LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hot Topic, Inc., the leading omnichannel platform for music, entertainment and pop culture merchandise, announced today the launch of livestreaming shopping events for its brands Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Her Universe as part of its many digital-first marketing and merchandising initiatives for 2022. The Company will tap into its music and pop culture expertise to hold unique live shopping events for its diverse community of fans. These shopping events will feature guest influencer hosts, exclusive merchandise offerings, special giveaways and more. Hosted by Black Veil Brides’ Andy Black, Hot Topic’s first HT Live event will debut today at 2:30 PM PST on hottopic.com/htlive and feature exclusive merch inspired by the highly anticipated Warner Bros. Pictures film “The Batman,” releasing on March 4 in North America. Fans will have the opportunity to win a movie print signed by director Matt Reeves.
“We are excited to further connect fans with our brands with the launch of live shopping,” says Steve Vranes, CEO, Hot Topic, Inc. “Live shopping is one of several initiatives that will transform our digital shopping experience and build out our community of fans.”
Livestreamed shopping and the relaunch of its native app are among many of the Company’s marketing strategies to connect and engage with super fans across its digital platforms, including the Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Her Universe brands’ social media channels with combined reach of nearly 13 million followers. Hot Topic, Inc.’s social media influencer community now consists of over 2,000 influencers with 200 million in combined TikTok reach, and will double this year. The program continues to fuel customer engagement and is often credited with kickstarting its participating content creators’ careers and opening doors for bigger marketing partnerships.
Hot Topic continues to build on its strong music DNA with the launch of @HotTopicMusic on Instagram. Launched in June 2021, the music-focused Instagram account provides fans with exciting content such as new band merch, artists takeovers, live Q&A’s, giveaways, and more.
To reach its Gen Z customer base on a deeper level, Hot Topic also established its Anime & Beyond Discord server in 2021; it gained 1,000 members within 24 hours, surpassing the benchmark by 4x and making it the most successful brand launch on Discord ever, a testament to Hot Topic’s fervent fanbase.
With the return of in-person events in 2022, Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Her Universe are also set to exhibit at 12 popular fan events including D23, Star Wars Celebration, Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con. This Summer, Hot Topic and Her Universe will host a global retail pop-up in partnership with Studio Ghibli in Tokyo, Japan.
About Hot Topic, Inc.
Hot Topic, Inc. is the leading omni-channel merchandise destination for entertainment and music fans comprised of three unique brands: Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Her Universe. Known for its celebration of individuality, the portfolio of brands offer licensed apparel, accessories, collectibles, and more, that appeal to a diverse global audience. Based in Los Angeles, CA, the company operates a digital commerce platform as well as 800 Hot Topic and BoxLunch stores that serve as a source for community, discovery and inspiration. For more information, visit hottopic.com, boxlunch.com and heruniverse.com.
