The CPG sector is under pressure. With newly implemented tariffs adding hundreds of millions in costs, companies are being forced to rework their playbooks—fast. Some are raising prices, others are holding firm. But all are confronting the same reality: inflation-weary consumers are watching closely.

In this episode, we break down:

• How major CPG brands like Kimberly-Clark are reacting to tariff-related cost increases
• Why consumer loyalty might be stronger than expected—and how to nurture it
• What smart brands are doing to maintain quality, communicate transparently, and plan for long-term growth

Plus, we share insights from recent polls showing how consumers perceive the tariffs, their economic anxieties, and what they expect from the brands they trust most.

💼 Real-World Brand Reactions

• How Munchkin is passing costs to customers
• Why Kimberly-Clark is holding prices despite a $300M hit
• The sourcing strategies and pandemic-era lessons reshaping supply chains

🛍️ What Consumers Expect

• 77% of Americans believe tariffs will increase prices
• 50%+ worry about a looming recession
• 68% say they’ll stay loyal to favorite brands, even with price hikes

🔧 Strategic Responses to Tariff Pressures

• Don’t cut quality – 60% of consumers cite it as the #1 reason for brand loyalty
• Communicate openly – Transparency about pricing decisions builds trust
• Elevate marketing – Reinforce what makes your brand worth sticking with
• Reward loyalty – Use programs to retain high-value customers
• Tread carefully with shrinkflation – Reputation risks are real

📊 Behind-the-Scenes Essentials

• Unified, tariff-aware data for pricing and supply chain planning
• Modeling cost impacts and scenario planning
• Investing in long-term efficiency and regional operations

• Tariffs are reshaping the CPG playbook—from sourcing to pricing to consumer messaging.
• Brand loyalty remains strong, but it must be earned continuously through quality and transparency.
• Long-term strategies—like resilient sourcing and customer-centric innovation—will define who thrives through economic turbulence.
• Sophisticated data modeling and operational agility are essential for navigating future disruptions.

Subscribe to our podcast for expert perspectives on commerce, economics, and strategic brand growth. Visit The Future of Commerce for more on CPG innovation and global trade impacts.  Share this episode with business leaders navigating cost pressures, supply chain shifts, or brand strategy in uncertain times.

The “Buy Now” button may look simple, but what happens behind the scenes makes or breaks customer satisfaction. This episode explores why marketplace automation is no longer just an efficiency play—it’s a frontline strategy for delivering the kind of consistent, fast, and frustration-free customer experience consumers expect.

We break down the hidden costs of disconnected systems, the real-world impact of automation on brand loyalty, and how companies like Expondo used backend improvements to drive a 300% revenue increase. Plus, we walk through five questions every business should ask to assess if their operations are CX-ready.

Whether you’re managing one marketplace or twenty, this is a conversation about turning operational complexity into competitive advantage.

🔧 Why CX and operations are now inseparable

• How backend glitches directly erode customer trust
• The rising consumer expectations across multi-marketplace environments
• Why marketplace automation is a must-have, not a luxury

⚙️ Key Automation Levers That Boost CX

• Real-time inventory syncing to avoid out-of-stock errors
• Automated product listings and localized content
• Seamless return flows that increase loyalty
• Pricing automation and AI-powered adjustments

📈 Real-World Results from Automation

• Expondo’s marketplace automation led to 60+ hours saved per week
• 300% growth in order revenue linked to smoother customer experience
• Reduced returns and improved brand consistency across multiple channels

📊 How to Know If You’re Behind

Ask yourself:

1. Are your stock levels synced in real time?
2. Can listings be enriched/translated without manual effort?
3. Do prices auto-adjust per channel and competitor data?
4. Is your return process automated end-to-end?
5. Do your systems (ERP, OMS, PIM) talk to each other?

If you answered “no” to more than two… your CX may be at risk.

• Marketplace automation reduces friction internally—but the true impact is external.
• A unified, well-integrated backend is essential for accurate personalization, reliable fulfillment, and trust.
• Automation empowers people. It doesn't replace them—it frees them to focus on strategic work and customer value.
• Automation is only as good as your data—quality, governance, and visibility still matter.

