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Foreign.
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Hi, everyone. Today is Wednesday, July 29th. Welcome to eMarketers weekly retail show, Reimagining retail, where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm your host, Susie David Canyon. And on today's episode, we're back with our unofficial monthly retailer awards. Yes, the Umrahs. Let's see who stood out this month. Joining me, we have podcast regulars Becky Schilling. Hey, Becky.
[00:30]
C
Hello. I am so ready.
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B
I am too. Bring it on. We also have Blake Drosch. Hey, Blake.
[00:37]
A
Hello. It's good to be back.
[00:39]
B
Thanks for joining us. And for her first pod, Karen Jacobs. Hey, Karen.
[00:44]
D
Hello. I'm the newbie.
[00:46]
B
We're so excited to have you. So as a reminder, here's how it works. Each month we're handing out awards to the retailers that we think really nailed it in a few areas. So we've got three categories. Most impactful campaign, Best in real life initiative, and the greatest under the radar move. Becky, Blake and Karen each brought a nominee for July and I get to pick the winner based on how convincing their case is. And if we all remember from every month we do this, I can be easily swayed.
[01:18]
C
Truth.
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B
Okay, that was for you, Becky. Just so you know, and I really loved some of yours. Just so everybody knows, the playing field is not even, but it is also very even because I can be swayed. So let's get started. Number one award is for the most impactful campaign. The marketing idea that broke through the noise, it resonated, it was memorable and it was performance driving. And the nominations are. Becky, let's start with you.
[01:47]
C
So my nomination is Nike. They're ripped the script. And I know what you're thinking. It's Nike. They put 30 celebrities in a six minute video. How impactful. How different is this from something that they've done? But here's why it's different. It wasn't just a commercial. It was the opening scene of this whole season, which was the FIFA World Cup. They Nike built out their entire football universe. There were capsule drops, Lego tie ins, street play pushes, all kinds of things. But RIP, the script was their trailer had 50 million YouTube views in one week. They were still rolling out content all throughout this past weekend's final. Also, Ted Lasso had an appearance which I'm sorry, but in my book, wins all the time. This was CEO Elliot Hill's whole turnaround. Bet football was one or soccer. So sorry is one of the five pillars of Nike's comeback. And writing on this one campaign gave it legs for an entire tournament. It's not just a big ad, it's a big bet.
[02:53]
B
So I don't know if you guys saw the. It is six minutes. It is literally six minutes. I tried to see if they turned it into a 30 second spot. It wasn't. I watched almost every game. I didn't see the spot in real life, though. They don't really have a lot of commercials, but it was so good. Did anybody else watch it?
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C
It's chaos in the best way. It was.
[03:11]
B
It was. And then I didn't understand what Kim Kardashian was doing in the. In the ad. But you know what? It doesn't matter what I think the that is. Maybe even more important is that it was tied into so many other things. But as you've already said, is this something new or are they just repeating what they've always been doing? Becky?
[03:30]
C
I think it's slight of a repeat. Like, obviously, it's Nike. They always have big celebrity and big names because that's what Nike's been built off as these big athletes and the endorsements. But I think the bringing in some of the outside actors and Kim Kardashian agreed. Not sure why she was there, but, you know, it added a little bit of intrigue. But. But it also kind of felt like it was a movie script, but it was also kind of like a music video and it was very interesting and they cut it up in social clips and it was just kind of this big kickoff to this entire campaign that they did.
[04:03]
B
It was definitely an interesting way to be part of a global cultural moment.
[04:07]
C
Yeah.
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B
Blake, who do you have?
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I have gap with their 90s nostalgia campaign that features Hailey Bieber. I guess, like, it didn't. It's not necessarily that the campaign wowed me. It's just that, like, had Gap not taken the opportunity to try to cash in on the 90s nostalgia trend, they would be just sort of the biggest fools in marketing. So I think the fact that they did it and executed it well is worthy of an accolade this month. The pull baggy jeans 90s trends are just really in right now with Gen Z. So if you are Gap, a retailer that has been desperately trying to become relevant again, why would you not highlight an era of nostalgia for which you were relevant? Probably the last decade, that Gap was actually cool. So I think the fact that they got a sort of Gen Z celebrity. Gen Z is the generation that's really driving this 90s nostalgia campaign or this 90s nostalgia trend. It fits really, really well together. And I think that it's, it's better for them to sort of go back to basics, go back to what they know, than to try to make a big splash with a marketing campaign that is not on brand. This is 100% on brand for Gap. The other thing that I think was interesting is, I don't know if you guys remember, but I think it was earlier this year we did a podcast about Gap hiring a chief entertainment officer, which we kind of like speculated, like, what does this mean? Is this something new or is it going to be different from a chief brand officer? This was sort of like being rolled out as sort of a new or sort of an initiative behind the chief entertainment idea. I'm not really impressed from that point of view. I think it is still at the end of the day, just sort of a celebrity led campaign. But I think it's a good one and I think it's good for the brand.
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B
Like, I think it's really interesting because Gap has been leaning into the momentum of the 90s nostalgia. So it's kind of like nothing new, it's just that they brought what could arguably be a very relevant person to try and get them back onto the radar. But do you think it's enough for them to move product? Like, how is their product looking?
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A
I think like, yeah, you make a good point that this is not, they're not reinventing the wheel. But I think, you know, sometimes in brand marketing it's a long term play and you need to sort of keep building on what you've already, you know, the groundwork that you've already laid. And I think that this is a pretty good effort in terms of like moving their merchandise. You know, it's tough, right, because I think Gap has sort of, you know, in the last several years become more of a place where people to go to get sort of their staples, not necessarily buy the latest fashion trends. So they are, they are positioning this campaign as a way to sort of win back some of that, you know, those more sort of fashion forward dollars from, particularly from younger shoppers. And I think that remains to be. You seen how, how successful they're going to be? I don't think they're barking up the wrong tree by taking this strategy.
[07:30]
D
I don't either. I think Gap is still, it's still a hip brand actually, and it's, it's an all American brand and it's on the way back. So.
[07:46]
A
Yeah, and I think like it is, it's still a brand that has a ton of like household recognition. You know, the stores are still around. At least you know, where I live. Like, you know, you typically, like, you can get to a Gap if you need to. But I think that, you know, they are going through a little bit of an identity crisis where they really, you know, want to retain their sort of, their, their place in fashion as sort of a really, really trend setting brand that, you know, I don't, I don't. I think they've lost a little bit of it in recent years and they're really like using this as a moment to get back in there.
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B
It's true, because I think of them as a basics brand versus a fashion brand. So it is an important distinction to try and find ways to latch on to cool factor so that you can be a fashion brand. Karen, what is on your.
[08:41]
C
Is that what they're doing though? It just feels kind of like a Sydney Sweeney, like minus the controversy, just kind of like the celebrity. And we're going to put all our eggs in this jeans basket and this is going to be our ad campaign and it just kind of feels a little bit like maybe we're just riding the coattails of somebody else who it worked for.
