In an ever-expanding and increasingly competitive retail and direct-to-consumer market, the power of successful marketing and ecommerce strategies cannot be underestimated. Every year, the CommerceNext Ecommerce Growth Show wraps up with a prestigious awards event, honoring the exceptional individuals and companies that have achieved breakthrough marketing and ecommerce results.
After receiving over 100 nominations, we narrowed it down to 29 finalists across 7 categories. Here are the winners of the 2023 CommerceNexty Awards:
Best Use of Data or Technology in Marketing
Samir Desai, Chief Digital + Technology Officer, Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
Hollister’s Share2Pay technology enables teenagers to easily share their shopping carts with their parents or guardians via text message. This allows the parents or guardians to review and make adjustments to the items before completing the checkout process. Through testing, which included a soft launch of the technology in 2022, Hollister found that customers who shared their carts through Share2Pay placed orders at almost 2x the rate of other customers with a 20% higher average order value. The release of Share2Pay also attracted significant attention, with notable coverage from publications like Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and more.
Most Impactful Social Responsibility Campaign
Paula Barbosa, VP Marketing, SNIPES
SNIPES, a leading provider of sneakers and urban apparel in Europe, gives back to the community through its Crack the Code project. Through this project, they have built Computer Labs to support and develop future S.T.E.M. leaders of all ages. Their latest development, the Gowanus Houses Computer Lab in Brooklyn, provides a safe space for students to learn and access resources like iPads, Smartboards, laptops and printers. They currently have 7 different labs in use.
Most Effective Brand Storytelling
Trisha Ayyagari, Global Brand President, Maybelline New York
In 2022, Maybelline launched a mental health podcast, “I’m Fine, You?”, to promote conversations and resources to destigmatize misconceptions around anxiety and depression. The podcast, hosted by mental health advocate Chrissy Rutherford, features influencers, celebrities and mental health experts discussing important topics. “I’m Fine, You?” has over 55,000 downloads to date, and was in the top 1% of the Apple Podcasts chart for Mental Health at its launch. The second season launched this past May and can be accessed on popular platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Outstanding New Ecommerce Experience
Mark Jiang, VP, Global Ecommerce, MAC Cosmetics
MAC has joined forces with Perfect Corp, a beauty and fashion tech solutions provider, to introduce a groundbreaking “Personalization in the moment” virtual tutorials tool. Leveraging cutting-edge AR and AI technology, this tool allows users to learn how to create a look using their own virtual live image, try new products and listen to a makeup artist narrate each step in real-time. The initiative generated a +284% increase in engagement for users of Trend Try-On vs. mobile site; +16% Average Order Value (AOV); 77% higher repeat users. Users described the experience as: “innovative, informative and inspiring”!
Best Use of a New Channel
Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer, e.l.f. BEAUTY
e.l.f. Beauty becomes the first beauty brand to post on the newest social channel, BeReal. BeReal enables users to share their daily experiences through one photo each day, providing an authentic glimpse into their real-time activity. The brand’s BeReal channel provides glimpses of day-to-day life at the E.L.F. headquarters, including product drops, sneak peeks, happy hour hangouts, photo shoots and much more. The results were explosive, with the company amassing over 27 million earned media impressions. Utilizing BeReal also allowed them to deepen their connections with their superfans, who became the brand’s BeReal friends in record numbers. The day after e.l.f. launched on BeReal, 16 other beauty companies joined the platform and more have continued to do so since.
Discover more ways that e.l.f. Beauty and other brands connected with Gen Z in our recent blog post.
Marketing Innovator of the Year
Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer, e.l.f. BEAUTY
e.l.f. Beauty decided to use Weather Channel research to tease a product launch and were greeted with immense success. Powered by the insight that “8 out of 10 women change their beauty routines with the weather” e.l.f. Beauty partnered with The Weather Channel and GRAMMY® Award-winning singer Meghan Trainor to break the news of an *e.l.f.ing glow storm* that would soon engulf the nation for their Halo Glow Liquid Filter. They also fabricated an iridescent Glow Plow and Beauty Doppler Glow Storm Truck, which made surprise-and-delight deliveries to over 20 editors and influencers throughout the NYC boroughs on December 13th-14th. The campaign garnered over 5 Billion earned media impressions across beauty, entertainment, trade and commerce verticals and led to over 10 million video views.
Women in Retail’s Top Woman of the Year Award
Michelle Poole, President, Crocs
By creating genuine connections with consumers through social media interactions and metaverse activations to high-profile brand and celebrity collaborations, Poole and her team meet consumers wherever they are. With an ongoing commitment to creating genuine connections, backed by product and channel innovation, Poole has set Crocs on course for continued record-setting growth and the industry is noticing. Poole was recently recognized by Women’s Wear Daily and Footwear News and is on their 50 Women in Power list.
Congratulations again to all of this year’s winners! You can learn more about the CommerceNexty awards here.
