ECOMMERCE: There is a clear focus shift to operational efficiency for Indian e-tailers in the last couple of years, triggered by stiff competition in the space.. Companies are investing in data & analytics to reap benefits across operations mentioned here and also investing in third party logistics companies to leverage the economies of scale. The trend will continue in the near future and will steer greater demand for companies and professionals working in the retail analytics space.

BRAND: Brands love a big win—and the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series Championship after 108 years is just that kind of occasion. Media buyers said the average 30-second in-game unit in the Cubs-Indians series cost around $565,000 a pop. “The Cubs represent the nation’s third-largest media market, a sprawling metropolis of 3.46 sports-crazed TV households that can only help boost Fox’s ratings,” noted Ad Age. Nike used the first ad slot after the final out of Game 7 to air the “Make Someday Today” spot.

ECOMMERCE: Website design is a slow-moving continuum. An influential site like Google, Apple, or Amazon will introduce a design concept and web designers will often incorporate the concept soon after. Or perhaps a user pattern will change, and designers will seek to find a way to respond, slowly learning from what other designers have done. 

ECOMMERCE: While the stats and analytics data involved in conversion rate optimization (CRO) clearly shows it’s a scientific and objective process, the system of turning visitors into actual buyers is also an art. To be specific, human psychology plays a crucial role behind motivating people to trust you with their hard-earned money. 

BRAND: His first major decision was to redefine how the group is organized in the key U.S. market, making Reebok independent of the core Adidas brand, moving 650 staff to a new location in Boston, cutting 150 jobs and accelerating store closures. Rorsted, who revamped Henkel's underperforming U.S. business in recent years, noted that Reebok's growth and profitability were still well below the group's average.

MEDIA: And despite already being the second-most active social network aside from Facebook, the statistic that stood as the most important was an unsurprising figure: 61 percent of Snapchat’s users are in the 13-34 age demographic. The above statistic truly explains the recent efficacy of advertising on Snapchat, and also cements the platform’s future marketing prospects: in the next two to five years, Snapchat’s uptake will grow in other demographics.

MCOMMERCE: Still, none of these efforts have managed to draw significant crowds away from traditional consoles. The difference with Nintendo, aside from its brand power, is that it's not merely recycling smartphone or tablet components. Instead, the company has hired Nvidia to make a custom ARM chip that emphasizes gaming performance. (An Nvidia blog post about the collaboration boasts of the "500 man-years" that went into meeting Nintendo's precise needs.)

BRAND: Plank wants to prove that big global companies, coupled with the right values, can have a positive impact on the United States, contrary to what some groups have argued during this election as they have attacked free trade and big business. He argues that companies can be a force for good, but only if leaders feel a responsibility that goes beyond shareholders. "Besides creating shareholder value, what are we doing to make the world a better place?" he says. "How do we do the right thing?"

ECOMMERCE: Online retailers Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter are looking to differentiate themselves ahead of the holiday season with a co-branded campaign that leads with a customer service message. “Gifts All Wrapped Up” centers on an animated film that takes a look at the care the ecommerce platforms take in packaging and delivering parcels to customers’ homes. Marking the second time that these two sister sites have teamed up.

MEDIA: We have asked Twitter (twice) for a statement about the test, including how long it will last, if it’s expanding, if it’s based on accounts and any reaction to concerns publishers may have. We’ve not gotten a response but will update, if one comes in. We also asked why Twitter isn’t using AMP pages as a way to both deliver cleaner, faster loading content while also respecting publisher wishes to show ads and engagement options.

ECOMMERCE: Though the line, called Good American, will evolve into a range of ready-to-wear, it’s launching with the thing Kardashian struggled with most: denim. “Emma and I”—that would be Emma Grede, a former fashion marketer and now Kardashian’s business partner, thanks to a setup by Kris Jenner—“were just done forcing ourselves to squeeze into jeans because they were trendy,” Kardashian says. 

MEDIA: TheSkimm’s tone, as well as its neutral stance, is a big part of what makes its followers so devoted — and so willing to take action when called upon. “I read it every single day, so I know the voice and I respect the voice,” said Shelby Comstock, a 26-year-old Kentucky native. She said theSkimm’s constant reminders finally motivated her to change her voter registration from Kentucky to New York after nearly four years of living in the city. “It’s like one of your girlfriends saying, ‘Dude, why haven’t you done that?’