The CPG Scoop's Podcast

Michael Reda, Head of eComm, Digital, Design & Insights at T. Marzetti Company, joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Michael has a CPG focused career over the last 15+ years with diverse experience on client side, agency side and sales side which gives him a unique view of things having sat across just about every seat at the table.  He loves the pace of change with digital and eComm but believe the brand & consumer is always at the core.  His super-power (he thinks) and a key to success to date is avoiding the pitfalls of the shiny objects!

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Michael:

• "Transcendent" is not a word he uses on a regular basis, but "surpassing the ordinary" perfectly describes that there is so much going on in the industry.
• The power of making sure that the consumer is seeing consistency and cohesion across physical and digital touchpoints is exponential.
• In 2024, we will continue to see the growth of retail media and the convergence of media into retail media. What else will these big retailers continue to do to grow their media sector?

Elizabeth Pigg, originally from Chicago and now based in Los Angeles, boasts over two decades of leadership in digital-first marketing and communications. Throughout her career, she has made an impact on iconic brands such as Ben & Jerry’s, AXE and Lagunitas during her tenure at Edelman. Her extensive skill set encompasses marketing strategy, social media, eCommerce, and public relations, making her a versatile expert in navigating the dynamic marketing and communications landscape.

In 2020, Elizabeth joined That's it. as the Chief Marketing Officer, where she played a pivotal role in revitalizing the company’s eCommerce, advertising, influencer marketing, and social strategy. Transitioning in 2024 to the role of Chief Communications Officer, Elizabeth now oversees the complete communications ecosystem, leveraging her passion storytelling to deliver compelling and newsworthy narratives to a broader audience.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Elizabeth engages in diverse creative interests as a violist, vocalist, and voiceover artist. Elizabeth also serves on the Board of Directors for Angels Nest—an organization dedicated to supporting young adults aging out of foster care.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Elizabeth:

• People are using Tiktok as a search engine now to hear honest opinions from influencers and "de-influencers". 
• CPG brands need to be transparent on all sides of the industry. 
• Looking at the big picture of 2024, it will be a crazy year of AI reaching its tipping point at the same time as the election.

Stacey Hartnett, Vice President of E-Commerce & Marketing at Chomps, joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Stacey attended the University of Connecticut School of Business, majoring in Marketing and International Studies, & forged a path for herself in sales through an account management development track at News Corp. Here, Hartnett acquired an understanding of traditional shopper marketing tactics in a rotational program by
working with clients like Mars and Post, kickstarting her passion in the CPG space.

After 2+ years, she forecasted a shift in traditional marketing tactics and budgeting as companies slowly began to lean into the digital space. Hartnett joined Rise Interactive, a growing Chicago boutique digital agency.

After 4+ years of Rise and a desire to focus solely on CPG, Hartnett accepted a role with Chomps in 2019 as a digital media buyer. Her role quickly evolved, to Vice President of E-Commerce & Marketing, in which Hartnett oversaw all E-Commerce and ROI strategy as it relates to digital marketing. Based in the Chicago office, Hartnett’s primary areas of focus at Chomps include a data- driven approach to testing, innovation, growth planning and channel development, with a passion for building strong teams and effective cross-functional collaboration.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Stacey:

• How will brands meet the ever-changing demands of consumers?
• In the CPG world and omnichannel space, you have to do a lot more and get a lot more creative to build that ongoing relationship with your consumer.
• How Chomps has grown from DTC to retail distribution since 2011.

Neha Mallik, Head of Connected Commerce at Mizkan America, joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

With over fifteen years of experience in leading e-commerce and digital marketing initiatives for CPG manufacturers, Neha is a passionate and driven connected commerce leader who thrives on developing and executing innovative and impactful strategies for online and offline channels. As the Head of Connected Commerce at Mizkan America, she oversees the media to shelf strategy and connected commerce strategy, category management, marketing, business development, and digital shelf catalog management for various brands and categories.

Her mission is to propel Mizkan America's market leadership and growth agenda by leveraging her expertise in digital marketing, retail media networks, customer engagement, social media, planning, and analytics. She has a proven track record of delivering results and driving revenue for e-commerce and Amazon platforms, as well as creating and managing effective content and media campaigns. She also has a strong pioneering spirit and a collaborative approach, working with cross-functional teams and external partners to achieve shared goals and objectives.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Neha:

• How Mizkan America is navigating the collapse of the funnel and reaching their consumers
• Taking testing & learning with consumers to the next level
• How the CPG industry will continue to pivot to digital in 2024

Jessica Bernheim, Sr. Director of Marketing and Strategy at Daring Foods, joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Previously, Jessica was Head of New Product Development at Upfield, the largest plant-based food company in the world. In that role and in her previous brand manager roles, she has launched a number of new products including Country Crock Plant Butter, which became a category leader in just a few years. Prior to that she was a management consultant at EY-Parthenon, where she worked on corporate strategy projects and commercial due diligences.

