Reimagining Retail: The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (February 2025)

Summary

Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail - The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (February 2025)

Released on February 26, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of EMARKETER’s podcast, Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail, host Sara Lebo and her panel of analysts—Ariel Fager, Blake Drosch, and Suzy David Canyon—delve into the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers of February 2025. The discussion navigates through innovative strategies, marketing campaigns, and strategic partnerships shaping the retail landscape. The episode is structured in two parts: the presentation of the initial list by Sara and Ariel, followed by Blake and Suzy’s editorial adjustments and wildcard additions.

---

The Most Interesting Retailers of the Month

8. Amazon

Timestamp: [01:10]

Amazon continues to assert its dominance by expanding into brick-and-mortar spaces and enhancing its advertising prowess. Notably, Amazon is opening a beauty store in Italy and testing the integration of external brands not typically available on its platform. This move underscores Amazon's strategic pivot towards becoming a significant player in retail advertising.

• Blake Drosch: "Amazon seems to be doubling down... making it clear they want that ad revenue more than they want to sell that product." [01:50]
• Ariel Fager: "Can we also talk about how Amazon is going to partner with Saks to have more luxury coming into their website fold, which I think is pretty cool." [02:10]

The partnership with Saks marks a significant collaboration, bringing luxury brands to Amazon’s expansive customer base, despite some luxury brands' hesitancy to collaborate with Amazon.

7. Reformation

Timestamp: [02:28]

Reformation garners attention for its bold advertising campaign featuring Pete Davidson. The campaign includes a striking billboard in New York City showcasing a shirtless Pete Davidson with altered tattoos, timed strategically with the SNL50 event.

• Sara Lebo: "He looked that way on the billboard." [03:24]
• Blake Drosch: "I think the timing is just great with the SNL50 thing. It feels like a fun campaign." [03:38]

Despite its local impact in New York City, questions arise about the campaign’s broader relevance and the longevity of its appeal beyond the immediate event.

6. Coca-Cola

Timestamp: [04:17]

Coca-Cola enters the prebiotic soda market with its new product, Pop, challenging established disruptors like Poppy and Olipop. Pop offers fruity flavors such as pineapple, mango, and strawberry fruit punch, signaling Coca-Cola’s intent to innovate within the health-focused beverage segment.

• Sara Lebo: "This quote-unquote healthy soda trend... it feels like we're finding new ways to do a diet soda trend." [04:59]
• Ariel Fager: "Do people know the difference between prebiotic and probiotic? It’s marketing." [05:07]

The introduction of Pop demonstrates Coca-Cola's strategic adaptation to evolving consumer preferences towards healthier beverage options.

5. Wayfair

Timestamp: [05:45]

Wayfair launches Muse, an AI-powered app designed to inspire home shoppers by generating customized interior design visuals based on user prompts. This innovation parallels platforms like Pinterest, aiming to enhance user engagement through personalized shopping experiences.

• Blake Drosch: "It functions a lot like Pinterest... getting people thinking about their furniture in a different way." [05:45]
• Sara Lebo: "The Pinterest comparison really did catch my attention." [06:24]

Muse represents Wayfair’s commitment to integrating advanced technologies to streamline and inspire the home shopping journey.

4. Poppy

Timestamp: [06:44]

Poppy’s Super Bowl campaign involved sending full-sized vending machines to influencers, sparking mixed reactions on social media. The campaign intended to promote their prebiotic sodas but faced criticism for perceived extravagance.

• Blake Drosch: "It kind of was this fuel to the fire of this out-of-touch marketing move." [07:39]
• Suzy David Canyon: "Sometimes you're damned if you do, damned if you don't." [08:28]

The backlash highlights the delicate balance brands must maintain between innovative marketing and public sentiment.

3. Lidl

Timestamp: [08:44]

Lidl ventures into social commerce by launching a TikTok Shop pop-up in the UK, offering grocery items directly through the platform. This strategic, albeit temporary, initiative taps into TikTok's burgeoning e-commerce capabilities, targeting the younger demographic.

• Blake Drosch: "Beauty and wellness food and beverage is like the second biggest category on TikTok Shop." [09:15]
• Sara Lebo: "Lidl is a brand that's been expanding in the US in competition with Aldi." [09:46]

Lidl’s move signifies the growing intersection of social media and retail, leveraging TikTok’s influence to enhance brand visibility and engagement.

