Reimagining Retail: The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (November) | Nov 27, 2024

Summary

Podcast Summary: Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail – The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (November 2024)

Release Date: November 27, 2024
Host: Sara Lebo
Guests: Arielle Fager, Suzy David Canyon, Jeremy Goldman

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Introduction

In the November 27, 2024 episode of Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail, host Sara Lebo and her panel of experts dive into the Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List for the month. This episode, recorded on Thanksgiving Eve—a crucial period for retail insights—examines the strategies and innovations of eight standout retailers. The discussion is enriched by the insights of committee members Arielle Fager, Suzy David Canyon, and Jeremy Goldman, who collectively assess each retailer's impact on the evolving retail landscape.

The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List

Number 8: 7-Eleven

Timestamp: 02:28

Arielle Fager highlights 7-Eleven's strategic expansion of its Gulp radio network to 5,000 stores, emphasizing the low barrier to entry in in-store audio as a smart move for retail media. Additionally, 7-Eleven is broadening its store footprint to include more fresh food options, catering to consumers seeking convenience and value:

"7-Eleven is really starting to kind of expand its store footprint to include more fresh food options, which I think is really interesting." (Arielle Fager, 02:28)

Number 7: CeraVe

Timestamp: 03:25

Sara Lebo announces CeraVe's venture into hair care, aligning with the beauty industry's robust growth—projected at 6.6% for hair care in 2024. Jeremy Goldman praises the brand's leverage of existing brand equity:

"The way in which they're approaching it seems to lean very heavily into their existing brand equity." (Jeremy Goldman, 04:50)

Conversely, Suzy David Canyon voices concerns about market saturation:

"It's such a crowded marketplace and it's like so high, low in that there's like people go to the salon and buy like super duper expensive things... or they buy the cheapest thing in the pharmacy." (Suzy David Canyon, 05:33)

Number 6: Klairs

Timestamp: 06:16

Arielle Fager discusses Klairs' launch of five new fragrances targeting "Gen Zalpha," a demographic between Gen Z and Gen Alpha. With Gen Z's fragrance use skyrocketing from 5% in 2022 to 83% in 2023, this move taps into a significant growth opportunity:

"The price point is pretty good. I think the highest price on one of those perfumes is about 25 bucks." (Arielle Fager, 07:42)

Suzy David Canyon questions the longevity and competitive edge in a saturated fragrance market:

"It's just a really good idea. But is that the right product for them? I don't know because there's so much competition." (Suzy David Canyon, 07:22)

Number 5: Kendra Scott

Timestamp: 08:10

Arielle Fager notes Kendra Scott's foray into western wear with the new brand Yellow Rose, featuring boots, hats, jeans, and jewelry in partnership with the TV show Yellowstone. This move leverages brand affinity to capitalize on the enduring cowboy trend:

"It might be a little late on capturing the cowboy trend, but I do think that it's got such brand affinity from its customers that I think it's going to do pretty well." (Arielle Fager, 08:10)

Jeremy Goldman expresses skepticism about the timing and relevance of the cowboy trend:

"I think the timing is off." (Jeremy Goldman, 18:11)

Number 4: The Children’s Place

Timestamp: 09:19

Sara Lebo finds The Children's Place's decision to establish a storefront on Shein intriguing, given the brand's traditional positioning as a mid-priced mall retailer. This strategic pivot addresses challenges like declining mall traffic by embracing digital marketplaces:

"I guess it's not surprising when you consider that they have been struggling, especially with malls closing." (Sara Lebo, 09:19)

Jeremy Goldman emphasizes the potential benefits of partnering with Shein to create a digital mall experience:

"I think that that is definitely a winning move for them if they can basically create a digital mall with a lot of different unique storefronts." (Jeremy Goldman, 09:56)

Suzy David Canyon highlights the mutual benefits for both retailers:

"It's interesting for both of them for exactly what you both said. Shein is moving away from Chinese made products... and Children's Place is trying to shake off the expensive branding." (Suzy David Canyon, 10:05)

Number 3: Kroger

Timestamp: 10:27

Arielle Fager discusses Kroger's initiative to pilot two Asian Experience stores in North Texas, aimed at showcasing a broader selection of Asian products. This strategy not only caters to the growing Asian communities in these areas but also tests product viability before wider rollout:

"It's a really great way to kind of test and see what products are working with a specific demographic before you decide if you want to roll them out to the larger population." (Arielle Fager, 10:27)

Suzy David Canyon questions Kroger's ability to compete with authentic, community-run Asian grocery stores:

"So I'm wondering Kroger as, like, obviously a regional grocer in the US if they're going to be able to compete with the product selection and what people want." (Suzy David Canyon, 12:42)

Number 2: ELF

Timestamp: 13:14

Sara Lebo presents ELF's impressive quarterly earnings—40% sales growth—and its strategic partnership with Dollar General. This collaboration aligns ELF’s budget-friendly beauty products with Dollar General’s value-oriented retail approach:

"ELF is a budget beauty brand. They're proudly a budget beauty brand. Dollar General, proudly a budget store. So even though the brands don't match one to one, the purpose really does." (Sara Lebo, 13:14)

Jeremy Goldman attributes ELF's success to compelling marketing and expansive distribution:

"Compelling marketing campaigns and finding ways to cut very lucrative distribution deals... they are reaching a lot of new customers." (Jeremy Goldman, 14:09)

Suzy David Canyon adds that this partnership injects "cool factor" into Dollar General:

"I find that this is really good for the dollar stores... because they need some cool factor." (Suzy David Canyon, 14:51)

Number 1: Amazon

Timestamp: 15:01

At the pinnacle of the list sits Amazon, recognized for transforming Black Friday into a week-long event dubbed the Cyber Dozen. Sara Lebo underscores Amazon's latest venture—Haul, a budget-friendly goods storefront designed to rival Shein and Temu by offering faster delivery at competitive prices:

"Amazon finally launched Haul, which is their Shein Temu knockoff... it's a huge play for Amazon." (Sara Lebo, 15:54)

Jeremy Goldman appreciates the move but points out the limitation of Haul being mobile-only:

"Right now it's still mobile only. It is cool that it exists, but... you have something being available across all form factors." (Jeremy Goldman, 16:22)

Editing the List: Suzy and Jeremy’s Contributions

In the second half of the episode, Suzy David Canyon and Jeremy Goldman critique and suggest modifications to the initial list.

Suzy's Move: Adjusting ELF’s Position

Timestamp: 17:02

Suzy proposes moving ELF from number 2 to number 8, arguing that while the partnership with Dollar General is beneficial for the latter, it may not be as advantageous for ELF itself:

"I think it's good for Dollar General. So if we're talking about something creative that ELF is doing, I don't think that's great." (Suzy David Canyon, 17:18)

Sara Lebo resists the change, valuing ELF's current position:

"I'm keeping it where it is. Number eight tends to fall off the list because you guys tend to convince us of pretty good new things to add." (Sara Lebo, 17:57)

Jeremy’s Move: Demoting Kendra Scott and Introducing Rent the Runway

Timestamp: 18:11

Jeremy suggests lowering Kendra Scott to number 8, citing timing issues with the cowboy trend:

"I just see it… the timing is off." (Jeremy Goldman, 18:23)

The panel reluctantly agrees, shifting Kendra Scott to number 8. Jeremy then introduces Rent the Runway as a wildcard for the list, advocating for its innovative approach to clothing ownership:

"They are reintroducing themselves to everybody after 15 years being on the market with a really interesting campaign." (Jeremy Goldman, 19:28)

Arielle Fager counters, questioning Rent the Runway's consistency and market alignment:

"Reminding people to rent clothes and not buy them is not where they're going to get people." (Arielle Fager, 21:11)

Suzy’s Addition: KFC

Timestamp: 22:01

Suzy adds KFC to the list at number 5, highlighting its unconventional retail ventures such as chicken-scented candles and limited-edition chicken-flavored wrapping paper. She admires KFC’s creativity in capturing consumer attention:

