Market Watch

getty Talk to anyone about your work as a marketing professional and the conversation will likely steer toward traditional and digital advertising: TV, radio, print, direct mail, banner ads, streaming audio and video, native content, paid search and social media. No surprises here. These are, after all, the marketing assets with which they interact on a daily basis. These assets are also what we as marketers pour our time, energy and resources into producing. But marketing goes far beyond the ads served while streaming a show, flipping through a magazine or scrolling social media feeds. And chances are you’re missing opportunities to introduce and reinforce your brand. What Opportunities Exist Beyond Advertising? Here are six unique ways to reach prospects and customers with your brand narrative outside of the more obvious advertising channels: 1. Website Sure, your website is one of the most valuable pieces of real estate you own. But when was the last time you audited your website or overhauled it? A website’s design and content should reinforce your brand identity and provide a consistent, outstanding experience for first-time visitors and repeat customers alike. Drive traffic to relevant landing pages and maintain a high degree of cohesiveness […]

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By Brandon Best A growing population of underbanked consumers is presenting major opportunities for Fintech and … [+] getty Underbanked consumers represent a massive and misunderstood segment of the US consumer market. These individuals tend to be disproportionately younger, poorer, and persons of color. They have distinct attitudes and motivations that have not been catered to by the traditional banking system. Decreased trust in financial institutions , tightening lending standards, and rising interest rates will push this segment further away from the traditional banking environment. Building trust and ultimately adoption of banking services within this population is a big opportunity for all stakeholders. These consumers are digitally savvy and increasingly comfortable banking beyond the confines of a physical network of ATM and retail locations. The emergence of De-Fi and Cryptocurrency underscores the increased digital savviness and lack of trust in financial institutions. These technologies however are too nascent and do not offer a large enough scope of coverage to meet the needs of this consumer. The advancement of big data, analytics, and neo-banks in addition to corporate and government focus on DEI will allow tech-enabled alternative data and finance startups to remove biased gatekeepers from the traditional financial system. […]

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Lloyd Adams, President SAP North America SAP Lloyd Adams, recently appointed President, SAP North America, has a focus on engagement within the organization and the accelerated need of customers prioritizing cloud investment. In a recent conversation, he shared what he’s learned in the first few months of his role. Karen Walker: Congratulations on your new position as President of North America for SAP. Why did you decide to take this role? Lloyd Adams: I’m quite honored to take the helm of this part of the company. SAP is a significant global company, but North America is the battleground for our market. We serve 163,000 companies here in North America alone. We have over 27,000 employees, and over 5,000 developers and operate a vibrant business servicing companies of all sizes in every market. It’s a dream come true to be here now. Although I’ve been with the company for 25 years, in some respects, I feel like I’m just getting started. Walker: How have the first few months been? Adams: It’s been exhilarating to be able to get back out across the North American region. I’ve spent the last three months on a listening tour. I get out in the […]

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Instagram is relegating the Shop tab in favour of a renewed focus on content creation on the homepage. What does it mean for fashion and beauty brands? Photo: Phil Oh This article on Instagram Shop is part of our Vogue Business Membership package. To enjoy unlimited access to Member-only reporting and insights, our NFT Tracker and TikTok Trend Tracker, weekly Technology and Sustainability Edits and exclusive event invitations, sign up for Membership here . Instagram’s Shop tab is losing its prime spot on the app’s homepage navigation and will be relegated to the settings page from February, as the social media platform seeks to better align with consumer shopping habits. It’s a catalyst for brands to rethink their commerce-related goals on Instagram, experts say. To continue reading, become a Member Benefits include: • Insider insights, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes reporting on the global luxury industry • The Vogue Business 100 Innovators list of fashion and beauty’s changemakers • The NFT Tracker and TikTok Trend Tracker • Weekly Technology, Sustainability and Future Edit newsletters • Invitations to exclusive events and Member meet-ups Join today for as little as $22 / £16.67 a month. SEE ALL BENEFITS

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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Traditionally Earth-bound companies, industries and investors are now looking to space as a place to do business, compete and invest. Why it matters: The space economy’s continued growth hinges on space companies proving their worth to non-space entities, and moving beyond established industry partnerships and government contract money. The space economy is "going to grow by regular companies thinking about regular ways that they can solve regular problems through and with space," McKinsey partner Jesse Klempner tells Axios. That may now be happening. "I think that folks are starting to wake up to the fact that we are really at the emergence of a massive space economy and a lot of growth," McKinsey senior partner Ryan Brukardt tells Axios. What’s happening: 2021 was a high-water mark for investing in the space industry , with $14.5 billion raised through private investment, according to data from Space Capital. Last year saw a major downturn in investment, but the space economy still grew and reached $424 billion in 2022, according to a report from Euroconsult. Investors and companies outside of the space industry are looking to space to add value to their own companies. They’re building and using analytics […]

