The CPG Guys

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Philip Durocher, CMO of Opella, maker of iconic OTC health products include Xyzol, Allegra, Dulcolax & IcyHot and Kristen DiCorleto Head of Marketing for CVS Media Exchange (CMX) the Retail Media Division of CVS Health.This episode was recorded in Cannes France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.This episode is sponsored by CMX.Follow Philip on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-durocher/Follow Opella online at: http://opella.comFollow Kristen on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-dicorleto/Follow CMX online at: https://www.cvsmediaexchange.com/CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Tariff Refunds for e.l.f. BeautyHas Amazon cracked the grocery code?Kraft Heinz investing in marketingSafeway joins the AI raceCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Nick Hannity, CMO at Newell Brands, a major American global consumer and commercial products conglomerate. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company manufactures, markets, and distributes over 50 well-known brands across three core segments: Home & Commercial Solutions, Learning & Development, and Outdoor & Recreation.This episode was recorded in France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.Follow Nick Hammitt on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-hammitt-2491a1/Follow Newell Brands online at: https://www.newellbrands.com/Nick answers these questions:Chris told us at CAGNY and then again on the podcast that Newell's digital content output increased 500% in 2025 with the same headcount. As CMO, walk us through what that transformation actually felt like inside the marketing organization — was it exhilarating, terrifying, or both?We're sitting here at Cannes Lions, the global festival of creativity. There's a real tension in our industry right now between AI-generated content at scale and genuinely breakthrough creative work. How does Newell think about that balance — and does AI make your creative better or just faster?Chris described Newell's "Inogen" platform — digital AI personas built on consumer segments that function as always-on focus groups. As CMO, how are you actually using those in briefing and campaign development, and how much do you trust them versus traditional research?Chris was incredibly sharp on the shift from SEO to GEO — optimizing content for LLMs rather than search engines. What does that mean practically for how your brand and content teams are now being briefed and structured?Given the scale of what Newell is building internally on AI, how has your relationship with your agency partners evolved? Are they keeping pace with where you are internally, or are you finding yourself ahead of them?Chris mentioned that retailers are actually coming to Newell and asking to be taught what you're doing with AI. That's a remarkable reversal of the traditional power dynamic. How are you as CMO leveraging that credibility in your joint business planning conversations?You're here at Cannes Lions surrounded by the best creative and marketing minds in the world. It's your first time here. What are you here to learn or solve? And what's the one conversation you're hoping to have this week that you can't have anywhere else?Chris talked about younger employees being hungry for AI training and threatening to leave if they don't get it. From a marketing talent perspective, what does the ideal marketer at Newell look like today versus three years ago, and how are you recruiting and developing for that?If the Chris Peterson episode was the enterprise AI masterclass, what's the one chapter you'd add that he didn't cover — the CMO's perspective that doesn't necessarily get told when the CEO is in the room?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

This episode was recorded in France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and features a panel called “Retail Media Executive Brief” which was produced by EMarketer and sponsored by Sensor Tower, featuring Sensor Tower's Ian Simpson, Following Ian Simpson on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iansimpsonFollow Sarah Marzano on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahzmarzanoFollow Debra Aho Williamson on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrawilliamsonFollow Andrew Lipsman on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lipsman-10b2162Follow Kiri Masters on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-mastersFollow EMarketer online at: http://emarketer.comFollow Sensor Tower online at: https://sensortower.com/CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:P&G Q4 resultsAmazon Q2 resultsJameson teams with NFLOpen AI crosses 1 million usersCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

This episode was recorded in France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and features a panel called “The New Rules of Discovery: How Consumer Behaviors are Reshaping Commerce” which was produced by EMarketer featuring EMarketer's Sarah Marzano interviewing Roundel's Shawn McGahee.Follow Sarah Marzano on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahzmarzanoFollow Sean McGahee on LinkedIn at:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/smcgahee/Follow EMarketer online at: http://emarketer.comCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Rich Lehrfeld, SVP and General Manager of Walmart Connect International and Sam's Club Connect, the retail media business units of Walmart.This episode was recorded in France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.Follow Rich on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-lehrfeld-776b7786/Follow Walmart Connect online at: https://www.walmartconnect.com/Follow Sam's Club Connect online at: https://www.samsclubconnect.com/Rich answers these questions:1. Now that you're leading Walmart Connect alongside International advertising and Sam's Club Connect, what does “one connected global advertising ecosystem” actually look like operationally — and how soon will advertisers feel the difference?2. What capabilities or playbooks from Walmart Connect US are you most excited to bring into international markets, and conversely, what can Connect and international teach the core US business?3. This is Sam's Club Connect's first time at Cannes Lions — what's the headline message you want advertisers and agencies to walk away with?4. How does a presence at Cannes fit into COnnect's broader growth strategy, especially as it scales offerings like in-club, Omni Experiences, and audio/fuel screen ads?5. The industry conversation is shifting from impressions and ROAS toward broader business outcomes — what does that shift look like in practice for how Walmart structures its advertiser partnerships?6. What's the biggest misconception brands still have about what “success” should look like in retail media today?7. How does Walmart's first-party data — and Sam's Club's membership model specifically — change the kinds of insights and long-term value you can offer advertisers compared to transaction-only data?8. Where do you see the lines blurring most between media, commerce, and in-store/in-club experience — and which of those convergence points is Walmart investing in most aggressively right now?9. With Walmart's scale, data, and tech now spanning Walmart Connect, International, and Sam's Club Connect, what's your vision for the next big unlock for advertisers — and how do you think about translating that scale into measurable growth for both Walmart and your partners?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Utz Brands going privateKraft Heinz partners with DisneyNestle selling half of water portfolioCinven acquiring SalsifyCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

In this episode, the CPG Guys are joined by Mark Williamson, AVP of Retail Media at Costco, the world's largest club format omnichannel retailer. Follow Mark on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkwilliamson/Follow Costco Retail Media on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/costco-retail-media/Follow Costco online at: https://www.costco.com/f/-/company-informationMark answers these questions:So Mark, let's kick it off with the big news that completely shocked the industry. At recent industry events, you took the stage and did what almost no other Retail Media Network does: you completely exposed Costco's full technology stack—revealing every single identity vendor, DSP, and clean room provider you use. Why did you make the deliberate choice to embrace absolute transparency, and how has that transparency directly influenced ad spend from skeptical brands and agencies?Transparency builds the ultimate trust, no doubt. Now Mark, you have a beautiful phrase that we absolutely love: "Retail media at Costco exists to accelerate merchandise sales." You maintain a strict structural hierarchy where merchandise velocity and member loyalty sit firmly at the very top. If a digital ad campaign doesn't help move a physical pallet of product or reinforce the value of a membership card, it simply doesn't belong in your ecosystem. How do you enforce this "merchant-first" philosophy when national brand managers come in with legacy KPIs focused entirely on vanity ad metrics? Pallet velocity over vanity metrics every single day of the week! Mark, let's talk about your unique "Last-Mover Advantage." While other networks rushed to stand up brittle, overly complicated platforms out of the gate, Costco spent its time quietly observing the market and engineering a robust private data cloud from the ground up. How did waiting and prioritizing a clean, unfragmented data foundation allow you to completely leapfrog the "black box" reporting traps that have frustrated CPG teams for years?That backend data foundation is the real secret sauce. Let's look at a highly disruptive offsite capability you recently rolled out: Google Product Listing Ads (PLAs). This isn't typical offsite audience