Tech Transformation

Channan Sawhney of Johnson & Johnson On Unique Digital Commerce Needs

Given how quickly and dramatically consumer behavior is changing, there’s a lot retailers and consumer goods companies are taking away from other regions when building their commerce strategies. So on this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking with Channan Sawhney, director of global e-commerce, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health, about some of the ways consumers are engaging differently with brands and retailers, and where she sees retailers investing to meet new needs.
We’re talking about the technologies that are used to apply these learnings across functions and segments — and also about why sometimes this just doesn’t work.
Listen to learn:
•Some of the more recent consumer behavior shifts retailers are adapting to and how these shifts differ across regions
•A recent example of how she applied learnings from an e-commerce “win” in one region to another for success
•A time this didn’t work and what we can learn
•Where she sees the most potential for generative AI technologies like ChatGPT in retail and consumer goods digital commerce
•Other upstream technologies worth paying attention to
•How solution providers can be stronger partners with retail and consumer goods companies
•Her one wish for digital commerce

Reckitt’s Imteaz Ahamed On Generative AI and ChatGPT

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably been inundated with news and hot takes on generative AI, including ChatGPT. But what does it mean for retail and consumer goods? There’s a massive amount of potential, and it’s moving really quickly. We’re talking with Imteaz Ahamed, director of performance marketing of nutrition at Reckitt, about what it is, what the impact could be, and some of the really, really, really cool things in the future.
Listen to learn:
•How generative AI can impact retail and consumer goods, including viable use cases
•How optimizing performance marketing campaigns differs by platform, such as social media, search engines, or marketplaces (Gimmick alert: question written by ChatGPT!)
•Future trends or advancements in performance marketing that will be important for CPG brands to pay attention to (Question written by ChatGPT!)
•The startup we should all have our eyes on
•The MACH Alliance and why Ahamed is an ambassador

Forrester’s Steve Peltzman On What Retailers Can Learn from Other Industries

Understanding how consumers view your retail experiences quickly and accurately is one of the most important parts of serving them, and this means doing a lot more than just surveys. In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking with Steve Peltzman, Chief Business Technology Officer at Forrester, about why this can be so hard for some retailers and what they can learn from other industries. 

Tractor Supply’s Rob Mills On the Future of Data-Driven Loyalty

Here are a few things you need to know about Tractor Supply Company: For one, they pride themselves on being the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, with over 2,000 stores and 50,000 employees. What’s more, they have more than 26 million members in their loyalty club.
In this episode of Tech Transformation, we talk with Rob Mills, Tractor Supply EVP, chief technology, digital commerce, and strategy officer, about how they’re using things like wayfinding, mobile apps, and even artificial intelligence to improve the consumer experience.
Listen to learn:
•Why mobile apps have been a key tool in their success and how they’re evolving the technology
•How Tractor’s teams determine the features that are most valuable to customers
•How apps help drive loyalty for both their customers and employees
•Inside their test-and-learn culture and team engagement
•How and why Tractor is digitizing its store layout – and the benefits
•The opportunities and obstacles of having inventory quantity visible at the store level
•The future for personalization at Tractor Supply
•What Rob wishes Tractor manufacturing partners knew when it came to being a good trading partner
•What’s next for Tractor Supply

Church & Dwight’s Tiffany Pegues On Social Media Mastery and Misconceptions

Getting leadership buy-in isn’t easy in any role, but working in social media brings a special kind of challenge. In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking with Tiffany Pegues, the head of social, search, and CRM at Church & Dwight, about some of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to retail and CPG social. She shares why it’s so important to balance the razzle dazzle of marketing with having a disciplined approach on TikTok and other platforms, and she talks about how to set yourself up for success when you’re operating in so much unknown territory. 
Listen to learn:
•How Church & Dwight is staying relevant for the next generation of consumers and the obstacles that come along with it•How they upskill their teams•The role of social-first campaigns •How she’s influencing-up and why getting leadership buy-in in social media can be so challenging•The biggest thing on her plate right now•The future of social media •The misconceptions in social and search she wishes would just disappear 

K18 CEO Suveen Sahib On Social Commerce Strategies

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re digging into social commerce with the disruptive haircare brand K18. We’re talking with Suveen Sahib, K18 co-founder and CEO, about how they’re making the most of TikTok and Facebook (yes, Facebook) and planning for the metaverse. We also discuss the value of using consumer insights in product development and sharing these insights with your retail partners. 
 