"They have a candle called the bucket of chicken candle... they're also partnering with Build a Bear Workshop." (Suzy David Canyon, 22:01)

Sara Lebo concurs, moving Kendra Scott to number 8 and placing KFC at number 5:

"I've convinced me to put KFC on the list. You have not convinced me to put them at number 5 above Klairs and 7-Eleven." (Sara Lebo, 24:11)

Arielle Fager expresses enthusiasm for KFC’s innovative approach:

"I think it's got such brand affinity from its customers that I think it's going to do pretty well." (Arielle Fager, 25:01)

Final Updated List

After deliberation, the final Most Interesting Retailers List for November 2024 stands as follows:

1. Amazon
2. ELF
3. Kroger
4. The Children’s Place
5. KFC
6. CeraVe
7. Claire’s
8. 7-Eleven

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with reflections on the dynamic shifts in the retail sector, emphasizing the importance of innovation and adaptability. The panel acknowledges that while some strategies, like KFC’s novelty products, might seem gimmicky, they effectively capture consumer interest in a crowded market. The discussion underscores the delicate balance retailers must maintain between brand integrity and creative expansion to stay relevant and competitive.

Notable Quotes:

• “The way in which they're approaching it seems to lean very heavily into their existing brand equity.” – Jeremy Goldman (04:50)
• “It's such a crowded marketplace... people go to the salon and buy like super duper expensive things... or they buy the cheapest thing in the pharmacy.” – Suzy David Canyon (05:33)
• “Rent the Runway... is a kind of zag when Everybody else is zigging.” – Jeremy Goldman (20:11)
• “They are the second most interesting chicken innovator… how can you be the second most interesting chicken innovator and still be on the list?” – Jeremy Goldman (23:43)

The panel concludes by inviting listeners to provide ratings and reviews, while teasing future episodes that will continue to explore the intersections of retail with digital media and consumer behavior.

Transcript

[Sara Lebo]

Emarketer is your trusted partner for actionable data and insights on marketing, advertising, commerce, and more. But did you know eMarketer also has a division focused on B2B media solutions. Partner with eMarketer today and connect your brand messaging with our powerful audiences. Visit eMarketer.com advertise to learn more. Hello, listeners. Today is Wednesday, November 27th. Happy Thanksgiving Eve. Or as we in the retail industry call it, Black Friday Eve Eve. Welcome to behind the Numbers Reimagining Retail, an eMarketer podcast. This is the show where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm your host, Sara Lebo. Today's episode topic is our November unofficial Most interesting Retailers of the month list. Before we get into that list, let's meet today's guests. Joining me for today's episode, we have fellow committee member Arielle Fager. Hi, Arielle.

[Arielle Fager]

Hi. I'm euphoric to be here today.

[Sara Lebo]

I love that you keep your thesaurus next to your podcast.

[Arielle Fager]

Yeah, that one I did look up.

[Sara Lebo]

Also with us is Zuzi David Canyon. Hey, Suzy.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Hi.

[Sara Lebo]

And also here it is. Jeremy Goldman. Hey, Jeremy.

[Jeremy Goldman]

Hey. I'm so excited to be here. Is it okay if I keep on working on this stuffing for tomorrow as we're podcasting?

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, just keep it at, what, a low simmer? No, you bake stuffing. I don't know.

[Arielle Fager]

You do a lot of stuff with stuffing.

[Sara Lebo]

You do a lot of stuff with it. It's a lot of process. It is my favorite side dish.

[Jeremy Goldman]

Oh, it's not a side dish for me. It's like, if I have any extra time, I'll eat something other than the stuffing.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, let's jump into our unofficial Most Interesting Retailers of the month list. This list is slightly funky because it's the 27th. So we're doing this just before our Thanksgiving Black Friday event. So there's a chance these retailers do something a little crazy in the next few days. But just going off of what we know from this month so far, Arielle and I will present our list in the first half of this episode. And in the second half, Suzy and Jeremy will have the opportunity to edit our list. So here is our list number. 8, 7, 11. Wow, that's so confusing to say. Arielle, tell us about 8, 7, 11.

[Arielle Fager]

So 711 is on the list for kind of two main reasons. One is they're expanding its Gulp radio network to 5,000 stores across its portfolio. And that is just, you know, a really smart retail media move. We've seen a lot of retailers move into in store audio. It's got a really low barrier to entry. And, you know, it's just a really smart way for a lot of retailers to start, you know, experimenting with in store retail media. The other reason is 711 is really starting to kind of expand its store footprint to include more fresh food options, which I think is really interesting. You know, I think a lot of consumers are now looking for value, looking for convenience stores to provide them with more food options. So I think that's just a great way to cater to consumers desires like that.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, you summed it up. I don't have more to say about that solidly. Number eight.

[Arielle Fager]

Great.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay. Number seven is CeraVe for announcing a new line of hair care. So CeraVe is a skincare company. We know that skincare and beauty in general is growing at a really healthy clip. We have healthcare and personal care projected to grow at 4.8% this year in 2024. Hair care in particular, though, is going to grow at 6.6%. That's for retail sales, according to our forecast. So I think it makes sense that they're expanding their reach by getting into sort of another industry, maybe expanding their audience, and maybe getting their current consumer to buy more.

[Jeremy Goldman]

I do love beauty. For those of you who don't know, I've worked in the industry for years. That's why I look this good. And I think one of the most important things, podcasting, I really, very much so. They don't put me on the weekly listen for a reason. But I will say that, you know, like, really, when you have a degree of brand equity in one category, at some point, you know, you have to look to see where else can you. Do you have permission to play? You know, like, so something like fragrance would feel very, very off for this brand. I think that the haircare and the way in which they're approaching it, you know, seems to lean very heavily into their existing brand equity. You can see that in the packaging. So, yeah, I think this is definitely interesting. And I think, more importantly, does it have a chance to succeed? And I would say, yeah, it's so interesting.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Cause I have the opposite. Not that, I mean, I 100%. You need to have the right sort of authenticity and you have to have the permission to go from one product category to the other. I just think that, yeah, even if they have super clean, low product count, really nice packaging, sticks to their skincare mantra. It's such a crowded marketplace and it's like so high, low in that there's like People go to the salon and buy like super duper expensive things because they think that's really good for them or they buy the cheapest thing in the. And so, like at the pharmacy, the shelves are. Are so stacked with so many different brands. Like, just think about L'Oreal and how many different types of brands they have. I just think it's saturated hard.

[Jeremy Goldman]

And just to clarify, I actually do agree with you here. It's one of those things that I think a lot of people don't pay attention to is the average beauty category line that launches also folds within a short time period. So not everything is successful. But I think you have to figure out where do you have even a chance of succeeding? Cause at the end of the day, you know, it's all about expanding your product line.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, I'll admit, I think Suzy just got a peek at what I was looking at on my laptop, which is that the CeraVe branding, which is very. No nonsense to me, looks a lot like the mane and tail branding a little bit.

[Jeremy Goldman]

I see what you mean. But it's like it still looks like CeraVe.

[Suzy David Canyon]

I think so, too.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, let's keep moving. Number six, Klairs. Arielle. Say more on this one.

[Arielle Fager]

So the reason Klairs is on the list this month is they launched five new fragrances in a body care collection. And these are all aimed at what they're calling Gen Zalpha, which is kind of the consumers in between Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Now. I think it's a kind of interesting move. Fragrance has really, you know, been a big seller in the beauty world. Gen Z's fragrance use has jumped from 5% in 2022 to 83% in 2023. So I think that's just a really big opportunity there. Somehow I've ended up Claire's number one fan. I'm always adding them to the list. I just want to see him succeed.

[Suzy David Canyon]

I think you guys can guess what I'm going to say that I think it's really interesting move because how many earrings are you going to buy? And like, how often do you buy earrings and how many times are you going to go get ear pierced and how many people are going to the mall to go to Claire's? You need more product. So product extension in this case, I think is a really good idea. It's just that is that the right product for them? I don't know because there's so much competition at the mall with Bath and Body Works and everybody loves that.