extension or standard Connected TV (CTV) storytelling; you are moving Costco's first-party retail media directly into Google Shopping search. For the brands listening, why does leveraging Costco's high-intent audience data inside Google's open shopping engine radically perform better than a brand trying to buy those generic keywords on their own?Tying high-intent open web search to verified warehouse data is a game-changer. Mark, let's look at what you call "In Real Life" (IRL) Activation—the third pillar of your omni-channel media strategy. Costco's physical club warehouses are legendary for their high-frequency, massive-basket foot traffic. How are you taking real-world, physical-store signals—everything from fuel pumps to warehouse digital screens—and dynamically connecting them back into a single, cohesive digital loop?Physical-digital loop integration is exactly where the massive volume lies. Mark, let's talk about building a Composable Architecture. Your technical setup is intentionally designed as a cohesive orchestration layer where identity, activation, and clean room metrics can evolve independently without disrupting the core business. Why should global CPG technology heads stop trying to build rigid, custom end-to-end stacks and instead adopt Costco's modular, composable blueprint?Composable modularity is the ultimate future-proofing play. Mark, we are rapidly entering the "Agentic Era" of commerce, where autonomous AI agents are beginning to manage complex segmentation, path recommendations, and real-time budget optimization behind the scenes. How is Costco utilizing advanced AI orchestration layers to cut through operational friction, making your complex, multi-partner systems intuitive and highly usable for brand teams?AI-driven demand generation is going to separate the winners from the laggards. Let's double-click down on The Merchant-Media Collaboration Loop. In many traditional retail environments, the media network operates as an isolated, outside fiefdom that frequently causes friction with the actual category merchants. At Costco, you have deliberately fused media capability directly into the merchandising lifecycle. Can you take us under the hood of that internal relationship? How do your media specialists work harmoniously alongside the warehouse buyers to drive mutual top-line growth?Tying the merchant loop directly to the ad stack is how you achieve sustainable scale. Mark, Costco is world-renowned for its hyper-curated, disciplined product assortment—you don't carry 50 versions of an item; you carry the absolute best value selections. How does this strict, limited-SKU club environment fundamentally change the digital shelf auction on your onsite properties? Does a highly curated box mean that retail media real estate on Costco is infinitely more valuable and defensive for an incumbent brand?Highly curated spaces demand highly precise execution. Alright Mark, final question for today, and we want to send our global practitioner audience home with an absolute golden nugget of advice. If you could look a corporate CPG Chief Customer Officer or Head of Sales dead in the eye today, what is the single biggest "reality check" or piece of blind-spot advice you can give them to help them stop treating retail media as a lower-funnel marketing tax and instead unlock true, closed-loop incremental volume this quarter?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Ali Miller, GM of Advertising and Tim Castelli, VP Global Ad Sales at Instacart.This episode was recorded in France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.Follow Ali on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/about-ali-miller/Follow Tim on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timcastelli/Follow Instacart Ads online at: https://company.instacart.com/adsAli & Tim answer these questions:So Ali, let's kick it off with you on a massive macro trend. We just read Nik Modi's latest RBC Capital report, Modi's Musings Volume 4, and theme number one is that Cultural Relevance > Brand Equity—meaning scale alone doesn't protect you anymore; you have to turn online platforms into an active "economic substrate" for identity and transaction flow. How is Instacart evolving its ad tech stack to let legacy CPG giants quickly move at the speed of a viral TikTok trend or cultural moment, turning immediate social media inspiration into a converted grocery basket? That speed to conversion is everything. Tim, let's talk about some news you announced at Cannes this week. Let's start with your AI Shopping assistant. What makes Instacart's AI assistant different?As consumers look to collapse choice complexity because of low mental energy and rising anxiety, the visible shelf is shrinking from 50+ items down to 1 or 2 AI-curated recommendations. How does this radically compressed digital real estate change your ad business strategy and Joint Business Plans with brands? You mentioned you're intentionally not running ads in AI experiences yet. Walk us through how you're thinking about that. Jumping back to the news…Immersive Feed feels like a direct response to how consumers are already discovering food on social media. How do you make sure that experience feels additive and not just like another ad unit? Does this foreshadow more to come with media publishers and creators? And for Ads Studio – is that essentially opening up Instacart's own marketing engine to brand partners? What made you confident enough in that internal capability to turn it into a commercial offering?Tim, let's pivot to New Revenue Streams and Business Models. CPG brands are desperately trying to evolve from old-school, unit-driven transactional models toward ecosystem-based monetization. With Instacart Caper Carts rolling out smart screens right into the physical brick-and-mortar aisles, you guys have built a literal physical-digital loop. How should brands rethink co-created, real-time physical store experiences using your connected hardware?Connected hardware in the physical aisle is the ultimate frontier. Ali, we can't talk about Cannes Lions without talking about Closed-Loop Measurement. Marketers are completely burnt out on self-attributed platform metrics. Instacart's entire value proposition is anchored on receipt-level, purchase-verified deterministic truth. For the brand marketers listening who are caught in the "Validation Trap," what does mathematically clean, independent attribution look like over the next three years, and how does Instacart enforce it?If it doesn't move actual volume off the shelf, it's just noise. Tim, looking at your front-row seat to enterprise sales, what separates the North Star CPG brands—the progressive companies that are aggressively growing their volume share on Instacart right now—from the legacy laggards who are still trying to run 20-year-old, static, distribution-only playbooks? What core corporate competency or operational rhythm allows them to win?Incredible, provocative insights. Now, before we pack up the mics and head out onto the Croisette for a glass of rosé, we have to save a special final question. Cannes Lions is famously the birthplace of massive, landscape-shifting partnership announcements and enterprise platform reveals. Ali, Tim... what do you guys have cooking up under the hood for Instacart that you can uniquely share with the CPG Guys community live today?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Kroger & Cola-Cola to launch exclusive LTOBig food running out of movesCostco opening stand-alone gas stationsMore Walmart executive shufflesCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

This episode was recorded in France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and features a panel called “How Retail Media Becomes a Growth Engine” which was produced by EMarketer and sponsored by Sensor Tower, featuring Albertsons Media Collectives' Liz Roche, Omnicom's Claudia Johnson,  EMarketer's Sarah Marzano, Goodway Group's Angela Myers & Bain & Co's Shweta Bhardwaj.Following Liz Roche on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eroche1Follow Sarah Marzano on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahzmarzanoFollow Claudia Johnson on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-johnson-b133436Follow Angela Myers on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-myers-2257aa1Follow Shweta Bhardwaj on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhardwajshwetaFollow EMarketer online at: http://emarketer.comCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Deepak Maini, SVP and GM of Walmart +, Walmart's membership program helping members save more time & money with exclusive benefits. Follow Deepak on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-maini-49b9089/Follow Walmart+ online at: https://www.walmart.com/plusDeepak answers these questions:Walmart+ has grown from 3 benefits at launch to 12 today — still at $98 a year. How does that expanding benefit stack change the behavior of the Walmart+ member in ways that matter to CPG brand partners — in terms of basket size, purchase frequency, and category loyalty?Walmart reaches 150 million shoppers every week across ecommerce and 4,600 stores, with data mapped to the SKU level. How does Walmart+ membership amplify the quality and fidelity of that first-party data signal — and how should CPG brands be thinking about activating against it differently than they do with non-member data?Before running Walmart+, you led the VP/GM role for Customer Digital Identity and Data Platform at Walmart. How does a logged-in, identified Walmart+ member change the economics of the digital shelf for CPG brands, particularly as agentic commerce and AI-powered discovery reshape how shoppers find products?The honest question your CPG audience wants answered: when brand partners think about their joint value creation with Walmart, how should they be weighting Walmart+ member households versus non-member households in their investment strategies? Is the gap in lifetime value as dramatic as what