Listen to learn: 
How K18 leverages consumer insights within their product development
Why TikTok and social commerce work so well for them — and how they discovered this
How they adapt their strategies for different platforms
K18’s plans for the metaverse
The failures they’ve learned from
The future of beauty and haircare tech

Molson Coors’ Cloud Transformation Journey with Lindsay Winn and Ramki Krishnamoorthy

Molson Coors is evolving from an alcohol beverage company to a beverage company, and this has meant transforming its business, its technology, and its ways of working. In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking with Lindsay Winn, VP, commercial IT business partner, and Ramki Krishnamoorthy, global head of enterprise architecture, about what prompted the need for all of this change and to get a candid look at how it’s going.
We dig into what it’s like measuring success in new ways of working and what we can learn from our missteps. We also get into the weeds a bit to talk about cloud architecture and some of the other considerations they’re taking into account. 
Listen to learn: 
•How Molson Coors’ digital transformation is supporting its business transformation
•What prompted the need for change
•How this relates to its cloud transformation program 
•Where they got started
•The architectural considerations that were taken into account
•How they built their business case to get stakeholder alignment
•How they’re measuring success
•What their post-cloud transformation future looks like
•The Molson Coors product that should be on every Thanksgiving table

Gogo SqueeZ CMO Mark Edmonson On Building Data Foundations

Building consumer loyalty may be one of the most complicated challenges for today’s consumer goods companies. For brands like Gogo SqueeZ, this means focusing on developing a first-party data strategy as they work on their next stage of growth. In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking with Mark Edmonson, CMO of Materne North America, Gogo SqueeZ, about how the snack brand is measuring and growing loyalty using consumer data and gamification to innovate and grow. 
Recorded during CGT’s annual Consumer Goods Sales & Marketing Summit in New York, we’re also talking about where retail media fits into their strategy and even what Mark would wish for if he could have anything in the world when it comes to loyalty. 
Listen to learn: 
•What consumer loyalty looks like for GoGo squeeZ, including how it’s measured 
•Where retail media fits within their loyalty strategy 
•How they view social commerce and gamification when marketing a product with a child as the core consumer
•The data sources they’re leveraging
•What Mark would wish for if he could have anything (consumer loyalty and otherwise)

Mars Wrigley’s Deepak Jose On Data Analytics, AI and 360 Consumer Experiences

Tech Transformation is once again on the road, this time recording from Groceryshop 2022 in Las Vegas. In this episode, Deepak Jose, Global Head One Demand Data & Analytics Solutions at Mars Wrigley, sits down to share how they’re using data analytics to engage today’s consumers in new and innovative ways.  
Listen to learn: 
•How Mars is using AI and machine learning to create engaging e-commerce experiences
•What it means to have a value-led approach to analytics, and why it’s paying off for them
*The data sources that are most important to Mars
•How they’re recruiting and retaining today’s top tech talent to put all of these ambitions into action

Jones Soda CMO Bohb Blair On Entering Cannabis and Having the Most Engaged Consumers on the Planet

