Retail Remix

Digital channels and platforms make it easier for brand leaders to create and amplify stories at scale. However, many retail executives have learned that despite its power, digital can never replace the distinct value of physical environments.

That’s why brands like Adidas, Converse, The North Face and Vans have tapped Starch Creative, a creative agency that specializes in bringing compelling brands into physical spaces. During this episode of Retail Remix, CEO Brandon Ball weighs in on:

• How brand leaders are developing brick-and-mortar objectives and establishing measures of success;
• Why brick-and-mortar stores have evolved from commerce destinations into community spaces;
• How brands can effectively bring powerful digital stories into physical stores to create unified customer experiences.

RELATED LINKS

• Learn more about Starch Creative
• Get the latest store design news and trend articles
• Get expert insights on the future of in-store innovation

The National Retail Federation drew 40,000+ attendees from across the retail realm who were eager to explore the hottest trends and tech — from AI to retail media and in-store optimization.

During this week’s Retail Remix, host Alicia Esposito recaps the Big Show with Nicole Silberstein, Ecommerce Editor for Retail TouchPoints, and Phillip Jackson, Co-founder of Future Commerce, including how the event could be an indicator for future retail tech investments and the sectors that will see traction in 2024. The panel also discuss some key themes and takeaways from the show, including:

• The digitization (and monetization) of the store and what it means for the tech landscape; 
• The big rebranding moment of the metaverse — and the emerging brand opportunity within gaming platforms; 
• How the evolution of shoppable TV and other “contextual commerce” vehicles will shape the future of retail; and 
• How the hyper-personalization of retail experiences will impact our shared experience as shoppers.

RELATED LINKS

• Learn more and subscribe to Retail TouchPoints
• Learn more and subscribe to Future Commerce

Over the course of his 20-year career, Harvey Ma has held roles at NielsenIQ and Roundel, the in-house marketing and advertising agency for Target. He also held several leadership positions at Target spanning marketing, merchandising and negotiations. Now, he’s taking his passion for retail and advertising to the next level as Vice President of Albertsons Media Collective.

In this episode of Retail Remix, host Alicia Esposito chats with Harvey about how retail and the advertising landscapes have both evolved and converged, creating new opportunities for brands to create immersive and innovative brand experiences. Listen to learn: 

• The top three trends Harvey believes are driving the evolution of retail media; 
• Why transparency and measurement standardization are so top of mind for leadership teams; 
• How privacy and data compliance will come to the forefront in a cookieless future; and 
• How Albertsons Media Collective is harnessing its rich audience of 35+ million weekly shoppers to drive campaign success. 

RELATED LINKS

• Connect with Harvey Ma here.
• Learn more about Albertsons Media Collective.
• Check out the 2024 Predictions report here!
• Get details on how Albertsons Media Collective is supporting transparency and standardization in retail media.
• Read more about emerging tech trends on Retail TouchPoints.

PRODUCTION UPDATE: Shortly after this podcast launched, Solo Brands announced that John Merris would “mutually separate” from the company as President, CEO and Director starting on Jan. 15, 2024. Christopher Metz will replace Merris, beginning on the same date. The news comes on the heels of Solo Brands updating its fiscal 2023 guidance, decreasing it from between $520 million to $540 million, to between $490 million and $500 million.

In an era where technology and scale often precede personal connection, Solo Brands has found a way to intertwine all three, creating resonant brand experiences across all channels. This has led to significant growth for the business, which has a vast portfolio that spans menswear to smokeless fire pits.

In this episode of Retail Remix, host Alicia Esposito has a one-on-one chat with John Merris, CEO of Solo Brands, about how the company has seen significant growth by investing in: 

• A strategic vision and mission that extends across all of its brands; 
• A holistic listening strategy that informs business decisions and brand experiences;
• Wholesale partnerships that drive brand awareness and traffic, and support more efficient marketing decision-making; and 
• Data-driven strategies that are setting the brand up for a successful 2024. 

RELATED LINKS

• Connect with John Merris here.
• Learn more about Solo Brands.
• Check out the 2024 Predictions report here!
• Read more about emerging tech trends on Retail TouchPoints.

The Retail TouchPoints editorial team engaged with 15 esteemed experts, analysts and strategists to determine which trends and technologies will influence the industry most significantly in 2024. All insights were curated in a multimedia recent report, but for this week’s special episode of Retail Remix, we’re highlighting four key themes that emerged several times in the entire piece. 

Join us as we explore the trends and forces propelling our industry forward, including: 

• How consumers’ lifestyles, emotions and psychology will create even more nuance around their spending habits;
• Why brand storytelling and new marketing channels will influence marketing budgets in 2024; and
• How AI, particularly generative AI, will drive experience innovation but also accelerate conversations around brand safety and consumer trust. 