your major online competition has seen with their loyalty subscription program?The addition of Peacock to Walmart+‘s streaming choices drove a record number of sign-ups in Q3. What does entertainment engagement tell you about a member's overall relationship with the Walmart ecosystem — and does streaming behavior surface any insights that CPG partners can act on?Walmart Connect grew 33% in the U.S. last quarter, representing, along with membership fees, about a third of Walmart's operating income . How tight is the integration between Walmart+ membership data and the Walmart Connect advertising platform — and what does that mean for a CPG brand trying to close the loop from impression to in-store purchase?Walmart tested its first advertising formats tied to the Sparky AI shopping agent in fall 2025, with 81% of surveyed Walmart customers saying they'd used Sparky to check product availability and review specs before buying . How do you think about Walmart+ membership as a foundation for agentic shopping — and what does that mean for how CPG brands show up in those AI-mediated discovery moments?Walmart has publicly highlighted share gains with upper-income households as a strategic priority. Does Walmart+ skew toward those households — and if so, what does that mean for premium CPG brands that may have historically underinvested at Walmart?You ran Fire TV, Alexa Skills, and Amazon Music — all businesses that lived at the intersection of media, identity, and commerce. What's the most important thing you brought from that Amazon experience that directly shaped how you're building Walmart+?Walmart+ is five years old. If you fast-forward five more years, what does the relationship between Walmart+ membership and CPG brand investment look like — and what should brand and agency leaders be doing right now to position themselves for that future?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:PepsiCo Q2 ResultsSmucker's Twinkies ProblemWalmart Summer RollbacksWakefern is SN's retailer of the YearCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Chris Riedy, Chief Revenue Officer at Ibotta and Yeimy Garcia Smith, SVP, Global Measurement and Enablement at Circana. Ibotta is is a performance marketing platform allowing brands to deliver digital promotions to over 200 million consumers through a network of called the Ibotta Performance Network. This episode is sponsored by Ibotta and was recorded in Cannes Francine at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.Follow Chris on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisriedyFollow Ibotta online at: http://ibotta.comFollow Yeimy online at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeimyChris and Yeimy answer these questions:From Circana's macro perspective, where does the traditional measurement infrastructure break down first in this fluid loop?Are you guys competing, complementing, or building a completely distinct layer of demand? Where do brand equity investment and performance investment harmoniously meet in this modern loop, and how do you ensure one isn't starving the other?What does trustworthy, mathematically sound measurement actually look like in 2026, and why is it an absolute baseline requirement right now?When you listen to CPG brands express their deep frustrations with modern attribution models, what is the core complaint you hear, and how do you define "trustworthy truth" to a skeptical CMO?Yeimy, what does it mean for the industry that promotions can now be evaluated on equal footing with media? And Chris, for a brand CMO sitting here at Cannes today, how should this change the way they think about where promotions sit in their investment mix?Yeimy, when Circana runs the numbers across the entire consumer staples landscape, what unexpected, baseline operational traits do a legacy multi-billion-dollar giant and an agile, emerging challenger brand have in common when it comes to capturing actual volume growth today?Chris, expanding on that, when Ibotta double-clicks down on a hyper-growth challenger brand like Chomps — which Circana crowned a Growth Leader and which has blockbuster velocity across the IPN — the independent Circana Household Lift study told a striking story: households exposed to the Ibotta campaign outperformed the snacking category household penetration benchmark by 9x. What does that kind of new buyer acquisition data reveal about how challenger brands should think about promotions as a growth lever, beyond the traditional discount mechanic? If you two could completely re-architect the ideal measurement infrastructure from the ground up for a CPG brand trying to successfully navigate the next three years, what does that blueprint look like, and exactly who needs to be in the corporate room to enforce it?For a CPG brand CMO or commercial executive sitting in this room today who leaves Cannes and has to make one decisive change to how they evaluate, measure, or deploy capital across the commerce funnel this quarter—what is the single piece of practitioner advice you would give them? Yeimy, you first, then Chris.CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Christine Gambino, CEO of Omni, Omnicom's next-generation marketing and sales intelligence platform. It connects strategy, creativity, media, CRM, commerce, data, and AI to help brands grow with greater clarity, speed, and measurable business impact.Follow Christine on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-gambino-59683ab8Follow Omni online at: https://www.omc.com/omni/Christine answers these questions:Christine, you came up through Flywheel — one of the most commerce-native organizations in the industry — and now you're operating at the platform level as CEO of Omni. What did that journey from commerce practitioner to enterprise platform operator teach you about what CPG brands actually need from a marketing intelligence system?Your move from Flywheel to Omni was a deliberate cross-capability appointment. What was the mandate when you stepped into the CEO role, and what did you see as the biggest operational gaps you needed to close?At CES you demonstrated Omni live — walking through a campaign brief in real time, from media budget breakdowns to synthetic audiences to creator suggestions. For a CPG brand team watching that demo, what's the "aha moment" you're trying to create? In other words, What should click for them?You've been clear that Omni is additive, not a replacement — your words were: "It's meant to give real-time insights to teams and brands through our agentic environment." For CPG marketers who are worried about what AI means for their jobs, how do you make that case authentically, not just rhetorically?Omni now integrates Acxiom's 2.6 billion consumer profiles, Flywheel Commerce Cloud, and IPG's data and technology assets. That's a massive data convergence. How are you ensuring that consolidation creates clarity and speed for CPG clients rather than complexity?Omni is reported as having 41+ frontier LLM models and 24,000 monthly active users across 77 countries. What does it actually mean operationally to manage a platform at that scale — and how do you govern consistency of outputs when so many models and markets are in play?Flywheel's Commerce Cloud is described as the largest digital transaction data set in the world. Now fused into Omni, that commerce signal is live inside a broader marketing intelligence platform. For a CPG brand running retail media across Amazon, Walmart, and a dozen other RMNs, how does that change what's possible from a targeting and measurement standpoint?Omni includes what you're calling "Return on Consumer" — tracking consumer progression through Opportunity, Awareness, Interest, Purchase, and Loyalty — rather than just campaign metrics. That's a fundamental reframe. How ready are CPG brand teams to actually buy into that measurement model, and what's holding back adoption?There's a real tension in the industry right now between AI as efficiency play and AI as growth driver. Omnicom's own data points to 25-55% faster production times. But CPG CMOs are being asked to prove incrementality, not just efficiency. How does Omni help brands make that leap from "we're saving money" to "we're growing share"?GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — is becoming a major conversation as AI-driven search displaces traditional keyword rankings. Omni appears to have a point of view here through AI Optix on the PR side. How is the broader Omni platform thinking about brand visibility in an era where the algorithm deciding what consumers see isn't Google anymore?You are sitting at the intersection of the largest data asset in advertising, the largest commerce platform, and a next-gen agentic interface. If you had to name the one capability that CPG brands are most dramatically under-utilizing today — what would it be, and why?Christine, you came from Flywheel, which has deep roots in CPG. What's your message to the brand leaders, the commerce managers, and the retail media practitioners in our audience about what Omni means for them specifically — not for the holding company, but for them, in their day-to-day work?