[09:02]
B
I don't know. It feels like Becky's really gunning for the win over here. But let's see. See what Karen has as her nominee.
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D
Well, speaking of refreshing brands, which is what Gap is trying to do, I also chose as my winner Farmers Insurance, which has embarked on a major brand refresh. Insurance is a difficult category in which to stand out. The products can feel complicated and many of the ads start to blend together. Farmers tried to confront that problem with its new Honesty is our Policy platform. It replaced its familiar red, white and blue look with a striking pink identity. It introduced more straightforward messaging and flipped its famous we are Farmers jingle to. You have Farmers. It's a small change in wording, but an important one.
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B
Karen, I really appreciate that you sang the jingle for us and because of that, you have an in perpetuity. I don't know if that's the right word. Invitation to come back to any umrahs where you will sing another jingle. My question to you though, is because I saw those commercials and I was like, is this just a spoiler spoof moment in time or is this a rebrand that is lasting the pink? Do you know?
[10:35]
D
Well, I mean, time will tell. The campaign really just kicked off, but it seems that the company is trying to move the focus from the company to the the customer. I'll also add that they are moving on from A longtime spokes and J.K. simmons and trying to preserve some of the humor associated with the brand.
[11:03]
B
I mean, it was. They're. They're definitely funny, the ads. I don't know if you guys have seen them. They're. They're running on TV now. They're funny. But I don't know. For me, it was just like the same. The same in pink, I guess. It was so subtle, the jingle change. I didn't catch it.
[11:18]
D
Yeah, I, I wondered if people would think the use of the color pink was odd. But I thought about it some more and I think, well, that's what makes it novel and definitely allows it to stand out, especially among insurers. I thought this campaign was compelling because of the scale of the reinvention. The company didn't discard everything that people know about the farmers, but it changed enough to perhaps garner another look from people.
[11:55]
B
Thank you guys for your nominees. I'm surprised nobody talked about Air Postal and their intern diaries because we've been spending so much time talking about microdramas and thinking about how do you use creators in a more quote, unquote, authentic way? The winner of our first award, the most impactful campaign, goes to. Becky for Nike. Because I actually think that despite it being six minutes and that being outrageously long, they were able to do so many things around that commercial that tied into this movement that it felt very holistic and it was like the star studded, including. Did you guys see that Zoltan was in it? Like, the whole thing was ridiculous. But I think it's because of all the ancillary things that they did that it really did make up for an impactful campaign. Well done.
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C
Thank you. I got blanked last time, so I feel redeemed.
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D
Was Nike an official FIFA sponsor?
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C
They weren't, which is what made it even more impactful.
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B
Awesome. Now on to award number two, best in real life initiatives. This is the in real life move that got people off their screens and into stores, creating an experience worth checking out. And the nominations are. Blake, who do you have on your
[13:14]
A
list for this one? I'm going to go with Aldi for opening up a store in Times Square, which I think is an interesting move for a grocer. You don't typically hear about grocery stores opening up like flagship stores in the crossroads of the universe, but as a grocery store that is making a big, big push to get into the US Market, it is a great marketing opportunity for them, particularly as they are expanding to areas of the country like the Midwest and West. That typically get a lot of tourists coming to, to New York City. So if you are a tourist from one of these areas and you're staying at a hotel near Times Square, you see an Aldi you see as an opportunity to go into the store, check it out, see how, you know, great and clean it is and well stocked it is. And then you go home and realize that they've just opened up a store near where you live. That's a great way to get the word out and get new customers. So I think it was very interesting move for, for a retailer to, for a grocery retailer to do the old Times Square flagship move.
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B
I have so much to say about this. I looked at the pictures, it looks identical to a big box Aldi. And I thought with the tourists you were going with, like all the Europeans that are coming and staying in Times Square. And the timing was perfect. With the World cup, this influx of Europeans who are familiar with the brand might actually end up going there and buying their favorite private label stuff that they can't get anywhere else.
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A
That's really interesting. I didn't even think about that. But probably also true. I think there has obviously been, you know, all these, opened up hundreds of new stores in the US over the last couple of years. So I was thinking that it was, it was a play at the US Tourist market. But yeah, yeah, I think maybe it's also a good way to, to show how much reach they have now for all the Europeans who came over and, you know, found an Aldi, their home grocery store right in the middle of Times Square.
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B
Also very technical, but there aren't enough grocery stores in midtown. And so I'm sure that there was also room for there to be a grocery store over there. What I don't understand, because I'm very literal is how is this an in real life move? Is that because they were doing giveaways and things?
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Well, the, the store exists in real life, so I thought it was, I thought it was fair game.
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B
Yeah, they did do opening day exclusive. So that could have been your in real life play.
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A
There we go. So it's, I mean, whether you say it or I say it, Susie, I think it still counts towards it being the winning idea, though.
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B
Karen, what's yours?
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D
My idea was Skylark, which is the Justin Bieber brand that's, that's primarily online, but for a few days it created a place in New York City, a pop up where, where, where fans could go and experience in person. According to reports, people lined up overnight. It was a site in around the block in the meatpacking district. And inside there was apparel, footwear, sneakers, along with tech enhanced mirrors, specialty drinks, and other details that made the place feel like more than a temporary store. I think this is what a strong in real life activation should do. Offer some scarcity, discovery and a sense of community.
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B
And brilliantly timed because for anybody who watched the first ever halftime show, he had a song. It's almost like obviously they knew exactly what they were doing and that drove more people to the space. Becky, who do you have?
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C
Well, mine is also going to be a pop up in New York City, but is LEGO a giant Lego? So for those of you who saw the LEGO ad that went viral with Messi and Ronaldo and other stars building the trophy on their social media, they took that and they actually built it in July. It was in the Rockefeller plaza. It was 27ft high. It was made out of more than a million Legos. It was open, it was free to the public. It really was this focal point where fans from all over the world could gather around this place, huge trophy, and watch the game. There was nothing to buy. It was all about bringing people together in community and kind of furthering all of these activations that LEGO had been doing during the World Cup.
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B
