In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, hosts Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Matt Blevins, Chief Marketing Officer at Heaven Hill Brands.

Matt shares why long-term brand building remains essential in the spirits category and how disciplined measurement guides smarter decision-making. He explains how digital discovery, from YouTube mixology to Reddit communities, shapes in-store behavior, and why premiumization, moderation, and innovation are the real forces reshaping today’s beverage alcohol landscape.

Additionally, he also breaks down how Heaven Hill decides when to modernize a brand, why nuance is missing from industry headlines, and what it takes to stay grounded in consumer truth while the marketing world chases real-time optimization.

Key takeaways

• Long-term brand building and strategic patience remain essential in spirits
• Digital discovery now heavily shapes in-store purchase decisions
• Premiumization, moderation, and innovation continue to drive category trends
• Brand modernization works best when rooted in product truth and distinctiveness

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, hosts Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Matt Taylor, Vice President of Digital at Scotts Miracle-Gro.

Matt shares how generative search is reshaping the Lawn and Garden category, raising expectations for content, partnerships, and digital experiences. He explains why Scotts brought digital and retail media together under one leader and how his team built a machine-learning model that uses weather, POS, macroeconomic signals, and media data to guide in-season investment.

He also breaks down what it takes to align brand, sales, and media teams and why patience and iteration are essential when building data science capabilities.

Key takeaways

• Generative search is raising the bar for content, consumer experience, and measurement
• Consolidating digital and retail media enables full-funnel planning and faster decisions
• Machine-learning models help teams optimize weekly investments with real-time data
• Data science requires buy-in, experimentation, and time to improve

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In this episode, recorded live at Groceryshop, Sarah Hofstetter sits down with Louise Cotterill, Global Senior Director of Insights and Intelligence at Kellanova, for a wide-ranging conversation on how to turn complex data into business results and build cross-functional trust along the way.

Louise shares how her team built a proprietary clean room solution to drive more precise audience targeting, tailor creative to shifting shopper behavior, and ultimately deliver a 36 percent sales lift for Special K in the UK. She also explains how marketers can move from one-size-fits-all campaigns to dynamic, behavior-based segmentation, even without first-party data.

Beyond the tech, Louise emphasizes the importance of soft skills. From speaking the language of the CFO to running test-and-learn pilots that bring skeptical teams along gradually, she shows how marketers can lead with both credibility and curiosity. In a standout personal moment, she reveals the bravest thing she’s ever done: spending a summer living with nomadic eagle hunters in Mongolia.

Key takeaways:

• Insights only matter if they drive action. Clean rooms enable smarter targeting and measurement, but results come from applying those insights across creative and media strategy.
• Buy-in is built through transparency. Louise outlines how gradual testing, third-party validation, and a shared focus on sales help teams embrace new tools with confidence.
• Transformation is both technical and cultural. Success depends on aligning stakeholders, evolving incentives, and creating a safe space to test, learn, and adapt.

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In this episode, recorded live at Groceryshop, Sarah Hofstetter sits down with Neil Reynolds, Global Chief Customer & Digital Commerce Officer at Mars Wrigley. With experience leading across both developed and emerging markets, Neil shares what it takes to modernize digital commerce and retail partnerships at global scale.

He breaks down how Mars Wrigley is investing in omnichannel foundations, aligning teams across functions, and collaborating more strategically with retailers around the world. From building fit-for-purpose capabilities to navigating internal complexity, Neil offers a practical lens on what transformation really looks like beyond the buzzwords.

This conversation also explores why customer teams need to think like growth marketers, and how brave leadership means knowing when to slow down, simplify, and start with the basics.

Key takeaways:

• Transformation is a capability, not a campaign. Real change happens through cross-functional alignment, local investment, and relentless customer focus.
• Retail collaboration must evolve. Neil shares how Mars Wrigley is rethinking retailer partnerships to drive shared outcomes and smarter execution.
• The basics still matter. Even in a digital-first world, strong data, clear roles, and a unified customer strategy remain the foundation for growth.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, recorded live at Groceryshop 2025, Sarah Hofstetter and guest co-host Andrea Steele sit down with Benoit Vatere, Chief Media Officer at Liquid Death, for a candid and energizing conversation about what it really takes to build modern commerce partnerships that move the needle.

From launching a viral college-themed campaign with Amazon to pushing the boundaries of brand collaboration, Benoit shares how Liquid Death ties breakthrough creativity directly to retail outcomes. He discusses the importance of treating retailers as strategic partners, why the media industry needs to stop overcomplicating retail media, and how to stay focused on what truly drives awareness and conversion.

As a first-time CPG executive with an entrepreneurial background, Benoit brings an unfiltered perspective on navigating legacy dynamics with fresh thinking. He also reflects on the bold decision that brought him from France to the U.S. to chase the American dream.