In her current role at Daring, she is responsible for developing the strategic framework that determines which categories they launch into. She works closely with the team as they go from concept to trial to launch and develops the sales materials used to sell-in the product to retailers. She works closely with Daring’s marketing team to define their target consumer and key messages, and she leads consumer research for the company.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Jessica:

• How early stage companies will be impacted by inflation
• Daring’s role as a next-gen plant-based powerhouse
• Why she believes consumers are going to be more careful about spending in 2024

Reza Mirza, CEO of Icelandic Glacial, joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Reza Mirza brings over 20 years of consumer product experience as  Group CEO of Icelandic Glacial, a leading super-premium natural spring water. Prior to Icelandic Glacial, Mirza was President of Activate Drinks. Mirza has also held several management positions at Nestle Waters North America and at Colgate-Palmolive in New York and with Bosch in India. Reza graduated with a degree in biochemistry from the University of Madras, India, An MBA from the International Management Institute, New Delhi, and a Masters in International Business and International Affairs from Columbia University in New York.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Reza:

• The brands that have FOCUS and talk to their target audience in a way they understand are the most successful.
• Understanding what about your brand resonates with the consumer will make your brand stand out.
• His predictions in the marketing space for 2024 (hint: it has to do with trends, trends, trends!)

Ian Baer, Founder of Sooth, joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Ian Baer, Founder and Chief Soothsayer of the strategic insights platform and marketing consultancy Sooth, has been solving marketing’s greatest challenges for over three decades. He has spent his career helping major brands achieve extraordinary success and challenger brands box above their weight class in leadership roles with Publicis Groupe, TBWA, Rapp, Deutsch, and others. He was named to Campaign US’ Digital 40 over 40. He is a contributor and thought leader for industry-specific and national publications including Adweek, Fortune Magazine, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters and CNBC. Additionally, he is a frequent speaker at leading national conferences including Advertising Week; Social Media Week; Digiday; DMA Annual Marketing Forum; and the 4A’s. He sits on the Customer Experience Advisory Board at Ithaca College and has participated in numerous televised interviews for platforms including LiveNOW from FOX, NewsNation, TalkTV, Fox5 New York, Piers Morgan, and Televisionation.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Ian:

• People who feel emotionally connected to a brand stay customers for 20 months longer.
• The outsized impact that Gen Z is having in changing how people buy is the biggest trend that we should all be watching.
• AI is going to have an increasingly important impact. If brands use it properly, they can anticipate needs and pick up on patterns.

Katie Gallo, Director of Revenue Enablement, and Polly Gleneck, Head of Global Customer Advocacy & Revenue Enablement, at Syndigo join Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

Katie is a dynamic and results-driven sales enablement and customer advocacy professional with a passion for strengthening teams, empowering customers, and driving business growth through collaborative leadership. When she's not focused on her work, she's going on adventures with her husband and her dog, trying new Gluten Free baking recipes, and re-watching TV shows from the early 2000's!

Polly is a results-driven leader with a focus on commercial success through collaboration with marketing, customer success, and product teams. She is passionate about creating a customer-centric environment, emphasizing their journey and outcomes.  When she's not working, you'll find her in her happy place—exploring America's stunning National Parks, public lands, and oceans. She's all about traveling, hiking, painting, and just hanging out with her husband, Gabe, and son, Parks.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Katie & Polly:

• Data is the backbone of everything.
• Making sure your product is going to market in the right way while remaining authentic will be a game-changer for 2024.
• You should be talking about and implementing automation and AI to stay on top of the game.

Hamid Saify, SVP of Digital Retail at Liquid Death, joins Jennifer and Risa on the latest episode of CPG Scoop!

At Liquid Death, Hamid oversees revenue growth across a wide range of digital partners. Hamid was the first VP of Marketing at Liquid Death and helped drive the rapid rise of the brand as one of the fastest growing beverage brands in history.

Prior to Liquid Death, Hamid worked in advertising, working on brands like Nestle, PlayStation, Volkswagen, Taco Bell, Zillow, and many others.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with Hamid:

• How Liquid Death takes a nonconventional approach when planning their marketing for the year
• Hamid's favorite execution that Liquid Death has done that catapulted them into virality. (Hint: It involves Tony Hawk's blood?!) 
• People trust people more than they trust brands, so tap into a built-in audience.

John Merris, CEO of Solo Brands, joins Jennifer and Risa for a "fireside" edition of CPG Scoop!

John specializes in scaling the entrepreneurial potential of business, a passion that began with his first startup venture, a home automation brand he founded after college and successfully exited in 2013.  John and his wife Cindy live in Southlake, Texas with their five children, and together founded Fostering Hearts, a 501 (c) (3) charity dedicated to supporting foster children through their participation and education in the arts.

Our favorite takeaways from this episode with John:

• How the "half baked" idea of the Snoop Dogg x Solo Stove collaboration came to be one of the best marketing campaigns of 2023.
• There is nowhere that you can't look to potentially find your next campaign.
• At the end of the day, value creation in any form is ultimately what drives consumers to your brand.