eCommerce Deep Dive

In episode 11 John talks with Kris McDermott, Director of Shopper Marketing at Kimberly-Clark, about how to successfully integrate PR and communications with eCommerce. The two discuss the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of influencers in eCommerce and key strategies for brands looking to expand into influencer created content marketing.

Kris McDermott leads Kimberly-Clark’s shopper marketing teams for Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Target and Capabilities/New Business Models (Shipt/InstaCart), helping to build digital engagement, particularly on retailer-owned platforms. Prior to her role at K-C, Kris held leadership roles at Edelman and Omnicom Media Group developing and deploying commerce solutions.

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"Everybody's got a plan until you get punched in the mouth."

In Episode 10, John talks with Brian Garofalow, VP of Marketing and eCommerce at Igloo, about their overnight pivot in response to COVID-19. With everything on the line, Igloo took 3 days to go all-in on a new marketing strategy: donating 100% of profits from their PlayMate Coolers (the classic red/white one) to front-line workers. With a mix of PR, influencer marketing, and a social media blitz, Igloo drove unprecedented traffic to their DTC site and proved a whole new method of marketing during a crisis. 

About the Guest: 

Brian Garofalow is the VP, Marketing and Ecommerce for Igloo Coolers.  He’s spent 20 years building brands in the action sports space such as Element Skateboards, DC Shoes, and RVCA apparel. With an itch to improve some of the toughest problems in the branded apparel space, he co-founded a tech startup, Yoshirt, a mobile app that allowed consumers to design and purchase one-of-a-kind garments and accessories, custom made to order and delivered in just a few days.  After a few years, and dozens of innovations, Brian exited Yoshirt and began consulting for several consumer goods businesses to help build brands and scale ecommerce revenue.  In 2018, he joined legacy manufacturer, Igloo Coolers, to help modernize the brand and scale their ecommerce business.  Since joining the team, Igloo has experienced a renaissance with significant improvements in social reach, traditional media coverage, Net Promoter Score, and all ecommerce KPIs.

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John Ghiorso and Ross Cully discuss new developments in Walmart.com's advertising platform as well as the evolution of Walmart's fulfillment network to offer services to 3rd party sellers.

On episode 8, John speaks with Steve Weiss, Founder & CEO of MuteSix. Their conversation explores the changing landscape of DTC eCommerce marketing due to COVID-19. They talk about how consumer ideology has shifted from aspirational to survival and how brands can pivot their messaging to better relate to customers. They also discuss how digital ad spend has changed and what that means for eCommerce. This episode includes a number of new opportunities brands can leverage to connect with new and existing customers through DTC and other digital channels.

About the Guest: Steve is a lifelong entrepreneur, marketer, and the Founder and CEO of MuteSix, an iProspect Company, and an award-winning, full-funnel digital and creative studio founded in 2014. He is responsible for the overall vision, strategic leadership, service delivery, culture, and growth of the creative agency that has generated over a billion dollars in trackable revenue for its clients.

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Jordan Brannon is President and COO of Coalition Technologies, the leading e-commerce digital marketing agency for small and mid-sized businesses. For the last 10 years Jordan has helped hundreds of companies find success with online sales and lead generation through SEO, SEM, paid social, email marketing, and website design and development. A frequent event and conference speaker, Jordan is often sharing insights into the trends and disruptions occurring within e-commerce.

In Episode 7, John discusses DTC eCommerce strategies with Jordan Brannon, President and COO of Coalition Technologies. From Shopify and Amazon to Ebay and beyond, the two explore the importance of keeping an open mind when exploring eCommerce sales channels.

 

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In Episode 6, John speaks with author and eCommerce thought leader Michael Zakkour. Their fascinating conversation centers around "New Retail," a futuristic model of commerce that Michael writes about in his book, "The New Retail Revolution". Michael describes the changing nature of physical versus online retail and projects a unification of commerce into singular ecosystems. In one of our most riveting episodes yet, Michael brings enough thought-provoking ideas to satiate even the most extreme eCommerce nerds.

 

About the Guest:

Michael Zakkour is a leading innovator and creator in digital commerce, eCommerce, The New Retail and consumer focused technology.  He has more 20 years of experience in eCommerce and 17 years years of experience in China/APAC.  He advises brands, retailers and technology companies from around the world on their market, consumer and digital commerce strategies for the “5 New” of the digital industrial revolution.

 

His intimate knowledge and experience in Asia inspired his latest book, "New Retail: Born in China, Going Global: How China's Tech Giants are Changing Global Commerce".  

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John dives into online channel management with Daren Garcia, partner at Vorys eControl Team.

With COVID-19 shaking up the eCommerce landscape, John and Rick discuss the rise of social commerce through platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The two break down Amazon's infrastructural and logistical advantages and muse about dynamic shifts in the online ecosystem.

John and special guest Dave Juron discuss the rise of online grocery shopping in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

John sits down with Michael Krakaris, esteemed co-founder of Deliverr. The two discuss unprecedented shifts in industry dynamics as well as practical advice for brands looking to leverage the volatile digital landscape.