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:General Mills Q4 ResultsKroger to acquire Giant EagleAsda partners with Amazon on Retail Ads ServiceExecutive changesCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Liz Buchanan, President, North America at NielsenIQ, the world's leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and full retail  tracking/measurement while revealing new pathways to growth.This episode is sponsored by NielsenIQ.Follow Liz Buchanan on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-buchanan-35b2007/Follow NielsenIQ on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nielseniq/Follow NielsenIQ online at: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/Liz, Sri & PVSB recap the key learnings from NIQ's 2026 Consumer 360 event.CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Kiri Masters, Founder & Host of the Retail Media Breakfast Club Podcast.This episode was recorded in Cannes France during the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity at the House of Consumer Goods & Retail.We explore behind-the-scenes undercurrents ofthe festival.Follow Kiri on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters/Follow the Retail Media Breakfast Club on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retail-media-breakfast-club/id1782187624Follow the Retail Media Breakfast Club on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s5MuqcrsOmQDKn3uMYJKbFollow the Retail Media Breakfast Club on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retailmediabreakfastclubCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Prime Days AI InfluencePrime Days ResultsAmazon Agentic AdsOther News from Cannes LionsCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Matt Foley, VP of Brand Oreo at Mondelez International, an American multinational confectionery, food, and beverage company based in Illinois which employs approximately 80,000 individuals around the world, leading the future of snacking with iconic brands such as Oreo, belVita and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum.Follow Matt on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-foley-051534/Follow Mondelez International online at: https://www.mondelezinternational.com/Matt answers these questions:CPG brands love to do celebrity endorsements, but usually, it's just slapping a face on a billboard and calling it a day. This Oreo and BTS partnership feels fundamentally different because it was built from the ground up. Can you take us inside the initial rooms? How do you pitch a collaboration of this magnitude internally to ensure it becomes a structural joint-venture rather than a temporary marketing badge?I love that. Let's talk about product-level authenticity, because you guys didn't just change the packaging. You introduced a completely unique, Hotteok-inspired flavor profile and custom BTS-themed embossments right on the cookie itself. From a supply chain and R&D standpoint, altering the literal stamp and wafer formula of a multi-billion-dollar brand is no small feat. How did you manage those operational constraints to ensure that deep authenticity was physically baked into the product touchpoint?"Physically baking in the authenticity"—I love that phrase. Now Matt, let's talk packaging and creative content. The BTS ARMY is arguably one of the most visually observant and detail-oriented fan communities on earth; they notice everything. How closely did your creative teams collaborate directly with the band to co-design the packaging, and how did you ensure the digital content felt culturally native to the fanbase rather than like a forced corporate script?Vibe check passed! Now Matt, on every single episode of this show, Sri and I talk about moving from a legacy "Reach Economy" to a modern "Trust Economy." To win, a brand has to go beyond a simple endorsement to build genuine, unconditional brand love. When you are engaging a passionate, hyper-connected global community like the BTS ARMY, what are the strict guardrails for engagement? How do you prevent the brand from looking like a "cultural tourist" trying to cash in on a trend?Total cultural respect—that is the baseline. Let's talk about setting a new standard for CPG partnerships. We recently sat down with Conagra's Bob Nolan, and he talked about the "Validation Trap"—how relying on legacy focus groups and copy-testing scores causes brand teams to play it safe and launch boring, predictable activations. Did your team rely on traditional validation metrics for a disruptive play like this, or did you rely purely on cultural intuition and raw community behavior to guide the execution?Let's pivot to driving culture versus just joining the conversation. On the CPG Guys, we argue that scale without distinction leads to absolute invisibility. Oreo has masterfully moved from just running standard media flights to actively participating in major cultural milestones. From your seat, how do you define the ROI of a "cultural activation," and how do you prove to senior leadership that driving culture ultimately moves product off the physical shelf and drives total trips?Driving total trips is music to a merchant's ears, Matt. Let's talk about the retail execution side. When you roll out a massive global collaboration like this, retail partners like Walmart, Target, and Kroger want to know how this will drive their specific digital and physical shelves. How do you translate the massive digital fandom of an AMA-winning band into a tailored retail media network (RMN) strategy that helps your retail buyers win their specific category goals?Fascinating take, Matt. Let's talk about data and the path to purchase. We keep warning the industry about the "Sasspocalypse" of data fragmentation and the rise of the "Agentic Era," where AI agents might intercept a consumer before they ever look at an application. When a brand builds a deep, direct-to-consumer emotional connection through music and fandom, does that emotional equity act as a defensive shield against algorithmic curation? Does genuine brand love make you "machine-immune"?"Machine-immune equity"—that is a powerful concept to think about. Let's look out over the next 12 to 24 months. Now that Oreo has set this incredibly high benchmark for what a deeply authentic, co-created partnership looks like, where does the commercial strategy go next? Are we entering an era where CPG brands behave more like entertainment studios and lifestyle platforms rather than simple manufacturing companies?Alright Matt, final question for today, and we want to send our listeners home with a concrete piece of advice. There are brand managers listening right now who want to stop playing it safe, stop repurposing old assets, and actually drive culture the way Oreo is doing. What is the single biggest "reality check" or piece of blind-spot advice you can give them to help them modernize their partnership models this quarter?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined on its 600th episode by Tony Rogers, CMO of Dollar General which serves as America's neighborhood general store. Founded in 1939, Dollar General lives its mission of Serving Others every day by providing access to affordable products and services for its customers, career opportunities for its employees, and literacy and education support for its hometown communities. As of May 1, 2026, the Company's 21,055 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico provide everyday essentials including food, health and wellness products, cleaning and laundry supplies, self-care and beauty items, and seasonal décor.Follow Tony on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyrogers1Follow Dollar General online at: https://investor.dollargeneral.com/Tony answers these questions:Dollar General has a very clear value proposition—convenience, everyday low prices, and a store that feels close to home. How would you articulate the brand promise today, and how has it evolved with changing consumer expectations over the last few years?Dollar General serves millions of daily shoppers. What consumer insights have most surprised you since you joined, and how do you translate those insights into marketing programs that scale across thousands of stores?Data is the backbone of modern marketing. How does Dollar General balance data-driven decision making with the realities of privacy, consent, and a broad shopper base? Can you share an example of a data-enabled campaign that delivered measurable impact?How has Dollar General's approach to e-commerce and omnichannel evolved, especially as more shoppers expect online ordering, curbside pickup, and ship-to-home options? What role does in-store activation play in that mix?Private brands has become a strategic driver for many retailers. What's Dollar General's approach to product assortment and private brands, and how do you decide which initiatives to invest in?With so many channels and touchpoints, how do you measure retail media marketing ROI at Dollar General? What metrics matter most, and how do you tie marketing investments to store traffic, basket size, and long-term loyalty?Dollar General has a distinctive presence in local communities. How do you weave community impact and social responsibility into your marketing strategy without compromising value for customers?Can you share your philosophy on creative that resonates with Dollar General's shopper base? Are there any campaigns in the last few years that you're particularly proud of, and what made them effective?Building a high-performing marketing organization in a discount retailer requires special talent and culture. How do you attract and retain top marketing talent, and what changes have you championed to keep the team energized and innovative?Looking ahead, what are the big bets for Dollar General in the next 3–5 years? How do you see the role of discount retailers evolving in the broader CPG ecosystem, and what should brands watch for when partnering with DG?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Bayer Leadership ChangesWalmart Drone DeliveryKohl's Deal daysSchnucks' is fresh!CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Chris Peterson, President, CEO & Board Member of Newell Brands, a major American global consumer and commercial products conglomerate. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company manufactures, markets, and distributes over 50 well-known brands across three core segments: Home & Commercial Solutions, Learning & Development, and Outdoor & Recreation.This episode was recorded at Newell Brands headquarters in Atlanta.Follow Chris on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-peterson-488930114Follow Newell Brands online at: https://www.newellbrands.com/Chris answered these questions: Chris, at CAGNY, you spoke extensively about an enterprise AI program you internally call "Quantum Leap". You mentioned that in mid-2025, you shifted this from isolated use cases into a broader "how work gets done" workflow model. Can you talk to us about the genesis of Quantum Leap and what it looks like today?That scale is incredible, Chris. One thing that stood out to me during your recent Leadership Summit 2026 was your mention of 33 functional "navigators". It sounds like a massive cultural shift to build AI fluency across the enterprise. How do these navigators act as change agents inside their functions?Let's talk about the tangible outputs because the numbers you shared at CAGNY were staggering. You noted a 500% increase in AI-enabled digital content creation in 2025 versus 2024, entirely without any additional investment. How has AI accelerated your innovation pipeline from concept to launch?You can't run advanced AI without clean data, and Newell has done a massive amount of simplification. You've cut your active SKUs by over 80% and rationalized the brand portfolio from 80 down to just over 50 brands. By the fall of 2026, 95% of your global sales will be supported by a single instance of SAP. How critical is that ERP integration to feeding the Quantum Leap program?Chris, driving a transformation of this magnitude isn't just about technology; it's about the people executing it. Newell Brands has a very clear set of core values: Integrity, Teamwork, Passion for Winning, Ownership, and Leadership. As CEO, how do you lean on these principles to guide your 24,000 teammates around the world through such a massive operational and cultural shift?You've been driving a unified "One Newell" go-to-market model and consolidating what used to be five separate operating segments into just three. How does the value of "Teamwork"—which you define as "Succeeding Together"—play into breaking down those legacy silos?Thinking about the industry, how do you expect AI to impact shopping and agents to guide consumers? What's your advice to retail?Chris, this has been an absolute masterclass in enterprise AI adoption and operational leadership. What advice would you give others embarking on the AI journey?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Doug VandeVelde, Chief Growth Officer at WK Kellogg Co, manufacturer of an iconic brand portfolio including Kellogg's Frosted Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Froot Loops®, Kashi®, Special K®, Kellogg's Raisin Bran®, and Bear Naked®.Follow Doug on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-vandeveldeFollow WK Kellogg Co online at: https://www.wkkellogg.com/Doug answered these questions:95% of Americans are missing their daily fiber, but nobody goes to a Super Bowl party looking for a "health lecture." Why was 2026 the specific moment you decided to use the world's loudest stage to talk about the "Fiber Gap"?Fiber has historically been marketed as a functional necessity for the "older" demographic. How are you using this campaign to pivot the narrative from a "health trend" to a "tasty daily routine" for everyone from Gen Z to Boomers?You partnered with Gary Vaynerchuk's team to bring humor and high-profile talent to a topic as "unsexy" as gut health. How do you, as a 25-year CPG veteran, balance the "legacy brand guardrails" of Kellogg's with the fast-paced, "attention-first" creative style of VaynerMedia?You chose a regional and streaming-first buy for the Big Game rather than a traditional national spot. As Chief Growth Officer, how did you justify the "reach vs. precision" trade-off to your board?Gut health can be clinical and boring. Talk to me about the decision-making process behind using humor. Does "funny" actually move units of Raisin Bran and Mini-Wheats, or is it just about winning the "Ad Meter" rankings?With a streaming-first approach, you have more data than a traditional TV buy. How is WK Kellogg using real-time signals from this campaign to adjust shelf-level execution in the weeks following the game?You've been in this game for over 25 years. What is the one "old school" CPG rule you had to break to make this 2026 Super Bowl campaign a reality?When you go big on a Super Bowl scale, the pressure on the supply chain is immense. How did the $500M modernization of your plants allow you to "lean in" to this demand spike in a way you couldn't have three years ago?Before the campaign went live, did you use AI-driven "attention analytics" or "predictive creative" tools to ensure the humor would land across different demographics, or was this a "gut-feel" (pun intended) decision?If this "Fiber Gap" campaign succeeds, you aren't just selling boxes of cereal—you're changing a category's trajectory. Is the future of WK Kellogg less about "Breakfast" and more about "Functional Wellness"?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:America 250Macy's Q1 resultsZellers is back!The Preference EconomyCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Matt Gregory, EVP & Chief Customer Officer North America at Unilever.Follow Matt on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-gregory-b702567Follow Unilever online at: http://unilever.comMatt answers these questions:As Chief Customer Officer, what are your top priorities for Unilever's customer partnerships this year, and how have those priorities evolved from your previous roles?Unilever spans many categories and channels. How do you balance a single, coherent customer strategy with the diverse needs of retailers, wholesalers, and direct-to-consumer partners? What makes for a truly effective retailer collaboration from a customer-first perspective? Can you share thoughts on what constitutes a partnership that delivered measurable value for both a CPG brand and retailer?  How has Unilever adapted its customer strategy to omnichannel realities—store visits, digital marketplaces, and social commerce? What role do retailers play in orchestrating that journey?In times of supply chain disruption, what are the key lessons for maintaining strong customer relationships, and how do you collaborate with retailers to mitigate risk for both sides?When a brand is already as big and established as Dove, growth typically gets harder—not easier. Yet, Dove is experiencing approximately double-digit growth in the U.S. over the last year. What's the unlock that allows brands like Dove to continue deepening relevance and sustaining that level of momentum?What competencies and capabilities do you prioritize when building and leading a high-performance customer organization? How do you foster cross-functional collaboration with sales, marketing, and supply chain?Looking ahead 3–5 years, what are the biggest shifts you anticipate in retailer-CPG partnerships, and where should brands and retailers collaborate most closely to win in the evolving landscape? You've had a career that spans GM roles and commercially focused leadership positions. What have you learned in your personal and professional history that you find yourself using most in your role today?What's something the industry is still doing today that you think we'll look back on in five years and wonder, “why were we doing it that way?”What excites you most about agentic AI and how it could reshape the shopping experience? And what, if anything, gives you pause?If you could make one singular change to positively impact the CPG industry, what would it be and why?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Kroger leadership changesThe magnitude of SNAP benefit changesExpansion of

The CPG Guys are joined in this  episode by Mike Wysong, CEO of CARE Pharmacies, Inc., a growing pharmacy network having served communities like your own for more than 64 years. CARE Pharmacies combines the quality of a trusted local pharmacy with the growth and stability of a national organization. With over 130 pharmacies nationwide and growing, CARE understands its patients, their special needs, prescriptions, local community health concerns, and the importance of personalized CARE - the building blocks to a healthy family and a strong local community.Follow Mike on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wysong-a01626b/Follow CARE online at: https://www.carepharmacies.com/Mike answers these questions:What is the biggest lesson from those early days carrying the bag that you still lean on today as a CEO? What was that first fundamental structural or cultural shift you had to make to change that trajectory? How do you get independent owners to genuinely align on shared procurement, brand messages, and technology without stripping away that local entrepreneurship that makes them special? How does a cooperative structure create the necessary scale to let local community pharmacies win on price? From your seat, how can consumer product groups (CPGs) and OTC manufacturers better bridge those gaps to collaborate with a regional pharmacy layout like CARE? What are the top criteria or data-backed insights an emerging brand needs to bring to you today to earn shelf space over a legacy CPG giant? For emerging wellness or OTC brands listening to this show, what's your advice on the sales function—should they try to go it alone, or do they need to hire a specialized broker who truly understands regional drug chains? How are you helping independent pharmacies roll out complex tech, health informatics, and AI tools without eroding the high-touch, hyper-local intimacy that defines community pharmacy? As baby boomers choose to remain in their homes longer, how does the role of the community pharmacy transform from a simple script dispensary into an essential connector of the home health ecosystem? How critical is having a real-time view of inventory and fulfillment data to protecting your owners' bottom lines? As a board member and past chair of the NACDS, what is the most urgent story the industry needs to keep telling to protect its clinical and commercial relevance? What is the single biggest blind spot that corporate CPG executives have when they try to partner with independent, community-based retail networks? CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Bob Nolan, SVP of Growth