Taking the entertainment industry by storm even before its official release on the 21st July, Barbie has won the crown as the biggest blockbuster of the year – surpassing the $1 billion mark at the global box office in August. A substantial part of this success can be attributed to the impressive marketing strategy orchestrated by the Barbie team in the lead-up to the film’s launch (not to mention the budget of over £150 million  – it’s no wonder our social feeds have been extra pink recently).

As the much-awaited Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and festive shopping season approaches, retailers are flexing their marketing muscles to seize sales opportunities using discount offers, free deliveries, bonus deals, and more. Amidst the excitement lies a lingering uncertainty about the spending capacity of local consumers this year, as a sizable portion of South Africans have weathered financial challenges. With the local economy showing modest growth in recent months, there’s no denying that the road to success may not be as straight as it seems.

In the realm of data analysis, Winston Churchill once remarked, “I only believe in statistics that I doctored myself,” illustrating the potential for data manipulation to support certain arguments, distorting reality and the underlying facts. Unfortunately, many brands fall into the trap of using data merely to affirm their preexisting biases rather than using it as a compass for guidance. When this happens, the motivation to empathize and understand people’s perspectives dwindles, as they are only reinforcing their assumptions.

“If any social app can make live commerce and in-app checkout happen, it’s probably TikTok,” says Jasmine Enberg from Insider Intelligence.

It’s official: In large part due to the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend, TikTok is diversifying its offering and will soon enter the eCommerce industry. The move puts the company in direct competition with the likes of Amazon, Shein, and Temu.

This month Incubeta, along with the rest of the industry, descended on Truman brewery for the highly anticipated Madfest where (if you were lucky enough to get a ticket) we were treated to a number of talks on the hottest topics in marketing.

Running from the 11th – 12th July, this year’s Amazon Prime Day shattered all expectations, leaving a trail of record-breaking sales in its wake – an unprecedented achievement. Which makes us wonder, what was captivating shoppers and propelling Amazon’s performance to new heights, and how can your business seize similar opportunities in the ever-expanding world of ecommerce?