2. Walmart

Timestamp: [10:15]

Walmart acquires the Monroeville Mall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, marking a significant expansion into mixed-use retail spaces. This acquisition opens avenues for Walmart to redefine mall experiences by integrating diverse retail, dining, and entertainment options.

• Blake Drosch: "Chris McGuire... said it's going to be a retail-driven mixed-use project." [10:34]
• Ariel Fager: "It’ll be interesting to see if Walmart decides that the entire composition of the mall... will change." [11:43]

Walmart’s investment reflects its strategy to create experiential shopping environments, potentially setting new standards for retail destinations.

1. Nike

Timestamp: [12:13]

Nike tops the list for its impactful Super Bowl advertisements and strategic partnerships. The brand launched a compelling ad featuring prominent female athletes, promoting empowerment and diversity. Additionally, Nike debuted a collaboration with Kim Kardashian’s Skims, expanding its footprint in the women’s apparel market.

• Sara Lebo: "It's cool to see such prominent female athletes in this ad." [12:37]
• Blake Drosch: "Nike's partnership with Kim Kardashian is an interesting play." [13:24]

Nike’s multifaceted approach underscores its leadership in innovative marketing and commitment to inclusive representation.

---

Editorial Adjustments and Wildcard Additions

Timestamp: [14:20 - 25:24]

In the second half of the episode, analysts Blake Drosch and Suzy David Canyon reassess the initial list, making strategic adjustments and introducing wildcard entries.

• Reformation Removal: Suzy suggests removing Reformation from the list due to its limited impact beyond New York City. While Sara initially resists, Ariel’s mention of Amazon’s partnership with Saks solidifies Amazon’s position above Reformation, leading to Reformation’s demotion to an honorable mention.

  • Suzy David Canyon: "Reformation isn't particularly exciting." [15:08]
  • Blake Drosch: "I disagree... but I'm okay with moving Reformation down." [15:33]

• Coca-Cola Retention: Suzy proposes moving Coca-Cola down the list, but after discussion, the group agrees to retain Coca-Cola in its current position due to the strategic significance of its new product launch.

  • Sara Lebo: "This has been my most successful episode of retail rankings." [24:35]

• Wildcard Entries:

  • As Ever by Meghan Markle: Ariel introduces Meghan Markle’s rebranded lifestyle company, As Ever, highlighting its strategic alignment with Netflix’s new show launch. However, the team finds the inclusion less compelling compared to other entries.

    • Ariel Fager: "She is using media and entertainment as a vehicle to try and do more." [19:32]
    • Blake Drosch: "It wouldn't be interesting if Stranger Things launched a backpack." [20:55]

  • CVS: Suzy adds CVS to the list for its innovative approach to reducing friction in pharmacies by introducing an app-controlled cabinet access system. Despite personal reservations about the move's practicality, the team acknowledges its relevance in the retail landscape.

    • Suzy David Canyon: "Their solution is actually relatively innovative." [23:04]
    • Sara Lebo: "I do think it's interesting." [23:22]

Final Adjusted List:

1. Nike
2. Walmart
3. Lidl
4. Poppy
5. Wayfair
6. Coca-Cola
7. Amazon
8. CVS

Honorable Mentions:

• Reformation
• As Ever by Meghan Markle

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with reflections on the refined list, acknowledging the contributions of each analyst in shaping the most interesting retailers of the month. The discussion emphasizes the dynamic nature of the retail industry, driven by strategic innovations, marketing ingenuity, and adaptive partnerships.

• Sara Lebo: "Everyone is a winner, especially except for Meghan Markle. It's so clever." [25:07]

Listeners are encouraged to stay tuned for upcoming episodes, promising continued insights into the evolving retail landscape.

---

Notable Quotes:

• "Amazon seems to be doubling down... making it clear they want that ad revenue more than they want to sell that product." — Blake Drosch [01:50]

• "It feels like we're finding new ways to do a diet soda trend." — Sara Lebo [04:59]

• "Sometimes you're damned if you do, damned if you don't." — Suzy David Canyon [08:28]

• "It's cool to see such prominent female athletes in this ad." — Sara Lebo [12:37]

• "Everyone is a winner, especially except for Meghan Markle. It's so clever." — Sara Lebo [25:07]

---

Key Takeaways:

• Amazon and Walmart continue to expand their influence through strategic partnerships and acquisitions, reshaping traditional retail paradigms.

