The CPG Guys

Deren Baker, CEO of Flywheel Ventures, and Molly O'Bryen, Senior Director specializing in TikTok Shops, dive deep into the booming world of social commerce. They discuss TikTok's transformation into a commerce powerhouse, offering strategies for brands to engage Gen Z effectively. Key insights include the importance of influencer collaborations and operational needs for success on TikTok Shops. Deren and Molly also highlight the significance of community building in the CPG sector and how Flywheel is paving the way for easier activation of commerce opportunities.

Send us a textThe CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jay Richman, VP of product & technology for Amazon. This episode was recorded LIVE at Cannes, France during the Cannes Lions festival of creativity in June 2024. Customer obsession, experimenting with new technology are at the core of Amazon. In this episode, we discuss everything from today's artificial intelligence trends to user experience improvements and of course creativity.Follow Jay Richman on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrichman/Follow Amazon on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon/Follow Amazon online : https://www.amazon.com/Here's what we asked Jay :Jay, you come with a solid media background that includes NBCU & spotify before Amazon. What have you learned over the years in this space and what advice would you give an earlier you to navigate this?What is your role at amazon as a VP of product & tech and how does it intersect with AI?AI - buzzword to many, reality to amazon for a long time. How has AI developed over the years in the industry and where is AI today?AI and Amazon. I have to imagine the UX is directly delivering through AI. Can you share where Amazon is on this journey?Core customer obsession has always been at the heart of Amazon. How do you connect AI and customer obsession for Amazon?You have so many brands on the seller platform. Not all of them are equally built for resources. How are you helping them in their journey of content and scale with AI?Lets talk Amazon ads and helping even larger brands scale there. The sheer volume of content needed between native and standard ads is different. Are you using AI to help brand creators scale easily? Does an aura of test and learn quickly get born now?What tech trends are you following these days? What matters? What would you coach us to follow?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comCPG Scoop Website: http://CPGscoop.comRetailWit Website: http://retailwit.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj on PopStar Academy: https://www.netflix.com/us/title/81587828?s=i&trkid=258593161&vlang=enKavita's podcast: Spotify   AppleDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

Send us a textThe CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Evan Hovorka, VP of Product & Innovation at Albertsons Media Collective & Lori Johnshoy, Head of Global Retail, Media Network & CPG Industry Strategy at LiveRamp, the data collaboration platform for the world’s most innovative companies. A leader in consumer privacy, data ethics, and foundational identity, LiveRamp sets the new standard for building a connected customer view with unmatched clarity and context while protecting brand and consumer trust. This episode is sponsored by LiveRamp.Follow Evan Hovorka on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhovorka/ Follow Albertsons Media Collective online at: https://albertsonsmediacollective.com/amc/default.aspx Follow Lori Johnshoy on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-o-neal-johnshoy-4560621/ Follow LiveRamp online at: https://liveramp.com/Evan & Lori answer these questions:Why don’t you each give us a high-level overview of your history in the industry and your history working togetherI just spent a week in Florida with a multitude of different retailers, and the thirst for growth in the marketplace has never been more pronounced…not just advertising or ad revenue growth but sales growth.  Are you feeling this on the media side, and is it shifting how you think about what you do?Even though Google has continued to postpone cookie degradation for what feels like the 100th time personalization and identity remain top of mind for this whole ecosystem right?  What do you see as next for that?How are LiveRamp and Albertson’s working together here?  How does 1+1 = more than 2?Of course retail media networks are now working harder to monetize their data as well as their inventory - Evan, can you talk about how Albertson’s is amplifying that?How does that dovetail with what LiveRamp sees-  rise of self-service, programmatic; how to control "cannibalization"....What are the ways data collaboration unlocks new insights and improves media performance?  What are some of the opportunities and challenges you’ve seen?What’s the future-state of this type of data sharing?  Do you think this is sufficient to offset any signal loss from cookies or any other data privacy initiatives?  Where does CTV fit in short and long term?  CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in the band Katseye debut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYg6aMDQ_TA   Kavita's podcast: Spotify  AppleDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

