The Indicator | February 20, 2026
The Indicator | February 20th, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead This morning, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration exceeded authority when he imposed tariffs on nearly every U.S. trading partner. While a much welcome news to many brands, it adds a bit of uncertainty on what new tariffs strategy may be put […]
The Indicator | February 13, 2026
The Indicator | February 13th, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead AI dominated the innovation news this week with Google making Etsy and Wayfair items shoppable within agentic AI search, Target testing ads on ChatGPT and skincare brands optimizing content for AI search. Meanwhile, Reddit is giving Google a run for its money when it […]
The Indicator | February 6, 2026
The Indicator | February 6th, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead In this week’s news, Levi’s is capitalizing on the Super Bowl being held in the brand’s hometown and its namesake stadium. Skin care brands are embracing ski care while wellness is driving DTC traffic growth in beauty. ‘INNOVATION MOVES’ Levi’s is hosting a three-day “Home […]
The Indicator | January 30, 2026
The Indicator | January 30th, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead News regarding AI and retail partnership continued this week with PVH partnering with OpenAI. As TikTok ownership changed hands, concerns about privacy and censorship began to emerge. And Crocs launched its new marketing campaign platform, a first since 2017. ‘INNOVATION MOVES’ PVH Corp is partnering […]
The Indicator | January 23, 2026
The Indicator | January 23rd, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead In this week’s news, Kenneth Cole embarks on a major international expansion, H&M collaborates with E.l.f and Brunello Cucinelli launches an AI-powered e-commerce platform. Meanwhile, Tom Holland’s NA Beer BERO gets private-equity backing. ‘INNOVATION MOVES’ Kenneth Cole is launching a major international expansion into 30 […]
The Indicator | January 16, 2026
The Indicator | January 16th, 2026 By Sonal GandhiThe Lead Biggest news coming out of NRF was the Walmart and Google AI announcement where shoppers can soon discover and buy items from Walmart directly through Gemini. While everyone was talking about AI, REI stressed on human connection to differentiate. Meanwhile dry January is now damp […]
The Indicator | January 9, 2026
The Indicator | January 9th, 2026 By Kim Fox The Lead Brand and celebrity collaborations continue to be popular in 2026, with Millie Bobby Brown launching a line at Walmart and Kevin Hart partnering with Authentic Brands Group to co-own and grow his brand. Branded cafes from Uniqlo and Coach have opened, following the idea […]
The Indicator | December 19, 2025
The Indicator | December 19th, 2025 By Kim FoxSenior Marketing Manager at The Lead In this week’s news, pop-ups and in-store experiences continue to be popular with Calvin Klein’s new SoHo store mirroring an NYC loft apartment and T.J. Maxx and Kendra Scott leaning into holiday experiences. Meanwhile, Elliott has built a $1 billion stake […]
The Indicator | December 12, 2025
The Indicator | December 12th, 2025 By Sonal Gandhi Chief Content Officer at The Lead A few high profile partnerships in the news this week – MAC with Chappell Roan, Gap with Summer Fridays and Ruggable with Anthropologie. Meanwhile, Google is back in the smart glasses business with a collaboration with Warby Parker. ‘INNOVATION MOVES’ […]
The Indicator | December 5, 2025
The Indicator | December 5th, 2025 By Sonal GandhiChief Content Officer at The Lead This week’s news, Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales are performed strongly, exceeding expectations despite generally low consumer sentiment. Instead of relying on significant markdowns, brands have successfully implemented new sales-driving strategies. Additionally, AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are becoming […]