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Kate Newlin

For Whom the Retail Bell Tolls

By Kate Newlin   |   September 15, 2020

Recent news headline: Retail CEO announces that luxe retail is the new normal. Another recent news headline: Real estate empresario comments on how overbuilt and expensive New York City has become. We were, of course, shocked to learn that real estate was expensive here. Any fair-minded observer can be forgiven a moment of disgust as these particular twin revisionist rationales work to fling more pixie dust on the legitimate question we face, Whither retail reality? Ghost Town It's not all Covid all the time. Think of the forced march to …

For Whom the Retail Bell TollsRead More

Why This Is So Hard

By Kate Newlin   |   August 25, 2020

Several Christmases ago I was invited to one of those Secret Santa holiday parties. I am always a hopeless failure at such under-$25 scavenger hunts, but the erstwhile colleague who drew my name was far more able. Thus, around the luncheon table at the moment of reveal, I received a gift from the Museum of Modern Art: a coffee cup and bag with the legendary I "Heart" New York insignia. I was enthralled and have used both endlessly. We now fast forward to the moment at hand; from repeated dishwasher visits the cup has begun to lose its …

Why This Is So HardRead More

How the Coronavirus is Going to Change Our Lives

By Kate Newlin   |   August 3, 2020

In its recent review of A Bit of a Stretch, a prison memoir from filmmaker and ersatz tax fraudster Chris Atkins, The New York Times reports on his observation that sexual pornography isn’t the primary tool of gratification and anticipation of release in the British prison system. Rather, GQ’s brand of capitalist porn is the lusted after publication of prisoners’ choice. “Prisoners drooled endlessly over Orlando Bloom’s watch or David Beckham’s shoes, believing they too could possess these luxuries if they sold enough drugs,” Atkins is quoted …

How the Coronavirus is Going to Change Our LivesRead More

We Have Seen the Consumer and It is Us

By Kate Newlin   |   May 10, 2020

The most pressing question facing our consumer society and economy is the one we keep asking each other: What's going to happen? David Ogilvy famously told his clients, "The consumer is your wife," and, while editing it a bit for changes in the workplace and culture, his dictum still holds: "The consumer is you. The consumer is me. The consumer is the person down the street. The consumer is us." And we, the consumers, are unsure of what will happen next and how we're going to react to THAT next worrisome thing that heads our way. Take …

We Have Seen the Consumer and It is UsRead More

Kate Newlin - With Neither a Bang nor a Whimper - The Robin Report

With Neither a Bang nor a Whimper

By Kate Newlin   |   April 20, 2020

It has taken a month or so for the new Covid-19 reality to do what two generations of business consultants, retail strategists and brand marketers have not been able to do: reinvigorate the center aisle of the grocery store. Take a walk through any food store in your new Covid protective mask. The once exciting peripheries chock-a-block with fresh kale of various heritages, artisanal cheeses and cage-free poultry parts are still robustly stocked. Move your cart into the once moribund middle corridors however, and you see how the zeitgeist has …

With Neither a Bang nor a WhimperRead More

Kate Newlin - Retail Relevance - The Robin Report

What Happened to Retail Relevance?

By Kate Newlin   |   March 4, 2020

Let's review the bidding. The hottest bauble in Tiffany? A breakfast seat at the Blue Box Café. It's nearly impossible to get a reservation here, unless, of course, you're a high roller who's escorted into the Holly Golightly inspired eatery by your personal sales associate. Don't expect to gain entry based on the purchase of a sterling key chain. Nope. The smartest stocking stuffer this past Christmas season? The Dolce & Gabbana hand-wrapped pasta offered exclusively through Neiman-Marcus, augmented by the D&G bespoke small …

What Happened to Retail Relevance?Read More

Everything Old is New Again, Retailers! Time to Imagine Reimagining?

By Kate Newlin   |   October 5, 2019

I wrote Shopportunity! in 2006 as a plea to retailers and fashion brands to stop discounting the value of their wares. I pointed out the devastating erosion resulting from when all they did was shout out price and make up on volume on what they gave away on margin. I reported on consumers' irritation at coupons and discounts -- and then more discounts. For example, the lure to sign up for a credit card with an attractive discount, and then reveal those Sunday circular coupons squirreled away under the cash-wrap for more discounts. All this just …

Everything Old is New Again, Retailers! Time to Imagine Reimagining?Read More

Creating Diets Beyond the Diet

By Kate Newlin   |   June 23, 2019

I was interviewed the other day by a reporter for the Commercial Observer, asking me about the "fast food" salad chain, Sweetgreen. Described by Wikipedia: "Sweetgreen is an American fast casual restaurant chain that serves salads. It was founded in August 2007 by Nicolas Jammet, Nathaniel Ru, and Jonathan Neman, three months after they graduated from Georgetown University's undergraduate business school." Their website describes their business as: "Simple, seasonal, healthy salads and grain bowls made in-house from scratch, using whole …

Creating Diets Beyond the DietRead More

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Copyright © 2022 · Robin Lewis, Inc. All rights reserved. Copying or reproducing, by any means whatsoever, of The Robin Report, or any distribution hereof, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Robin Lewis, Inc. is strictly prohibited. The Robin Report is published for senior executives in the retail, fashion, beauty, consumer products and related industries. The opinions expressed herein are not, and should not be construed as investment or other advice. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice.