Tech Transformation

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 som...

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...

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 co...

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...

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 par...

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 t...

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...

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...

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 Sod...

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 an...

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...

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 produ...

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.

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...

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 talkin...

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 detail...

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...

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...

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 dif...

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking about the metaverse and what it might actually mean for retailers and consumer goods. We’re talking with Mike Proulx, VP Research Director at Forrester Research, about their new State of the Metaverse Report.  We dig into:  •Myths and realities of the metaverse •Why this isn’t just for gamers •How retailers need to prepare •What brands risk by...

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re talking about the future of personalization – both in stores and online. We’re talking with Tyler Wozny, Chief Digital Officer for Madison Reed, the hair color brand and retailer that’s using technology to do some pretty awesome things in consumer engagement. Listen as we dig into such topics as: **Where it makes sense to use augmented reality – and wh...

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we sit down with Seth Goldman, co-founder of Eat the Change, Honest Tea, and PLNT Burger, to break down some of the differences of innovating in a startup vs. a giant company.  We talk about what it’s like trying to balance conscious consumption with making a profit in the food space, and we discuss greenwashing in the consumer goods industry.  Other topics...

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re continuing our deep dive into the role that security plays in today’s retail and consumer goods environments. This is part three of our three-part series that’s sponsored by Microsoft, and we’re once again talking with Jim Eckart, Chief Security Advisor for Microsoft. We dig into the role of security in the supply chain, including the different challen...

In this episode of Tech Transformation with CGT and RIS News, we’re talking about learning to scale, both your tech stack and your tech career. We’re talking with Jason Johnson, CIO of Sweetwater about what’s it’s like moving up the ranks into the CIO role. We’re talking about what makes a strong leader, and we’re digging into pros and cons when it comes to building your own tech in house and what...

In this episode of Tech Transformation, we’re digging deeper into the role that security plays in today’s retail and consumer goods environments. This is part two of our three-part series sponsored by Microsoft, where we’re talking with Jim Eckart, Chief Security Advisor for Microsoft, about today’s most pressing concerns. We’re talking about the new realities of the retail workforce, what they me...