And they had a fan zone. And so like I had friends who came in from England and their kids wanted to go there and like see and touch things. And for those of you who don't know, there's a LEGO store right around the corner. So of course there was probably some like a spike in sales or a halo effect. I really love this sort of how do you take a global moment, attach a brand to it and make it into like a participatory thing versus a sales thing?
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C
I'm sorry, but tourists are going to go see the, this over at Aldi in Times Square.
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B
Well, to be fair, this is the only one I saw in real life. But that is not why I am picking our best in real life initiative, the lego. But I mean, I don't know if you guys saw that World Cup. LEGO Gigantic cup was amazing. Truly, truly.
[18:52]
C
The pictures are. Look it up. It's pretty cool.
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B
Yeah.
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D
Yeah.
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B
Okay.
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D
I mean, it seems like the color, the, the, the gold color might be a little off, but maybe they were going for old gold.
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B
I think it was LEGO gold, but I'm not sure.
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A
I don't know. Maybe, maybe we need to strip it of its accolade if it's, if it's inauthentic.
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B
Guys, I didn't realize that winning an award was such a big deal. I'm so like my competitive edge is, is like moving. It's. I have ripple effects. Okay guys, off to our third greatest under the radar move. The smart play that didn't make the headlines, but quietly move the business forward. Give me your pitch in a minute or less. The nominees, starting with you, Karen.
[19:39]
D
My under the radar selection is tailored brands. Now this is the the parent of Men's Wearhouse, Jose bank kng. They've announced that they're going to file an ipo. But also in that announcement was that their plan to add more than 500 stores over the next decade. That includes 250 Men's Warehouse, 200 Jose Banks and 50 KNG stores. Now the company currently operates more than a thousand stores and it is rebuilding its business after closing hundreds of locations and entering bankruptcy in 2020. So just, just six years ago. The store plan might be more consequential because it is a bet that physical retail still matters in menswear, particularly for formal events and clothing that customers want altered. 500 stores isn't. Isn't going to crop up overnight and of course execution will matter. But if the company gets these locations, the formats and the assortments right, I think this expansion could substantially increase its reach.
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B
It's interesting because for me originally like the news was all about the ipo. So it truly was under the radar. The idea that they're opening more stores. I think the underlying not. I don't know that most people believe the store is dead. But what I don't know is and this is the question mark and the bet they're making is are people really getting dressed up as often and when you buy a tux, do you need to keep buying it? And is the wedding business the back to office? Like has the dress code changed again significantly that they can absorb so many more stores when they already have such a large fleet? It'll be interesting to see what happens. Becky, who's yours?
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C
So mine is Bath and Body Works. They launched a new new fruit fusion line in July and everyone's talking about the celebrity ambassador and creator, creative partner Hilary Duff. The real under the radar move is with a completely different retailer which is Amazon. So these products are available at Bath and Body Works in their stores and online. But it's also the first time where they are being debuting this product on their Amazon storefront. So you've got this mall era brand that spent years treating Amazon like it was the enemy and they're quietly using their biggest celebrity moment of the year to test and see whether they can actually win on Amazon.
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B
So, Becky, did they launch only in Amazon or did they launch, like, everything at the same time?
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C
Everything at the same time.
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B
Got it. Yeah. It's interesting. Everybody was fighting Amazon, but they realized there's so much traffic. You can't think of some sort of distribution strategy through Amazon. But it's not frequent that it's the exact same products at the exact same time. So that'll be interesting to see. Blake, what about you?
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A
I'm gonna go with Hasbro, which debuted Play DOH for adults recently.
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B
I love this.
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A
It's called. It's called Blooms by Play doh. That's the name of the brand. And they've got adult crafting and home decor products. I think it's a great idea because there are so many grown adults I know that are really into Legos and apparently, like, there's a huge resale market for old Legos. And, you know, as we all know, Legos are not cheap, and they, I think, win a ton of business outside of their core segment, which is obviously children. And I think Hasbro is testing to find out can that work in other toy categories. Right. I think it's a really natural segue going into. Into Play doh. There's something about it that is kind of like DIY home crafty. Like, it has an element to it that I think could work with adults. There's probably going to be need to be a pretty big marketing push around it, because I think until I really went digging for interesting things that retailers had done that didn't really come up. So it wasn't really on my radar as a consumer. But I am very curious to see if this catches on.
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B
Well, for me, this was like, so cute because it's kind of like slime for adults, and slime is still really big for kids. And there's this whole cadalting craze that, as you said, it's like everybody is every Crayola, every childhood brand tapping into nostalgia is thinking about how do we help with hobbies and analog sort of moments. So I love it. I also thought you guys might talk about Home Depot and how they. They're doing some interesting loyalty expansion with other partners, including a food Jimmy John's, where if you're a member of the Jimmy John's loyalty program and the home, but it has to be the pro extra.
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C
So the
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B
construction people. I forgot.
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A
Yeah, I wanted to to use that as one of mine, but I couldn't figure out what bucket it would have fallen into.
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D
Yeah, same. Same here.
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B
I put it in under the radar, but I mean, I guess it could have been in a lot of buckets, just nobody really knew about it unless you're following the news. But it's very clever.
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A
Yeah, I agree.
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B
Anyways, the greatest under the radar move is Plato Blake.
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A
That's right. Couldn't get swept.
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C
Well, this is the right. This is the right. Susie made the right choice on this one.
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B
So that's a wrap. Let's go back through the awards. Award one, number one, most impactful campaign went to Nike for their off the script campaign Award. Number two, best in real life initiative was Lego, who went all in on the World Cup. And number three, greatest under the radar move with Plato leaning really into the cadalting craze. That's all the time we have for today. Thank you, Karen.
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D
Thanks a lot.
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B
Thank you, Becky.
[25:58]
C
Happy to be back.
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B
And thank you, Blake.
[26:01]
A
Thanks for having me.
[26:02]
B
And thanks to the team who edits the podcast and of course, to our listeners. Please leave a rating or review view and remember to subscribe. I'll see you next Wednesday for more reimagining retail. And we'll be back with the umbras at the end of August. And on Friday, you can join Marcus for another episode of behind the Numbers.