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Liz Abunaw, MBA’14, founder of Forty Acres Fresh Market When Liz Abunaw, MBA’14, stepped off the No. 66 bus in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood six years ago, she wasn’t looking to change her life. She was looking for a bank. “I was running an errand and didn’t realize that the address for my errand was in Austin,” said the Upstate New York native and alum of The Polsky Center’s Small Business Growth Program . “I needed to get cash and I didn’t see a bank or a drugstore where I could make a small purchase and get cash back. “As I continued to look around, I quickly realized that the amenities I was used to finding in neighborhoods like the South Loop, Wicker Park and Lincoln Park were not readily accessible in this area. I started wondering, ‘Where do the people in this neighborhood shop? Where do they work? Where do they bank?’” That observation stayed with her over the years and crystallized into a business idea that became Forty Acres Fresh Market while she was shopping at a popular produce market. “I was in Stanley’s buying strawberries for a ridiculously low price and it dawned on me that something […]

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Governor’s budget also pushes mental health, business infrastructure COLUMBUS, OH — JANUARY 31: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine gives the State of the State Address, Jan. 31, 2023, in the House Chamber at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.) Ohio Gov.Mike DeWine made clear Tuesday that his priorities during this budget cycle center on child literacy, mental health, and spending to bring in big business. In his annual State of the State address to a joint meeting of the General Assembly, DeWine announced big money moves included in his proposed budget, including $2.5 billion in one-time monies to ready construction sites for major business, and per-child tax credits he says will help bring better health and education outcomes. “Our future is bright — but that future will be defined by how well we educate all our children and how we tear down the barriers to their success,” DeWine said. Education Among his proposals for the budget — that will now be dissected by the General Assembly as both the House and Senate come up with their own priorities and spend the spring and summer negotiating — is […]

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GOYANG, SOUTH KOREA – JANUARY 25: Inseong, Youngbin, Rowoon, Jaeyoon of SF9 attend MBC Idol … [+] ImaZins via Getty Images From the BTS Meal at McDonald’s to the members of BLACKPINK all representing multiple luxury fashion houses, global brands are embracing the popularity and social-media savvy of K-pop stars more than ever. But the artists also use their influence to help develop and boost budding enterprises from their home country of South Korea in an emerging business model that’s gained important government support. The special affairs unit in Korean TV and radio broadcaster Munhwa Broadcasting Company (better known as MBC) recently shared its findings and future plans developed from a new business model titled “Connect, Accompany to make Synergy and Transformation,” or “CAST” for short. After three years of research and testing, MBC shares that even with K-pop artists and celebrities’ rising profiles, they are willing to collaborate with Korea’s small-to-midsize enterprises (also known as SMEs) and share their millions of excitable fans for meaningful and collaborative partnerships. In the CAST system, stars of the Korean wave and SMEs are matched one-on-one with the celebrities participating not just as models but as creative directors involved in product planning, […]

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HONG KONG — Hong Kong banned CBD as a "dangerous drug" and imposed harsh penalties for its possession on Wednesday, forcing fledging businesses to shut down or revamp. Supporters say CBD, or cannabidiol, derived from the cannabis plant, can help relieve stress and inflammation without getting its users high, unlike its more famous cousin THC, the psychoactive ingredient of marijuana which has long been illegal in Hong Kong. CBD was once legal in the city, and cafes and shops selling CBD-infused products were popular among young people. But all that has changed with the prohibition, which took effect Wednesday but had been announced by the government last year. CBD-related businesses have closed down while others have struggled to remodel their businesses. Consumers dumped what they saw as a cure for their ailments into special collection boxes set up around the city. The new rule reflects a zero-tolerance policy toward dangerous drugs in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous southern Chinese business hub, as well as in mainland China, where CBD was banned in 2022. The city maintains several categories of "dangerous drugs," which include "hard drugs" such as heroin and cocaine. In explaining the policy change, the Hong Kong government cited […]

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The market hasn’t been a fan of Xylem’s acquisition of Evoqua, but it could be a long-term success. , albeit expensive, stock with a strong position in an important, growing industry. Then the company moved to purchase Evoqua Water Technologies AQUA –1.11% Now Xylem is a more attractive company with a better growth outlook—and a lower stock price. Rye-Brook, New York-based Xylem (ticker: XYL) is a leading water technology company making pumps, valves, filters, and meters for industrial and utility customers. Sales in 2022 are expected to be $5.4 billion, which is significant for a pure-play water company. By comparison, Danaher DHR +0.75% ‘s ( DHR ) water business, which it plans to spin off later this year , generates about $5 billion inside a mammoth $200 billion market-cap industrial and health conglomerate. Morgan Stanley MS +0.49% is expanding further into retail investing with its first exchange-traded funds, but faces a crowded field where legions of ETFs struggle to gain traction. The $1.3 trillion asset manager today launched six ETF strategies focused on environmental, social, and governance, or ESG, investing, from pioneer Calvert Research and Management, part of Morgan Stanley (ticker: MS).

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