Jasmine Glasheen

Need something to restore your faith in humanity during this time of global chaos? You might be surprised to learn that data from research firms such as Accenture and McKinsey points to a rise in conscious consumption during Covid. In fact, McKinsey reports that concerns such as “how companies take care of the health and safety of their employees” and “sustainable/eco-friendly products” have reached all-time highs in the U.S. and/or Europe. This is happening on both a consumer and personal level. Individuals are gravitating towards concerns …

Best-Selling Product Categories of Conscious CapitalismRead More

“Influencer” has become a dirty word. Brands were slowly gravitating from macro to micro influencers before the pandemic. But “Covidiot” influencers such as Arielle Charnas––who took a very public trip to the Hamptons seven days after being diagnosed with Covid-19––have expedited the idiocy process. Even though Nordstrom hadn’t worked with Charnas since 2019, social media users called out Nordstrom for months until the retailer issued a formal statement saying they had no plans to work with her in the future. It’s a challenging landscape: …

A New Breed of Influencers Emerge During Covid-19Read More

These are challenging times, but not all retailers are struggling. The 8.7 percent drop in retail sales from February to March didn’t hit every sector. While clothing and accessory sales took the biggest hit, certain retailers––such as those selling home furnishings online––unexpectedly benefitted from consumer shopping behaviors during the pandemic and signs point to the fact that they’ll continue to thrive after the outbreak. Beyond the obvious sanitization companies like Clorox and Purell, video conferencing apps (Zoom and Google Hangouts), …

A Closer Look at Brands That Are Thriving During CovidRead More

It’s supposed to be the collaboration of the decade. Right when Kanye West’s Yeezy brand launched its interactive 3D website, Mr. West announced a new ongoing collaboration with Gap. Kanye will remodel a Gap outlet downtown Chicago as part of the deal. It seems like a good idea, right? The Yeezy/Adidas sneaker collab was hugely successful and Yeezy brought in $1.3 billion last year alone. But this doesn’t mean that Yeezy would also bring new life to the ailing mall-based retailer. There are five reasons why the Gap collaboration won’t match …

Is Kanye’s New Gap Collaboration Dead on Arrival?Read More

The hot topic on everyone’s minds is: why won’t Gen Z stay inside? The answer to this question is complicated, but it also has big implications for the retail industry. The world is in a tizzy about the behavior of Next-Gens during Covid. Gen Z is taking fewer precautions than any other generation to prevent virus spread. Only slightly over half (57 percent) are social distancing and there was an onslaught of photos of Gen Z and millennials partying it up over spring break on the beach. While, at first glance, it may appear that Gen Z is …

A Mental Health Crisis: Gen Z and CoronavirusRead More

It’s a strange time to come of age, but Gen Z is doing just that in a world on lockdown. While it’s beginning to look like there’s light at the end of the tunnel for nonessential retailers, NextGen consumers have been profoundly impacted by the Covid crisis and their purchasing behavior will never be the same. Young consumers’ trust, and engagement with brands during shutdowns will play a factor in what brands they choose to patronize when stores reopen. The number of available entry-level jobs will also play a factor, as that determines …

Millennial and Gen Z Trust in a Newly Reopened WorldRead More