Retail Remix

In the new world of brand marketing, authenticity trumps all. You could say that influencers helped shape this new reality. In the post-COVID era, influencer marketing has reached a tipping point that is redefining marketing and advertising as we know it.  During this episode of Retail Remix, Lindsay Jerutis, General Manager of ShopStyle Collective, shares how the company is helping retailers identify, engage and nurture influencer partnerships that activate a “ripple effect” that drives tangible business results. Check out this episode to learn:  The evolution of the influencer universe and how micro, nano and gigfluencers create meaningful engagement with niche communities;  The strategic and tactical guideposts that should drive your influencer investments; and  How to marry influencer marketing objectives to key performance indicators so you can effectively measure success.   RELATED LINKS Learn more about ShopStyle Collective Get more influencer marketing insights and content Read how influencers are driving ecommerce innovation

What does the store of the future look like? A common question that is being answered in completely new ways due to the pandemic.   During this special episode of Retail Remix, we have two design experts on board to discuss the latest research, investments and best practices that are driving design innovation. Aaron Birney of Gensler has helped brands across industries develop their store experiences and Jessie Dowd always has a finger on the pulse of the latest trends and success stories.   Check out this episode to learn:  How retailers are budgeting for design needs and goals;  Which tech trends are influencing design decisions; and How to develop a customer-first design strategy.  RELATED LINKS Learn more about Gensler Dig into the design:retail research Subscribe to design:retail

Allen Adamson has decades of experience in branding and marketing, and he’s even helping shape the minds of future marketers! That’s why on Retail Remix, we ask him some pointed questions on how the essence of branding has changed over the past year and what tactical advice he has for businesses moving forward. Listen to learn: How brands can best “ride the wave” of disruption and develop a proactive plan to action;  The social, environmental and sociological trends shaping the rules of branding; and  Tips for navigating shifting consumer behaviors and competitive insights to optimize your brand. RELATED LINKS Learn more about Metaforce Read Allen’s insights on Forbes Buy a copy of Shift Ahead

Dr. Steven Shwartz has more than 40 years of experience in artificial intelligence (AI). A researcher, analyst, author and investor, Steven has invaluable knowledge of how the technology has evolved and, most of all, how retailers can realize the value of its capabilities.As a result, Steven has uncovered some misconceptions and flat-out lies about AI. During this episode of Retail Remix, Steven and host Alicia Esposito discuss the most common myths that are impacting AI adoption, and what is needed to drive progress and innovation. Listen to learn: The political, economic and social implications of AI’s maturity;  New AI trends and applications for retailers; and Ways to harness the power of AI and humanity to minimize bias and accelerate productivity.  RELATED LINKS Read more insights from Steven Shwartz Buy a copy of Steven Shwartz’s book Learn more about Zoox

“Vending commerce” is joining the contactless commerce conversation. While product vending machines have been a staple in airport terminals for years, Dawn Dickson, Founder and CEO of PopCom, believes implementation will reach new heights in the digital-driven era of retail.   During this episode, Dawn makes her case for the vending machine’s powerful role in the customer journey. In fact, she believes it will add new value as shoppers look for more seamless and self-guided experiences and retailers seek more in-depth data about their consumers’ omnichannel behaviors. Listen to learn:  How intelligent vending machines work to connect digital engagement and more anonymous in-person experiences; Different use cases for vending machines from direct-to-consumer and big-name brands alike; and Why PopCom is harnessing its technology to support struggling spaces and local retailers.  RELATED LINKS Learn more about PopCom Learn more about PopShop Local Follow Dawn Dickson on Twitter

During the heart of the pandemic, consumers reported a 23% increase in the number of brands they felt an emotional connection with. While some of this was likely indicative of the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 lockdowns, Mario Natarelli believes that the measures retailers took to nurture relationships with consumers during this critical time will set a new standard in brand intimacy moving forward.  This week, host Alicia Esposito sits down with Mario Natarelli, Managing Partner at MBLM, to discuss the firm’s Brand Intimacy COVID Study. Listen to learn:  Why retailers should pay more attention to brand intimacy than brand loyalty; The archetypes that drive brand intimacy; and  Key lessons from retailers leading in brand intimacy scores. RELATED LINKS Learn more about MBLM  Dig into the COVID research Download the retail-specific COVID research Access more resources on brand intimacy Create a custom dashboard

As consumers rely more on digital channels to browse and buy, retailers are embracing real-time communication channels to drive consumer engagement and conversions. Text messaging, live chat and social messaging are driving a new era of customer engagement that supports personalized, contextual experiences.  During this week’s Retail Remix, we sit down with Dennis Steele, Co-Founder of Podium, a company that is helping shape this new era of CX. Listen to get his take on:  Which new consumer behaviors are driving the shift to contextual CX;  Common challenges with disparate communication solutions that hinder success; and How messaging can support all stages of the funnel, from initial engagement to conversion and customer service.  RELATED LINKS Learn more about the value of messaging for retail businesses Get a live walk-through of the Interaction Management Platform for Retail 

This week’s episode is brought to you by Gimbal.Of all the different trends and tech in the industry, 56% of retailers say they expect supply chain to be the area they transform the most over the coming years.  Why? Because as consumers expect instant and convenient access to products, fulfillment is becoming a key point of differentiation. EY’s Americas Consumer Retail Leader Jeff Orschell, calls this a “big E” experience opportunity. Listen to this episode to learn:  EY’s five consumer segments that have emerged from the pandemic and their channel preferences;  Why fulfillment is being perceived as a growth center, not a cost center; and How supply chain and fulfillment innovation will impact customer loyalty.  RELATED LINKS Learn more about EY’s research See how the pandemic shaped consumer behaviors Read how you can create a resilient future for your business  Thanks to this week's sponsor, Gimbal. Learn how you can deliver magical experiences for all your curbside and in-store pickup customers.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the volume of emails and messages you get? So do your consumers. In fact, David Wachs believes they’re so overwhelmed that they’re spending less time engaging with your marketing messages...and more time deleting them.   That’s why David made a career shift from digital to more personal communication. With Handwrytten, he’s helping businesses of all sizes master the art of the handwritten note. Listen to this episode to learn: How different retailers are integrating handwritten notes into their campaign strategies;  What personalization trends will emerge out of the digital-driven movement; and  Why marketing teams will need to rethink the way they measure the success of “handwritten campaigns.”RELATED LINKS Learn more about Handwrytten Connect with the company on Twitter See how it works 

Margot Bloomstein has helped brands like Timberland and Lindt develop their marketing, content and user experience (UX) strategies. She has used her experience and research on brands across industries to tackle a known industry problem: winning and keeping customer trust.  The result is the new book called: Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap. During this episode of Retail Remix, Margot shares why she felt a book like this was needed, and real-life examples of brands that have successfully tackled audience cynicism and built powerful content engines. Listen to learn:  Why the “3 V’s” of trust (vulnerability, voice and volume) should guide every brand’s approach to content strategy and branding;  How Sephora and BuzzFeed are embracing community and transparency to breed trust; and  Tips for bridging cultural gaps and department silos to make trust a true “business problem.” RELATED LINKS Learn more about Appropriate, Inc.  Buy a copy of Margot’s books  Connect with Margot on LinkedIn