Retailers take last-mile fulfillment into their own hands: Companies like Costco and Amazon are building their own logistics networks, to the detriment of FedEx and UPS.

On this episode of Brand Anatomy, where we get exclusive looks inside leading brands, eMarketer Briefing director Jeremy Goldman sits down with Abigail Jacobs, senior vice president of integrated marketing and brand at Sephora, and Joshua DuBois, co-founder and CEO of cultural insights firm Gauge, to discuss the genesis of the beauty retailer’s "Black Beauty Is Beauty" campaign, what role Gauge’s NXTLab played in the process, how the campaign came to life across multiple channels, and how Sephora uses the 15 Percent Pledge to keep itself accountable with its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Plus, hear what brands Abigail and Joshua draw inspiration from—and learn a little-known fact Joshua picked up from his friendship with a recent ex-president.

Since its launch in 2017, Peace Out Skincare—known for its Acne Dot patches—has been rapidly expanding its business through an exclusive partnership with Sephora, as well as its own direct-to-consumer (D2C) business.

Among the 250 retailers Sailthru evaluated in its Retail Personalization Index, 51% have messaging preference centers, but most offer just two options: all or nothing. Just 35% go more granular, allowing consumers to select their preferred messaging frequency and type.

Just 16% of the 250 retailers in Sailthru’s annual Retail Personalization Index said they use customers’ digital data to personalize their in-store experience, mostly through mobile devices. And that number is 100% among the top 10 retailers.

Esports has evolved into a huge, global business with attractive marketing opportunities for brands looking to connect with young, digitally savvy and engaged fans.

With its increased investment in Instagram Stories, Benefit plans to focus on both organic and paid content in 2019. And rising usage in swipe-up behavior—when a user swipes up on stories content and is taken to a landing page on the brand's website—is opening the door to new opportunities.

Building loyalty has long been a marketing goal, but loyalty programs don't always work for retention. When it comes to creating loyalty, products matter most, according to a new study.