Oura has positioned its latest smart ring collection, the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic, as a powerful health and wellness device — that also passes as a fashion accessory. According to CMO Doug Sweeny, you can thank its customers for the new features. The brand is in constant dialogue with them, and the feedback prompted some of the ring’s latest upgrades. We spoke with Sweeny about the marketing campaign for the collection, its retail components, health and wellness partnerships, and the strategy that led to Oura’s recent uptick in sales.

Pop-up stores can do a lot for a retailer, including test a geographic region, spur sales and experiment with new concepts. For QVC’s holiday pop-up house in New York City, the main goal was to increase brand awareness, said Rosalia Bucaro, Chief Merchandising Officer at QVC. She dishes on the pop-up’s goals, social amplification and marketing strategy.

Shoe retailer Snipes launched its first U.S. loyalty program to build community for consumers and increase lifetime value for the business, according to Chief Marketing Officer Kelley Walton. The program, dubbed Snipes Reserve, gives shoppers early access to limited sneaker releases and in-person events, plus 3% cash back on purchases. Walton takes us through the details.

Like so many holiday campaigns, the nonprofit organization Airbnb.org’s new “Gift a Night” campaign is meant to remind audiences of the joys of gift-giving and time spent with loved ones. But it’s not just a seasonal trope for Airbnb.org; those values are at the crux of the nonprofit’s messaging year-round. We dig into the campaign and the challenges of marketing a nonprofit.

The number of marketers turning to social media influencers to help share their message continues to rise — but brands need to be concerned about whether those trendsetters are thoroughly vetted. In response to a sharp increase in cases involving influencer marketing and advertising practices, the BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD) will launch The Institute for Responsible Influence (IRI) to provide training and certification for influencers and creators committed to transparency and responsible practices. Here’s what brands can expect from the Spring ’26 launch.

Lastly, according to recent Harris Poll research, marketers need to oppose the trend of “beigeification” created by repetitive, omnipresent digital media and social algorithms, and cater to a public that has adopted a lottery mindset.

Until next week,