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The Wrap Up Newsletter | Live From SXSW 📍

Plus: Pepsi x Cheetos collaboration – what it means for the gifting market🥇

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
March 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Welcome to The Wrap Up, your weekly newsletter for gifting eCommerce professionals.

Live From SXSW 🎤

🎯 What Every eCommerce Marketer Was Talking About at SXSW

ClickZ has been on the ground at SXSW, reporting from exclusive interviews, panels, and sessions. Here are some standout takeaways for eCommerce marketers — and how to turn them into actionable growth opportunities:

✅ Audio Meets Video: Over 270M people now watch video podcasts on Spotify — but ad spend hasn’t caught up yet. The rise of multi-format content presents a major opportunity for brand engagement. Understanding cross-platform performance will be key to capitalizing on this shift.

✅ AI-Driven Personalization: AI is driving consumer expectations — with users engaging across 13+ platforms daily, they now expect hyper-personalized, native ad experiences. Real-time insights into which platforms are driving true impact will allow you to fine-tune your strategy.

✅ Authenticity Is Driving Performance: Authenticity and storytelling took center stage at SXSW, with brands and creators emphasizing genuine connections over technological spectacle. Marketing experts noted a shift away from "purpose fatigue," highlighting the importance of meaningful engagements that feel real.

📊 Understanding these shifts requires smarter measurement. That’s why leading brands are turning to Fospha to track cross-platform performance and uncover the true impact of brand engagement across channels.

🎯 Exclusive: Get 10% Off Shoptalk Registration

ClickZ is thrilled to offer our readers an exclusive 10% discount on Shoptalk—where the future of retail takes shape.

Shoptalk brings together the biggest names in eCommerce and retail to explore the latest trends and challenges—from AI-driven personalization to shifting consumer behavior.

ClickZ will be on the ground at Shoptalk, sharing exclusive insights with our readers. Fospha will be attending too—book a meeting to discover how performance-driven measurement can transform your strategy.

👉 Register now using the code RBCLICK269.
👉 Book a Meeting with Fospha

Sector Spotlight 🎥

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Birthdays provide a touchpoint for personal engagement and loyalty in the eCommerce gifting sector. Crafting personalized, heartfelt messages can enhance customer experiences, while curated gift options boost operational efficiency. Leveraging these insights can transform gifting strategies, driving eCommerce growth through deeper emotional connections and innovative consumer interactions in the retail landscape.

BRAND COLLABORATIONS

Typo's collaboration with PepsiCo Latin America unveils a nostalgic line seamlessly weaving Pepsi and Cheetos' branding into functional accessories. Featuring pillows, bookends, and bowls, this collection serves as a strategic template for eCommerce innovation in gifting, emphasizing personalization and brand engagement. Available on Cotton On's website, it's a forward-thinking model for gifting commerce growth.

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION

Integrating Employee Appreciation Day into eCommerce gifting strategies enhances personalization, operational efficiency, and customer loyalty. By offering tailored gifts, wellness packages, and additional paid leave, companies can align appreciation with strategic business growth. This approach cultivates year-round engagement, reflecting foresight in corporate gifting and fostering value in the retail sector.

STRATEGIC GIFTING GROWTH

Corporate gifting stands as a vital strategy for driving business growth and establishing brand dominance. Beyond the conventional promotional approach, it is a calculated move that enhances personalization and operational efficiency. By nurturing goodwill, it reinforces brand recognition and elevates customer retention, essential elements for success in the gifting commerce arena. Moreover, this strategy enriches employee engagement, boosting morale and productivity—a key factor in optimizing workforce efficiency.

The importance of corporate gifting extends to generating referrals and leads, underpinning organic growth without inflating marketing costs. In an era where personalization dictates customer engagement, gifting fortifies brand differentiation and long-term market success. Companies neglecting this approach risk stagnation and diminished customer loyalty amid fierce competition. Those embracing corporate gifting will secure growth and sustain market influence, leveraging strategic gifts to cement client relationships. For professionals in eCommerce and digital marketing, integrating innovative gifting solutions ensures staying ahead in a competitive sector, turning thoughtful interactions into profitable outcomes in the digital marketplace.

GIFT COMMERCE INSIGHTS

Starting a gift basket business involves seven key steps:

  1. Find Your Niche – Choose a focus (e.g., corporate, baby, holiday).

  2. Create a Business Plan – Outline your target market, costs, and pricing.

  3. Set Up Legally – Register your business and secure necessary licenses.

  4. Choose a Sales Channel – Set up an online store or physical location.

  5. Source Products and Design – Find suppliers and create appealing basket designs.

  6. Develop a Marketing Strategy – Use social media and partnerships to promote.

  7. Launch and Manage Operations – Handle inventory, customer service, and logistics.

Startup costs range from $500 to $100,000, with peak sales occurring around November and December. Focusing on a clear target audience and building seasonal offerings can boost profitability.

GIFTING STRATEGIES

Father's Day presents an invaluable opportunity to enhance gifting commerce through personalization and marketing endeavors. Special menus and gift card incentives enable retailers to innovate by crafting unique gifting experiences that cater to individual preferences. Utilizing social media campaigns and forming partnerships with local businesses can amplify brand awareness and consumer engagement in a digital landscape. For convenience stores, personalized gift bundles and targeted promotions enhance customer experience, while leveraging email and SMS marketing can refine targeting efforts, ensuring a seamless customer journey from discovery to purchase.

Influencer Corner 📣

Sam Carter on LinkedIn: We've partnered with Snap Inc. for an exclusive SXSW masterclass

Snapchat has emerged as a critical channel for diversification and new customer acquisition, across its 453M daily active users.

Brands are catching on to the opportunity here, as seen in Snapchat’s latest earnings report on advertising revenue growth.

But most are only scratching the surface: Snapchat consistently shows up as one of the channels most underreported by click-based attribution. Our latest benchmarking report identified an average of +78% headroom for brands to profitably scale the channel.

Optimization Hub ⚙️

AI-ENHANCED MARKETING

Google's AI Mode reshapes search landscapes, presenting unique opportunities to boost product visibility, engagement, and precise targeting. With shifts from traditional search, carefully optimizing content for AI-generated summaries is key. Embracing this transformation can enhance strategies in competitive, data-driven eCommerce channels.

AD TECH EVOLUTION

In 2025, ad tech advances through AI solutions, programmatic strategies, and privacy-focused methods. Leaders highlight AI's potential in optimizing consumer engagement and the value of direct partnerships within CTV's evolving landscape.

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