The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Kim Lefko, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Ace Hardware, which has over 5,000 stores around the world with the majority of those stores independently owned and operated by local entrepreneurs. 

Follow Kim Lefko on linkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimlefko/

Follow RedVest media on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redvest-media/

Follow RedVest Media online at: https://www.redvestmedia.com/

Kim answers these questions: 

1. You’ve had a career that spans iconic brands like Weber and Graco before moving to the retail side at Ace. How did that journey shape the kind of marketing leader you are today—and what pulled you into hardware?
2. What surprised you most when you moved from vendor to retailer?
3. For people who don’t live in the hardware world, what makes Ace fundamentally different from other national retailers?
4. How does that hone your focus for marketing on behalf of Ace?
5. Ace may not be the first retailer people think of when they hear ‘digital scale,’ but you do have significant site traffic and an innovative app. How would you describe Ace’s journey to digital maturity?
6. With 75% of U.S. households within 15 minutes of an Ace store, how are you redefining convenience for your customers?
7. The Elevate Ace format represents a $1B investment in reimagining stores. What does this teach brands about the future of physical retail?
8. One of Ace’s super powers, in my opinion, is the fact that you have loyalty data. Not all retailers have it, and it allows for a longitudinal view of customer behavior. What’s your philosophy on loyalty?
9. Molly Hjelm was on our Podcast in August, and she indicated that Retail Media at Ace was your executive vision and pitch. What was your vision behind launching RedVest Media, and why now?
10. Ace has called itself a ‘late mover’ to retail media. Why is that an advantage?
11. What’s the biggest thing CPG marketers misunderstand about hardware retail?
12. Ace’s purpose is ‘We exist to help others.’ How do you ensure purpose drives decisions?

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