Summary7 min read

Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast

Episode: Nike Rips The Script, Play-Doh Bloom Kits for Adults, and More | Reimagining Retail

Date: July 29, 2026
Host: Susie David Canyon
Guests: Becky Schilling, Blake Drosch, Karen Jacobs

Episode Overview

In this episode of Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail, EMARKETER's analysts gather for their unofficial monthly "Umrahs" retailer awards. The team debates and determines which brands most impressed across three categories: Most Impactful Campaign, Best In Real Life (IRL) Initiative, and Greatest Under the Radar Move. The conversation showcases standout marketing campaigns, experiential activations, and surprising strategic plays—from Nike’s World Cup spectacle to LEGO’s public art and Hasbro’s foray into adult “cadalting.”
Note: Ads, intros, and outros have been skipped.

Award 1: Most Impactful Campaign

The marketing idea that broke through the noise, resonated, and drove performance.

Nominees & Discussion

Nike – "Rip the Script"

Nominated by: Becky Schilling
Key Points (01:47 - 04:07):
- Six-minute video ad with 30 celebrities as the kickoff to Nike’s FIFA World Cup season.
- Integrated campaign: capsule drops, LEGO partnerships, street play initiatives.
- 50 million YouTube views in one week.
- Extended into social clips, roll-outs during tournament, and a Ted Lasso cameo.
- CEO Elliot Hill’s turnaround bet—football as a core pillar.
- Notable for being a trailer for an entire season, not just an ad spot.
Quote:

“It wasn't just a commercial. It was the opening scene of this whole season…Nike built out their entire football universe.” — Becky (01:53)

Gap – 90s Nostalgia Campaign with Hailey Bieber

Nominated by: Blake Drosch
Key Points (04:11 - 08:26):
- Tapped current 90s nostalgia trends, targeting Gen Z.
- Hailey Bieber as star to regain fashion relevance.
- Reflects a long-term brand play, not radical reinvention.
- Part of Gap's exploration under a new Chief Entertainment Officer—still “celebrity-led.”
- Unsure if the campaign will drive significant product movement.
Quote:

“Gap…has been desperately trying to become relevant again. Why would you not highlight an era of nostalgia for which you were relevant?” — Blake (05:06)

Farmers Insurance – "Honesty is our Policy" Rebrand

Nominated by: Karen Jacobs
Key Points (09:09 - 11:55):
- Brand refresh: new pink identity, customer-centered messaging.
- Subtle change in jingle: "We are Farmers" → "You have Farmers."
- Moving away from J.K. Simmons as the familiar spokesperson.
- Attempts differentiation in a staid insurance category.
- Some debate if changes are meaningful or simply cosmetic.
Quote:

“They replaced the familiar red, white and blue look with a striking pink identity…Flipped its famous jingle…small change, but important.” — Karen (09:26)

Winner: Nike, "Rip the Script"

Reason:
- Holistic, season-long integration, not just a star-studded ad.
- Built momentum across channels and cultural moments.
- Not an official FIFA sponsor, which made the campaign’s impact more impressive.
Quote:

“They were able to do so many things around that commercial…It felt very holistic and it was like the star studded, including…Zlatan was in it!” — Susie (11:55)

Award 2: Best in Real Life (IRL) Initiative

The IRL move that drove consumers off screens and into stores, generating memorable experiences.

Nominees & Discussion

Aldi – Times Square Flagship Store

Nominated by: Blake Drosch
Key Points (13:13 - 15:53):
- Unusual move: major grocer opens flagship in Times Square.
- Acts as both marketing and a way to serve tourists (U.S. and European).
- Leverages NYC tourist influx during World Cup.
- Opening day exclusives, big box format, fills grocery gap in Midtown.
- Some debate on IRL “experience” outside of being a new store.
Quote:

“It is a great marketing opportunity for them, particularly as they are expanding to areas…that typically get a lot of tourists.” — Blake (13:23)

Skylark (Justin Bieber's Brand) – NYC Pop-Up

Nominated by: Karen Jacobs
Key Points (15:56 - 17:13):
- Limited-run pop up in Meatpacking District.
- Experiences included apparel, sneakers, tech mirrors, drinks.
- Fans lined up overnight; event coordinated with a major Bieber performance.
- Example of scarcity marketing and temporary retail.
Quote:

"People lined up overnight...inside, there was apparel, footwear, tech enhanced mirrors, specialty drinks...made the place feel more than a temporary store." — Karen (16:00)

LEGO – Rockefeller Plaza World Cup Trophy Installation

Nominated by: Becky Schilling
Key Points (17:13 - 18:55):
- 27-foot high LEGO trophy, built from over 1 million pieces.
- Open, free, interactive fan zone—no direct selling, purely communal.
- Global fan engagement; halo sales at adjacent LEGO store.
- Tied to viral ad with Messi, Ronaldo, and other stars.
Quote:

“It really was this focal point where fans from all over the world could gather…nothing to buy. It was all about bringing people together.” — Becky (17:43)

Winner: LEGO’s World Cup Plaza Trophy

Reason:
- Participatory, inclusive, and uniquely communal.
- Maximal tie-in to global World Cup event without overt sales push.
- Memorable cultural activation.
Quote:

“…the whole thing was amazing. I really love this sort of, how do you take a global moment, attach a brand to it, and make it into a participatory thing versus a sales thing?” — Susie (18:10)

Award 3: Greatest Under the Radar Move

The smart, strategic play that quietly advanced business goals without making headlines.