Send us a textThis episode was recorded at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with a live audience. The CPG Guys were joined by Ryan Mayward, SVP of Sales at Walmart Connect and Jacquelyn Baker, CEO of Omnicom Commerce Group, part of the Flywheel Commerce Network.Follow Ryan Mayward on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-mayward-b67458/Follow Walmart Connect online at: https://www.walmartconnect.com/Follow Jacquelyn Baker on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelyn-baker-a5b6811b/Follow Omnicom Commerce Group online at: https://omnicomcommercegroup.com/Ryan and Jacquelyn answer these questions: CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comCPG Scoop Website: http://CPGscoop.comRetailWit Website: http://retailwit.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj on PopStar Academy: https://www.netflix.com/us/title/81587828?s=i&trkid=258593161&vlang=enKavita's podcast: Spotify   AppleDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

Send us a textThe CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Joell Robinson, Senior Director for Retail Media Sales & Activation at Giant Eagle & Neil Murphy Chief Revenue Officer at Bridg, a division of Cardlytics.This episode is sponsored by Bridg.Follow Joell Robinson on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joellguglielmo/       Follow Leap Retail Media Network online at: https://www.leapmediagroup.comFollow Neil Murphy on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-murphy-49b940?Follow Rippl Media Network online at: https://www.bridg.com/rippl-for-advertisersJoell & Neil answer these questions:As you seek to build out a meaningful retail media program, having a complete understanding of shoppers connected to transactions is fundamentally important. Would you elaborate on this and some of the challenges you face in this area?As you thought about seeking to resolve the identities of anonymous transactions, connecting them to Giant Eagle loyalty program members in order to further enrich Leap Media Group, what were important elements of your decision to partner with an external service provider?After deciding to partner with Bridg, what was the integration process like? How much effort on Giant Eagle’s side did it take to activate the partnership and what were the KPIs you employed to evaluate the investment?In order to attract brands to invest in retail media, scale is a major consideration. How has Giant Eagle’s recent announcement that it has entered the Rippl Data & Media Network enabled you to address the scale challenge that many regional & super-regional retailers have faced?How are brands able to leverage the Bridg-enhanced purchase behavior data of Giant Eagle shoppers to drive successful full funnel advertising outcomes?Where are you hoping to take the partnership with Bridg and what advice woul you give to other regional retailers looking to make their networks more appealing and accessible to brand advertisers?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in the band Katseye debut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYg6aMDQ_TA   Kavita's podcast: Spotify  AppleDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not co CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

Send us a textThe CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Marco Steinsieck, Head of Sephora Media Network, the retail media division of Sephora, a global omnichannel beauty care retailer.Follow Marco Steinsieck on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcosteinsieck/Follow Sephora on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sephora/Follow Sephora online at: https://www.inside-sephora.com/en/about-sephora                                                Marco answers these questions:Can you share some highlights of your journey to becoming the head of Sephora Media Network? Why do you think retail media is experiencing such an enormous growth trajectory? What is it about the market conditions that are enabling this and why is the beauty category at the front of this media channel?Let’s get into Sephora Media Network. Would you start by dimensionalizing the size of your audience, the behavioral & attitudinal data set that underpins targeting capabilities and finally the advertising solutions you have for your opened & operated site & mobile app properties? (Follow-up: Do you offer both self-service and managed services?)While lower funnel conversion is a core objective for brand advertisers, upper funnel tactics for discovery and awareness are also important particularly in beauty. What solutions exist for advertisers to engage Sephora shoppers off-site and in-store and what partnerships with other ad tech partners are enabling these?What types of performance measurement solutions does Sephora Media Network offer advertisers either in-house, through third parties or via clean room access?Do you have some examples of how brands partnering with Sephora have been able to achieve success in different areas of the marketing funnel?How do brand advertisers collaborate with Sephora Media Network to drive meaningful growth?Looking forward, what should we expect to see from Sephora in helping to advance the retail media landscape?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in the band Katseye debut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYg6aMDQ_TA   DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

