In-person retail events are becoming more important than ever — and they’re more than just a way to hand out samples or drive short-term sales. As shoppers seek out in-person connections, don’t miss the moment to make your brand matter. When done right, these retail events, or “retailtainment” events, can create meaningful shopper touch points, fuel long-term brand loyalty and generate buzz both inside and outside the store.

If your mental image of Gen Z is a bunch of teenagers glued to their devices, you’re only half right: time has marched on, as it is wont to do, and the oldest members of Gen Z are now 28 years old, while the youngest members are turning 13 this year. And there are a lot of them — they already comprise nearly one-quarter of the total population.

Retail marketers, understandably, want to appeal to this large consumer set, with spending power that’s forecasted to reach $12 trillion by 2030, according to the National Retail Federation. Even before that, in 2029, they will overtake Baby Boomers in total generational spend, according to the 2024 Spend Z report from NielsenIQ.

Explore four key considerations reshaping how CPG marketers and grocers approach in-store advertising, consumer engagement and campaign ROI. CPG marketers are facing more complexity (and opportunity) than ever before. With the rise of grocery retail media networks , the store — once seen strictly as the point of sale — is emerging as one of the most influential, versatile and brand-safe media environments for CPG brands.

Nike has recently pivoted away from its “ Consumer Direct Acceleration” strategy in favor of a more multi-channel distribution approach. What does the data say about this shift? We dove into traffic numbers and audience composition metrics to find out. 

Nike’s Strategic Pivot 

In 2020, Nike introduced its “ Consumer Direct Acceleration” strategy that had aimed to expedite the company’s DTC pivot in an effort to regain control of the brand and own the customer relationship directly. But the emphasis on owned channels did not yield the desired results – in fact, the move away from wholesale may have helped smaller sneaker companies take over shelf space and market share from the legacy sportswear brand. 

Store intelligence technologies—solutions to optimize inventory management, out-of-stocks, pricing and promotion execution, and planogram compliance—offer transformative potential for retailers to optimize brick-and-mortar retail operations.

Read this report to discover answers to these and other questions:

How far along are retailers in adopting store intelligence technologies like AI (artificial intelligence), robotics and shelf digitization—and where does growth potential remain?

In a retail world increasingly defined by digital convenience and e-commerce dominance, brick-and-mortar stores remain crucial both to retailers’ growth and to meet shoppers’ preferences for experiential retail. But while both retailers and shoppers are leaning into physical stores, there is growing acknowledgment that the in-store experience frequently falls short of customer expectations. Our survey conducted by Retail Systems Research (RSR) underscores a critical disconnect: Shoppers are demanding more engaging, intuitive, and tech-enhanced in-store experiences, yet many retailers are falling short of these expectations.

Consumers are demanding more interactive, engaging experiences, and AR and VR  deliver just that. AR and VR are doing more than making the in-store shopping experience virtual. They’re making digital commerce more accessible and engaging than ever before. With 40% of shoppers being willing to pay more for a product if they are able to test it through AR, how will you leverage this tech to future-proof your brand?  

As you know, foot traffic is the lifeblood of a physical retail store. No matter how fantastic your products or exceptional your service, none of it matters if customers aren’t walking through your door. If you’ve been looking around your quiet store, wondering how to get people off the sidewalk and inside your shop, you’re in good company. And while there’s no secret manual, per se, there are several proven things you can do to boost foot traffic and turn casual passers-by into enthusiastic shoppers.