Science at Conagra Brands. Conagra's portfolio of iconic and emerging food brands continues to evolve to offer contemporary choices for every occasion. Follow Bob on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-nolan-938b726/Follow Conagra Brands online at: https://www.conagrabrands.com/Bob answers these questions:What was the "breaking point" where you realized that asking consumers what they wanted was actually leading the company toward failed launches?In the context of your CAGNY 2026 presentation, how do you define the "Validation Trap," and why is it so dangerous for legacy CPG brands today?One of your biggest wins was identifying the "Bowl" trend (Healthy Choice Power Bowls) via behavioral data while the rest of the industry was still testing "Trays." How would traditional validation have killed that multi-million dollar insight?If you've cut traditional testing to zero, how do you now "pre-flight" a major innovation like the Rebel Roots Tallow Sticks or the Dolly Parton line without the safety net of a focus group?How does AI-driven "Demand Science" replace the human element of traditional market research? At CAGNY, you spoke about demand science as a key growth driver. How does moving away from "validation" allow Conagra to be more "provocative" and take risks that traditional research would have deemed "too polarizing"?You use data from Whole Foods and Sprouts to predict what will happen in Kroger and Walmart two years later. Is the "Natural Channel" your new version of a test market, and how does that data-flow work?You've positioned Conagra as a beneficiary of GLP-1 drugs rather than a victim. How did behavioral science—rather than consumer surveys—help you realize that these users aren't eating less of everything, but are actually pivoting toward specific nutrient-dense frozen options?Validation takes months; social trends move in days. How has the "Death of Validation" increased your speed-to-market? Can you give us an example of an "idea-to-shelf" timeline that would have been impossible under the old model?For the Brand Managers out there who are still terrified to launch a product without a "Green Score" from a testing agency, what is your message to them about the risk of not evolving past validation?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Walmart resultsTarget resultsGrocery isn't keeping upKroger growth opportunitiesCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

This is a crossover episode with Wendy Liebmann, CEO and Chief Shopper at WSL Strategic and host of the Future Shop podcast.Follow Wendy on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyliebmannFollow WSL Strategic Retail online at: https://wslstrategicretail.com/Follow Future Shop on Apple Podcasts at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/future-shop-podcast-with-wsl/id1498794016Follow Future Shop on Spotify at: https://open.spotify.com/show/5147LMxl6Y1duhPahtPOnr?si=BBEYheSMR3K27zZ_7JNrZQIn this episode of Future Shop, Wendy Liebmann sits down with the industry's most plugged-in duo, Peter V.S. Bond and Sri Rajagopalan (The CPG Guys), to dissect a retail landscape currently in the throes of a "hot mess" transformation. They navigate the complex collision of agentic AI, the shifting power of retail media, and a growing leadership talent crisis. From why Target is struggling to the "intransigence" of Trader Joe's e-commerce stance, this conversation reveals why the old rules of retail no longer apply in a world where 100% of purchases are digitally influenced. Highlights:The AI Pivot: Why brand websites are shifting from consumer journeys to LLM data repositories. The Retail Media Paradox: How budget silos are making retail media counterproductive for merchants. Talent Gaps: The urgent need for C-suite leaders to understand TikTok and social trends, not just P&L management. Store Evolution: Why the physical store must pivot to "high discovery" perimeter experiences while center-store moves online. Who's Winning & Not:  Retailers and brands who recognize why old rules don't apply.CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea byRaj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Sammi Zola and Pete Fox from Haleon plus Andrew Butz from Kroger Precision Marketing.This episode was recorded at 84.51 in Cincinnati, Ohio.Follow Sammi on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthakliff/Follow Pete on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-fox-91b57/Follow Andrew on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbutz/Follow Haleon online at: http://haleon.comFollow KPM on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/krogerprecisionmarketingFollow KPM online at: http://www.krogerprecisionmarketing.comThey answer these questions:Tell us who you are, what your role is, and what ‘turning insights into action' means in practical terms from where you sit.From a category strategy standpoint, what's driving that? And Sammi, how is changing media consumption behavior adding fuel to that fire?How has the job of category insights actually changed in the last year at Haleon? As your team builds out activation plans, what separates purchase data that is genuinely actionable from data that is merely informative? How is AI specifically changing your ability to deliver faster, more relevant insights to your brand partners — and what does that look like in practice?What are the most surprising shopper insights your team has surfaced in the past year? Can you share a real moment where faster insights directly changed a media decision mid-flight? Beyond data delivery, how are retail media networks like KPM evolving their role to help brand partners optimize in real time?How are you modernizing your approach to how you leverage retail data in your planning and activation process? What does the gap look like between where most CPG brands are today in terms of insight-to-action speed, and where the leaders are? What separates the two?How are you building the connective tissue between Pete's world and Sammi's world at Haleon — and what does that collaboration unlock?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Grocery InflationQuarterly EarningsStarbucks LayoffsTarget Board BattlesCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Barbara Connors VP of Strategy & Activation and Brian Downey, Senior Director at Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM), the retail media business of Kroger designed to make brand advertising more effective by closing the loop between media exposure and store sales. Powered by 84.51˚ data science, and Kroger's popular loyalty card program, KPM connects consumers to brands through engaging moments that inspire purchasing online or in-store.Follow Barbara on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-connors-10312810Follow Brian on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dowey-079b018Follow KPM on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/krogerprecisionmarketingFollow KPM online at: http://www.krogerprecisionmarketing.comThey answer these questions:Please introduce yourselves and your roles at KPMWhat does genuine alignment between a CPG brand and a retailer actually look like in practice — versus the version of alignment that's mostly just a slide in a JBP deck?How does that reframe the way you think a brand team should walk into a retailer conversation, and what do most brands still get wrong?How do you help brands build a singular strategic framework that still gives each team the flexibility it needs — without creating chaos?Where do you see the biggest mindset shifts still required — on the brand side and on the retailer side — to make that evolution real?What are the most sophisticated users doing with it that the average user isn't — and what does ‘near real-time' insight access actually change about how brands plan?What are the two or three decisions that have to be locked in early for a joint brand-retailer strategy to actually deliver?How can brands use retailer insights to anticipate where preferences are going—not just report where they've been?In practical terms, what does true integration across data, insights, activation, and measurement look like — and where do you see brand teams still getting stuck?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys recap their attendance at the 2026 Amazon Upfront event which took place in New York City at the Beacon Theatre on May 11.CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Giant Eagle partners with ibottaGeneral Mills LeadershipKraft Heinz increases marketing $$$Doordash resultsCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by John FitzGerald, Sr Director of Growth at Mad Tree Brewing Company. Founded in 2013, MadTree is an award-winning brewery that's rooted in Cincinnati and planted in purpose. Driven to craft great beer - but more importantly - build a business dedicated to doing good, MadTree protects and celebrates nature while reducing impact on the environment. MadTree is a B-Corp certified company and proud member of 1% for the Planet with a commitment to donate 1% of sales to local, sustainable nonprofits.  