Nominees & Discussion

Tailored Brands (Men’s Wearhouse, Jos. A Bank, K&G) – Store Expansion Post-Bankruptcy

Nominated by: Karen Jacobs
Key Points (19:38 - 21:46):
- Announced plan for 500+ new brick-and-mortar stores over the coming decade, tied to IPO news.
- Bold bet on the continued relevance of physical retail/formalwear.
- Counter-programming to "store is dead" narrative.
Quote:

“…if the company gets these locations, formats, and assortments right, this expansion could substantially increase its reach.” — Karen (21:01)

Bath & Body Works – Amazon Storefront Launch

Nominated by: Becky Schilling
Key Points (21:46 - 22:36):
- New celebrity line (with Hilary Duff) not only in BBW stores, but debuting simultaneously on Amazon.
- First time BBW uses Amazon as a timely, non-exclusive channel.
- Shifts from adversarial to pragmatic distribution.
Quote:

"They are quietly using their biggest celebrity moment…to test if they can actually win on Amazon." — Becky (22:10)

Hasbro – Play-Doh “Blooms” Kits Targeting Adults

Nominated by: Blake Drosch
Key Points (22:52 - 24:15):
- Launched “Blooms by Play-Doh”: adult crafting and home décor kits.
- Taps into “cadalting,” the childlike hobby craze among adults (e.g., adult LEGO, slime).
- Hasbro tests new demographics in toy category.
- Not widely publicized—potential for big marketing upside if trend catches.
Quote:

“There are so many grown adults I know that are really into Legos…I think Hasbro is testing to find out, can that work in other toy categories…and I am very curious to see if this catches on.” — Blake (23:03)

Winner: Hasbro’s Play-Doh Blooms (for Adults)

Reason:
- Quiet yet bold expansion into adult nostalgia, creative fads.
- Novel move in the children’s toy-to-adult hobby pipeline.
- Reflects broader wellness and analog hobby movements.
Quote:

“It’s kind of like slime for adults…every childhood brand tapping into nostalgia is thinking about how do we help with hobbies and analog sort of moments.” — Susie (24:15)

Notable Quotes and Moments

On Nike:
- “It wasn’t just a big ad, it’s a big bet.” — Becky (01:53)
- “Is this something new or are they just repeating what they’ve always been doing?” — Susie (03:11)
On Gap:
- “I think Gap is still…it’s an all-American brand and it’s on the way back.” — Karen (07:29)
On Aldi Times Square:
- “You don’t typically hear about grocery stores opening up like flagship stores in…the crossroads of the universe.” — Blake (13:15)
On Play-Doh for Adults:
- “Cadalting craze…every Crayola, every childhood brand tapping into nostalgia is thinking about how do we help with hobbies and analog sort of moments.” — Susie (24:15)

Key Takeaways (Quick Reference)

| Topic | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|------------| | Nike “Rip the Script” Campaign Discussion | 01:47-04:07| | Gap’s 90s Nostalgia Campaign | 04:11-08:26| | Farmers Insurance Rebrand | 09:09-11:55| | LEGO’s Trophy in Rockefeller Plaza | 17:13-18:55| | Aldi’s Times Square Store | 13:13-15:53| | Justin Bieber’s Skylark Pop-Up | 15:56-17:13| | Tailored Brands Expansion | 19:38-21:46| | BBW Launching on Amazon | 21:46-22:36| | Play-Doh Blooms for Adults | 22:52-24:15|

Conclusion

The July 2026 “Umrahs” spotlighted retail’s creativity in blending pop culture, nostalgia, and physical experiences, as well as experimenting quietly with distribution and audiences. Nike’s cultural moment wins for scope and integration; LEGO shows the power of physical brand activations; Hasbro demonstrates the untapped potential in adult nostalgia products. The episode captures the competitive and playful analysis of marketing moves—delivered in the casual, spirited tone that defines Behind the Numbers.

“My competitive edge is, is like moving…It has ripple effects.” — Susie (19:14)