[Sara Lebo]

Or even Sephora. Like when I was a teenager, you'd go into Sephora and Victoria's Secret has.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Like a really strong, like not fragrance fragrance, sort of like body fragrance kind of. So I don't know. I hope it works for them. But it is interesting.

[Jeremy Goldman]

We do have a lot of data that private label consumption is on the rise. So I think that that's probably important to mention.

[Arielle Fager]

And so I was going to say the price point is pretty good. I think the highest price on one of those perfumes is about 25 bucks. Which, you know, when you're thinking about Gen Alpha, they're, you know, their K. They're not, you know, they don't have a full salary yet. So that could be also a sweet spot to have something that they can afford.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. Let's put Jenn Alpha to work. Kidding. Let's keep moving. Number five is Kendra Scott. Arielle, why is Kendra Scott on the list?

[Arielle Fager]

So they. Kendra Scott. The brand is launching a western wear brand. It's going to be called Yellow Rose. It's going to sell boots, hats, jeans, and, of course, jewelry, like the line they created in partnership with Paramount, the TV show Yellowstone, and, you know, we saw it happen with Beyonce, with Taylor Swift, the cowboy thing. It might be a little late on capturing the cowboy trend, but I do think that it's got such brand affinity from its customers that I think it's going to do pretty well.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. I think that covers Kendra Scott. Number four, the Children's Place, which is setting up a storefront on Xi'an to sell their clothing. This is interesting to me because I think of the Children's Place as almost like, I don't want to say upscale, but a little pricier kind of mall brand. That's what it was when I was growing up. So setting up on Shein is a surprising move to me. I guess it's not surprising when you consider that they have been struggling, especially with malls closing. But I don't know if it's a smart move. It's definitely an interesting one.

[Jeremy Goldman]

Yeah. I will say, I think that they are competing in a very challenging and interesting marketplace, for sure. I think, if anything, I would almost flip this and say, like, who is it more interesting for Shein, who's for over a year now tried to encourage people to open up these marketplaces within shein. I think that. Or these storefronts within Shein. I think that that to me is definitely a winning move for them if they can basically create a digital mall with a lot of different unique storefronts for children's place. It's almost like out of necessity. Well, let's try something.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. You know who it feels like Shein's going toe to toe with is Target, which has really high quality private label clothing for children. Children's clothing.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Yeah, me too. I think this is brilliant for both of them for exactly what you both said. Shein is moving away from Chinese made products and trying to shake that off with all the regulation that's happening. And Children's Place is trying to shake off the expensive branding. And so together, hopefully it'll work for them.

[Sara Lebo]

Number three, we have Kroger. Arielle.

[Arielle Fager]

Kroger is planning to pilot two what they're calling Asian Experience stores in North Texas next year. These are going to kind of showcase a wider selection of Asian products alongside other, you know, normal grocery fresh and shelf stable items. I think it's a really great way to kind of test and see what products are working with a specific demographic before you decide if you want to roll them out to the larger, you know, population. And I think it's just a really great way to kind of foster the community. Apparently, you know, the Asian communities in these specific towns have been growing in the past few years. So I think it's just a really great way to get them to shop at Kroger rather than another store that, you know is in town.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Arielle, do you know if it's in a Kroger, an existing Kroger, or it's a standalone experience?

[Arielle Fager]

Yes, these will be standalone stores.

[Suzy David Canyon]

It's interesting because, like at the grocery store by me, which I realize I live in a big city, has like an international section.

[Sara Lebo]

Right.

[Suzy David Canyon]

And so it's interesting to think about needing to pull out the experience from a non international brand to make it.

[Sara Lebo]

A standard store has an international section. Yet still a lot of consumers in your city, New York City, are either going to Chinatown to shop or going to H Mart to shop. So even those, like, international sections maybe don't cut it.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Well, they're so small.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah.

[Suzy David Canyon]

And like, I wanted pierogies and my mom was like, why don't you go to a Polish store? So I feel like a lot of different come to North Brooklyn.

[Sara Lebo]

Oh, are so many pierogies.

