Beyond The Shelf

This week we’re joined by Meghan Corroon, Co-Founder and CEO of Clerdata. In a world full of spend reports, inflated ROAS claims, and buzzwords like "directional" or "efficiency," Clerdata helps brands see clearly which investments are moving the needle - and which are just noise.Meghan brings a deeply analytical mindset (honed through time at the Gates Foundation and beyond) and mixes it with real-world brand empathy. The result? A grounded, accessible conversation on what it takes to really measure media impact, make smarter cross-channel decisions, and bring teams together around the data that matters.Episode highlights:Defining incrementality (without the jargon): Meghan breaks down why it’s not just a buzzword — and how true incrementality can drive smarter decisions.Why retail media measurement is still so messy — and how brands can start untangling it without blowing up their workflow.The reality of cross-functional data meetings: what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid death by dashboard.The Amazon trap: Why brands often over-index on tried-and-true media investments (and what they’re overlooking).How Clerdata helps teams think more like scientists — challenging assumptions, testing tactics, and shifting from gut to growth.Connect with Meghan on LinkedInGet the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook Take 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

What if you could swap out your influencer campaign…for a NASA astronaut?This week on Beyond the Shelf, Eric Sheinkop, CEO of The Desire Company, breaks down why expert-led content is outperforming traditional UGC and influencer videos—and how his team built a community of world-class experts to power high-converting content across Target, Sam’s Club, Best Buy, Amazon, and more.We get into:Why shoppers are craving real expertise at the point of purchaseHow expert-led videos improve conversion—and build trustWhat makes PDP video different from social or UGCHow neuroscience and FTC compliance factor into Desire’s content processThe ROI of going video-first—and how brands can scale without burning outConnect with Eric on LinkedIn Get 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 MixaudProducer: Jake Musiker

This week we’re joined by Rocquan Lucas, VP of Content at Groceryshop and Shoptalk, where he leads speaker recruitment, agenda development, and content strategy for two of the most influential retail events in the world.Rocquan shares his journey from interning at Internet Week NY to curating high-impact events attended by thousands of the biggest names in CPG, grocery, and tech.In this episode, we talk about:How to design content for 5,000+ attendees – Rocquan shares the mix of research, instinct, and collaboration that goes into building a world-class agenda for Groceryshop and Shoptalk.Behind the scenes of speaker selection – From CEOs to challengers, hear how the team curates speakers who bring both credibility and fresh perspective.Why editorial integrity matters – Rocquan explains why Groceryshop avoids pay-to-play programming—and how that creates trust with both attendees and speakers.The trends shaping 2025 events – GenAI, retail media, and unified commerce are in—but so is creating content that resonates across functional silos.What makes a great on-stage moment – Practical advice for presenters: come prepared, have a point of view, and remember you’re there to connect—not recite.Connect with Rocquan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rocquan/Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvdEmail 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 joined by Alicja Spaulding, Founder of Status: Alpha, who helps marketing leaders operationalize AI, digital transformation, and creative agility.Alicja started her career in the music industry—cutting her teeth in the early days of digital disruption—and has since built brands in architecture, food, and now AI-enabled strategy. She’s worked with startups and mid-market manufacturers alike, helping them become more nimble, less siloed, and more prepared for what’s next.In this episode, we talk about:How to build marketing teams that are ready for rapid changeThe difference between automation and AI strategyWhy AI isn’t your strategy—it’s your foundationHow to think about large language models (and when not to)The power of working yourself out of a jobConnect with Alicja: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicjaspaulding/Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvdEmail 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

We're off this week, so we're re-airing Dave's interview with Walmart Connect's Diana Finster from earlier this month. They discuss:Walmart’s approach to closed-loop measurement and omnichannel ROIHow to balance scale and precision in media strategyThe launch of Walmart Connect’s Display Advertising API—and how partners like It’sRapid are helping advertisers move fasterWhat great creative looks like, and why it’s core to performanceWhat Diana is focused on heading into Cannes 2025We'll be back next with with a brand-new episode of Beyond the Shelf!Connect with Diana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianabethge/ Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvdEmail 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 joined by Julie Clifford, Global eCommerce Acceleration & Capabilities Senior Manager at Church & Dwight.Julie’s journey from art teacher to global ecommerce leader has one big throughline: helping others succeed. In this episode, she shares how that mindset fuels her work in marketing tech, content strategy, and digital transformation across markets worldwide.We cover:Why global consistency matters—and where localization still winsHow to balance creative agility with brand guardrailsManaging rights, risk, and nuance in global content workflowsThe vendor framework Julie uses (save money, make money, or mitigate risk)How her team is scaling content globally through partnerships—including their work with It’sRapidConnect with Julie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-clifford-salesmarketing/ Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvdEmail 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 joined by Doron Ostrin, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Thanks – the customer-first ad network that’s transforming how brands show up after checkout.Doron shares why the most underutilized moment in digital commerce might just be the one right after a purchase—and how Thanks is turning it into a high-performing, brand-building opportunity.We also dig into:Why interruptive advertising needs a rethinkThe creative philosophy behind “ads that don’t feel like ads”How Thanks landed a game-changing deal with eBayMaking room for better monetization without killing UXWhy newsletters might be the next frontierRapid Rundown QuestionsFavorite brand using post-purchase media: Cashback platforms — “Free money after checkout. Customers love it.”Most effective creative format: Thanks Embed — “Invites users in instead of pushing. Big performance lift.”Tool you can’t live without: Superhuman or LinkedInBook or thinker that shaped your approach: The Hard Thing About Hard Things — “Wartime vs. peacetime CEO mindset.”Hobbies and reset button:Kids and cooking with fire (pizza oven, BBQ, Big Green EggConnect with Doron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doronostrin/Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvdEmail us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutionsTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

Diana Finster, Head of Agency, Media & Tech Partnerships at Walmart Connect, leads the charge in innovative retail media. She discusses Walmart’s approach to closed-loop measurement and the significance of creative storytelling for successful campaigns. Diana also reveals insights about the new Display Advertising API, designed to enhance targeting and performance for advertisers. Additionally, she shares her perspective on balancing creativity and strategy in retail media, especially for smaller businesses navigating these challenges.

It’s one thing to sell snacks or sneakers online. It’s another to sell dumpster lids and hydraulic cylinders.This week we’re joined by Kevin Creese, Director of Ecommerce at Wastequip, where he’s leading the charge to modernize how waste handling parts are discovered, bought, and supported online.Dave and Kevin dig into the heavy-duty realities of B2B ecommerce—where the SKU count is high, the data is messy, and the buying process is anything but simple. They cover how to make ecommerce work in a category where most customers don’t even know the part numbers they need—and why success here requires patience, creativity, and a solid plan (plus a few incentives for your warehouse team).Whether you’re wrestling with your own product data, or just curious how industrial brands are tackling digital transformation, this one’s worth a listen.Key Takeaways & Episode HighlightsWhy “starting with the part number” won’t work—and how Wastequip built a taxonomy based on what customers are actually searching forHow to collect product data and images at scale (including the creative incentive program they used with their team)The reality of managing 60,000 SKUs and why you can only eat the elephant one bite at a timeHow AI is helping Wastequip tag images, generate marketing copy, and structure product dataThe critical role of iteration and continuous improvement in B2B ecommerce—because the data is never really “done”Rapid Rundown QuestionsFavorite digital project: The rebuild of wastebuilt.com, and the partnership with AmericanEagle.comMost surprising fact about the waste industry: There’s very little good product data behind most partsB2B brand that nails the digital experience: JetWindTrivia: How many pounds of waste does the average American generate per day? Nearly 5lbs!Hobbies and reset button: Golf, walking the dog, time with the granddaughter, and family adventures in the NorthwestConnect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevincreese/Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvdEmail us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutionsTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker

This week we’re joined by Nate Moran, Senior Director of Growth, Digital Strategy & Analytics at Edgewell Personal Care—the company behind brands like Schick, Banana Boat, Wet Ones, and more. With a career spanning Red Bull, Newell, Unilever, and now Edgewell, Nate brings a sharp perspective on what it takes to turn data into decisions and insights into impact.In this conversation, Nate and host Dave Feinleib explore the evolving relationship between analytics, creative, performance marketing, and AI. They dig into how Nate and his team think about data strategy, omnichannel planning, and the question on every marketer’s mind: where should we spend the next dollar?If you’re navigating retail media, e-commerce, or digital growth today, this episode offers a smart, candid look at the challenges—and opportunities—of scaling modern brand performance.Key Takeaways & Episode HighlightsWhy profitability, performance, and category management need to work together in an omnichannel world—and how Edgewell ties these functions across the business.What “the next best dollar” means at Edgewell, and how the team balances incrementality, ROAS, and long-term brand health.Lessons from managing 30,000+ SKUs at Amazon (before APIs made it easy) and how those scrappy skills still apply today.The role of a clear, focused data strategy—and why owning your data is critical for AI readiness and true self-serve analytics.How AI and generative tools like ChatGPT and Snowflake are reshaping workflows, and why agentic AI might be the real unlock for the future.Why creative still matters: performance spend alone won’t build trust or brand love—and how to balance emotional storytelling with analytics-driven media.Rapid Rundown QuestionsFavorite Edgewell product: Jack Black Dual Defense SPF MoisturizerBrand that’s nailing it creatively: Liquid DeathGo-to tech tools: ChatGPT and SnowflakeFavorite read/listen: The Long and the Short of It by Les Binet and Peter FieldFavorite way to recharge: Mountain biking and snowboarding in Bend, OregonConnect with Nate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanmoran/Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvdEmail us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutionsTheme music: "Happy" by Mixaud - https://mixaund.bandcamp.comProducer: Jake Musiker