Loading summary

Transcript84 lines

[00:00]
A
Foreign.
[00:04]
B
Hi, everyone. Today is Wednesday, July 29th. Welcome to eMarketers weekly retail show, Reimagining retail, where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm your host, Susie David Canyon. And on today's episode, we're back with our unofficial monthly retailer awards. Yes, the Umrahs. Let's see who stood out this month. Joining me, we have podcast regulars Becky Schilling. Hey, Becky.
[00:30]
C
Hello. I am so ready.
[00:33]
B
I am too. Bring it on. We also have Blake Drosch. Hey, Blake.
[00:37]
A
Hello. It's good to be back.
[00:39]
B
Thanks for joining us. And for her first pod, Karen Jacobs. Hey, Karen.
[00:44]
D
Hello. I'm the newbie.
[00:46]
B
We're so excited to have you. So as a reminder, here's how it works. Each month we're handing out awards to the retailers that we think really nailed it in a few areas. So we've got three categories. Most impactful campaign, Best in real life initiative, and the greatest under the radar move. Becky, Blake and Karen each brought a nominee for July and I get to pick the winner based on how convincing their case is. And if we all remember from every month we do this, I can be easily swayed.
[01:18]
C
Truth.
[01:20]
B
Okay, that was for you, Becky. Just so you know, and I really loved some of yours. Just so everybody knows, the playing field is not even, but it is also very even because I can be swayed. So let's get started. Number one award is for the most impactful campaign. The marketing idea that broke through the noise, it resonated, it was memorable and it was performance driving. And the nominations are. Becky, let's start with you.
[01:47]
C
So my nomination is Nike. They're ripped the script. And I know what you're thinking. It's Nike. They put 30 celebrities in a six minute video. How impactful. How different is this from something that they've done? But here's why it's different. It wasn't just a commercial. It was the opening scene of this whole season, which was the FIFA World Cup. They Nike built out their entire football universe. There were capsule drops, Lego tie ins, street play pushes, all kinds of things. But RIP, the script was their trailer had 50 million YouTube views in one week. They were still rolling out content all throughout this past weekend's final. Also, Ted Lasso had an appearance which I'm sorry, but in my book, wins all the time. This was CEO Elliot Hill's whole turnaround. Bet football was one or soccer. So sorry is one of the five pillars of Nike's comeback. And writing on this one campaign gave it legs for an entire tournament. It's not just a big ad, it's a big bet.
[02:53]
B
So I don't know if you guys saw the. It is six minutes. It is literally six minutes. I tried to see if they turned it into a 30 second spot. It wasn't. I watched almost every game. I didn't see the spot in real life, though. They don't really have a lot of commercials, but it was so good. Did anybody else watch it?
[03:09]
C
It's chaos in the best way. It was.
[03:11]
B
It was. And then I didn't understand what Kim Kardashian was doing in the. In the ad. But you know what? It doesn't matter what I think the that is. Maybe even more important is that it was tied into so many other things. But as you've already said, is this something new or are they just repeating what they've always been doing? Becky?
[03:30]
C
I think it's slight of a repeat. Like, obviously, it's Nike. They always have big celebrity and big names because that's what Nike's been built off as these big athletes and the endorsements. But I think the bringing in some of the outside actors and Kim Kardashian agreed. Not sure why she was there, but, you know, it added a little bit of intrigue. But. But it also kind of felt like it was a movie script, but it was also kind of like a music video and it was very interesting and they cut it up in social clips and it was just kind of this big kickoff to this entire campaign that they did.
[04:03]
B
It was definitely an interesting way to be part of a global cultural moment.
[04:07]
C
Yeah.
[04:08]
B
Blake, who do you have?
[04:11]
A
I have gap with their 90s nostalgia campaign that features Hailey Bieber. I guess, like, it didn't. It's not necessarily that the campaign wowed me. It's just that, like, had Gap not taken the opportunity to try to cash in on the 90s nostalgia trend, they would be just sort of the biggest fools in marketing. So I think the fact that they did it and executed it well is worthy of an accolade this month. The pull baggy jeans 90s trends are just really in right now with Gen Z. So if you are Gap, a retailer that has been desperately trying to become relevant again, why would you not highlight an era of nostalgia for which you were relevant? Probably the last decade, that Gap was actually cool. So I think the fact that they got a sort of Gen Z celebrity. Gen Z is the generation that's really driving this 90s nostalgia campaign or this 90s nostalgia trend. It fits really, really well together. And I think that it's, it's better for them to sort of go back to basics, go back to what they know, than to try to make a big splash with a marketing campaign that is not on brand. This is 100% on brand for Gap. The other thing that I think was interesting is, I don't know if you guys remember, but I think it was earlier this year we did a podcast about Gap hiring a chief entertainment officer, which we kind of like speculated, like, what does this mean? Is this something new or is it going to be different from a chief brand officer? This was sort of like being rolled out as sort of a new or sort of an initiative behind the chief entertainment idea. I'm not really impressed from that point of view. I think it is still at the end of the day, just sort of a celebrity led campaign. But I think it's a good one and I think it's good for the brand.
[06:12]
B
Like, I think it's really interesting because Gap has been leaning into the momentum of the 90s nostalgia. So it's kind of like nothing new, it's just that they brought what could arguably be a very relevant person to try and get them back onto the radar. But do you think it's enough for them to move product? Like, how is their product looking?
[06:30]
A
I think like, yeah, you make a good point that this is not, they're not reinventing the wheel. But I think, you know, sometimes in brand marketing it's a long term play and you need to sort of keep building on what you've already, you know, the groundwork that you've already laid. And I think that this is a pretty good effort in terms of like moving their merchandise. You know, it's tough, right, because I think Gap has sort of, you know, in the last several years become more of a place where people to go to get sort of their staples, not necessarily buy the latest fashion trends. So they are, they are positioning this campaign as a way to sort of win back some of that, you know, those more sort of fashion forward dollars from, particularly from younger shoppers. And I think that remains to be. You seen how, how successful they're going to be? I don't think they're barking up the wrong tree by taking this strategy.
[07:30]
D
I don't either. I think Gap is still, it's still a hip brand actually, and it's, it's an all American brand and it's on the way back. So.
[07:46]
A
Yeah, and I think like it is, it's still a brand that has a ton of like household recognition. You know, the stores are still around. At least you know, where I live. Like, you know, you typically, like, you can get to a Gap if you need to. But I think that, you know, they are going through a little bit of an identity crisis where they really, you know, want to retain their sort of, their, their place in fashion as sort of a really, really trend setting brand that, you know, I don't, I don't. I think they've lost a little bit of it in recent years and they're really like using this as a moment to get back in there.
[08:27]
B