Follow John on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwfitzg/Follow Mad Tree Brewing online at: https://madtree.com/ John answers these questions:What is the one core discipline or strategic framework from that world that you've found most indispensable when running a craft brand like MadTree?How do you find the balance between Big CPG rigor and the "fail fast" agility required in the craft brewing industry?When you look at the beer aisle now—which is notoriously crowded and fragmented—how do you apply a "Category Management" mindset to help MadTree win at the shelf against the mega-brewers?How are you leveraging your background in retail partnerships to ensure MadTree isn't just a "local favorite" but a "must-have" brand for major regional retailers?From a leadership perspective, how do you ensure that sustainability isn't just a marketing "badge" but a functional part of your supply chain and operational DNA?You're managing a complex journey between the taproom (DTC/Experience) and the grocery store (Wholesale). How do you ensure the brand "feeling" a consumer gets in the Oakley taproom translates when they are picking up a 6-pack at Kroger or Meijer?In craft beer, data can often be opaque. How are you building a "Full View" of your consumer, and are you leveraging tools like AI to predict the next big flavor profile or seasonal trend?How is MadTree evolving its product portfolio to capture that shifting demographic and maintain relevance?For a regional brewer, how critical is real-time inventory and sales data to your production planning, and how do you handle those "uncomfortable" supply chain moments?What is the biggest "reality check" you can give to someone looking to transition from a global giant like Kellanova to a high-growth local leader like MadTree?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Kim Cox, Managing Director NA Omnichannel Intelligence Solutions & Richard Pereira, Regional Product Leader, NA at NielsenIQ, the world's leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth.Follow Kim Cox on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-cox-nielsenFollow Richard Pereira on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardanthonypereiraFollow NIQ online at: http://nielseniq.comThis episode is sponsored by NielsenIQKim and Richard answer these questions:How is retail measurement fundamentally changing in terms of how brands now have to think about competitive visibility?How are AI technologies actually changing the day-to-day experience for a category manager using NIQ tools today?How are your strategic models adapting to ensure brands aren't just seeing "data snapshots" but a fluid omnichannel journey?What makes club measurement so uniquely challenging, and how is NielsenIQ helping brands find the full view of performance there?In practice, how far away are we really from achieving true full-funnel visibility—linking consumer behavior directly to purchase and incrementality?What are the current best practices or product innovations you're leading to build a more "unified" performance pictureWhat should brands expect as these retailers integrate loyalty and sales data into the broader measurement ecosystem?If we look at the next 36 months, what specific capabilities—like unified taxonomies or real-time signals—do you believe will define the next chapter of measurement innovation?Kim - For the brands listening who want to lead rather than lag, what internal skill sets or data investments should they be prioritizing over the next 3–5 years? What can you share about NIQ's vision for the future? Are there specific partnerships or innovations the industry should be paying attention to coming from NielsenIQ?If you could give our audience just one piece of advice to future-proof their measurement strategy starting tomorrow, what would it be? CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Kimberly-Clark Q1 2026 ResultsUnilever Q1 2026 ResultsWalmart Scintilla Media Data FeedReddit Q1 2026 ResultsCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Caitlin Winsor Senior Director of Media, Strategy & Investment at PepsiCo and Chris Grillo Vice President of Sales, CPG at Tubi, the most watched free TV and movie streaming service in the U.S.Follow Cailtin on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-coburn-winsor-80789810/Follow PepsiCo on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pepsico/Follow Chris on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-grillo-abab465/Follow Tubi on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tubi-tv/Follow Tubi online at: https://corporate.tubitv.com/partners/advertisewithus/ad-experience/We ask them these questions:How would you describe Tubi's role in the CTV ecosystem today?What shifts are you seeing in how they think about reach, engagement, and performance in streaming?Where does connected TV fit within your overall media mix strategy, and what signals do you monitor when evaluating a new CTV partner?What were some of the most surprising or important findings for CPG marketers in the Harris Poll study?How are these insights challenging or reshaping traditional assumptions around reach, frequency, and engagement for CPG brands?How do these findings align with what you're seeing in your own consumers and media performance?What are the key implications for how CPG brands should rethink their media mix and investment strategies moving forward?As CPG brands invest more in streaming, how are they starting to think differently about what success looks like beyond just reach and awareness? Can you share a recent example where a CPG campaign on Tubi delivered a measurable lift that surprised the team?In the CPG space, how do you collaborate with advertisers to craft creatives that perform on CTV? Are there best practices for integrating traditional TV ad assets with shorter video assets for streaming environments to maximize resonance and efficiency?With inflationary pressures and changing consumer behavior, how do you optimize the media mix to protect brand equity while driving growth on CTV?What attribution model or measurement framework do you rely on for CTV campaigns? What does a successful CPG–CTV partnership look like from your perspective?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:KDP Quarterly earningsGen Z pre-games drinking before heading outMicrosoft Voluntary RetirementsTikTok MeasurementCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Shelley Zalis, Founder & CEO of The Female Quotient. Founded in 2007, The Female Quotient (The FQ) is an equality services company that provides thought leadership platforms for women and develops solutions for organizations committed to closing the gender gap in the workplace. Co-Hosting this episode with PVSB is Jacqui Dynowski, co-host of SheCommerce Podcast.Follow Shelley on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyzalis/Follow The FQ online at: https://www.thefemalequotient.com/Shelley answers these questions:What's the most compelling ROI data you've seen from CPG companies that have actually closed their internal gender gaps — and what did they do differently?How big is that disconnect, and what's the cost to brand relevance when leadership doesn't reflect the shopper?How have CPG companies — historically some of the biggest advertisers in the world — performed on the Gender Equality Measure (GEM) score, and where is the biggest gap still?How do you counsel companies that are getting squeamish — and what do you say to those who argue that pulling back is a business-neutral decision?For CPG companies deploying AI in marketing, hiring, and consumer insights, what guardrails should they be building in?How are you seeing CPG executives use those spaces differently than other industries — and what conversations are you hearing most from women in the retail media and commerce ecosystem?In CPG, where field sales, trade roles, and supply chain jobs often require significant travel and irregular hours, how should companies redesign work structures to stop losing women mid-career?What does it look like when a male CPG CEO truly leads on this — versus when it's performative — and how can listeners of this podcast who are male executives actually show up differently starting Monday morning?What do you see as the unique opportunity that Cannes creates for driving meaningful equality commitments from CMOs and brand leaders — versus it being another cocktail-party conversation that doesn't translate back to the office?What are the two or three metrics that CPG companies should be tracking internally that most of them currently aren't — and how do you hold leadership accountable when the numbers don't move?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in the episode by Patrick Nommensen, Head, Strategic Initiatives, AMS & Europe, E-Commerce at TikTok.This episode was record in Las Vegas at Shoptalk 2026.Follow Patrick on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pnommensen/ Follow TikTok on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiktok/ Patrick answers these questions:Patrick, you've been vocal about how TikTok Shop is “discovery-led commerce,” where shopping starts with inspiration, not intent. In 2026, reports by others have estimated there are over 80 million U.S. shoppers on the platform, how do you preserve that sense of discovery at scale?There's a perception that TikTok Shop is driven by viral, one-off purchases. But we're now seeing brands build repeat purchase behavior and long-term customer value. What tools are TikTok Shop providing for brands to move from “viral moment” to sustained brand loyalty?We see the huge stars, but your data shows that micro-influencers often have 2x the engagement for CPG brands. How is TikTok Shop's affiliate model evolving to help a brand like PepsiCo and flavor swap chips manage multiple micro-creators at scale without a massive manual headcount?Live shopping is often seen as an Asia-first behavior, but we're seeing strong adoption in the U.S. What's different about how U.S. consumers engage with LIVE, and where do you see the biggest opportunity?Traditional e-commerce starts with search and intent. TikTok Shop starts with discovery and inspiration. How should CPG brands rethink their entire go-to-market strategy in a world where consumers don't search—they discover? Retailers like Walmart and Amazon have deep "closed-loop" measurement. How is TikTok Shop closing the gap to show a CPG Brand Manager exactly how a viral video on Tuesday led to an in-store purchase at a physical Kroger on Friday?Amazon and Walmart have launched their own social feeds. What is the "moat" that TikTok Shop has that a legacy retailer can never replicate, no matter how much they invest in "social" features?We're hearing more brands describe TikTok Shop as a real-time “test kitchen” for product development. Can you share how brands are using the platform to test, iterate, and scale products faster than traditional retail cycles?TikTok Shop is no longer just a test channel–many enterprise brands are now treating it as core infrastructure. What are you seeing from large CPG brands in terms of investment and long-term strategy?If we sit down in 2030, is TikTok still an "App," or is it the underlying operating system for how the world discovers and consumes everything?