Send us a textThe CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jeff Malmad, global head of commerce at Mindshare. He is also the host of our weekly programming on Tuesday's - the retail media minute. Jeff's previous episode can be found here and is one of our top performing episodes of all time to the day : 'the ABC's of retail media' https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-abcs-of-retail-media-with-mindshares-jeff-malmad/id1517335575?i=1000567672015Follow Jeff Malmad on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-malmad-4141198/Follow Mindshare on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindshare/Follow Mindshare online at: https://www.mindshareworld.com/Jeff and Sri have a discussion on the following : note - Sri and Jeff had a back and forth discussion vs our standard format of 8 questions.1. Your first episode of the Retail Media Minute launched almost 2 years ago.  What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in retail media and commerce marketing since then?  2. So many retailers and companies have launched retail media networks over the past couple years – what has surprised you about the moves you’re seeing in this space? 3.  You’ve talked before the convergence of ecommerce with the in-store experiences. What would you like to see more of from retailers and brands here? 4. We can’t talk about ecommerce without talking about AI. What are some of the interesting use cases you’ve seen for AI in the retail media space?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comCPG Scoop Website: http://CPGscoop.comRetailWit Website: http://retailwit.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comKavita's podcast: Spotify  AppleDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

Send us a textThe CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jill Pavlovich, SVP of Digital Shopping Experiences at Albertsons Companies.Follow Jill Pavlovich on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-pavlovich/ Follow Albertsons Companies on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/albertsons/ Follow Albertsons Companies online at: https://www.albertsonscompanies.com/ Jill answers these questions:Would you share with us some of the most relevant ones that you feel shaped your career to this point where you lead digital shopping experiences at Albertsons?You joined Albertsons a year into the pandemic. As you took the lead in your group, what were the priorities that you either inherited, adapted or established that have guided your strategy for the last 3 years?Content is at the heart of organic search. How do you think about procuring all of the content that drives conversion at Albertsons? Is it about actually owning the content?What KPIs do you focus on for digital shopping experiences and how do you go about measuring them?How do you approach building a meaningful & sustainable Tech Stack that delivers best-in-class digital shopping experiences?Albertsons Media Collective has been on our podcast 6 times, talking about their RN. How do you partner with Kristi’s team to ensure that the shopping experience on your banner sites meets your strategic objectives?Awards have been forthcoming of late for Albertsons: A Webby Award for People's Voice in the shopping and retail category, two Stevie Awards, one for your App which won first place for Best User Experience and one for your Shoppable Recipes Experience, within your App, which won first place in the Food & Drink Category, and for you personally, a Customer-Obsessed Leadership Award from Forrester. What’s in the water at Albertsons these days?Looking into the immediate future, what digital shopping trends & capabilities are you most focused on leveraging to build a better shopping experience at Albertsons?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comCPG Scoop Website: http://CPGscoop.comRetailWit Website: http://retailwit.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comKavita's podcast: Spotify  AppleDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

Send us a textThe CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Conor Keane CEO and Andre Souza Head of Data Science at Spring Global,  a company renowned for its engineering excellence in CPG salesforce automation software.This episode is sponsored by Spring Global.Follow Conor on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conor-keane-1aaa6/Follow Andre on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-luiz-ara%C3%BAjo-de-souza-b8b766115/Follow Spring Global on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/springglobal/Follow Spring Global online at: https://www.springglobal.com/                                                                                    Conor & Andre answer these questions:The world today is largely using AI as a buzzword. Lots of AI mandates. Lots of confusion and skepticism. Why is this still largely stuck in this paradigm?For any AI based solution being built, what is the best way to ensure the data input is solid and the resultant outcomes are too? Is there any privacy concern? Can anyone use publicly available data and build solid AI engines and feed generative AI like Chat GPT?CPG field processes such as retail execution are theoretically a good use case for applying AI: lots of data, repeatable processes, labor intensive. Believe you guys are looking into scaling solutions here? Tell us more.Is AI really going to take away jobs? If so, what should those who are impacted be learning to stay relevant and connected to new workstreams that emerge?How can your solutions provide gamification with AI to engage sales employees and therefore attract and retain Gen Z?Take us through the command center, Edge AI and Coach AI. Why is this relevant for sales folks?Since supply chain has been one of the first adopters of AI, will retailers force brands to adapt AI? Where will they go first? what trends are you following in AI that our audience should know?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comRhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in the band Katseye debut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYg6aMDQ_TA   DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The hosts discuss insights from attending the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, digital innovation in advertising, tips for traveling through London Heathrow Airport, insights from the festival and Walmart partnership, conversations with industry experts, and the application of artificial intelligence in retail marketing. They also share experiences from networking events at the festival and emphasize the professional nature of the gatherings.