Loyalty360 Reads: June 18 | Anheuser Busch InBev Testing NFTs; Neiman Marcus to spend $500M; and More

Anheuser Busch InBev is Testing NFTs in Marketing
DigiDay.com says despite the cynics, non-fungible tokens are still going strong after the surge in attention they got in March. The narrative has gone from get-rich-quick schemes to a more nuanced future. Sure there will be losers, but there will be more insights to glean from future success stories.

Marketers at Anheuser Busch InBev hope this is especially true for NFTs and the metaverse. By metaverse, the brewer means the convergence of the physical and digital worlds across separate and interwoven systems. NFTs will be the building blocks between those systems, said Lindsey McInerney, global head of technology and innovation at AB InBev.
 
Neiman Marcus to spend $500M on new investments amid rebound
The Associated Press says that Neiman Marcus is hoping to capitalize on rebounding luxury sales by investing more than $500 million over the next three years in refreshing stores, speeding up deliveries and acquiring new technology.

The plan, unveiled Tuesday, includes a pact to purchase Stylyze Inc., a tech startup that recommends outfits for customers based on past purchases and browsing history. Neiman Marcus has been working with the company since 2018 and decided to buy it outright because of its potential, according to the luxury retailer's CEO, Geoffroy van Raemdonck. He says the machine learning technology has helped convert online browsers into buyers and enticed shoppers to keep coming back.
 
FedEx, Nuro Team Up to Advance Last-Mile Logistics with Autonomous Vehicles
FedEx Corp. and Nuro announce a multi-year, multi-phase agreement to test Nuro’s next-generation autonomous delivery vehicle within FedEx operations.  The collaboration between FedEx and Nuro launched in April with a pilot program across the Houston area. This pilot marks Nuro’s expansion into parcel logistics and allows FedEx the opportunity to explore various use cases for on-road autonomous vehicle logistics, including multi-stop and appointment-based deliveries. The Nuro pilot is the latest addition to the FedEx portfolio of autonomous same-day and specialty delivery devices.

The exponential growth of e-commerce has accelerated the demand for reliable, autonomous solutions throughout all stages of the supply chain. FedEx believes that continued innovation and automation will improve safety, efficiency, and productivity for the company’s more than 570,000 team members as they continue to move the world forward.
 
7-Eleven's Operation Chill Program Returns for 26th Consecutive Year
The chill is on this summer as 7-Eleven, Inc. kicks off another year of Operation Chill®, the company's signature community outreach program, which gives local law enforcement agencies an opportunity to make a positive connection with kids through free Slurpee® drink coupons. Each year, 7-Eleven donates free Slurpee drink coupons to agencies across the country for their officers to reward children they see observing safety rules, participating in positive activities, or performing good deeds and acts of kindness.

"Now in its 26th year, it's no surprise that Operation Chill continues to be our most popular community outreach program," said 7-Eleven President and CEO Joe DePinto. "A free Slurpee drink coupon provides officers an easy and approachable way to connect and engage with kids. These positive interactions between officers and youth are key to helping law enforcement agencies build bridges and create long-term relationships within their local communities."
 
Justice Department Sues to Block Aon Acquisition of Willis Towers Watson
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Justice Department on Wednesday filed an antitrust lawsuit challenging insurance broker Aon PLC’s proposed $35 billion acquisition of rival Willis Towers Watson PLC, alleging the tie-up would lead to higher prices and reduced innovation for U.S. businesses, employers and unions that rely on their services.

The department, which filed the case in a Washington federal court, said the merger would eliminate competition in several different U.S. product markets, including brokering services for property, casualty and liability insurance, as well as health benefits for large corporate customers.
 

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