• Coca-Cola and Poppy illustrate the competitive dynamics within the health-focused beverage segment.

• Wayfair leverages AI to enhance the home shopping experience, reflecting the increasing role of technology in retail.

• Nike’s emphasis on diversity and strategic collaborations underscores its leadership in innovative marketing.

• CVS’s introduction of app-controlled cabinets highlights the ongoing efforts to integrate technology in reducing customer friction within pharmacies.

---

Stay informed and ahead in the rapidly changing digital media landscape by tuning into EMARKETER’s Behind the Numbers podcast, available Monday through Friday on all major podcast platforms.

Transcript

[Sara Lebo]

Closing the intelligence gap between data and insights is the key to transforming marketing from a cost center into an engine for growth. But where do you start? Find the answer in Zeta Global's latest playbook driving growth in the AI era. Download today at the link in our show notes. Hello, listeners. Today is Wednesday, February 26th. Welcome to behind the Reimagining Retail, an E marketer podcast made possible by Zeta Global. This is the show where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm your host, Sara Lebo. Today's episode topic is our February unofficial most interesting retailers of the month list. We should really make that shorter. But we won't. Joining me in the studio. We're all in studio today. Rare episode. Joining me is first up, Ariel Fager. Hey, Ariel.

[Ariel Fager]

Hi.

[Blake Drosch]

Thrilled to be here.

[Sara Lebo]

Thrilled to have you. Also with us, another analyst, it's Blake Drosch. Hey, Blake.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Hey, everybody. Good to be here.

[Sara Lebo]

And also in the room with us is our analyst, Suzy David Canyon.

[Ariel Fager]

Thanks for having me.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you for being here. Okay, let's jump into our most interesting retailers of the month list. Arielle and I, we are, the committee will present our list in the first half of this episode. In the second half, Blake and Susie will have the opportunity to edit our list. So here is our list. At number eight, we have Amazon. Amazon is opening a brick and mortar beauty store in Italy and it's also testing linking to external brands that are not available on its site, from its site. So it's a clear ad play for Amazon.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, Amazon seems to be doubling down. I mean, seems to be doubling down as kind of an understatement, really, on ads. It's making it clear they want that ad revenue more than they want to sell that product. So I think it's a, a pretty interesting play.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. At a minimum, it shows how important Amazon's ad business is to it.

[Ariel Fager]

Can we also talk about how Amazon is going to partner with Saks to have more luxury coming into their website fold, which I think is pretty cool.

[Sara Lebo]

I hadn't heard about this. They're putting Saks products on the website.

[Ariel Fager]

What I understood from a very quick glance is that it's going to have their products available like they're opening a shop on Amazon.

[Blake Drosch]

Okay. Yeah, that's, that's a pretty interesting move considering I think a lot of luxury brands, maybe not a lot, but certain, certain luxury brands, a little hesitant to add their items to Amazon. So this is kind of a, you.

[Ariel Fager]

Know, and it's a stamp of approval that's coming from Zacks and Iman.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay. At number seven, we have Reformation. Reformation is in here for an ad campaign which we usually try to avoid just cause they're not always interesting. But this one caught our eye. They debuted a sexy ad featuring SNL star Pete Davidson. Depending on your concept of sexy, the ad was just in time for the SNL event that took place this month. All felt like all over the city. Although I guess it was just around 30 rock. Yeah, this one caught my eye out of Penn Station. It was a giant shirtless Pete Davidson billboard. He appears to have all of his tattoos removed.

[Ariel Fager]

For real?

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah.

[Sara Lebo]

He looked that way on the board.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah.

[Sara Lebo]

And he looked that way on the SNL50.

[Blake Drosch]

No, I'm pretty sure he no, because.

[Sara Lebo]

You could kind of see the scars. Yeah.

[Ariel Fager]

Wow. That's a big endeavor.

[Blake Drosch]

I think the timing is just great with the SNL50 thing. I think the tattoo removal is like a nice. Like, is that really. Like you said, is it in the media?

[Sara Lebo]

Is it for that?

[Blake Drosch]

So I think it's just a fun campaign.

