Retail media is one of the hottest topics in marketing right now. But what does it actually take to build it from scratch inside an established organization?

In this episode Christian Skaarud, Head of Media & Retail Media at Coop Norway, shares how he went from personalization expert to salesperson, why retail media competes with Google and Meta rather than trade marketing, and why in-store is set to become the biggest opportunity in the space. The conversation covers measurement technology, the privacy trade-off, change management, and why getting started matters more than getting it perfect.

(00:00) Intro

(00:37) Introduction and Christian's journey into retail media

(03:30) What is retail media and first-party data

(07:27) From trade marketing to media budgets

(09:46) Becoming a salesperson in a new category

(17:19) In-store screens and measurement technology

(21:11) Navigating data privacy and consumer trust

(24:10) The paradox of personalization in retail

(27:10) Change management and getting the organization on board

(30:19) Selling first, figuring out delivery later

(34:30) Technology: the biggest battle ahead

(40:32) Advice for getting started in retail media

In this episode, we talk with two of our Avaus colleagues, Claes Kaarni (Country Manager, Finland) and Gustav Malmqvist (Director of Technology), about why so many organizations are rethinking their MarTech stacks right now, and why the platform itself is rarely the real problem. The conversation covers what really needs to change, who should own this work, and the top mistakes to avoid.

(00:37) Introduction to Claes and Gustav

(02:33) Why MarTech modernization is happening now

(08:49) Data, technology, and operating model: what really needs to change

(13:55) The bike shedding problem: focusing on what actually matters

(22:00) Design principles, leadership, and breaking silos

(28:28) Who should own MarTech modernization

(34:35) Top mistakes to avoid in MarTech modernization

(36:42) Where to find Claes and Gustav

In this episode, we talk with Robin Lejonhuvud, independent advisor specializing in growth, marketing and commercial transformations, about navigating the chaos of marketing in 2026. Drawing from her experience at H&M and agencies like PhD and Omnicom, Robin reveals why every marketer feels one step behind and why that's actually normal. We explore what Western companies can learn from Chinese competitors' test-and-learn mentality, why blueprints fail but systematic ways of working succeed, and her 50% baseline approach. Stop doing everything on the surface and go deep on three things per quarter. With discipline and focus, you can achieve cultural change within six months.

(00:00) Introduction to Robin's Background

(04:00) Navigating Marketing Challenges in 2026

(05:22) Learning from Chinese Competitors

(09:19) The Importance of an Operating System in Marketing

(18:28) The Balance of Strategic and Operational Skills

(22:23) Creating Effective Structures for Teams

(24:47) Prioritizing Goals in Marketing

(28:18) Aligning Metrics and Business Goals

(30:50) The Importance of Experimentation and Learning

(33:51) Leadership in Times of Change

(36:16) Finding Clarity Amidst Chaos

(39:39) Final thoughts and advice  from Robin

In this episode, we talk with Frans Riemersma, founder of MartechTribe and co-author of the "MarTech for 2026" report about cutting through the AI hype. He reveals what's actually happening in marketing: 90% claim to use AI agents, but only 23% have them in production. Frans shares his brutally practical approach: forget the experiments, follow the money to your biggest customers and highest-margin products, focus on 2-4 journeys that drive 80% of revenue, and watch out for anyone stuck in "always/never" thinking.

https://www.martechtribe.com/

(00:38) - Introduction and Welcoming

(01:33) - The MarTech Research on Agents: What is Going On?

(04:50) - Agent Adoption: Hype vs. Reality

(8:18) - From Technology Stack to Organizational Thinking

(13:50) - The IT-Marketing Power Struggle and Why Marketing Lost the Boardroom

(19:28) - Introducing Value Engineering: From Cost-Cutting to Revenue Growth

(24:35) - Ownership and Experimentation

(27:48) - Brand, Narrative, and the Hack, Pack, Stack methodology

(39:26) - Customer Journey Ownership and Breaking Down Silos with Context

(45:38) - Bringing Joy Back to Marketing and How to Connect with Frans

In this episode, we talk with Jerker Olofsson, VP Commercial Excellence at Alleima, about how systematic sales excellence can deliver 30-40% increases in order intake per salesperson. Drawing from 26 years at Atlas Copco, he explains why sales has been treated as a "black box" for too long, how to turn salespeople into their "Kobe Bryant" versions through structured processes, and why you need processes before you can automate or apply AI.