RELATED LINKS

• Check out the 2024 Predictions report here!
• Read more about emerging tech trends on Retail TouchPoints.

With his finger firmly on the pulse of the tech industry, Matt Maher, Founder of M7 Innovations, has helped brands across categories push creative boundaries to resonate with consumers in new ways. 

During this week’s Retail Remix, we’re replaying his session from the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo 2023, where he outlined the emerging technologies and platforms that can help merchants drive immersion and accelerate the purchase funnel. Listen to this episode to learn how: 

• Discord is facilitating a new era of community building and customer relationship management;
• 3D modeling facilitates virtual and augmented reality to drive engagement and conversion;
• The metaverse, NFTs and Web3 are facilitating the new era of the internet; and
• Gaming fulfills our basic human needs for connection, community and creativity.

RELATED LINKS

• Connect with Matt here.
• Check out M7 Innovations.
• Get Matt’s predictions for 2024.
• Read more about emerging tech trends on Retail TouchPoints.

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., is a pioneer in the gifting and entertaining space. By taking a holistic approach to marketing and content strategy, this renowned retailer has captured hearts worldwide, transforming how we celebrate special moments and connect with one another.

During this Retail Remix episode, we sat down with Jason John, CMO of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., to learn how the company is driving engagement and loyalty across its growing portfolio of brands. Check out this episode to learn how the company: 

• Initiates conversations around critical life moments to serve customers in meaningful ways;
• Integrates personalization across all brands and marketing touch points; 
• Invests in a diverse network of content formats and platforms, from blogs to podcasts; and 
• Leverages AI to provide value to customers through unique digital tools and services.

RELATED LINKS

• Connect with Jason here.
• Check out 1-800-FLOWERS.COM.
• Read more about customer engagement trends on Retail TouchPoints.

Once illegal and highly stigmatized, cannabis has become a legitimate, diverse and thriving market. Not only has the cannabis industry experienced significant growth over the past few years, it has also driven significant innovation in marketing, store design and customer experience. 

Despite this positive disruption, the cannabis retail space still faces its fair share of challenges. During this Retail Remix episode, we sat down with Filip Luneski, VP of Marketing for the UPC cannabis company Lucid Green. Check out this episode to learn: 

• The state of the cannabis industry, including consumer adoption and potential for future growth;
• Why education is still such a significant marketing challenge; 
• How technology is driving in-store engagement and education in stores; and
• Tactical lessons other brands and retailers can apply from cannabis players. 

RELATED LINKS

• Connect with Filip here.
• Learn more about Lucid Green.
• Read more about trends from the cannabis industry on Retail TouchPoints.

Despite rumblings of a wary consumer, shopping results from Thanksgiving weekend reveal that consumers were eager to shop. For example, data from Adobe Digital Insights reveals that results from the weekend, especially Cyber Monday, beat initial projections. 

In this special episode of Retail Remix, host Alicia Esposito sits down with Vivek Pandya from Adobe Digital Insights to discuss how consumers shopped from the Thanksgiving table and their couches during the long weekend. Drawing on Adobe's extensive data collection and analysis, Vivek pulled the curtain back on the findings and revealed what consumer behaviors could tell us about the remainder of the holiday season – and what retailers should do about it.

Check out this episode to learn: 

• Whether retailers’ pricing and discounting strategies inspired consumers to cross off their holiday shopping lists; 
• How the ease of mobile shopping influenced overall traffic and spending results;
• Which categories saw the biggest sales boost and why; 
• If major shopping days (like Black Friday and Cyber Monday) still heavily influence consumer action; and
• Which trends and takeaways should guide retailers’ efforts going through the remainder of the holiday season.

RELATED LINKS

• Connect with Vivek here.
• Check out Adobe Analytics’ 2023 Holiday Shopping Report.
• Learn more about Adobe Analytics.

Read more about holiday shopping trends on Retail TouchPoints.

Results from Retail TouchPoints’ latest Store Ops Survey reveal that store ops budgets are increasing, and retailers are investing more in new in-store technology. As merchants strive to improve efficiency and personalize customer experiences, they need to ensure they’re prioritizing the right solutions, whether it be mobile devices, digital signage or other technologies. 

In this Retail Remix episode, we dive into the findings from the recently released Store Ops Survey with Nikki Baird, VP of Strategy at Aptos. Listen to learn why: 

• Employee hiring and retention continue to be a top challenge for retailers due to issues like rising wages and the changing expectations of Gen Z employees;
• Retailers are investing more in mobile devices and apps to help associates be more productive and provide better customer service;
• So many retailers struggle once new technology is rolled out in stores; and
• In-store theft and loss prevention are driving investment in technologies like RFID.

RELATED LINKS

• Connect with Nikki here.
• Check out Retail TouchPoint’s Store Ops Survey!
• Learn more about Aptos.

Read more about store ops trends on Retail TouchPoints.