Tech Talk: Digital Marketing Strategy for Retail Transformation - A Conversation with January Digital Founder & CEO, Vic Drabicky, & Steve Madden President, Josh Krepon
Sep 10, 2024
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Vic Drabicky, founder and CEO of January Digital, and Josh Krepon, President at Steve Madden, dive into the world of performance marketing in retail. They explore the critical balance between algorithm-based and authentic storytelling in branding. The conversation highlights the challenges of content management and the escalating importance of video marketing, particularly with platforms like TikTok. They also discuss how genuine influencer collaborations can foster real connections with consumers, and the growing role of MarTech in loyalty and data management.
Brands must balance algorithmic performance marketing with inspirational marketing to foster deeper emotional connections with consumers.
The importance of video content and platforms like TikTok shops is rising, requiring brands to adapt their marketing strategies accordingly.
Deep dives
The Role of Retail Agencies and Consultancies
January Digital operates as both an agency and consultancy, specializing in retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and beauty sectors. This dual function allows them to provide comprehensive services ranging from performance media to high-end brand strategy consultations. Their model emphasizes collaboration between strategic planning and execution, which differentiates them from other firms that may only focus on one aspect of retail marketing. Clients include established brands like Carhartt and Steve Madden, showcasing their ability to support diverse retail strategies.
Balancing Performance and Brand Marketing
Performance marketing has evolved significantly over the years, moving from creative-centric strategies to algorithm-driven approaches reliant on major platforms like Google and Meta. However, rising costs and privacy concerns have made it more challenging for brands to succeed using performance marketing alone. A successful marketing approach now requires a balance of immediate performance metrics and long-term brand building strategies. This balance is crucial for brands like Steve Madden, which seeks to connect with customers on a deeper emotional level beyond just return on investment.
Cultural Relevance and Flexible Marketing Strategies
Maintaining cultural relevance is increasingly vital for brands in a rapidly changing retail landscape, where they must be agile in responding to current trends. Successful brands demonstrate flexibility by quickly reacting to cultural moments and integrating consumer conversations into their marketing efforts. For example, brands like Skims engage with trending topics to stay connected with their audience, while firms like Steve Madden aim to create marketing campaigns that resonate authentically with customers. Valuing two-way communication with consumers is essential for achieving this level of engagement and relevance.
Data Utilization in Modern Retail
In the current retail environment, effectively leveraging customer data has become a fundamental challenge for brands aiming to improve their marketing efforts. Retailers are increasingly overwhelmed with data collection efforts but struggle to translate this data into actionable insights that can drive marketing decisions. Solutions focused on loyalty programs and intelligent data analysis are emerging to help brands better utilize the information they collect. As the market evolves, there’s a growing emphasis on establishing meaningful connections with consumers through personalized marketing based on rich data interpretations.
In this episode of The Retail Pilot - Tech Talk, Ken Pilot speaks with Vic Drabicky and Josh Krepon about performance marketing in the Retail/Fashion Industry.
Summary
In this conversation, Vic Drabicky, CEO and founder of January Digital, and Josh Krepon, President of US D2C and Global Digital at Steve Madden, discuss the current state of performance marketing and the importance of balancing algorithmic marketing with inspirational and influential marketing. They also touch on the challenges of creating and managing content, the role of video in marketing, and the rise of TikTok shops. The conversation covers various topics related to retail and marketing, including the impact of consumer behavior shifts, the role of video commerce, the importance of collaborations and influencers, the use of MarTech in loyalty and data management, and the potential impact of the election on the retail environment.
Key Takeaways
Performance marketing has dominated the marketing landscape in the past decade, but brands now need to find a balance between algorithmic marketing and inspirational/influential marketing.
Creating and managing content can be challenging, and brands need to strike a balance between volume and quality.
Video marketing is becoming increasingly important, and brands need to adapt to the changing landscape of platforms like TikTok.
The rise of TikTok shops and partnerships with platforms like Amazon indicate that video commerce is on the horizon. Consumer behavior takes time to shift, and it may not always align with predictions or trends.
Video commerce is a growing trend, but it may take a long time for people to change their behaviors and adopt it on a large scale.
Collaborations and partnerships with influencers or other brands can be successful if they are authentic, aligned with the brand's values, and provide value to the customers.
MarTech tools can be used for retention and loyalty programs, as well as data management and analysis.
The outcome of the election can impact the retail environment, with consistency and confidence being important factors for stability and growth.
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