturday

28^th – Cyber Monday

30^th – St Andrew’s Day (Bank Holiday Scotland)

Do you have any news on your brand that you want us to feature, or have a new appointee or a new event that you would like us to feature? Get in touch at news@prshots.com We don't charge, so get emailing now!!!

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