Subscribe to our podcast for expert takes on CX innovation, e-commerce transformation, and operational strategy. Visit The Future of Commerce for insights on retail, automation, and digital customer experiences.  Share this episode with e-commerce leads, CX managers, or anyone optimizing across marketplaces.

Is looking back the best way forward? In this episode, we explore why nostalgia is becoming a powerful emotional tool for brands—and why it resonates especially strongly with younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials.

We discuss the psychology behind nostalgia, its impact on purchase behavior, and how leading brands like Mattel, Pepsi, Levi’s, and Taylor Swift are using retro references to create emotional connections. But it’s not as easy as just slapping on a vintage logo. Done well, nostalgia marketing connects the past to a purpose in the present—and builds loyalty in the process.

💡 Why Nostalgia Works

• The neuroscience behind memory, dopamine, and emotional recall
• How nostalgia marketing acts as a mood booster and stress reliever
• Why both older and younger generations respond to nostalgic cues

🧠 The Psychology of Emotional Marketing

• How intangible experiences like travel, gaming, and cinema trigger loyalty through feeling
• What makes an emotional campaign stick versus fade

🧭 The 4 Essentials of Effective Nostalgia Marketing

• Know your audience deeply – nostalgia is personal, not one-size-fits-all
• Capture the feeling, not just the look – emotional resonance > exact replication
• Blend past and present – updated aesthetics and language keep it relevant
• Create forward momentum – nostalgia should say something about the future

🧵 Real-World Examples

• Barbie’s cinematic comeback – legacy meets cultural relevance
• Taylor Swift’s re-recordings – personal empowerment meets vintage packaging
• Pepsi’s retro logo refresh – modern nostalgia done right
• Mattel, Hostess, Levi’s, and more tapping into consumer emotion

• Nostalgia isn’t just about reminiscing—it’s about emotional relevance.
• Even Gen Z, despite not having lived through certain eras, embraces nostalgia as escape, comfort, or novelty.
• Brands must walk a fine line between honoring the past and connecting it to present-day values and experiences.
• Emotional marketing—especially when tied to memory—is sticky, viral, and profitable when done right.

Subscribe to our podcast for episodes on marketing psychology, brand storytelling, and digital transformation.  Visit The Future of Commerce for insights on where culture meets business strategy.  Share this episode with marketing leaders or creatives navigating brand relevance in a changing world.

Banking is no longer just about numbers—it’s about data. In this episode, we unpack how financial institutions can modernize through two transformative shifts: cloud-based data architecture and standardized semantics.

With AI set to deliver trillions in value, banks can’t afford to be stuck in outdated systems that can’t talk to each other. Drawing on real-world examples like Standard Chartered’s transformation with SAP and Microsoft Azure, we show how banks are moving from fragmented infrastructure to streamlined ecosystems—and what it takes to get there.

🧠 Why AI Demands Better Data

• The problem with legacy systems and siloed formats
• Why real-time access—not just storage—is critical
• How data clouds offer visibility without duplication

🏗️ The Role of Data Clouds

• What they are and how they work (think: air traffic control tower for data)
• Why they reduce compliance risks and speed up insights
• How they lay the groundwork for deeper AI integration

🔧 Standardization as the Key to Agility

• Moving from messy semantics to shared definitions
• Why standardized customer, finance, and sales data boosts innovation
• How tech vendors are driving cross-industry vocabulary

💡 Real-World Case: Standard Chartered

• Why their transformation focused on process, people, and platform—not just tech
• How SAP, Azure, and Intel combined to support a global operational model
• What their journey tells us about AI-readiness

• Data clouds give banks a control-tower view without moving or duplicating data.
• Semantic standardization across core business functions enables AI, interoperability, and faster partnerships.
• Institutions that unify their architecture and language are positioned for long-term resilience, agility, and growth.
• This model has ripple effects far beyond banking—offering a blueprint for innovation across sectors like healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing.