[Jeremy Goldman]

Oh, yeah, yeah. There are really good places around there.

[Arielle Fager]

Oh, I do kind of wonder though, like, the reason that people go to Asian grocery stores or to like a very specific demographic grocery stores is they're usually run by people in that demographic. And so they have a closer, I would assume a closer connection to the brands, the foods, the type of products that people want. So I'm wondering Kroger as, like, obviously a, you know, regional grocer in the US if they're going to be able to compete with, like, the product selection and, like, what people want from.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah.

[Suzy David Canyon]

And the authenticity. Right. My whole life, my dad has been going to the. To where they live, the Chinatown grocery store, to buy, like, goji berries and other random things. And so I grew up doing that. But everybody there is from that part of the world.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. I mean, H Mart, which seems to me like what Kroger is going for here was founded in Queens, which I didn't realize by a Korean immigrant. So you're right, Arielle, to question how. I mean, I actually don't know, though. Kroger could very well be hiring the right team for this.

[Arielle Fager]

Yeah. I think it's like a, you know, to be seen.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, moving along. Number two, E L F. E L F posted excellent earnings this past quarter with a 40% sales gain and also announced that they'll be selling their items at Dollar General in a partnership. That's a great idea. E L F is a budget beauty brand. They're proudly a budget beauty brand. Dollar General, proudly a budget store. So even though the brands don't match one to one, the purpose really does.

[Arielle Fager]

This is another example, kind of like the children's place in selling on Shein, where I do feel like this is good for both brands. I think it's going to be great for ELF to get their products in Dollar General, where customers may not be generally shopping them otherwise. And I think it's going to be really good for Dollar General, which has also been struggling to kind of find new inroads with its customers. So I think this is win, win.

[Jeremy Goldman]

Part of why I think that ELF has done so well over the last few years really is interesting. Compelling marketing campaigns and finding ways to cut very lucrative distribution deals. So it's not just selling into the same doors year over year. It's a lot easier if you keep on increasing distribution to be able to reach a lot of new customers. I think that's what they're doing. And I think that when you cut a deal with a struggling retailer like that, you are likely to cut some backroom deals in terms of getting co op marketing and other things that benefit that launch and allow them to keep on anniversarying their sales. I don't know if they can keep on growing at the rate that they are, but it's still impressive.

[Suzy David Canyon]

I find that this is really good for the dollar stores. Or like Dollar General in this particular instance, because they need some cool factor, right?

[Arielle Fager]

Yeah.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay. And finally at number one, we have Amazon. Amazon has turned Black Friday into a week long event which, Jeremy, your team deemed Cyber Dozen. Is that what you came up with?

[Jeremy Goldman]

Yeah, the Cyber Dozen is the new Cyber5.

[Sara Lebo]

Love that. That's not crazy interesting to me. I mean, more Black Friday, longer Black Friday. We've been talking about that for 30 years. What is interesting to me is that Amazon finally launched Haul, which is their Shein Temu knockoff. As if those knockoff sites could have a knockoff. It's Amazon's cheap goods storefront and this is a huge play. It's potentially going to undercut Shein and Temu with faster delivery. I think it might not be great for the world as it puts more products out into everywhere, but it's a huge play for Amazon.

[Jeremy Goldman]

I will say, I think one of the things that was unfortunate about this is, yes, I understand you've got to get something out quickly. I'm putting that in air quotes. But right now it's still mobile only. It is cool that it exists, but I mean, everybody, yes, you obviously need a mobile experience. I think a lot of people do get frustrated when they're forced into a specific type of experience as opposed to having something being available across, like all form factors.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, so there you have it. That is our list. So the final list as it currently stands is number 8, 7 11. Number 7, CeraVe. Number 6, Claire's. Number 5, Kendra Scott. Number 4, the Children's Place. Number 3, Kroger. Number 2, Elf. And number 1, Amazon. Now it's time for our second half where Suzy and Jeremy get to tell us where we went wrong. Each of them will have a chance to move a brand up or down our rankings list and to add a new company entirely. So, Suzy, why don't you go first and make a move?

