Our guest this week is Lauren Wiener, Managing Director and Partner in the New York office of the Boston Consulting Group. 

With Laura lending her considerable experience and expertise, this episode provides a deep-dive into the world of retail media networks.  We dig into definitions, the size of the opportunity and what is driving this booming area of retail. We learn who some of the leaders are and what strategies they employ. We also unpack some of the major opportunities, key risks and how to best balance sometimes conflicting agendas. It's a concise Masterclass on what you need to know about this rapidly growing and highly profitable retail segment.

But first we unpack the hot retail news of the week, including Macy's questionable PR strategy, just announced plans to roll out Toys R US departments everywhere, and its small stores dreams. We have a more positive take on Nike's new Style concept which just debuted in Seoul, before wrapping up with a discussion of what a recession might mean for retailer's strategies.

About Lauren

Lauren Wiener is a Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group, based in the New York office. She leads BCG's Retail Media and Data Monetization business globally, working across retailers, CPGs and tech partners to unlock this emerging channel. She has authored research on the topic including "The $100B Media Opportunity for Retailers" and "Consumers Want Privacy. Marketers Can Deliver." Lauren has extensive experience across marketing, sales and pricing with a laser focus on these topics at the intersection of digital marketing, personalization, agile, ad tech and martech.

Prior to rejoining BCG, Lauren was the CEO of Tremor Video DSP, an ad tech company focused on using AI, big data and outcome based buying models to optimize video advertising effectiveness. Before Tremor, Lauren spent 15 years building advertising and subscription-based digital businesses from the ground up for Meredith Corporation, Primedia and MTV Networks. In addition to scaling and transforming businesses, Lauren has successfully sold three digital and media companies, including Tremor Video to Taptica International, American Baby to Meredith Corporation and Seventeen to Hearst Corporation.

Lauren holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a BA in History.

About Us

Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.

Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  ,      The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois and now in its second season, Conversations with CommerceNext!  You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. 

Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

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About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.

Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. 

Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.