AdTechGod Pod: Episode 90 Summary Title: Retail Rules Everything Around Me: Adina Kalimperovich from Epsilon
Release Date: July 29, 2025
Host: AdTechGod

1. Introduction to Episode and Guest

In Episode 90 of the AdTechGod Pod, host AdTechGod welcomes Adina Kalimperovich, the Senior Vice President of Retail Growth at Epsilon. Adina brings a rich background from prominent agencies like Publicis, Aquent, Mindshare, and Starcom, where she managed major accounts such as Kimberly Clark and Procter & Gamble. The episode focuses on the intersection of retail, advertising technology, and the evolving landscape of digital marketing.

2. Adina's Background and Career Path

Adina shares her journey into the advertising industry, highlighting her creative inclinations and academic background in marketing.

• Timestamp [02:28 – 06:04]:
  "I thought that to me was, you know, the convergence of business which I was interested in in terms of like, you know, how do you grow something, how do you take something to market and then the creativity piece." – Adina Kalimperovich

Adina elaborates on her experiences at Starcom and Mindshare, emphasizing her passion for understanding consumer psychology and creating impactful marketing strategies. She discusses her decision to step away from traditional advertising roles to explore broader business aspects, ultimately leading her to Conversant, which evolved into Epsilon Digital under Publicis.

3. Transition to AdTech and Epsilon

Adina explains her shift from agency roles to the ad tech side, detailing how Conversant's focus on one-to-one personalization aligned with her desire to drive measurable outcomes.

• Timestamp [06:05 – 09:32]:
  "Conversant became Epsilon Digital now. So Conversant became Epsilon Digital and Epsilon is now owned by Publicis. It's full circle for me in terms of going back to the agency side, but just now on the ad tech martech side." – Adina Kalimperovich

This transition allowed Adina to blend her agency experience with advanced data and technology solutions, enabling her to oversee the apparel vertical and help clients leverage data-driven strategies to deepen customer relationships and drive business results.

4. Importance of Personalization and Loyalty in Advertising

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the critical role of personalization and customer loyalty in modern advertising strategies.

• Timestamp [10:17 – 13:11]:
  "Knowing who you are talking to is the number one most critical thing. Understanding that loyalty is not just a program that you run, that it's a mindset, and that it's a way of... engaging with your existing customers." – Adina Kalimperovich

Adina emphasizes that in a crowded market, brands must prioritize understanding and engaging their customers on a personal level. She highlights the necessity of creating relevant and timely messaging that resonates deeply with both new and loyal customers to foster long-term relationships and drive loyalty.

5. Measurement and Closed-Loop Analytics

Adina underscores the importance of robust measurement frameworks to track advertising effectiveness and ensure accountability.

• Timestamp [15:07 – 17:34]:
  "Closed loop measurement, which is very difficult because, as you know, the digital landscape to your point is very fragmented. And so being able to track and understand a whole individual... that's pretty impressive." – Adina Kalimperovich

She discusses how Epsilon leverages closed-loop measurement to provide clients with comprehensive insights into both online and offline conversions. Adina criticizes the prevailing "good enough" approach in measurement, advocating for precise and transparent analytics to ensure that advertising investments are accountable and yields are clearly understood.

6. Impact of Macroeconomic Trends on Consumer Behavior

The conversation delves into how broader economic factors influence consumer purchasing habits and brand loyalty.

• Timestamp [20:14 – 22:42]:
  "Retailers are realizing that in order to create that loyalty and to be that choice, you have to be relevant. And in order to be relevant, you have to know individuals and you have to approach it the right way." – Adina Kalimperovich

Adina explains that economic volatility, such as inflation and geopolitical tensions, affects consumer behavior significantly. She points out that while some consumers may shift to more economical choices during downturns, brand loyalists remain steadfast. Understanding these dynamics allows retailers to tailor their strategies to maintain relevancy and customer loyalty amidst changing economic landscapes.

7. Retail Media and Commerce Media's Future

Adina shares her insights on the burgeoning fields of retail and commerce media, highlighting the opportunities and challenges ahead.

• Timestamp [18:23 – 20:14]:
  "Retail media is the new emerging opportunity. Brands that can grow in that space... may have to do more customer-based focus and wanting to figure out and lean into business outcomes." – Adina Kalimperovich

She envisions retail media as a pivotal area for brands to connect directly with consumers through data-driven strategies. The emphasis on leveraging first-party data and focusing on customer-centric approaches is seen as essential for navigating the competitive and fragmented market effectively.

8. Personal Insights: Adina's Brand Loyalty to Anthropologie

Towards the end of the episode, Adina shares a personal story illustrating her own brand loyalty.

• Timestamp [22:42 – 24:43]:
  "My number one brand that I love is Anthropologie. I love their in-store experience... I'll just walk in because it smells great and it looks great. And it picks me up." – Adina Kalimperovich

Adina describes her enduring commitment to Anthropologie, attributing it to the exceptional in-store experience, curated merchandise, and overall customer-centric approach. This anecdote underscores the importance of creating meaningful and memorable customer experiences to foster brand loyalty.

9. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with AdTechGod thanking Adina for her valuable insights. Adina reaffirms her passion for driving impactful advertising strategies and sustaining customer loyalty through personalized and measurable approaches.

• Timestamp [25:28 – 25:41]:
  "Thank you. This was wonderful. Thanks for having me." – Adina Kalimperovich

Key Takeaways

• Personalization and Loyalty: Essential for building long-term customer relationships and driving business outcomes in a noisy market.
• Robust Measurement: Critical for ensuring accountability and understanding the true impact of advertising investments.
• Adaptability to Economic Trends: Brands must stay relevant by understanding and adapting to shifts in consumer behavior driven by broader economic factors.
• Retail Media Growth: Presents significant opportunities for brands to engage directly with consumers through data-driven, customer-centric strategies.
• Exceptional Customer Experience: Key to fostering brand loyalty, as evidenced by Adina's personal affinity for Anthropologie.

Notable Quotes:

1. "I think the most important thing is your customer. And so it's like, how many degrees separated are you from your customer?" – Adina Kalimperovich [12:39]
2. "Closed loop measurement... you would never go to the bank and find it acceptable that, you know, somebody would tell you, your financial advisor would tell you that, you know, 40% of what you've invested is real. But 60% of it sounds like crypto to me." – Adina Kalimperovich [17:34]
3. "Retail media is the new emerging opportunity. Brands that can grow in that space... I think measurement is going to be, again, a big piece of that." – Adina Kalimperovich [18:23]

Final Thoughts

This episode provides a comprehensive look into the evolving landscape of ad tech and retail media through the lens of an industry expert. Adina Kalimperovich's insights highlight the importance of customer-centric strategies, robust measurement frameworks, and adaptability to economic trends in driving successful advertising outcomes.

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