It's true, because I think of them as a basics brand versus a fashion brand. So it is an important distinction to try and find ways to latch on to cool factor so that you can be a fashion brand. Karen, what is on your.
[08:41]
C
Is that what they're doing though? It just feels kind of like a Sydney Sweeney, like minus the controversy, just kind of like the celebrity. And we're going to put all our eggs in this jeans basket and this is going to be our ad campaign and it just kind of feels a little bit like maybe we're just riding the coattails of somebody else who it worked for.
[09:02]
B
I don't know. It feels like Becky's really gunning for the win over here. But let's see. See what Karen has as her nominee.
[09:09]
D
Well, speaking of refreshing brands, which is what Gap is trying to do, I also chose as my winner Farmers Insurance, which has embarked on a major brand refresh. Insurance is a difficult category in which to stand out. The products can feel complicated and many of the ads start to blend together. Farmers tried to confront that problem with its new Honesty is our Policy platform. It replaced its familiar red, white and blue look with a striking pink identity. It introduced more straightforward messaging and flipped its famous we are Farmers jingle to. You have Farmers. It's a small change in wording, but an important one.
[10:13]
B
Karen, I really appreciate that you sang the jingle for us and because of that, you have an in perpetuity. I don't know if that's the right word. Invitation to come back to any umrahs where you will sing another jingle. My question to you though, is because I saw those commercials and I was like, is this just a spoiler spoof moment in time or is this a rebrand that is lasting the pink? Do you know?
[10:35]
D
Well, I mean, time will tell. The campaign really just kicked off, but it seems that the company is trying to move the focus from the company to the the customer. I'll also add that they are moving on from A longtime spokes and J.K. simmons and trying to preserve some of the humor associated with the brand.
[11:03]
B
I mean, it was. They're. They're definitely funny, the ads. I don't know if you guys have seen them. They're. They're running on TV now. They're funny. But I don't know. For me, it was just like the same. The same in pink, I guess. It was so subtle, the jingle change. I didn't catch it.
[11:18]
D
Yeah, I, I wondered if people would think the use of the color pink was odd. But I thought about it some more and I think, well, that's what makes it novel and definitely allows it to stand out, especially among insurers. I thought this campaign was compelling because of the scale of the reinvention. The company didn't discard everything that people know about the farmers, but it changed enough to perhaps garner another look from people.
[11:55]
B
Thank you guys for your nominees. I'm surprised nobody talked about Air Postal and their intern diaries because we've been spending so much time talking about microdramas and thinking about how do you use creators in a more quote, unquote, authentic way? The winner of our first award, the most impactful campaign, goes to. Becky for Nike. Because I actually think that despite it being six minutes and that being outrageously long, they were able to do so many things around that commercial that tied into this movement that it felt very holistic and it was like the star studded, including. Did you guys see that Zoltan was in it? Like, the whole thing was ridiculous. But I think it's because of all the ancillary things that they did that it really did make up for an impactful campaign. Well done.
[12:46]
C
Thank you. I got blanked last time, so I feel redeemed.
[12:50]
D
Was Nike an official FIFA sponsor?
[12:53]
C
They weren't, which is what made it even more impactful.
[12:57]
B
Awesome. Now on to award number two, best in real life initiatives. This is the in real life move that got people off their screens and into stores, creating an experience worth checking out. And the nominations are. Blake, who do you have on your
[13:14]
A
list for this one? I'm going to go with Aldi for opening up a store in Times Square, which I think is an interesting move for a grocer. You don't typically hear about grocery stores opening up like flagship stores in the crossroads of the universe, but as a grocery store that is making a big, big push to get into the US Market, it is a great marketing opportunity for them, particularly as they are expanding to areas of the country like the Midwest and West. That typically get a lot of tourists coming to, to New York City. So if you are a tourist from one of these areas and you're staying at a hotel near Times Square, you see an Aldi you see as an opportunity to go into the store, check it out, see how, you know, great and clean it is and well stocked it is. And then you go home and realize that they've just opened up a store near where you live. That's a great way to get the word out and get new customers. So I think it was very interesting move for, for a retailer to, for a grocery retailer to do the old Times Square flagship move.
[14:30]
B
I have so much to say about this. I looked at the pictures, it looks identical to a big box Aldi. And I thought with the tourists you were going with, like all the Europeans that are coming and staying in Times Square. And the timing was perfect. With the World cup, this influx of Europeans who are familiar with the brand might actually end up going there and buying their favorite private label stuff that they can't get anywhere else.
[14:52]
A
That's really interesting. I didn't even think about that. But probably also true. I think there has obviously been, you know, all these, opened up hundreds of new stores in the US over the last couple of years. So I was thinking that it was, it was a play at the US Tourist market. But yeah, yeah, I think maybe it's also a good way to, to show how much reach they have now for all the Europeans who came over and, you know, found an Aldi, their home grocery store right in the middle of Times Square.
[15:17]
B
Also very technical, but there aren't enough grocery stores in midtown. And so I'm sure that there was also room for there to be a grocery store over there. What I don't understand, because I'm very literal is how is this an in real life move? Is that because they were doing giveaways and things?
[15:33]
A
Well, the, the store exists in real life, so I thought it was, I thought it was fair game.
[15:40]
B
Yeah, they did do opening day exclusive. So that could have been your in real life play.
[15:46]
A
There we go. So it's, I mean, whether you say it or I say it, Susie, I think it still counts towards it being the winning idea, though.
[15:53]
B
Karen, what's yours?
[15:57]
D
My idea was Skylark, which is the Justin Bieber brand that's, that's primarily online, but for a few days it created a place in New York City, a pop up where, where, where fans could go and experience in person. According to reports, people lined up overnight. It was a site in around the block in the meatpacking district. And inside there was apparel, footwear, sneakers, along with tech enhanced mirrors, specialty drinks, and other details that made the place feel like more than a temporary store. I think this is what a strong in real life activation should do. Offer some scarcity, discovery and a sense of community.
[16:59]
B
And brilliantly timed because for anybody who watched the first ever halftime show, he had a song. It's almost like obviously they knew exactly what they were doing and that drove more people to the space. Becky, who do you have?
[17:13]
C
Well, mine is also going to be a pop up in New York City, but is LEGO a giant Lego? So for those of you who saw the LEGO ad that went viral with Messi and Ronaldo and other stars building the trophy on their social media, they took that and they actually built it in July. It was in the Rockefeller plaza. It was 27ft high. It was made out of more than a million Legos. It was open, it was free to the public. It really was this focal point where fans from all over the world could gather around this place, huge trophy, and watch the game. There was nothing to buy. It was all about bringing people together in community and kind of furthering all of these activations that LEGO had been doing during the World Cup.
