NRF BIG SHOW 2024 SERIES PART 3 WITH PURVA GUPTA AND LAURI JOFFE-TURJEMAN

In this episode, recorded at the NRF Big Show in NYC in January 2024, host Matt Rubel discusses the role of AI technology in retail with Purva Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of Lily AI, and Lauri Joffe-Turjeman, CMO of American Freight.” They explore the transformative impact of AI in enhancing consumer experiences, improving product discoverability, and driving business growth. The conversation underscores the importance of…

Read More

NRF Big Show 2024 Series Part 1 with Matt Shay and Sucharita Kodali

In this episode, recorded at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show in New York City in January 2024, host Matt Rubel discusses current trends in the retail industry with NRF President & CEO Matt Shay and Forrester Retail Industry Analyst Sucharita Kodali. Topics of discussion include the role of technology (especially AI and generative AI) in shaping the industry, the rise of retail media…

Read More

Revlon and The Power of Beauty: Authenticity In the Age of TikTok

The beauty industry has become one of the retail world’s biggest success stories of the past two years. Beauty continues to empower with its transformational abilities while remaining a multi-billion-dollar industry. The evolution of the business makes it one of the most dynamic and fast paced in the business world today. With indie and celebrity brands proliferating and wellness becoming front and center, Big Beauty is no longer just about selling the hottest lipstick color of the season.

In this episode, Matt Rubel interviews Debbie Perelman, President and CEO of Revlon—the first woman to lead this iconic brand in its 89-year history. Debbie is leading Revlon’s profound transformation while driving diversity, sustainability, and speed to market. Matt and Debbie talk about authenticity, digital transformation, mental health—and the evocative power of a particular pink lipstick.

Read More

Pfizer’s Sally Susman on How the Retail Industry Can Support Vaccine Efforts

The COVID-19 vaccine is one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in 100 years, but transparency and overcommunicating about its safety and efficacy will be key to making millions of people feel confident enough to get the vaccine. That’s why President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President Mike Pence both got vaccinated on camera this week—to stress that the science is sound and the vaccine is safe. In this episode, host Matt Rubel interviews Sally Susman, EVP and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Pfizer, which received the first emergency use authorization in the US for a COVID-19 vaccine, to talk about the important role the retail industry has in building confidence through transparency. Listen to the full episode to hear what specific steps retail leaders can take to support the vaccination efforts that willhopefully lead to a full economic recovery.

Read More

Why Brands Need to Own Their Resale Channels or Risk Losing Out to Third-Party Resellers Like The RealReal and ThredUp

Recommerce is growing as more consumers look to “shop their values” and buy fewer, better things in order to lessen their consumption footprint. For retailers and brands, already under increasing pressure as more sales shift online, taking control of their own resale operations is one key to not being left behind.

In this episode, host Matt Rubel interviews Trove CEO Andy Ruben to find out how the circular economy will figure into holiday shopping this year and in the future. Trove powers circular shopping for leading brands such as Levi’s, Patagonia, REI, Arc’teryx, Eileen Fisher and Taylor Stitch. The company differs from third-party recommerce platforms by providing the technology and logistics that let brands control their own resale strategy, shopper experience and customer relationships, at scale.

Read More

New Retail Realities: How COVID-19 Will Change Consumer Behavior, Supply Chains and AI

With retail stores beginning to reopen, everyone wants to know what the new retail reality will look like. In this episode, guest host Marigay McKee of Fernbrook Capital interviews EVRYTHNG CEO Niall Murphy, Lafayette 148 CEO Deirdre Quinn and Harvard Business School Professor Jeffrey Rayport about the impact the pandemic will have on the consumer mindset and the supply chain — and what retailers and brands need to do now to prepare for the post-COVID future.

Read More

Face Masks and COVID-19: What Retailers and Consumers Need to Know About the New Must-Wear Accessory

Governor Cuomo and several other governors have now made wearing face masks in public mandatory. Meanwhile, essential retailers such as Kroger, Walmart and Sam’s Club have announced that all employees will be required to wear masks. Now that masks are compulsory for so many of us, everyone needs to know what makes one mask safer or better than another. In this episode, guest host Melissa Gonzalez interviews Angela Chan of Chargeurs and Christy Raedeke of Noble Biomaterials to find out what retailers and consumers should know about masks. Chargeurs and Noble have recently joined forces to create washable, reusable cloth face masks with an antimicrobial filter, which will be available to consumers in the US within weeks.

Read More

Special Edition of Retales from the Frontline on the Stimulus package with NRF CEO Matt Shay, Matt Rubel and Steve Sadove

We’re pleased to share this exclusive Retales From the Frontline video interview with NRF CEO Matt Shay, who joins our host, Matt Rubel, and retail influencer Steve Sadove to examine the impact of the recently passed stimulus package and its likely long-term effects on retail. Watch now to learn about these thought leaders’ key insights on the topic.

Read More

NRF Big Show Series, Part 3: First Insight and Li & Fung on Getting the Right Products to Market Faster and More Sustainably

First Insight CEO Greg Petro says that early product testing can help brands understand what might have been missed in the initial design, so they can get the right product to market faster. Retailers and brands used to be able to spend 20–30 weeks developing a product before putting it on shelves to see if consumers liked it, but that doesn’t work anymore, says Sean…

Read More