Latest news with #FrontRow
Business of Fashion
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business of Fashion
The New Growth Playbook in a Changing Beauty Market
NEW YORK — As a slowdown impacts even the industry's biggest conglomerates and key product categories, a new market reality for beauty is underway. This month, one of the three biggest beauty conglomerates, Shiseido, reported an 8.5 percent decrease in sales — with particularly steep losses at the prestige skincare brand Drunk Elephant. Meanwhile, e.l.f Beauty shares lost more than 20 percent of their value at the start of this year. Nonetheless, amid these headwinds lies immense opportunity for growth and transformation. According to research from investment bank TD Cowen, by 2030, Amazon's market share in beauty is expected to reach 15 percent, up from 10 percent in 2024 — second only to Walmart — while TikTok Shop continues to drive discovery and conversion. The shifting landscape presents new avenues for expansion: US retailers like Ulta Beauty are expanding their K-beauty offerings, and the body care market is enjoying a period of growth. Indeed, the global beauty and personal care market more broadly still remains a key spend priority for customers. Globally, it is projected to generate a revenue of more than $677 billion in 2025, according to Euromonitor. To explore these critical dynamics and emerging opportunities, BoF and Front Row gathered marketing leaders from Clinique, Chantecaille, Nars, Peter Thomas Roth, Victoria Beckham Beauty, Coty, Tom Ford Beauty and Mammoth Brands for an intimate breakfast roundtable at Spring Studio in New York. Hosted by e-commerce and marketing agency Front Row's chief revenue officer, Christopher Skinner, its executive vice president Katie Martin, and moderated by BoF's director of content strategy Alice Gividen, the discussion was conducted under the Chatham House Rule, allowing attendees to share freely and openly with their peers. 'At Front Row, we embrace the philosophy of connected commerce. The idea of omnichannel as separate, siloed strategies is falling apart. Today's consumer is simultaneously searching, scrolling, shopping, and converting across multiple platforms. We support this reality in everything we do to build brand equity and drive demand,' said Front Row's Skinner in his opening remarks. 'Brands must successfully connect across every channel to win. This new reality requires building teams in fundamentally different ways.' Below, BoF shares anonymised insights from the discussion. Front Row's executive vice president, Katie Martin, and chief revenue officer, Christopher Skinner, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Jennifer Jackson, Deputy General Manager, Global Marketing at Nars, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Julia Chen, Senior Director at Harry's, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Sandy Lemmerman, VP of Product Development at Peter Thomas Roth, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. BoF's Priya Rao at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Catie Cambria, VP of Marketing at Clinique, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Kate Langan, Vice President, Consumer Engagement - Digital & Communications at Nars Cosmetics, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Julia Frankenberger, CMO of Chantecaille, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Emily Coppock, Beauty Industry Consultant, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Front Row chief revenue officer, Christopher Skinner, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Jeffery Burge, VP Global Marketing at Peter Thomas Roth, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Andrea DiNunzio, General Manager, Luxury Skincare at Coty, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Andrew Jun, Vice President, Global Marketing, Make-up & Skincare at Tom Ford Beauty, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Lauren Edelman, CMO of Victoria Beckham Beauty, at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. BoF's Alice Gividen at the BoF x Front Row executive roundtable in New York in May 2025. Lean on your brand's DNA for strategic decision-making 'Getting back to basics in terms of what our brand truly means has been fundamental for our growth. Not everyone completely understands the brand, and that's okay,' said one guest in their opening remarks. 'We've been focused on defining where and how consumers can immediately recognise what is and isn't authentically us. That clarity guides everything from our social media, our creative and our product development, ensuring we're always in the right space to tell our story effectively, and with a strong point of view. 'Sometimes you must be comfortable not always following retailer directives. When something truly feels authentic to our brand identity and our internal team responds positively, that's meaningful validation,' another guest added. 'You have to gut-check decisions and assess if they truly feel right for both your brand and your partners. Taking a leap of faith can prove successful, and newer brands need support in learning how to maintain their vision.' As a closing comment, one guest shared business advice that she received once from former president and creative director of Jenna Lyons: 'She advised, 'Build an inner tube around what you do best and cherish it.' I found this so compelling — I immediately wrote it down and shared it with my entire team." Define your company's role within the broader beauty community 'Building community and achieving growth isn't about reinventing or repositioning the brand, but rather sharpening what already works and defining your role within the community,' said one guest. 