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Uber Invests More in Delivery HeroDGMN introduces in-store audioConagra's new CEOGoop KitchenCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in the episode by Benoit Vatere, Chief Media Officer for Liquid Death. As one of the fastest growing non-alcoholic beverage brands, Liquid Death uses comedy and entertainment to make health and sustainability 50 times more fun. We take low-calorie beverages and package them into infinitely recyclable cans that compete with the fun marketing of unhealthy brands across beer and junk food.This episode was record in Las Vegas at Shoptalk 2026.Follow Benoit on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoitvatereFollow Liquid Death on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liquid-deathBenoit answers these questions:Benoit, you've famously said Liquid Death is an entertainment company that happens to sell water. How do you maintain that "unfiltered" creative edge while managing the rigid P&L and distribution requirements of a global CPG?You have a "Country Club" of fans who literally tattoo your logo on their bodies. In an AI world where algorithms try to predict loyalty, how do you protect and scale the "irrational" human connection your brand has built?You've built a massive brand by doing the opposite of "best practices." What is one "traditional" CPG marketing rule that you think is officially dead in 2026?Most brands use Retail Media for lower-funnel "search" (buying keywords). Liquid Death is a lifestyle brand that wins at the shelf. How are you using Retail Media Networks (RMNs) to drive discovery rather than just capturing existing demand?Does Liquid Death focus strictly on the "Big 3" (Amazon, Walmart, Instacart), or are you finding unique value in the smaller, niche retail networks?How is Liquid Death structured to ensure the "vibe" isn't lost in the math of an ad-stack?How does a brand as visually loud as Liquid Death plan to win the journey from the living room sofa to the kitchen fridge?How does a brand built on impulse and rebellion stay relevant when a literal robot is making the household grocery list?Are you using GenAI to scale your content production, or do you find that AI currently lacks the "edge" or "danger" required for your brand voice? How does Liquid Death sync its DTC data with physical retail signals to create a 360-degree view of your "Country Club" members?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Christian Hasshold, host of the In/Organic Podcast and Managing Partner of Resilient Edge M&A Advisors.Follow Christian on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hassold/Follow the In/Organic podcast on Apple Podcasts at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inorganic-podcast/id1710070954Follow the In/Organic podcast on Spotify at: https://open.spotify.com/show/0oa6R4M37vtys5II6clEfF?si=7fdee69be69747f4Christian answers these questions:How do you distinguish between a “nice-to-have” tuck-in acquisition and a transformational, growth-enabling deal in the lower/middle markets?In the lower-to-middle market, what characteristics make an agency or SAAS target attractive to PE buyers versus strategic acquirers? Are there red flags you consistently see?What valuation levers tend to move the needle most for digital agencies and B2B SaaS in private equity? In what scenarios do earnouts or seller financing play a critical role in aligning incentives post-close? What's a must-have due diligence checklist for an M&A in this space (e.g., tech stack, client concentration, monetization models, recurring revenue quality)? Any surprises you often encounter? After closing, what are your top three priorities to de-risk integration and accelerate value realization in a digital agency or B2B SaaS platform?How do you evaluate and incorporate AI and data-driven product improvements in these companies to unlock scale? Are there specific bets you'd avoid in early-stage growth scenarios?For CPG brands and their agencies, what practical lessons can you share from the M&A and growth playbook that help them become more attractive to PE-backed buyers or to strike better LP-aligned partnerships? CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Unilever acquires GRÜNSSazerac Counters Pernod Ricard for Brown-FormanNutella in SpaceUpfront SeasonCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jason O'Toole, Head of Connected Commerce & Media, and Katie Tripodi, Director of US Digital Merchandising and eCommerce Expansion at Gildan, a leading manufacturer of everyday basic apparel. The Company's product offering includes activewear, underwear, socks, and intimates sold to a broad range of customers, including wholesale distributors, screenprinters, embellishers, retailers or e-commerce platforms, as well as global lifestyle brand companies. Follow Jason on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmotooleFollow Katie on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-sierveld-tripodi-b945262Follow Gildan on LinkedIn at: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/gildanFollow Gildan online at: https://www.gildan.com/us/enJason & Katie answer these questions:How have you structured your connected commerce teams internally to meet the demands of this complex omnichannel landscape and break down traditional silos?For a legacy apparel brand, that is a bold and necessary move. What does your playbook for TikTok Shop look like, and how does your merchandising strategy there differ from a traditional dot-com?In a world where 'attention is the new storefront,' how do you ensure that your upper-funnel brand storytelling actually connects to disciplined, bottom-funnel media systems?When you are merchandising for a platform that is driven by viral moments and creator content, how do you forecast inventory and manage the digital shelf differently than you would for a predictable weekly cadence at a mass retailer?How did you convince the organization to invest so heavily in that upper-funnel homepage placement rather than just fighting it out in bottom-funnel search?you consciously chose to prioritize branded search and incremental ad-attributed sales as your main success metrics. Why were those specific metrics the best indicators of the consumer's path-to-purchase journey for apparel?How do you approach digital shelf management—specifically regarding Product Detail Page (PDP) content, ratings, and reviews—to help the consumer confidently navigate that SKU complexity and hit the 'buy' button?How do brands like Hanes and Maidenform approach 3P competition and brand protection across digital marketplaces to ensure the consumer gets an authentic, premium experience?As consumer discovery shifts away from traditional search bars toward social feeds, creator recommendations, and even generative AI, what is the most critical muscle an apparel brand needs to build today to win the digital shelf in 2026 and beyond?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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 orCPGGUYS 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 CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Greg Brown, SVP of Innovation for the DAS Group of Agencies at Omnicom. Greg joins to share key themes coming from the 2026 SXSW which dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW® is best known for its conferences and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture.Follow Greg on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsgregbrown/Follow Omnicom online at: http://omnicom.comDownload Omnicom's SXSW 2026 Wrap Report here: https://www.omc.com/newsroom/omnicom-at-sxsw-2026-wrap-report/Greg answers these questions:Omnicom's SXSW recap is titled “Where Growth Is Moving Next” — what was the single most unexpected signal you picked up in Austin that confirmed that framing for you personally?For CPG brands that have built entire commercial models around scale and mass awareness, how disruptive is that shift really — and how urgently should they be acting?For CPG brands whose products live on retailer shelves and retail media platforms, what does it mean practically when an AI agent intercepts a shopper before they ever reach a PDP?Walmart is reportedly opening its doors to autonomous shopping agents while Amazon is moving to block them — two of the most important retail media platforms taking opposite positions. How should CPG brands be hedging right now?Where do you see genuine participation-led growth opportunities for everyday CPG brands?Gen Z and Gen Alpha were called out specifically — they don't reject branded content, they reject inauthentic content. What's the line between a CPG brand showing up credibly in culture versus coming across as cringe?As CPG brands accelerate AI adoption across content, commerce, and consumer insights — where's the line?The report coins the phrase “the E-IQ economy.” What does leading with emotional intelligence actually look like in practice for a CPG marketer building campaigns in 2026?What's the realistic on-ramp for CPG brands to participate in immersive, experience-led growth without a Las Vegas budget?As you look across all six themes from SXSW 2026, what's the one move you'd tell a CPG Chief Marketing Officer to prioritize in the next 90 days — and what's the one thing they should stop doing immediately?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Amazon FBA SurchargeContainer Store gets a new ownerKristin Wolf promoted at UltaHome Depot's new CTOCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/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.