[Suzy David Canyon]

So. Cause I can't move multiple things at the same time. I am only moving ELF to number eight so that Children's Place can be closer to the top.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, what is your argument for ELF being number eight? Cause I thought the Dollar General partnership was really interesting.

[Suzy David Canyon]

I think it's interesting, but I don't think it's good for elf. I think it's good for Dollar General. So if we're talking about something creative that ELF is doing, I don't think that's great. And I think that their earnings was fine, but it's nothing to write. And so that's why Ariel, I don't.

[Arielle Fager]

Know, Susie, I think the Dollar General partnership is really interesting, and I think the argument isn't necessarily, you know, whether it's better for Dollar General or better for elf. I think it's still a, you know, move that will kind of get the attention of consumers and got our attention, so a little too much for me.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, I'm keeping it where it is. Number eight tends to fall off the list because you guys tend to convince us of pretty good new things to add. I don't want this falling off the list, so I'm keeping it where it is. Jeremy, what is your move?

[Jeremy Goldman]

I think I would probably honestly move Kendra Scott to round number 42 on the list. And I think the reason being, no offense to. I realize that the odds of me winning this is low because you winning.

[Sara Lebo]

We're not competing.

[Jeremy Goldman]

Fine, we're not competing. But the fact that you have it as number five and not number eight means you thought a lot of this campaign. I don't necessarily really see it. I understand that you have to reenergize a brand that's been around for over two decades now, but to me, I think there are better ways to do it. And I think also tapping into Cowboy trend and Yellowstone, both are. I mean, I think that Kevin Costner trying to get off the boat should tell you something. Maybe, like, a little bit too late. The timing is off.

[Sara Lebo]

I'm okay with moving Kendra Scott down. Ariel might put up a fight on this one. I'm okay with it.

[Arielle Fager]

I would allow moving it down, but I just gotta say, what about Bama Rush talk? Those girls are gonna eat.

[Sara Lebo]

That was so three years ago, though.

[Arielle Fager]

It doesn't matter. They're still buying it. They're still buying the stuff, and that's all that matters.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, we'll move them down for now. So Kendra Scott down to number eight. Jeremy, who would you introduce to the wit list as your wildcard, and where would you put them?

[Jeremy Goldman]

Well, we live in New York City. A lot of people rent. I would like to introduce you to Rent the Runway, who is reintroducing themselves to everybody after 15 years being on the market with a really interesting campaign, talking to consumers about moving beyond traditional ownership and embracing access over accumulation. And I think that that leans into a lot of. Of different trends. They've been kind of challenged as a retailer for a while now. And I think reminding people what you do at a time during the holidays, essentially, when everybody's tapping into essentially excess consumption that we all love to do, is a kind of zag when Everybody else is zigging.

[Sara Lebo]

If a company called Rent the Runway needs to rebrand to remind people what they do, is there hope?

[Jeremy Goldman]

You know, it's a good point that I think that a lot of other people have built up their brand equity in this space. Like, you know, the thread ups of the world. Yeah, like, there's a. A lot of other people in this category. But I think that when you've been around for a while and you celebrate that you've been around for a while, I think that that is a way to remind people that you are the leader. And again, it's like you lean into what you have. And one of the things that they have is longevity and being, like, a forebearer of a lot of other.

[Sara Lebo]

Where do you want to put that?

[Jeremy Goldman]

I mean, not so excited about it, but I'd say probably eight, which I guess, sadly would have to knock on Scott out, you know, so I. I love Austin, by the way. It's no offense to Austin.

[Sara Lebo]

Arielle, Rent the Runway number eight. Knocking Kendra Scott off.

[Arielle Fager]

I can't. I can't. Because. Because.

[Sara Lebo]

Because they're always doing. They're always rebranding.

[Arielle Fager]

That's the thing. Okay, so there's two reasons why I. I'm kind of not into this. One is they are constantly rebranding. You know, we've. We've really. We've seen it all. Two is I just. That zagging when everyone else is zigging or whatever, trying to get people to be less consumer driven during the holidays feels just like a very weird mismatch to me. And I think that reminding people to rent clothes and not buy them is not where they're going to get people. I think giving them options, giving them exciting choices, innovation, making it easy. That's where they're going to get consumers.