'We owe it to our consumers to be crisp and clear in our messaging, effectively telling our legacy stories — getting back to the basics. This focused approach has proven quite successful for us over the past several months.' Another added, 'There are numerous roles you can play – are you the facilitator? The educator? The voice? Whichever you choose, the role must be genuinely connected to your brand's identity and remain authentic. While there's plenty of talk about best practices, what matters is determining what best practice means specifically for your brand. It takes considerable courage to be brave and maintain that conviction.' Front Row's Skinner agreed, 'What we're discovering across the board is that you must deeply understand each brand's unique challenges, history, customer base, segmentation, and sub-segmentations. From there, you can develop a distinct strategy tailored to that brand.' Consider a multi-channel retail strategy as table stakes 'When it comes to newer platforms like Amazon and TikTok Shop, our growth hasn't been explosive, but we're pleased with our decision to establish presence early. Someone had to take that first step,' one guest said. Another guest noted that 'traditional retail is building higher walls, while Amazon casts a wider net. Many brands hesitate to launch on Amazon, yet it's often already their number one channel through resellers — they're simply not capitalising on it. If you're not connecting across every channel, you aren't winning.' When resources are scarce, I've always believed in reserving a portion of our budget to enable these test-and-learn initiatives. Sometimes they scale successfully, sometimes they go sideways, but gaining these insights is crucial. Another guest agreed. 'Understanding this dynamic is key, and we believe in a test-and-learn philosophy. Should we enter TikTok Shop? Do we maintain a Facebook presence? Do we choose Amazon or partner with an established beauty retailer? These are all opportunities for controlled experimentation. When resources are scarce, I've always believed in reserving a portion of our budget to enable these test-and-learn initiatives. Sometimes they scale successfully, sometimes they go sideways, but gaining these insights is crucial.' Prioritise product efficacy for sustainable growth 'The reality is, few brands have the budget to create a category or establish an entirely new concept single-handedly. As such, building a product that may already exist but making sure it is done right is where you can stand out,' said one guest. Another added, 'We believe that our loyal customers look to us for efficacy. Our commitment is to deliver results consistently with every product launch. We also carefully time these innovations, so they are not so early that consumers won't understand them.' 'Our deep understanding of our customer guides our approach to product innovation. As we look at the long-term horizon for our brand, we're specifically addressing the evolving needs of this consumer in relation to longevity,' one attendee noted. 'We will see significant evolution in how we talk about longevity over the next five years,' said another guest. 'We might not even use the term 'longevity' then — it could be called something entirely different. But fundamentally, consumers are seeking a better, healthier, longer life, concerning not just internal well-being but also how they present aesthetically to family, loved ones, and their community.' Understand the challenges of viral success and plan for strategic conversion 'One of our products unexpectedly went viral, and transparently, it is not the product we would have strategically chosen as our primary customer acquisition vehicle for long-term brand growth,' noted one guest. 'While the viral product drives excellent acquisition, its replenishment rate isn't as strong as our core offerings. Our challenge is converting these new customers into loyal brand enthusiasts.' 'We spend considerable time strategising how to bring consumers into the brand through these viral moments, and then mapping what their next purchase should be. Where we want to guide them next, whether they discovered us through a major retailer or an online marketplace, is constantly being discussed,' said another guest. 'Of course our goal is for every product launch to become a massive global success. However, we won't continue investing in concepts that aren't resonating with consumers. Despite our size, we still embrace that 'fail early' mindset when needed,' said one guest in their closing remarks. This is a sponsored feature paid for by Front Row as part of a BoF partnership.
Malaysian Reserve
17-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Front Row Acquires Leading Shopify Agency BIA (Build in Amsterdam), Expanding Global Commerce Platform
Strategic acquisition strengthens Front Row's global presence and service offerings, paving the way for a full-service connected commerce platform for brands NEW YORK, May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Front Row, an e-commerce agency and growth accelerator providing full-service marketplace management, digital marketing and retail media services to leading global brands, today announced the acquisition of Build in Amsterdam, an award-winning Shopify design and development agency that builds digital flagship stores for premium and luxury brands in the fashion and lifestyle space. With this acquisition, Front Row is now uniquely positioned to deliver seamless commerce solutions across the entire customer journey, addressing the long-standing fragmentation in the D2C space and enabling faster, more effective growth for brands worldwide. Brands can now have a single partner to guide them through the entire e-commerce journey, from strategy and design to web development and ongoing optimization to omnichannel excellence. Build in Amsterdam also brings an impressive client roster including Mammut, Polaroid, and Suitsupply. 'At Front Row, we're building a connected commerce platform that brings together strategy, technology, and creativity to fuel e-commerce growth for today's leading brands,' said Yuriy Boykiv, CEO of Front Row. 'Adding Build in Amsterdam's world-class Shopify and design capabilities strengthens how we launch, scale, and optimize digital experiences. Their creative and technical excellence perfectly complements our full-funnel digital marketing and marketplace offering, helping brands stand out, convert more, and grow faster.' This acquisition not only enhances Front Row's creative and Shopify capabilities but also deepens its global presence, with strengthened operations in key markets across North America and Europe, including the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). It also brings together strategic consulting, digital branding, web development, performance optimization, and customer lifecycle management all under one roof. 'At Build in Amsterdam, we always had the dream of becoming a global full service e-commerce and branding agency. By joining Front Row, we take a huge leap toward our dream becoming reality,' said Daan Klaver, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Build in Amsterdam. 