ClickZ Water Sports Newsletter - 10.17.2024

PLUS: World Aquatics just made a $4.5M splash—here’s how it’s changing the game

Author

Marina Mouka
October 17, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Ad Week New York 🎤

ADVERTISING INSIGHTS
Advertising Week NYC Recap

💡 Balancing Fame and Flow in a Post-Privacy Landscape, by Sam Carter, CEO of Fospha.

AdWeek NYC 2024 was packed full of fresh ideas and powerful reminders of evergreen principles. From navigating privacy challenges to ensuring sustainable brand growth, here are my key takeaways that all brands should be implementing:

  1. Balance Fame and Flow: Brands that focus too much on short-term conversions and neglect long-term brand-building efforts fall into the ‘doom loop’, converting only existing demand without generating new demand. Eventually the convertible audience is exhausted, efficiency plummets, and the brand finds itself in trouble. To avoid this, brands need to strike the right balance between conversion and long-term brand awareness to sustain growth.

  2. Go Full-Funnel for Measurement: To balance short and long-term goals of conversion and brand awareness, marketing teams need to be able to measure the impact of both. Last Click attribution chronically undervalues awareness activities, so brands should opt instead for measurement tools that use a full-funnel methodology.

  3. Privacy-Proof Your Tech Stack: With third-party cookies deprecation and new privacy regulations cropping up regularly, brands need to accept the death of user-level data and embrace privacy-centric solutions to future-proof their measurement. 

Read the full article here. 

Hot in D2C eCommerce 🔥

AI POWERS PRIME
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2024 Breaks Records with AI and Innovation (top links below 👇)

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days 2024 made history with the largest October shopping event ever, saving Prime members over $1 billion globally. This year’s event highlighted Amazon’s cutting-edge AI tools, including its AI assistant, Rufus, and drove massive sales across electronics, toys, and apparel. Top brands like Apple and Dyson offered unbeatable deals, setting the stage for a promising holiday shopping season.

Momentum Commerce reported a 41% sales increase on Day 1, with brands like Crocs and Lego leading the charge, while regions like Canada and Europe saw notable growth despite weather impacts affecting the U.S. Competitors Target and Walmart also launched early sales events, but Amazon's use of innovative shopping tools and AI set it apart in an increasingly competitive market.

For deeper insights into this record-breaking event, explore these key sources:

Specialty Bites: Ride the Waves 🌊

The Orient Express L’Oréal Racing Team

The inaugural Puig Women's Americas Cup marks a historic moment in women's elite sports. The Orient Express L'Oréal Racing Team, featuring top female sailors, competes in Barcelona. Skipper Manon Audinet leads the team, expressing her dream of women participating in this prestigious event and aiming for victory.

World Aquatics has committed nearly $4.5 million to support 621 projects across 169 countries in 2024, focusing on six aquatic disciplines. This initiative aims to enhance global participation and development, with Africa receiving significant attention through 191 projects and $1.087 million in funding. The program also offers up to $30,000 to national federations for aquatics development, rewarding improved governance.

Notable successes include the Mongolian National Federation, which has benefited from both financial and hands-on guidance, leading to improved governance and increased international participation. The "I Learned to Swim" initiative exemplifies the program's long-term impact. World Aquatics projects a $23.1 million operating profit in 2024, reflecting a strategic increase in support spending from $3.7 million in 2023 to $4.6 million.

Highfield Boats USA expands its dealer network by partnering with four new dealers in the Northeast and Midwest. Despite a market downturn, the company sees growth in retail sales and market share, driven by innovative products and strategic investments. New dealers will offer diverse RIB models, including electric options.

When choosing waterproof headphones for 2024, consider your needs and preferences. Whether you're swimming or training in the rain, these headphones offer diverse features:

  • Shokz Openswim Pro: Best overall, with IP68 waterproofing, Bluetooth, and MP3 support. Ideal for those who want bone conduction technology to keep ears free.

  • H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport: Perfect for multi-sport use, offering IPX8 waterproofing and 8GB storage. Its bass-heavy sound is great for underwater workouts.

  • Zygo Solo: A premium choice, using FM transmission for underwater streaming, providing a unique listening experience.

Remember, Bluetooth doesn't travel well underwater, so options with onboard storage or FM transmitters are preferable for swimmers. Each model has been tested for waterproofing, sound quality, and comfort, ensuring you make an informed choice.

In the ever-evolving landscape of outdoor gear, the 2024 lineup of men's water shoes stands out for its innovation and practicality. These shoes are not merely accessories but essential tools for those who engage with aquatic environments, offering protection, stability, and comfort. The selection process was rigorous, involving tests across diverse terrains, from Connecticut's rocky beaches to North Carolina's serene lakes, ensuring each pair met high standards of durability and performance.

The Speedo Men's Wet/Dry Shoe emerges as the best overall, combining affordability with superior traction and water resistance. Its ergonomic design prevents debris intrusion, making it ideal for various water activities. Meanwhile, the Columbia Men's Water Shoe is celebrated for its sneaker-like comfort and quick-drying capabilities, though it presents challenges in ease of wear. The Chaco Adjustable Sandal offers versatility with its robust yet lightweight design, suitable for both water and casual settings.

Performance Platters 🍽️

Microsoft is transitioning from its retail media platform, PromoteIQ, to a partnership with Criteo. This shift reflects the evolving retail media landscape, emphasizing the need for adaptable strategies. While PromoteIQ's closure isn't officially announced, the move highlights the importance of resilient, owned architectures in the dynamic ad tech industry.

Retailers often miss revenue opportunities throughout the purchase funnel, from accessibility issues to ineffective discount strategies and poor mobile optimization. In this insightful podcast, experts explore how optimizing these areas can reduce cart abandonment and boost customer retention. Additionally, they discuss how strategic return policies can enhance customer loyalty while minimizing losses. Listen now for actionable tips to create a more profitable retail experience.

LoopMe introduces Brand Outcome Scores, an AI-driven tool enhancing ad performance by predicting ad effectiveness without cookies. This innovation aids marketers in optimizing campaigns across mobile video, CTV, and display ads. Initially launching in the US and UK, BOS aims to revolutionize advertising strategies globally.

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