Farryn Weiner

Thank you to Nicole Kirichanskaya, I really enjoyed how deep we went into those go-go days of 2000's and 2010's retail. What a time! And it's so interesting to see brands evolve: some survive, others do not and the rest sell their IP. What happened to Kate Spade? “In its heyday, Kate Spade was, perhaps, the first truly accessible luxury brand,” Christine Russo, principal of Retail Creative and Consulting Agency (RCCA), told Inside Retail.  Russo credited the brand’s popularity in the late ’90s to its founder Kate Spade’s “trained eye” and ability to hit on two major trends during this era: structured bags and black nylon fabric.  “Prior to this, black nylon bags were primarily associated with Prada. So, for those who couldn’t afford Prada, Kate Spade bags were the way to go, and go they did,” Russo remarked.   However, as trends evolved and ownership of the brand continually changed hands, Kate Spade’s creative direction no longer resonated with the customer.  Additionally, Russo pointed out that the floodgates of accessible luxury had opened, Kate Spade struggled to stand out amid a sea of competitors like Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole, Coach, DKNY and others.  By the time Tapestry acquired Kate Spade in July 2017 for $2.4 billion, Russo noted that many in the industry saw this move as a financial mistake.  Can Kate Spade get its spark back? While it would appear that Kate Spade is taking a page from Coach’s playbook to reposition itself for a modern consumer audience, Russo pointed out a few key points of difference between the two handbag players. “Coach’s international playbook was incredibly robust and did not put pressure on the balance sheet,” said Russo, whereas Kate Spade seems to be relying on a level of financial stability the brand simply doesn’t have. 

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Waiting for a ribbon cutting to engage editors is a common oversight in luxury travel. In the premium sector, the most successful brands understand that PR extends far beyond "announcement culture." Relying solely on physical launches or renovations creates a cycle of "feast or famine" visibility. To break this cycle, we work with brands to cultivate lasting editorial authority. This isn't about being "newsworthy" for a day; it’s about becoming an essential, trusted source for journalists—independent of your renovation calendar. Read our full analysis on proactive media engagement in the comments below. #LuxuryHospitality #StrategicPR #MediaRelations #TravelIndustry #ThoughtLeadership #HotelMarketing #FarCommunications #PRStrategy #RevenuePR

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BREAKING NEWS: Omnicom’s $13.5B acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG) creates the world’s largest agency group, reshaping the competitive landscape with unmatched scale in data, media, and technology. The move sets a new industry baseline for fully connected, accountable, and intelligence-driven marketing solutions. adobo magazine #thewordoncreativity READ THE FULL STORY HERE: https://ebx.sh/LgKsJv

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Think beyond the post. A smart influencer package keeps generating content and opportunities... Most brands stop at hoping for a single shoutout. The best ones design every detail to spark ongoing visibility — clips, mentions, collaborations, and more. Oren knows how to engineer that kind of momentum. You can too. We unpack the full playbook for turning influencer outreach into a content engine in this episode. For the full episode of Open Residency with Oren John: https://lnkd.in/eWHbgBUw

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Gen Z Speaks to Gen Z: How Authenticity Built Her Brand   Keida Dervishi of Soulmate Customs reveals their secret: When your founder is your core demographic (a Gen Z woman creating for Gen Z), product development becomes instinctive.   While their "Facebook moms" adore the personalized gifts, it's Keida's ability to trust her own taste that resonates most with young shoppers. Because the best marketing strategy sometimes boils down to building what you'd genuinely love yourself.   #GenZBusiness #AuthenticMarketing #FounderLed

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Six years into covering retail, and one thing remains a constant: brands want to know how to decrease their reliance on Meta advertising. Here's how one startup, a candle company called Siblings, is doing so, by slowly decreasing its Meta spend with the goal of eventually turning it off. Reporting by Gabriela Barkho https://lnkd.in/eShjGkxi

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The American Market Wake-Up Call A European partner once told me, “We’ve cracked luxury everywhere. The U.S. should be easy.” It wasn’t. Same creative. Same spend. Very different outcome. What worked in London felt invisible in New York. What felt tasteful in Paris felt quiet in Los Angeles. The lesson wasn’t about budget. It was about context. America doesn’t reward subtlety the same way. It rewards clarity, repetition, and confidence, without losing taste. That’s when I realized: Global luxury strategy doesn’t scale linearly. It translates. or it fails. #LuxuryBranding #LuxuryLaunch #BrandStrategy #LuxuryConsultant

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We got a call on a Friday. By Monday, our logo was lighting up the NYC skyline. This week's event bonanza in NYC (Fashion Week, Webflow Conf, Monday Elevate) got me thinking about how we pulled off one of our craziest stunts yet. Taking over NY's iconic skyline in Gloat red during Gloat Live 🔴 How did we do it? A few principles made it happen: 👉 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗶𝗴. I always tell my team to start with a “yes, and” attitude. Go expansive before you go reductive. This idea started in an even crazier place… think drones and lasers over the Hudson. 👉 𝗕𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲. An opportunity like this doesn't arrive with a 6-week lead time. It came to us on a Friday for a Monday event. We had 12 hours to confirm and ship custom assets. You need a team that's willing and able to pounce. 👉 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀. You can't pull this off alone. Having partners who can execute, source ideas, and move at the speed of light is everything. (Shoutout Amelia Friedman, Marikit Fly, Elle Rose Fraser) 👉 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲. This is where most great ideas die. Don't be afraid to negotiate and set your price. When you combine speed with a great team, you’d be surprised what you can create. Set a vision. Move fast. You might be surprised what you can create. What's the wildest marketing stunt you've seen recently?

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