'By combining our services, we take a unique proposition in this fast changing e-commerce landscape.' With Build in Amsterdam's recurring revenue model, the partnership underscores a shared commitment to long-term client success and high-touch service. For brands, this means fewer vendor relationships, more consistent execution, and a partner that understands the full arc of digital growth. About Front RowFront Row is a leading accelerator and marketing agency helping brands maximize their ecommerce growth. The company is headquartered in New York City with offices in San Diego, Hamburg, and Bratislava. Leveraging our proprietary technology Catapult and robust capabilities, we design, market, distribute, and scale brands on a global scale. Our expertise spans from strategic brand-building to omnichannel excellence, international market expansion, compelling content creation, logistics, and innovative design and branding. We ensure robust marketplace growth, seamless e-commerce management, targeted digital marketing, and actionable business intelligence. Trusted by industry leaders like OUAI, Essity, Wella, and Tatcha, we empower brands to achieve their full potential in the world of e-commerce. About Build in AmsterdamBuild in Amsterdam is a premier digital agency specializing in branding and digital flagship store development using the Shopify platform. With a philosophy centered on emotion-driven design supported by logical implementation, the company has established itself as an industry benchmark for over a decade. Their integrated approach houses strategy, branding, and technology all under one roof, ensuring meticulous control over every detail of their work. This unique approach enables them to create emotionally resonant digital experiences built on sound technical foundations, consistently setting new standards in the industry. At the core of their success lies their unwavering ethos: 'We build. We lead. We care. We never stop.' Media Contact:KWT GlobalFrontrowgroup@ Logo – View original content:
Cision Canada
16-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Front Row Acquires Leading Shopify Agency BIA (Build in Amsterdam), Expanding Global Commerce Platform
Strategic acquisition strengthens Front Row's global presence and service offerings, paving the way for a full-service connected commerce platform for brands NEW YORK, May 16, 2025 /CNW/ -- Front Row, an e-commerce agency and growth accelerator providing full-service marketplace management, digital marketing and retail media services to leading global brands, today announced the acquisition of Build in Amsterdam, an award-winning Shopify design and development agency that builds digital flagship stores for premium and luxury brands in the fashion and lifestyle space. With this acquisition, Front Row is now uniquely positioned to deliver seamless commerce solutions across the entire customer journey, addressing the long-standing fragmentation in the D2C space and enabling faster, more effective growth for brands worldwide. Brands can now have a single partner to guide them through the entire e-commerce journey, from strategy and design to web development and ongoing optimization to omnichannel excellence. Build in Amsterdam also brings an impressive client roster including Mammut, Polaroid, and Suitsupply. "At Front Row, we're building a connected commerce platform that brings together strategy, technology, and creativity to fuel e-commerce growth for today's leading brands," said Yuriy Boykiv, CEO of Front Row. "Adding Build in Amsterdam's world-class Shopify and design capabilities strengthens how we launch, scale, and optimize digital experiences. Their creative and technical excellence perfectly complements our full-funnel digital marketing and marketplace offering, helping brands stand out, convert more, and grow faster." This acquisition not only enhances Front Row's creative and Shopify capabilities but also deepens its global presence, with strengthened operations in key markets across North America and Europe, including the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). It also brings together strategic consulting, digital branding, web development, performance optimization, and customer lifecycle management all under one roof. "At Build in Amsterdam, we always had the dream of becoming a global full service e-commerce and branding agency. By joining Front Row, we take a huge leap toward our dream becoming reality," said Daan Klaver, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Build in Amsterdam. "By combining our services, we take a unique proposition in this fast changing e-commerce landscape." With Build in Amsterdam's recurring revenue model, the partnership underscores a shared commitment to long-term client success and high-touch service. For brands, this means fewer vendor relationships, more consistent execution, and a partner that understands the full arc of digital growth. About Front Row Front Row is a leading accelerator and marketing agency helping brands maximize their ecommerce growth. The company is headquartered in New York City with offices in San Diego, Hamburg, and Bratislava. Leveraging our proprietary technology Catapult and robust capabilities, we design, market, distribute, and scale brands on a global scale. Our expertise spans from strategic brand-building to omnichannel excellence, international market expansion, compelling content creation, logistics, and innovative design and branding. We ensure robust marketplace growth, seamless e-commerce management, targeted digital marketing, and actionable business intelligence. Trusted by industry leaders like OUAI, Essity, Wella, and Tatcha, we empower brands to achieve their full potential in the world of e-commerce. About Build in Amsterdam Build in Amsterdam is a premier digital agency specializing in branding and digital flagship store development using the Shopify platform. With a philosophy centered on emotion-driven design supported by logical implementation, the company has established itself as an industry benchmark for over a decade. Their integrated approach houses strategy, branding, and technology all under one roof, ensuring meticulous control over every detail of their work. This unique approach enables them to create emotionally resonant digital experiences built on sound technical foundations, consistently setting new standards in the industry. At the core of their success lies their unwavering ethos: "We build. We lead. We care. We never stop."
