BRAVE COMMERCE

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, hosts Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with John Ferris, President, Consumer at Bausch + Lomb, to discuss how modern consumer behavior is rewriting the rules for legacy brands. John shares how his team is tackling a core challenge in eye health: consumers value vision deeply, but often don’t take action until something is wrong, creating a massive opportunity for education-led growth.John also breaks down what it means to market in a world where discovery is increasingly shaped by social platforms and AI tools. He explains how Bausch + Lomb is partnering with eye care professionals who show up as credible “influencers,” and why improving the quality and structure of brand content matters more than ever as chatbots become a go-to source. The episode closes with a look at how the pharmacy channel is evolving, and how “hidden” in-store friction can quietly shift demand online in an instant.Key TakeawaysEducation is a growth lever when consumers delay action until a problem appearsCredibility still wins—but only if you make it easy to understand and easy to trustOptimize content for the new discovery layer (AI + social), not just traditional searchReduce friction everywhere, because shoppers will reroute the moment it gets inconvenient Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a deep dive with Marco Brucato, Head of eCommerce Europe at Beko, he shares insights on scaling digital commerce across Europe's diverse markets. He advocates for a ‘freedom within a frame’ strategy, blending centralized governance with local adaptability. Marco emphasizes the importance of demonstrating the cost of inaction to secure leadership buy-in. He also discusses the value of testing ideas on a small scale before full implementation and insists that omnichannel strategy should be more than a buzzword—it's a necessity for success.

Laura Briggs, Head of eCommerce Excellence at Philips, discusses her innovative approach to driving category growth for brands like Sonicare and Avent. She emphasizes the importance of treating eCommerce as a team sport and aligning diverse teams around shared goals. Laura highlights the critical role of the Digital Shelf in eCommerce success and the need for tailored strategies for different consumer personas. Additionally, she shares her visionary idea of merging sales and marketing to create unified growth, along with her personal stories of bravery that inspire her leadership style.

In this engaging discussion, Matt Blevins, Chief Marketing Officer at Heaven Hill Brands, shares his insights from the spirits industry. He emphasizes the importance of long-term brand building in a world chasing quick trends. Digital platforms like YouTube and Reddit now play critical roles in shaping consumer behavior and in-store purchases. Matt also highlights the trends of premiumization, moderation, and innovation revolutionizing the market, while stressing the need for brand modernization rooted in product truth and distinctiveness.

Matt Taylor, Vice President of Digital at Scotts Miracle-Gro, dives into how generative search is transforming the lawn and garden industry. He discusses the need for elevated content and digital experiences due to changing consumer expectations. Taylor highlights the strategic consolidation of digital and retail media for more efficient decision-making and explains how a machine-learning model leverages real-time data like weather and sales to optimize marketing investments. He also shares insights on the importance of patience and collaboration in building effective data science capabilities.

In this episode, recorded live at Groceryshop, Sarah Hofstetter sits down with Louise Cotterill, Global Senior Director of Insights and Intelligence at Kellanova, for a wide-ranging conversation on how to turn complex data into business results and build cross-functional trust along the way.Louise shares how her team built a proprietary clean room solution to drive more precise audience targeting, tailor creative to shifting shopper behavior, and ultimately deliver a 36 percent sales lift for Special K in the UK. She also explains how marketers can move from one-size-fits-all campaigns to dynamic, behavior-based segmentation, even without first-party data.Beyond the tech, Louise emphasizes the importance of soft skills. From speaking the language of the CFO to running test-and-learn pilots that bring skeptical teams along gradually, she shows how marketers can lead with both credibility and curiosity. In a standout personal moment, she reveals the bravest thing she’s ever done: spending a summer living with nomadic eagle hunters in Mongolia.Key takeaways:Insights only matter if they drive action. Clean rooms enable smarter targeting and measurement, but results come from applying those insights across creative and media strategy.Buy-in is built through transparency. Louise outlines how gradual testing, third-party validation, and a shared focus on sales help teams embrace new tools with confidence.Transformation is both technical and cultural. Success depends on aligning stakeholders, evolving incentives, and creating a safe space to test, learn, and adapt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Reynolds, Global Chief Customer and Digital Commerce Officer at Mars Wrigley, shares his insights on modernizing digital commerce and retail partnerships. He emphasizes that transformation is a capability, not just a campaign, and discusses the importance of cross-functional alignment and local investment. Neil highlights the need for customer teams to adopt growth marketing mindsets and how foundational elements like clear data and unified strategies are essential, even in a digital-first world. He also explores practical AI applications that enhance efficiency and support talent development.

In this engaging conversation, Benoit Vatere, Chief Media Officer at Liquid Death, showcases his entrepreneurial flair and bold marketing strategies. He discusses the revolutionary 'Smarter Water' campaign with Amazon, emphasizing creativity tied to retail outcomes. Benoit argues that retailers should be viewed as partners, not gatekeepers, and highlights the need to truly understand and leverage retail media. His personal story of moving from France to the U.S. to embrace the American dream serves as an inspiring lesson in bravery and innovation.

Andrea Steele, Area VP of eCommerce & Customer Marketing at Kraft Heinz, shares her wealth of experience in enhancing eCommerce within large CPG firms. She outlines a five-step framework for embedding digital capabilities, emphasizing alignment with business strategy and early integration into product development. Andrea discusses the importance of cross-functional collaboration and balancing change management with team wellbeing. She also offers insights on empowering women in tech and shares her own journey of embracing vulnerability and taking bold career steps.

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter sit down with Megan Frank, SVP of Marketing and R&D at Mizkan, the 221-year-old, family-owned food company behind iconic brands like RAGÚ, Bertolli, Nakano, and the newly acquired Zing Zang.With a portfolio of legacy brands that have stood the test of time, Megan shares how she keeps them relevant to today’s consumer while staying true to their roots. She discusses the importance of preserving core brand assets, creating a culture of empowerment, and leveraging frameworks like OGSM to connect long-term vision to short-term action.Megan also explains how her team drives speed and agility within a family-owned structure, how retail partnerships are managed through data-backed joint business planning, and why consolidating media and shopper marketing under one team has unlocked more seamless consumer journeys.Key takeaways:Legacy brands can move fast. Clear vision and accountability empower teams to act with speed across functions.Relevance requires evolution. Megan shares how timeless assets and modern activations work together to engage new consumers.Data drives accountability. A custom measurement model helps Mizkan shift retailer conversations toward results-based planning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.