September 03, 2026

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Hello, it’s Thursday, and if there’s one thing Americans take seriously, it’s their beer loyalty. And one brand appears to have the country particularly thirsty: Michelob Ultra. According to a recent analysis of Google Search interest, the lager ranked as the most popular beer in the US, followed by Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Budweiser. A moment of silence please for all the Coors Light enthusiasts.

In today’s edition:

—Jeena Sharma, Alex Vuocolo, Tricia Crimmins

MARKETING

Well played

Baltimore Ravens

Move over logos and stadium signage. Under Armour and the Baltimore Ravens are taking their hometown relationship into its next era.

The Baltimore-based athleticwear brand and NFL team recently extended their partnership for another 10 years, with plans that include an exclusive Ravens x Under Armour collection, an expanded hospitality presence at M&T Bank Stadium, and continued investment in youth football.

For Under Armour, the extension reflects how sports sponsorships have increasingly become broader consumer and retail platforms.

“It’s been more of a strategic partnership together versus transactional,” Ryan Collins, Under Armour’s senior director of sports marketing, told Retail Brew. “It used to be that something was just some signage that has turned into a much wider and more expansive relationship than before.”

One of the biggest additions is an exclusive collection sold at the team’s Flock Shop at M&T Bank Stadium.

Keep reading here.—JS

Sponsored By The Ibotta Performance Network

Promotions: The apple of the aisle

Gone are the days of wandering the grocery aisles for an hour and coming home with stuff that wasn’t on your list.

According to a recent survey from Ibotta, 70% of US consumers have a preferred grocery delivery service, which means their shopping journey is less inspired by the efforts of merchandising and shelf placement and more defined by habits and repeat purchasing.

Saved baskets, “buy again” buttons, and subscriptions all create a frictionless experience that is certainly convenient. But brands depend on consumers’ willingness to try new things.

Discovery just isn’t the same anymore. Luckily, cash-back offers + promotions still make consumers pause and reconsider what they were going to buy.

Ibotta’s research shows that more than half of shoppers seek out promotions. And 9 in 10 shoppers say promotions influence their decision-making.

Old habits die hard…but a good deal helps.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & TRENDS

Stocking up

Inspirationgp/Getty Images

The back-to-school shopping season hit its stride in August, according to the latest Shopify data shared first with Retail Brew. While an eclectic mix of school supplies and fall wardrobe items sold well in July, those trends sharpened in August as parents got serious about stocking their kids’ desks. Sales spiked for label clips (up 606%), graphic calculators (56%), and kids’ desks (47%), as well as desk calendars (up 31%) and sticky notes (up 25%).

A spirit of learning also extended into other categories, as parents leaned into educational toys ahead of the school year, with big gains for planetariums (up 346%), math toys (278%), and bug collecting kits (102%).

Keep reading here.—AV

E-COMMERCE

Shein bright

Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images

If at first you don’t succeed, try again. And then try a third time, too. That’s how Shein has approached its seemingly ill-fated IPO.

The Chinese-founded, now Singapore-based, fashion colossus initially attempted to go public in New York in 2023, but lawmakers essentially blocked the company from doing so in the US amid allegations of using forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region. Then, it was full steam ahead on London in 2025, though roadblocks emerged in the form of lawmaker opposition, the growing impact of tariffs, and a lack of approval from regulators in China, where the brand’s clothing is manufactured.

Now, its IPO will happen on September 1 in Hong Kong, which Chinese regulators have already signed off on—the “friendliest” location for the company, but also its “market of last resort,” Sky Canaves, principal retail analyst at Emarketer, told Morning Brew.

And more than just the location of the company’s IPO has changed since it was initially valued at $100 billion in 2022. For one, the company is now valued at $27 billion.

Keep reading here.—TC

Sponsored By Shoptalk

Three days could make a year’s difference. Three days in Nashville can change how you approach the year ahead. Hear what’s working from retail leaders, discover new ideas, and make connections that can create real opportunities for your business. Make Shoptalk Fall part of your plans—secure your ticket at the current price before tomorrow’s deadline.

swapping skus

Today’s top retail reads.

New horizons: Inside Ulla Johnson’s first European flagship in London. (WWD)

Gaining weight: The company behind David protein bars is now worth $2.25 billion. (the Business of Fashion)

In a soup: Campbell’s latest forecast shows its sales took a hit as shoppers spend less. (Reuters)

Everybody loves a deal: Digital grocery delivery makes habitual shopping frictionless—and purchases repetitive. For consumers to notice your product, they need an offer they can’t refuse. According to Ibotta, 9 in 10 shoppers say promotions influence their purchases.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

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Written by Jeena Sharma, Alex Vuocolo, and Tricia Crimmins

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