Hamilton Spectator
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Denny Hamlin remains confident in antitrust case brought by 23XI and Front Row against NASCAR
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Denny Hamlin said Saturday that he remains 'pretty confident' in the case brought by his 23XI Racing, co-owned by the veteran driver and retired NBA great Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR alleging antitrust violations. Hamlin spoke one day after a three-judge federal appellate panel indicated it might overturn an injunction that allows 23XI and Front Row to race as chartered teams, even as their lawsuit against the stock car series plays out in court. 'You know, they're telling me kind of what's going on. I didn't get to hear it live or anything like that,' Hamlin said after qualifying 14th for Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway . 'But we're overall pretty confident in our case.' The teams filed the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR on Oct. 2 in the Western District of North Carolina, arguing that the series bullied teams into signing charter agreements — essentially franchise deals — that make it difficult to compete financially. Those were the only two holdouts of 15 charter-holding teams that refused to sign the agreements in September. The most recent extension of the charters lasts until 2031, matching the current media rights deal. Perhaps the biggest benefit of them is that they guarantee 36 of the 40 spots available in each NASCAR race to teams that own them. Overturning the injunction would leave 23XI and Front Row racing as 'open teams,' meaning they would have to qualify at every Cup Series event. But there are only four open spots, and 23XI had four cars at Kansas this week and Front Row had one. 'You know, the judges haven't made any kind of ruling,' Hamlin said, 'so until they do, then we're going to stay status quo.' NASCAR attorney Chris Yates had argued the injunction, granted in December by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, forced the series into an unwanted relationship with unwilling partners, and that it harms other teams because they earn less money. He also said that the teams should not have the benefits of the charter system they are suing to overturn. 'There's no other place to compete,' countered Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney representing 23XI and Front Row, noting overturning the injunction would cause tremendous damage to the teams, potentially including the loss of drivers and sponsors. 'It will cause havoc to overturn this injunction in the middle of the season,' Kessler said. There is a trial date set for December, and judge Steven Agee urged the sides to meet for mediation — previously ordered by a lower court — to attempt to resolve the dispute over the injunction. But that seems unlikely. 'We're not going to rewrite the charter,' Yates told the judges. ___ Associated Press writer Mike Barber in Richmond, Virginia, contributed to this report. ___ AP auto racing:
San Francisco Chronicle
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
Denny Hamlin remains confident in antitrust case brought by 23XI and Front Row against NASCAR
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Denny Hamlin said Saturday that he remains "pretty confident' in the case brought by his 23XI Racing, co-owned by the veteran driver and retired NBA great Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR alleging antitrust violations. Hamlin spoke one day after a three-judge federal appellate panel indicated it might overturn an injunction that allows 23XI and Front Row to race as chartered teams, even as their lawsuit against the stock car series plays out in court. 'You know, they're telling me kind of what's going on. I didn't get to hear it live or anything like that,' Hamlin said after qualifying 14th for Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway. 'But we're overall pretty confident in our case.' The teams filed the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR on Oct. 2 in the Western District of North Carolina, arguing that the series bullied teams into signing charter agreements — essentially franchise deals — that make it difficult to compete financially. Those were the only two holdouts of 15 charter-holding teams that refused to sign the agreements in September. The most recent extension of the charters lasts until 2031, matching the current media rights deal. Perhaps the biggest benefit of them is that they guarantee 36 of the 40 spots available in each NASCAR race to teams that own them. Overturning the injunction would leave 23XI and Front Row racing as 'open teams,' meaning they would have to qualify at every Cup Series event. But there are only four open spots, and 23XI had four cars at Kansas this week and Front Row had one. 'You know, the judges haven't made any kind of ruling,' Hamlin said, 'so until they do, then we're going to stay status quo.' NASCAR attorney Chris Yates had argued the injunction, granted in December by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, forced the series into an unwanted relationship with unwilling partners, and that it harms other teams because they earn less money. He also said that the teams should not have the benefits of the charter system they are suing to overturn. 'There's no other place to compete,' countered Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney representing 23XI and Front Row, noting overturning the injunction would cause tremendous damage to the teams, potentially including the loss of drivers and sponsors. 'It will cause havoc to overturn this injunction in the middle of the season," Kessler said. There is a trial date set for December, and judge Steven Agee urged the sides to meet for mediation — previously ordered by a lower court — to attempt to resolve the dispute over the injunction. But that seems unlikely. ___ ___