His advice? Stop treating sales like magic and start treating it like the competitive sport it is.

https://www.alleima.com/

[00:00] Introduction and Background

[02:34] Sales Excellence and Commercial Excellence

[05:15] The Journey into Sales

[07:26] The Importance of Sales

[10:20] Sales Excellence Methodology

[12:32] Framework for Commercial Excellence

[14:18] Challenges in Sales Management

[18:22] Driving Change in Sales

[21:04] Centralization vs. Decentralization in Sales

[24:41] The Future of Sales and AI

[27:30] The Evolving Role of Salespeople

[34:54] Building Customer Confidence

[38:10] The Importance of Content in Sales

[45:11] Future of Commercial Excellence

[46:34] Measuring Success in Sales

In this episode of Data Driven Voices, host Emma Storbacka is joined by Nina Rancken, Customer Engagement Lead at OP Pohjola. They dive deep into OP's pioneering, AI-based MarTech journey – a six-year transformation that required a fundamental cultural shift, not just a technological one. 

Chapters 

(00:00) - Introduction and Welcome

(01:44) - Nina’s Background - from Nokia to OP

(03:49) - OP Pohjola and Its Forward-Looking, Agile Culture

(07:53) - The AI-based MarTech Journey and the Cultural Change

(13:56) - The Four Key Strategic Principles 

(16:55) - Current Capabilities in 2025: 8 Channels and 350 Next Best Actions

(19:15) - How AI Drives Next Best Action Decisioning and the Improved Key KPIs (Engagement and Contract Conversions)

(24:52) - Operating Model Changes and Governance Forums

(30:18) - Lessons Learned: The Need for a Clear Holistic Owner

(32:40) - Future Potential

(41:36)  - Change Management Lessons and Best Practices

https://www.op.fi/en/home-page

In this episode of Data Driven Voice, host Emma Storbacka sits down with Anette Tannerfeldt, CEO at Swedma and Jari Perko, CEO at ASML to unpack profiling, privacy, and performance in modern marketing. From Europe’s regulatory headwinds to the rise of Temu and Shein, they examine why so much data goes unused, where Nordic brands are falling behind, and how courage, ethics, and first-party smarts can turn compliance into competitive edge.

Chapters

00:37 — Welcome & The Regulatory Battlefield

07:30 — Profiling: Human Nature vs. Digital Risk

11:48 — The Martech Utilization Crisis

19:50 — The Temu and Shein Effect

21:30 — The Competitiveness Battle: Europe vs. China

31:26 — The Path Forward: Courage and Collaboration

37:24 — Conclusion & advice for companies

https://www.swedma.se/

https://asml.fi/

In this episode of Data Driven Voices, host Emma Storbacka sits down with our Head of AI at Avaus, Eric Hörberg, to explore how organizations can leverage AI for meaningful business impact, while navigating the challenges, fears, and “sleepless nights” that come with rapid technological change.

• Introduction (00:00)
• AI, fear, and sleepless nights (01:23)
• Eric's AI journey: From 2010 to today (06:20)
• Generative AI and Its Growing Impact (12:30)
• AI in Business: Beyond Content Creation (17:25)
• The AI Workflow: Integrating AI into Existing Processes (25:30)
• AI in B2B and Marketing: Where the Real Value Lies (29:10)
• The Leadership Challenge: Embracing AI for Business Growth (33:40)
• Final thoughts & key takeaways (36:00)

This episode of Data-Driven Voices is a little bit different. It's an AI-generated audio version of our MarTech and Customer Data Guide, created with NotebookLM. The guide brings together extensive expertise and customer stories, now repurposed in audio format to make the insights accessible in more ways.

We explore:

• Why omni-channel presence and hyper-personalization are now business-critical

• The shift from third-party cookies to first-party data and retail media

• How automation and AI scale content and customer engagement

• The rise of MACH architectures and composable customer data platforms

• Why operating models, data quality, and change management matter more than just the tech

📖 Download the full guide via this link: https://www.avaus.com/avaus-martech-guide/

📬 Would you like a physical copy? Reach out to us at [email protected] and we can send you one

In this episode of Data Driven Voices, host Emma Storbacka sits down with Karoliina Partanen, Director of AI Finland, to explore how the country’s leading AI network is helping companies go beyond efficiency gains and focus on real business growth.

• Introduction (00:00)

• The Role and Vision of AI Finland (06:22)

• Comparative Analysis: Finland vs. Sweden (11:48)

• AI Adoption Challenges (15:39)

• Creating an Open Atmosphere (18:42)

• Building Trust and Consistency (20:20)

• Empowering Leadership with AI Training (22:18)

• The Importance of Experiential Learning (24:25)

• Fostering Innovation through Collaborative Learning (26:11)

• Transforming Customer Experience with AI (29:04)

• Staying Informed in a Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape (32:15)

• Practical Steps for AI Integration (37:17)

• Closing Remarks (40:57)