Subscribe to our podcast for insights on how data, AI, and cloud tech are reshaping industries. Visit The Future of Commerce for executive perspectives and digital transformation success stories.  Share this episode with financial services leaders and data transformation teams exploring modernization strategies.

Distributors today are caught in a squeeze—facing higher supplier costs and increasingly price-sensitive customers. But the answer isn’t just more discounting. It’s smarter selling. In this episode, we explore how value selling—when done right—can help distributors navigate economic volatility and strengthen customer loyalty.

But here’s the kicker: Distributors can’t go it alone. They need structured, sustained support from manufacturers. Together, they can shift the sales conversation from “What’s your price?” to “What’s the impact?”

📦 Why Price-Only Selling is a Dead End

• Eroding margins and brand value
• Training customers to always demand discounts
• Undermining long-term sustainability

🤝 How Manufacturers Can Support Value Selling

• Clear value propositions tailored to customer segments
• Market intelligence: Voice-of-customer data, willingness-to-pay studies
• Sales enablement: Battle cards, ROI calculators, and objection handling guides
• Training and field coaching for distributor reps
• Aligned incentives based on outcomes, not just volume
• Proof tools: Dashboards and data to show value delivered post-sale

🚀 What Distributors Should Be Doing Now

• Audit which suppliers provide true value-selling support
• Proactively request toolkits and tariff-response playbooks
• Make value collaboration part of quarterly reviews and supplier scorecards
• Share back frontline insights to deepen the partnership

• Reactive discounting is a race to the bottom.
• Distributors need more than talking points—they need proof, training, and tools.
• Manufacturers that invest in their channel partners will build long-term resilience and loyalty.
• Value selling only works when it’s a shared, strategic effort.

Subscribe to our podcast for smart takes on B2B resilience, pricing, and channel partnerships.  Explore more at The Future of Commerce for insights on how commerce is evolving.  Share this episode with sales leaders, partner managers, and manufacturers ready to level up their go-to-market strategy.

Hollywood has always shaped culture—but now it’s being challenged to shape climate action, too. In this episode, we explore the environmental impact of media and entertainment—and the concrete steps the industry is taking to go green.

From massive emissions tied to film production and concert tours, to the rise of virtual sets and EV fleets, sustainability is no longer a niche concern—it’s a strategic shift. We look at studios like Universal, sustainability firms like Earth Angel, and initiatives like Energy Sage’s screen influence campaign to understand how green practices are reshaping the way stories are made and told.

🌱 The Hidden Environmental Cost of Entertainment

• Blockbuster film emissions can top 3,000 metric tons of CO₂
• Streaming, air travel, set construction, and data centers all play a role
• Concert tours alone generated 45,000 metric tons in 2022

🎬 Real-World Sustainability Initiatives

• Universal’s GreenerLight program cut Wicked’s carbon footprint in half
• Virtual production tools (like The Mandalorian's LED stages) save emissions and enable remote work
• EV trams, clean power batteries, and reusable set warehouses are gaining traction

🌍 Influence Beyond the Studio

• Energy Sage urges studios to show solar panels, EVs, and clean tech on screen
• Normalizing sustainability in media narratives can drive real-world change
• Tax credits and regulatory support are nudging the industry forward

• Hollywood has a footprint—but also a megaphone. Its cultural reach gives it unique power to lead by example.
• Sustainability is showing up on set and in scripts. From energy use to storytelling, every frame now matters.
• Studios are finding economic incentives. Reducing waste, energy costs, and transportation emissions isn’t just ethical—it can also be financially smart.
• The next blockbuster trend? Net-zero filmmaking.

Subscribe to our podcast for bold takes on innovation, culture, and sustainability. Visit The Future of Commerce for more stories at the intersection of business and the planet. Share this episode with creatives, environmentalists, and producers looking to future-proof their industry.

Esports may be built on fast reflexes, but sustained victory comes from deep strategy. In this episode, we explore how Team Liquid, one of the biggest names in competitive gaming, is redefining the game using AI and analytics.