[Sara Lebo]

That's a great point.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Plus, they sell the clothes after a while anyways, so.

[Sara Lebo]

All right. Sorry, Jeremy. Rent the Runway has not knocked Kendra Scott off. Suzy might be able to knock them off, though. Who are you putting them?

[Suzy David Canyon]

I'm putting them at number five. Who arbitrarily. Because that's where there was the gap in your list. Okay, are you guys ready? It's kfc. And it's not because they're a quick service restaurant, but it's because they're doing all kinds of things at retail. Like, did you guys hear about this already? They have a candle. They just introduced a candle called the bucket of chicken candle, which features notes of chicken browned flour, peppercorn, and garlic. They have other Types of candles. So one, they're selling candles. Two, they also launched Christmas wrapping paper that tastes like chicken. It's limited edition. So a sense of urgency.

[Sara Lebo]

And it is a sense of urgency because it's chicken flavored and you need to eat it before it goes bad.

[Suzy David Canyon]

And it tastes like the original recipe of kfc with a refreshing hint of cranberry sauce and aromatic pinch of sage, blah, blah, blah. But the other part of the whole campaign of, like, trying to bring their brand, their chicken brand to life at retail is that they're also partnering with Build a Bear Workshop. And if you guys Google it and see the pictures of the bears, they're so cute. One of them is in the KFC bucket. And so while do I think it's gonna move the needle for KFC as a place that I'm gonna now go buy chicken because of all these extra ancillary things, probably not. But do I think it's very clever and that they've understood how gimmicky they need to get more people to pay attention to them. 100%.

[Sara Lebo]

Oh, my God. The bears at Build A Bear are so expensive, but they're so cute. Look at that.

[Jeremy Goldman]

Wait, I will just say that Chick Fil a is doing a lot of other interesting things in this space. So it's a little bit hard, like, for me to be like, yeah, I totally agree.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Well, Chick Fil a is doing their entertainment hobby, but I think, how can.

[Jeremy Goldman]

You be the second most interesting chicken innovator and still be on the list?

[Sara Lebo]

So I think there is a reason for this, that Suzy is getting by on a technicality, which is that we don't usually allow quick service restaurants. QSRs on this list. But Suzy has leaned into them as a retailer. And Chick Fil a is not doing something as a retailer.

[Suzy David Canyon]

But they're also doing cartoon episodes. That's the cool thing that they're doing, which is very cool. And we talk about it in our retail trends report, but it's not the same as a sale. It's a different way of getting loyalty and brand building.

[Sara Lebo]

Suzy, maybe it was just your tone and your appeal as a salesperson, but you've convinced me to put KFC on the list. You have not convinced me to put them at number 5 above Clara survey and 7 11. I will put them at number 8 and knock Kendra Scott off the list.

[Arielle Fager]

I would be okay with that. I think it was Suzy's joy that really sold this for me. Because novelty things from fast food retailers kind of par for the course but just how excited you got about the Build a Bears is, that's the joy to my heart.

[Jeremy Goldman]

I'm just happy that Kendra Scott was defeated.

[Arielle Fager]

Everyone's happy.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, so our updated list. We have number 8, KFC, number 7, 7, 11. That's the right spot for it to be number 6, Serave, number 5, Claire's, number 4, Children Children's Place, number 3, Kroger, number 2, Elf, and number 1, Amazon. That is all we have time for today, so thank you so much for being here. Suzy.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Thanks for having me.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you, Jeremy.

[Jeremy Goldman]

This was great. Thank you.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you, Arielle.

[Arielle Fager]

Oh, so happy to be here.

[Sara Lebo]

Please give us a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks to our listeners and to Victoria, who edits the podcast and always ranks number one on our unofficial list. We'll be back next Wednesday with another episode of Reimagining Retail and Emarketer podcast and join Marcus on Monday for another episode of the behind the Numbers Daily Happy Holiday.