Beyond The Shelf

Dave’s guest this week is Gloria DeCoste, Director of eCommerce & Digital Shelf Capabilities at Nestlé.In this episode, Gloria and Dave explore what it  means for brands to be present in an AI-driven commerce environment - not just visible, but structured, accurate, and ready for how discovery is changing.Gloria shares how large organizations like Nestlé are thinking about the content supply chain, why foundational data and consistency matter more than ever, and how AI is reshaping the way products are found, evaluated, and purchased. They also discuss the shift from traditional search to AI-assisted discovery, and why brands that prepare now will have a meaningful advantage as these tools mature.Connect with Gloria on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

In this engaging conversation, Dave Glaza, Founder and CEO of DIGITS Agency and a pioneer in retail media, shares his insights from launching Target’s original Cartwheel app. He discusses why many retail media budgets fail and the importance of using shopper data for real outcomes. Glaza emphasizes the need for brands to balance innovative tactics with proven methods while focusing on regional grocers to maximize impact. He also forecasts how AI-driven product discovery will transform retail media in the coming years, making it essential for retailers to adapt.

Dave’s guest this week is Niccolò Gloazzo, Senior Director of Media & Omnichannel at Kettle & Fire, the brand that helped pioneer shelf-stable bone broth and functional soups.Niccolò shares how Kettle & Fire grew from a digitally native brand into a national retail presence, and what it takes to manage DTC, Amazon, retail media, and in-store growth as a single, connected system.The conversation covers why starting in DTC can create leverage across other channels, how reviews and content portability drive performance, and how retail media has evolved into a full-funnel growth engine. Niccolò also shares how seasonal moments, creative testing, and AI-driven planning are shaping the brand’s approach to modern commerce.Connect with Niccolò on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

In this conversation, Jordan Witmer, Managing Director at Salt Media, shares his extensive background in CPG with brands like Black & Decker and Hershey. He dispels myths around ROAS, emphasizing its strategic importance when applied correctly. Jordan advocates for campaign-first creative that adapts across platforms, and highlights the resurgence of physical retail amidst AI innovations. He emphasizes the need to align inventory data with media activation for optimal results, all while balancing brand goals with actionable insights.

This episode originally aired on October 31, 2023.  We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/7/26.  Happy Holidays!Dave sits down with Jared Taitel, Director, eCommerce Marketing at PepsiCo, for a wide-ranging conversation on scaling creativity in one of the world’s most complex digital commerce environments.Jared shares how PepsiCo approached creative automation early - and how the partnership with It’sRapid helped his team move away from one-off asset creation toward a more scalable, repeatable model across thousands of SKUs. The conversation explores what it takes to operationalize creative at enterprise scale, without sacrificing quality or brand standards.Dave and Jared also discuss Jared’s unconventional path from the music industry into marketing leadership, the mindset shifts required to navigate constant change, and how emerging technologies, including generative AI, are reshaping retail media, content production, and team workflows.Connect with Jared on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

This episode originally aired on April 1, 2025. We'll be back with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf on 1/6/26.  Happy Holidays!Dave sits down with Eric Altschul, Director of Digital Commerce Content at Mondelēz International, to discuss how one of the world’s largest CPG companies approaches digital content, automation, and the digital shelf.Eric shares how eCommerce evolved from a secondary priority into a core function at Mondelēz, the role content plays in shaping shopper experiences across retailers, and why mobile-first visuals and PDP optimization are critical to winning online. He also discusses how partnerships - including Mondelēz’s work with It’sRapid - help teams automate and standardize content creation across thousands of SKUs while meeting retailer-specific requirements.Connect with Eric on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Matt Krueger, SVP of Digital Commerce & Marketplaces at Buffalo Games, home to some of the most beloved puzzles and games in North America.Matt shares how he’s helping bring a modern, data-driven approach to a classic category — from keeping content fresh across thousands of SKUs to using AI and creative experimentation to stay ahead of platform changes.He and Dave dig into how Buffalo Games balances storytelling with analytics, why creative inspiration sometimes comes from outside your own category, and what it takes to keep a “low-velocity” product exciting on the digital shelf.Listen for an inside look at how digital strategy, content innovation, and AI are reshaping the puzzle aisle.Connect with Matt on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Richard Gilbert, Head of Retail Partnerships at Worldpay. With more than a decade shaping the future of payments - from SaaS platforms to PayPal and now Worldpay - Richard has a front-row seat to how the checkout experience is evolving.He and Dave discuss how payment technology is becoming a brand moment, not just a transaction - from instant checkout and tokenization to BOPIS workflows and the rise of AI in commerce. Richard also shares what makes a truly great retail partnership and why he believes we’re just scratching the surface of B2B payment innovation.Connect with Richard on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Dave’s guest this week is Carly McMillen, Director of Marketing at AdLabs. Carly shares how she’s flipping the traditional PPC playbook—focusing on contribution margin instead of ROAS—and what that means for smarter, more sustainable growth. She and Dave also dive into how brands can stand out on Amazon, the creative strategies that still make a difference, and the new AI tools changing the way advertisers test and optimize campaigns.Plus, Carly breaks down what’s next for Amazon Marketing Cloud and why data-driven storytelling is quickly becoming every brand’s biggest advantage.Connect with Carly on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

This week we're re-airing our 10/21/25 episode featuring Joanna Crishock, VP of Digital Merchandising & Operations at Ahold Delhaize USA. She shares how she’s helping iconic brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant Food, and The Giant Company stay agile, customer-focused, and digitally connected.  From her early days in consumer insights to leading omnichannel strategy across merchandising, operations, and retail media, Joanna brings a powerful “why-first” mindset to every challenge.Dave and Joanna discuss:How to bridge retail media and merchandising teamsWhat true customer-centricity looks like in digital retailWhy asking why is the key to better strategy and collaborationHow Joanna’s team helps brands deliver personalized, seamless experiencesWhat makes AD USA’s retail media offering stand outPlus: from Halloween treat planning to back-to-school dinners, why the best retailers solve for real life, not just transactions.To find out more about AD USA's retail media and full-funnel omnichannel capabilities, reach out to a member of their sales team at ad.retail.media.sales@aholddelhaizeusa.comConnect with Joanna on LinkedInFollow Beyond the Shelf on LinkedInLearn More about It'sRapidGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation PlaybookTake It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI surveyEmail us at sales@itsrapid.io to find out how to get your free AI Image AuditTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker