The Expert Brief: July 2025
Top Retail Marketing Techniques to Drive Sales and Customer Engagement in July 2025
Introduction
Retail marketing in 2025 is undergoing a seismic shift. Driven by regulatory changes, media innovation, and the collapse of traditional influencer trust, the new rules favor authenticity, agility, and content built for conversion. Based on the Expert Brief for July 2025, this guide outlines the top-performing retail marketing strategies retailers are using to increase sales, earn loyalty, and navigate the fast-changing landscape of the retail industry.
Understanding Retail’s New Rules
Retail Marketing Redefined
Retail marketing refers to the promotion of products and services to end consumers. A successful retail marketing strategy now includes performance-ready content, AI-powered optimization, and media transparency across multiple channels.
Why It Matters
The FTC’s new guardrails, AI’s rising influence, and zero-click discovery are rewriting how retail marketers connect with their target audience. Staying ahead requires digital marketing efforts that prioritize trust, customer satisfaction, and content that resonates with both new customers and existing customers.
What’s Actually Working in Retail Right Now
1. Creator-Led, Expert-Driven Video Content
Retailers like Best Buy, Lowe’s, and CVS are pivoting to short-form video content created by credible professionals. This type of content marketing helps attract customers by offering educational value.
These marketing materials build trust, reduce returns, and meet shoppers where decisions happen: on PDPs, in store, retail media networks, and social media platforms.
Kroger’s pilot of shoppable video carousels and Target’s trial badges illustrate how visual storytelling drives engagement.
2. AI-Powered Content and Media Planning
Target’s AI ad-buying tool and Unilever’s modular content design unit exemplify how leveraging data-driven insights can personalize marketing campaigns.
Success hinges on digital marketing strategies and creative assets that are optimized out of the box and used across online and brick and mortar stores.
3. Blending Education and Entertainment
Amazon’s live shoppable video and ITV’s Love Island demonstrate how content can encourage customers by merging entertainment with product education.
The General’s immersive storytelling in Fortnite addresses customer preferences in a native, trust-building way.
4. Loyalty Built on Value, Not Points
Fetch rebrands around joyful engagement and Sephora’s Lyft partnership shows that loyalty programs rooted in convenience and emotional relevance foster brand loyalty.
Personalization and customer loyalty programs that offer exceptional customer service keep audiences engaged and drive repeat purchases.
5. Trust, Compliance, and Transparency
Walmart’s $10M FTC settlement reinforces the importance of building trust through honest, transparent marketing messages.
Retail marketers using expert-driven product videos deliver content that not only meets FTC standards but enhances customer experience.
Retail Media Networks and the Content Shift
Performance-First Retail Media
VML and Dentsu emphasize agile marketing efforts and sales promotions through commerce-driven content.
Effective retail marketing strategies must prioritize speed, ROI, and modular execution to serve diverse retail campaigns.
Retailers Become Media Hubs
Southeastern Grocers launched a self-serve media network, expanding opportunities for retail advertising.
Lowe’s leverages its Mirakl partnership to add sellers while maintaining brand recognition and customer trust through high-quality content.
Shoppable Innovation
CVS restructured its content teams to improve marketing strategy alignment across functions.
Amazon and Roku’s CTV partnership helps reduce digital advertising waste and improve customer acquisition cost through better targeting.
Emerging Retail Marketing Trends to Watch
1. The TikTokification of Retail
Social media marketing is trending toward short-form content. Scroll-stopping digital content drives customer behavior and conversions across mobile devices.
2. Gen Z Rejects Traditional Marketing
Younger customers are turned off by outdated marketing strategies and prefer content that reflects their values.
Targeted promotions that emphasize identity and relevance outperform generic retail marketing tips.
3. AI Disrupts Discovery
Tools like Perplexity and OpenAI’s future browser will require search engine optimization that delivers answers instantly.
Retail marketing includes zero-click formats that reduce customer acquisition cost while delivering actionable value.
Strategic Retail Content in Action
Target: Trial Badges and AI Ad Buying
Combining targeted promotions with predictive content improves the retail marketing plan.
It increases customer confidence and enhances digital marketing strategies across platforms.
Sam’s Club: Fresh Food and Scan and Go
In-store marketing tools like Scan and Go simplify the purchase journey.
Use of kitchen demo videos improves customer feedback and supports in store promotions.
Neutrogena: Science-Backed Wellness at Walmart
Educational content builds brand loyalty by connecting claims with real-life results.
Amazon: Live Shoppable Performance Metrics
Real-time engagement metrics enhance marketing messages and support continuous improvement.
How The Desire Company Helps Retailers Thrive
Expert-Led Content Built for Discovery and Decision
We create short-form video content that builds customer loyalty and attracts potential customers.
Built for Retail Media, PDPs, and In-Store
Our marketing efforts work seamlessly across physical stores, online stores, and social media presence.
Aligned with Industry Shifts
Whether it’s influencer marketing fatigue or the need for better content marketing, we meet the challenge with performance-ready content.
Audit Your PDPs for Free
Not sure where to start? Request a free PDP Audit scored across 9 key areas including content, trust signals, and digital marketing execution.
Final Takeaways
Retail success in 2025 will depend on using a retail marketing strategy that:
Builds trust through exceptional customer service and content
Uses customer data and purchase history to inform campaigns
Attracts target customers through multiple channels
Applies the most effective retail marketing strategies to generate sales
The brands that thrive will be those who align their marketing strategies with consumer trends, customer behavior, and proven tactics that enhance the shopper journey across every retail store and screen.
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