Craft soda company Jones Soda might have some of the most loyal and engaged fans in the world. The company was tapping into user-generated content before digital photography even existed, and now they’re leaning into mobile apps and other technologies to engage consumers and leverage their insights across its business.
In this episode of Tech Transformation, we're talking with Bob Blair, Jones Soda CMO, about some of the technologies they're using and what they have planned. We're also talking about their recent entry into the cannabis market and what kind of thinking and preparation needs to happen before moving into this category.
Listen to learn:
•What it’s like operating as Jones’ first CMO
•How Jones uses user-generated content to drive incredible loyalty
•How today’s consumers prefer to connect digitally
•How Jones is using mobile apps to drive value
•How it’s leveraging consumer insights across its business
•Why it’s moving into the cannabis market and its learnings
•Some of the weirdest soda flavors consumers have ever suggested

Newell Brands’ Steve Sigrist and AWS’s Justin Honaman On Data-Driven Customer Service

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re getting back to basics (in a way). We’re talking about data-driven customer service with Steve Sigrist of Newell Brands and Justin Honaman of Amazon. We’re digging into some of the biggest consumer behavior changes that are impacting customer service operations today, and we’re talking about some of the technologies that are most important to brands and retailers to meet these new needs. 
Listen to learn: 
•The biggest consumer behavior shifts having an impact on Newell Brands and other consumer goods companies
•How brands and retailer are adapting to meet these new needs
•Some of today’s biggest pain points
•How brands are using 20/20 hindsight to prepare for tomorrow's consumer on behalf of their retail partners

GNC CIO Scott Saeger On Hybrid Data Strategies and Mobile Futures

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re digging into some trade secrets with Scott Saeger, SVP and CIO of retailer GNC. Saeger shares why GNC recently teamed with Amazon for same-day delivery and how that kind of decision can impact a retailer’s IT operations and infrastructure. He also talks about some of the new ways they’re using their mobile app to drive sales, and where they stand when it comes to their hybrid data strategy. 
Listen to learn: 
•Some of the recent consumer behavior changes that are proving to be sticky for GNC•What this has meant from an IT perspective•Details about GNC’s expanded partnership with Amazon •Insight into how GNC views the potential of machine learning for demand forecasting •Some of the biggest obstacles for GNC and some of the most promising things in its future•What more people should know about being a retail CIO and some of the biggest misconceptions about the role

Consumer Brands Association’s Tom Madrecki Talks Supply Chain Crystal Balls

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re taking a look at the current state of the retail and CPG supply chain. Tom Madrecki, VP of supply chain at the Consumer Brands Association, sits down with Lisa Johnston, editor-in-chief of CGT, to talk about what’s happening and what’s ahead. 
Listen to learn: 
•What's causing the most pain today•How brands are navigating these obstacles to keep products on shelves•Technologies proving to be successful in alleviating challenges•An outlook for this year and next•What retailers should know when it comes to CPGs and supply chain obstacles 

The Lego Group’s Bill Shube On Learning to Speak Like an IT Pro

When the pandemic started, there were a lot of bored kids at home, so what did a lot of bored parents do? They bought them Legos! In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re digging into how The Lego Group kept its tech teams flexible and aligned during a period of massive disruption. We’re also digging into the power of low code and what it means for the future.

Ash Mehra On Busting Silos and the Workplace of the Future

We’re once again on the road, recording from Analytics Unite, the three-day summit that gathered today’s leading minds in retail and consumer goods analytics. In our last episode, we talked with John Bertrand, VP and CIO of Kreg Tool Company, about investing in people and technology to prepare for the consumer of tomorrow.
 
In this episode, we sit down with Ash Mehra, most recently chief digital and information officer of Packable, and also previously CDIO of North America at Mondelez International. We discuss:
 
•Where the most work is needed to break down internal silos to advance digital transformation
•Where we do see progress being made
•What the consumer goods workplace of the future might look like •The table stakes when it comes to recruiting and retaining today's top tech/IT talent
•Where companies should invest in their IT infrastructure in order to meet current and future consumer needs
•Why Ash gives new meaning to the term “streak”