Key takeaways:

• Creativity must convert. Benoit shares how Liquid Death aligns bold ideas with retailer objectives and transaction points to maximize both impact and measurability.
• Retailers are partners, not gatekeepers. Success comes from building together, listening well, and treating retail media as a shared opportunity rather than a cost center.
• Bravery is a mindset. From career moves to creative risks, Benoit’s story is a masterclass in taking chances, building momentum, and staying relentlessly focused on outcomes.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, hosts Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Andrea Steele, Area Vice President (AVP) eCommerce & Customer Marketing at Kraft Heinz.

Andrea shares her framework for embedding digital and eCommerce capabilities across large organizations, and how true transformation starts upstream, in brand strategy, product development, and core business processes.

She breaks down five steps to make digital change stick, from aligning on strategy to measuring success and celebrating wins. Andrea also discusses balancing change management with team wellbeing, fostering collaboration across functions, and driving long-term transformation while keeping pace with an industry and audiences that move at lightning speed.

Key takeaways

• Lead with strategy: Tie every digital effort to a clear business goal before investing in tools.
• Embed early: Bake eCommerce into brand planning and product development to make change stick.
• Align cross-functionally: Involve legal, finance, and supply teams early to remove bottlenecks and speed up execution.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Megan Frank, SVP of Marketing and R&D at Mizkan, the 221-year-old, family-owned food company behind iconic brands like RAGÚ, Bertolli, Nakano, and the newly acquired Zing Zang.

With a portfolio of legacy brands that have stood the test of time, Megan shares how she keeps them relevant to today’s consumer while staying true to their roots. She discusses the importance of preserving core brand assets, creating a culture of empowerment, and leveraging frameworks like OGSM to connect long-term vision to short-term action.

Megan also explains how her team drives speed and agility within a family-owned structure, how retail partnerships are managed through data-backed joint business planning, and why consolidating media and shopper marketing under one team has unlocked more seamless consumer journeys.

Key takeaways:

• Legacy brands can move fast. Clear vision and accountability empower teams to act with speed across functions.
• Relevance requires evolution. Megan shares how timeless assets and modern activations work together to engage new consumers.
• Data drives accountability. A custom measurement model helps Mizkan shift retailer conversations toward results-based planning.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Noah Knoblauch, Head of eCommerce and Retail Media at Suave Brands Company. With a background at Procter & Gamble and deep experience in private equity environments, Noah shares what it takes to rebuild iconic brands like Suave and ChapStick for modern commerce.

Noah explains how he started from scratch following the brand’s spin-off from Unilever and Haleon, focusing first on profitability and operational foundations before investing in content or storytelling. From strategic bundling to keyword-level retail media planning, Noah gives a transparent look at what actually drives results in the private equity-backed world of consumer goods.

He also shares how he thinks about team structure, omnichannel planning, and the future of social commerce for mass brands looking to stay relevant in emerging platforms.

Key takeaways:

• Profitability is the foundation. Noah prioritized assortment, packaging, and pricing to unlock growth before touching brand content.
• Retail media drives more than clicks. Strategic investments helped drive in-store velocity and strengthen retailer partnerships.
• Private equity changes everything. Noah outlines what marketers should know before joining a private equity-backed business and how to thrive in the model.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Lander Otegui, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at Proximo Spirits. With a portfolio that includes legendary brands like Jose Cuervo and Bushmills, Lander shares how Proximo balances centuries of heritage with bold decisions that shape the future of spirits.

He explains how private ownership enables long-term innovation, why tequila has uniquely expanded across price points and use cases, and how the brand manages storytelling on the digital shelf in an era of AI and misinformation. From pioneering new tequila subcategories to building a distillery in the heart of Manhattan, Lander reveals what it takes to stay relevant in a category rooted in tradition.

Key takeaways:

• Heritage drives relevance when paired with innovation. Proximo’s legacy brands succeed by staying true to their origins while evolving for modern consumers.
• Private ownership creates room for bolder moves. Without quarterly pressure, Proximo invests with a 200-year vision in mind.
• Digital discovery is powerful but complex. Tequila shoppers are navigating fragmented information across platforms, making clarity and truth essential for brand growth.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Wendell Venerable, Vice President of eCommerce at Congo Brands. With experience at Nestlé, Reckitt, and Red Bull, Wendell shares how he has built a career by staying focused on the fundamentals, regardless of shifting trends in the commerce landscape.

Wendell explains why executional excellence still drives the most meaningful results, how to build influence across functions regardless of org structure, and what future leaders need to prioritize to stay relevant in a constantly evolving industry. He also weighs in on generative engine optimization (GEO), agentic shopping, and why not every new buzzword deserves a strategy.

Key takeaways:

• Execution over buzzwords: Wendell shares why staying grounded in fundamentals is more impactful than chasing trends like GEO or agentic shopping.
• Ownership over org charts: The effectiveness of an eCommerce team depends less on structure and more on clear strategy, alignment, and influence across the business.
• Curiosity and consistency win: A career grounded in learning, humility, and cross-functional leadership is what has enabled Wendell to succeed across companies of every size and stage.

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