A very smart woman named @digitaldawn once said to me: "If it is possible, it is on the web." Her comment was in a VERY different context, but I couldn't help thinking about her wisdom while observing a new trend on the web, most specifically, YouTube.
While doing research for a retailer, recently, we came across a bevy of videos that are known as "Haul" videos. They are video ethnographies of what people bought on a recent shopping trip. Some are really short and primitive in nature and some are many minutes and nicely done. They range in retailers from Target to A.C. Moore to Sephora and more. They are mostly younger, millennial women.
The video I've embedded above has over 55,000 views!
My visceral thought was 'Who are these people and why do they want to tell the world what they are buying." My second thought was 'Who are these people that would watch?'
After some thinking, it all made sense.
Shopping at stores like Target, A.C. Moore, Sephora, H&M, Forever 21 etc. are treasure hunts for these girls. It is a very social occasion as they cavort at the mall, eat Aunt Annie's pretzels and shop from store to store. But the socialability of shopping doesn't stop there. It extends to telling their friends that weren't with them, their friends that live in other states or people that are in their social graphs only online but not in 'real-life.' These girls want to share the spoils of their hunt, a shopping hunt. The real-time and social web has enabled them to broadcast themselves (YouTube's tagline) and their passions (shopping) to the world. The comments that people are leave are also interesting. "Love your bracelet" or "What is the name of that makeup?" The fact is, these girls are influencers and are persuading people to visit these retailers and/or buy the brands they are talking about.
Wirestone is uniquely ranked on both Top 50 lists for Advertising Age's Integrated Marketing and Interactive Agencies. We're also in the top 2% of marketing services agencies in the United States ranked by billings. 