Powered by SAP’s Business Technology Platform, Team Liquid is tapping into over 6 million match records to drive smarter decisions during gameplay—and beyond. From AI-assisted draft picks to automated teamfight analysis, this episode breaks down the tools, tactics, and outcomes of Liquid’s AI-driven transformation.

🎮 How AI Is Shaping the Future of Competitive Gaming

• Why top esports teams like Team Liquid are using data as much as reflexes
• How SAP’s AI and analytics tools are reducing decision times by over 60x
• How draft simulations, win probabilities, and teamfight models fuel smarter strategy

🧠 Behind the Tools:

• AI Draft Bot: Trained on 1.6TB of data from 6,000 pro and 1.5M amateur matches
• Real-Time Scenario Planning: Visualizes win probabilities during the live draft phase
• Automated Teamfight Detection: Flags key in-game events using ML-driven movement, damage, and proximity analysis

💡 Tangible Outcomes for Team Liquid:

• 10,000 analyst hours saved per year
• Draft analysis time cut from 1 hour to 1 minute
• Estimated $250,000+ in cost savings
• Competitive insight on par with human intuition—at machine speed

• Esports is evolving. Victory is no longer just about skill—it’s about strategic intelligence.
• AI amplifies human talent. Team Liquid analysts use data to refine, not replace, tactical decision-making.
• Real-time insights = competitive edge. Whether it’s drafting heroes or breaking down post-match plays, the fusion of tech + teamwork wins games.
• This is just the beginning. Expect future developments where AI supports in-game decisions in real time.

Subscribe to our podcast for insights on how AI is transforming every industry—gaming included. Visit The Future of Commerce for more stories on innovation at the edge of business and tech. Share this episode with gamers, data scientists, and anyone curious about AI-powered performance.

With global trade shocks, rising costs, and increasingly cautious buyers, B2B sales teams are under enormous pressure to perform. Enter sales AI—a suite of intelligent technologies helping organizations do more than survive: they’re helping them grow.

In this episode inspired by the artcile: How sales AI helps organizations get ahead despite shifting markets, we explore:

• How AI-powered tools are providing visibility across the sales pipeline
• Why agility is the new baseline for modern sales organizations
• Seven real-world use cases for generative AI in B2B sales
• Five key lessons for deploying AI strategically and ensuring seller adoption

Whether you're running a commercial team, overseeing tech investments, or just trying to hit your quota—this is your playbook for thriving in unpredictable markets.

⚙️ The Role of Sales AI in Turbulent Markets

• Why agility, visibility, and trust are the new pillars of sales success
• How AI connects ERP, CRM, and supply chain data to improve customer experience
• The shift from reactive selling to proactive pipeline management

🤖 7 Use Cases for Generative AI in B2B Sales

1. Next Best Opportunity: Smarter lead scoring and opportunity discovery
2. Next Best Action: Personalized outreach based on predictive insights
3. Meeting Support: AI-prepared talking points and objection handling
4. RFP Response Generation: Faster, more competitive proposals
5. Smart Pricing: Tailored discounting and value justification
6. Research Assistants: Real-time access to institutional knowledge
7. AI Coaching: Performance analytics and targeted seller enablement

💡 5 Strategic Lessons for Implementation

1. Start with business problems, not technology
2. Prioritize seller-centric design and trust
3. Combine buy vs. build strategies
4. Align AI with broader sales transformation goals
5. Focus on adoption, not just deployment

• Sales AI is no longer optional—it’s a must-have for visibility, agility, and growth
• Gen AI augments—not replaces—sellers, helping them personalize, prioritize, and persuade
• Adoption hinges on trust and usefulness—tools must solve real problems, not create new ones
• The future is agentic AI—AI that doesn't just suggest, but acts autonomously

Subscribe to our podcast for insights on how AI is reshaping enterprise strategy. Visit The Future of Commerce for in-depth thought leadership on sales, tech, and growth. Share this episode with sales enablement leaders, revenue ops professionals, and AI-curious executives.