Kreg Tool’s John Bertrand On Investing in Data, Tech & Individual Awesomeness

We’re going on the road for this episode of Tech Transformation. We’re talking with John Bertrand, CIO of Kreg Tool Company, about where they’re investing to prepare for the consumer of tomorrow and how they’re retaining top tech talent to do so. 
We’re recording from Analytics Unite, the three-day live summit that gathered today’s leading minds in retail and consumer goods analytics. We’re talking about what makes Kreg Tool's new global headquarters so important for them, the consumer-facing technologies they’re betting on, and what's so great about fostering a mindset of Individual Awesomeness. 
Listen to learn: 
•How Kreg Tool Company is working to break down internal silos to advance its digital transformation initiatives•What the consumer goods workplace of the future could look like •The table stakes when it comes to recruiting and retaining top tech/IT talent•How Kreg Tool is investing in its IT infrastructure in order to meet the needs of consumers today and in the future

Dia & Co’s Nadia Boujarwah On Reimagining Retail Returns

On this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking about getting the right fit, the right recommendation, and – most importantly – the right returns process. We’re talking with Nadia Boujarwah, Co-Founder and CEO of Dia & Co, an inclusive apparel retailer that considers itself just as much of a tech company as it does a retailer. We dig into AI, Gen Z, and virtual try-on tech, and we get details on Dia’s TikTok strategy. 
Listen to learn: 
•The future of sizing and try-on technology•How Dia & Co has rethought returns to encourage the process•Learnings from engaging with and selling to Gen Z •Advice for brands and retailers on being more inclusive •Why Dia & Co recently acquired 11 Honoré 

Kellogg’s Charisse Hughes and Lesley Salmon On DTC, Data & All Things Analytics

When you’re one of the largest CPGs in the world, understanding consumers has become more important than ever. For Kellog’s, this means leaning into such technologies as artificial intelligence and machine learning, and connecting the dots between their data across all channels. 
In this episode of Tech Transformation, CGT Senior Editor Lisa Johnston talks with Charisse Hughes, SVP and Chief Brand and Advanced Analytics Officer, and Lesley Salmon, SVP and CIO of Kellogg Company, about what they’re seeing when it comes to today’s consumer behavior changes and how they’re using data and technology to prepare for the consumer of tomorrow. 
Listen to learn: 
•How Kellogg’s is preparing for the consumer of 2035•What personalization means to Kellogg’s and how it prevents it from becoming a buzzword•How it's experimenting with DTC•Where it sees the future of CPG commerce •Where it’s using artificial intelligence and machine learning•The consumer data that’s important to Kellogg’s 

Ulta Beauty’s Kelly Mahoney On Mobile-First Omnichannel Personalization

Over 95% of Ulta Beauty's sales come from members of its loyalty program, so is it any wonder they’re hyper-focused on taking their game to the next level when it comes to personalization technology? 
In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking with Kelly Mahoney, Ulta Beauty’s VP of customer marketing, about how they’re standing out in a sea of loyalty programs. We’re joined by Richard Widdowson of SAS to share how retailers are using data and analytics to make these decisions about consumer experiences more quickly than ever. 
Listen to learn: 
•How Ulta Beauty’s Glam Lab virtual beauty tool is paying off•How its mobile experiences and technology are supporting consumer experiences and in-store associates•How the value of the store experience differs by generation, especially with Gen Z•How data and analytics are helping retailers react to consumer trends more quickly

Data Science and Transformation Lessons for (and from) Retailers With Nicole Nelson

We’re talking with Nicole Nelson, most recently SVP of decision science, data science, and applied machine learning at Best Buy, about lessons for successful transformations, including running through a list of lessons. We’re also giving a sneak preview of Analytics Unite 2022, held June 21-23 in Chicago (AnalyticsUnite.com).  
Listen to learn: 
•How technology and analytics transformation are different yet one in the same
•How technology and data science teams can work together for successful transformations
•What a sideliner is, how to know one when you see one, and how they can advance your mission
•Why having shared goals is so important (yet often so challenging)
•How to identify your blind spots and help your team identify their own – and then how to move past them 
•A sneak preview of Nelsons’ Analytics Unite keynote