[18:01]
B
And they had a fan zone. And so like I had friends who came in from England and their kids wanted to go there and like see and touch things. And for those of you who don't know, there's a LEGO store right around the corner. So of course there was probably some like a spike in sales or a halo effect. I really love this sort of how do you take a global moment, attach a brand to it and make it into like a participatory thing versus a sales thing?
[18:26]
C
I'm sorry, but tourists are going to go see the, this over at Aldi in Times Square.
[18:32]
B
Well, to be fair, this is the only one I saw in real life. But that is not why I am picking our best in real life initiative, the lego. But I mean, I don't know if you guys saw that World Cup. LEGO Gigantic cup was amazing. Truly, truly.
[18:52]
C
The pictures are. Look it up. It's pretty cool.
[18:55]
B
Yeah.
[18:56]
D
Yeah.
[18:56]
B
Okay.
[18:56]
D
I mean, it seems like the color, the, the, the gold color might be a little off, but maybe they were going for old gold.
[19:05]
B
I think it was LEGO gold, but I'm not sure.
[19:09]
A
I don't know. Maybe, maybe we need to strip it of its accolade if it's, if it's inauthentic.
[19:14]
B
Guys, I didn't realize that winning an award was such a big deal. I'm so like my competitive edge is, is like moving. It's. I have ripple effects. Okay guys, off to our third greatest under the radar move. The smart play that didn't make the headlines, but quietly move the business forward. Give me your pitch in a minute or less. The nominees, starting with you, Karen.
[19:39]
D
My under the radar selection is tailored brands. Now this is the the parent of Men's Wearhouse, Jose bank kng. They've announced that they're going to file an ipo. But also in that announcement was that their plan to add more than 500 stores over the next decade. That includes 250 Men's Warehouse, 200 Jose Banks and 50 KNG stores. Now the company currently operates more than a thousand stores and it is rebuilding its business after closing hundreds of locations and entering bankruptcy in 2020. So just, just six years ago. The store plan might be more consequential because it is a bet that physical retail still matters in menswear, particularly for formal events and clothing that customers want altered. 500 stores isn't. Isn't going to crop up overnight and of course execution will matter. But if the company gets these locations, the formats and the assortments right, I think this expansion could substantially increase its reach.
[21:06]
B
It's interesting because for me originally like the news was all about the ipo. So it truly was under the radar. The idea that they're opening more stores. I think the underlying not. I don't know that most people believe the store is dead. But what I don't know is and this is the question mark and the bet they're making is are people really getting dressed up as often and when you buy a tux, do you need to keep buying it? And is the wedding business the back to office? Like has the dress code changed again significantly that they can absorb so many more stores when they already have such a large fleet? It'll be interesting to see what happens. Becky, who's yours?
[21:47]
C
So mine is Bath and Body Works. They launched a new new fruit fusion line in July and everyone's talking about the celebrity ambassador and creator, creative partner Hilary Duff. The real under the radar move is with a completely different retailer which is Amazon. So these products are available at Bath and Body Works in their stores and online. But it's also the first time where they are being debuting this product on their Amazon storefront. So you've got this mall era brand that spent years treating Amazon like it was the enemy and they're quietly using their biggest celebrity moment of the year to test and see whether they can actually win on Amazon.
[22:29]
B
So, Becky, did they launch only in Amazon or did they launch, like, everything at the same time?
[22:35]
C
Everything at the same time.
[22:36]
B
Got it. Yeah. It's interesting. Everybody was fighting Amazon, but they realized there's so much traffic. You can't think of some sort of distribution strategy through Amazon. But it's not frequent that it's the exact same products at the exact same time. So that'll be interesting to see. Blake, what about you?
[22:53]
A
I'm gonna go with Hasbro, which debuted Play DOH for adults recently.
[22:58]
B
I love this.
[22:59]
A
It's called. It's called Blooms by Play doh. That's the name of the brand. And they've got adult crafting and home decor products. I think it's a great idea because there are so many grown adults I know that are really into Legos and apparently, like, there's a huge resale market for old Legos. And, you know, as we all know, Legos are not cheap, and they, I think, win a ton of business outside of their core segment, which is obviously children. And I think Hasbro is testing to find out can that work in other toy categories. Right. I think it's a really natural segue going into. Into Play doh. There's something about it that is kind of like DIY home crafty. Like, it has an element to it that I think could work with adults. There's probably going to be need to be a pretty big marketing push around it, because I think until I really went digging for interesting things that retailers had done that didn't really come up. So it wasn't really on my radar as a consumer. But I am very curious to see if this catches on.
[24:16]
B
Well, for me, this was like, so cute because it's kind of like slime for adults, and slime is still really big for kids. And there's this whole cadalting craze that, as you said, it's like everybody is every Crayola, every childhood brand tapping into nostalgia is thinking about how do we help with hobbies and analog sort of moments. So I love it. I also thought you guys might talk about Home Depot and how they. They're doing some interesting loyalty expansion with other partners, including a food Jimmy John's, where if you're a member of the Jimmy John's loyalty program and the home, but it has to be the pro extra.
[24:54]
C
So the
[24:57]
B
construction people. I forgot.
[24:58]
A
Yeah, I wanted to to use that as one of mine, but I couldn't figure out what bucket it would have fallen into.
[25:05]
D
Yeah, same. Same here.
[25:07]
B
I put it in under the radar, but I mean, I guess it could have been in a lot of buckets, just nobody really knew about it unless you're following the news. But it's very clever.
[25:16]
A
Yeah, I agree.
[25:17]
B
Anyways, the greatest under the radar move is Plato Blake.
[25:24]
A
That's right. Couldn't get swept.
[25:27]
C
Well, this is the right. This is the right. Susie made the right choice on this one.
[25:31]
B
So that's a wrap. Let's go back through the awards. Award one, number one, most impactful campaign went to Nike for their off the script campaign Award. Number two, best in real life initiative was Lego, who went all in on the World Cup. And number three, greatest under the radar move with Plato leaning really into the cadalting craze. That's all the time we have for today. Thank you, Karen.
[25:56]
D
Thanks a lot.
[25:57]
B
Thank you, Becky.
[25:58]
C
Happy to be back.
[26:00]
B
And thank you, Blake.
[26:01]
A
Thanks for having me.
[26:02]
B
And thanks to the team who edits the podcast and of course, to our listeners. Please leave a rating or review view and remember to subscribe. I'll see you next Wednesday for more reimagining retail. And we'll be back with the umbras at the end of August. And on Friday, you can join Marcus for another episode of behind the Numbers.