A sweeping executive order is shaking up how the U.S. government procures common goods and services, shifting authority to the General Services Administration (GSA) and aiming to cut inefficiencies in federal buying.

In this episode inspired by the artcile titled: Federal contract cutbacks: How firms can deal with DOGE upheaval, we examine:

• What the March 2025 executive order really mandates
• How consulting giants like Deloitte, Booz Allen, and Accenture could lose hundreds of millions in federal revenue
• What “DOGE upheaval” means for federal contractors
• Four actionable ways firms can pivot to stay competitive in a rapidly centralizing procurement environment

Whether you’re in government services or watching adjacent sectors, this change could have far-reaching effects—and presents an opportunity to rethink how value is delivered in federal contracts.

🏛️ What’s Changing in Federal Procurement

• Executive Order mandates GSA consolidation of $490B in federal goods and services
• New controls over IT acquisitions and contract vehicles
• OMB timelines and agency obligations

💼 What It Means for Contractors

• DOGE upheaval could cost consulting firms hundreds of millions
• Impacted firms must reimagine contracts, revenue streams, and delivery models
• GSA is seeking input from stakeholders—urgency is high

🚀 Four Adaptive Strategies for Government Suppliers

• Rethink Contract Models: Move toward outcome-based and performance-based pricing
• Build Recurring Revenue Streams: Turn IP and platforms into as-a-service models
• Leverage Intelligent Workforce Tools: Use AI to manage talent more dynamically
• Diversify Market Focus: Explore state, local, and commercial sector contracts

• Federal procurement is centralizing fast—firms must prepare for larger, more competitive GSA-managed contracts
• Consulting firms are under pressure to prove ROI, not just provide services
• Technology and innovation—especially AI and automation—are critical to staying lean and agile
• Diversification is essential in a volatile contracting environment

Subscribe to our podcast for ongoing insights on policy-driven market change. Visit The Future of Commerce to stay ahead of government and enterprise disruption. Share this episode with leaders in government contracting, enterprise tech, and professional services.

With new U.S. tariffs in effect and retaliation from global trading partners already underway, American farmers—especially soybean and cotton producers—are facing an unprecedented season of uncertainty.

In this episode, we unpack the latest tariff developments and their wide-ranging effects, pulling insights from the artcile titled: Tariff impact on farmers: Plotting a profitable way forward for agriculture, authored by Michelle Schooff — we explore pricing and sourcing strategies across U.S. enterprises.  From planting shifts and input cost volatility to AI-powered pricing tactics, we examine how the agricultural sector—and the broader business community—is responding to global trade turbulence.

🚜 The Frontline Impact on Farmers

• Why soybean growers are facing tariffs as high as 114.7%
• How retaliatory duties from China and others are reshaping U.S. ag exports
• Crop strategy pivots, including a 5.2% increase in corn acreage and a sharp drop in soybeans and cotton

📉 Tariff Mechanics & Policy Shifts

• Key details behind the new reciprocal tariff framework
• Breakdown of exemptions and what inputs (like potash fertilizers) farmers can still source duty-free
• Why the end of the de minimis rule matters for supply chains—and consumers

🧮 Pricing and Supply Chain Strategy

• 44% of U.S. businesses plan to pass tariff costs to customers
• How 83% are now leveraging AI to manage pricing amid trade volatility
• The rise of C-suite involvement in pricing decisions

• Farmers are making hard decisions—planting more corn, less soy, less cotton—as export demand collapses.
• New tariffs add complexity and cost across the board, even with strategic exemptions.
• AI is emerging as a powerful tool for navigating uncertain pricing and sourcing dynamics.
• Consumer prices may rise, with nearly half of large enterprises signaling cost pass-through strategies.

Subscribe to our podcast for timely insights on commerce, policy, and the economy. Explore more at The Future of Commerce to stay ahead of emerging trade dynamics. Share this episode with colleagues in agriculture, logistics, and manufacturing who are feeling the effects of global trade shifts.