[Ariel Fager]

But what was the tie in to Reformation? Do people even. Will they remember? Do we even know what I mean? We do, but do people even know who Reformation is and what they sell?

[Blake Drosch]

I think the population they want to know them, knows them.

[Sara Lebo]

Well. It is hard to gauge if this is interesting outside of New York City. Cause in New York City and around where these ads, these out of home ads are, there are definitely people who know who Pete Davidson is and who Reformation and where to find reformation and that SNL50 is happening. I don't know if all of these things are as big a deal outside of the city.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, fair.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay, number six, Coca Cola. Arielle. What are they up to?

[Blake Drosch]

So they have launched a competitor to Poppy and Olipop. The prebiotic soda is called simply Pop. It's a nod to their simply brand. And it's, you know, gonna have some fruity flavors. Pineapple, mango, lime, strawberry fruit punch, citrus punch. I think it's an interesting move because it's. It's like the established brand is disrupting the disruptors. And obviously, you know, there's a lot going on in that space. So I think Coke putting its name out there is important.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. This quote unquote healthy soda trend Coca Cola's getting in on, it all feels very 90s to me. It feels like we're finding new ways to do a diet soda trend.

[Ariel Fager]

But do people understand the difference between. Apparently I don't give people a lot of credit these days. Do people know the difference between prebiotic and probiotic.

[Sara Lebo]

They don't know the difference.

[Ariel Fager]

Like, this is what they're.

[Sara Lebo]

It's marketing.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah.

[Sara Lebo]

Prebiotic is nothing. Right? Prebiotic is the thing.

[Ariel Fager]

I don't even understand why we're talking about prebiotic is nothing.

[Sara Lebo]

It's. I think it's just like before. It's biotic, like.

[Ariel Fager]

Bacteria in your gut.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah, no, it's definitely a branding term.

[Blake Drosch]

Those buzzwords that people see it and they're going to be like, oh, I.

[Ariel Fager]

Had never heard of prebiotic until this week.

[Sara Lebo]

I think it's.

[Blake Drosch]

Cause I feel like I have, but I could also.

[Sara Lebo]

I think it was. I have, but only in the context of these sodas. And they're just sodas. They're sodas. All right, number five, Wayfair. Arielle, tell us why.

[Blake Drosch]

So Wayfair is releasing an AI powered app called Muse, which is meant to help shoppers kind of find inspiration for their home purchases. Honestly, it kind of functions a lot like Pinterest. You can plug in a prompt like dining room or Moody's 1920s style living room, and it generates like photos or scenes with Wayfair products. You know, like I said, it's a lot like Pinterest. I don't think it's a competitor to Pinterest by any chance, but I do think it's an interesting way for Wayfair to kind of get people thinking about their furniture in a different way. And, you know, visuals are such an important part of home design.

[Sara Lebo]

This made the list because Arielle compared it to Pinterest and that caught my attention. The, like, just having an app or like a tech on its own did not seem as interesting to me, but the Pinterest comparison really did. Okay, number four, Poppy. We're back in prebiotic territory. Arielle, tell us why.

[Blake Drosch]

So this is an interesting and maybe a possibly slightly negative way. So as part of its super bowl campaign, Poppy sent kind of full sized vending machines to a bunch of different influencers. And people on social media got kind of fired up about it. And what helped them also get fired up about it is that Olipop joined the kind of voices and commented on one of the posts that did you know this vending machine costs $25,000? That has since been debunked. But I do think it kind of was this fuel to the fire of this out of touch marketing move where people, you know, felt that influencers didn't deserve it. Someone, you know, said, why didn't you send this to teachers or nurses? So I think it's just kind of a one of those miss the mark campaign. And I think it's important to kind of just keep your eye on.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. Poppy paired this up with a Super bowl campaign that had like two major creators in it, Jake Shane and Alex Earle. And so that I think they were really on the like, right beat with. They know that their key consumer is going to know who those people are who got huge on TikTok. But yeah, the vending machine thing, I don't know. I mean, I'm not gonna like criticize any brand too much, but I don't get why they would do that.

[Blake Drosch]

I'm not sure one person needs an entire vending mach machine. They'll just say that.

[Suzy David Canyon]

It kind of sounds like it's an interesting case of selective outrage though, because you consider that like all of these brands are paying millions of dollars for like a little bit of airtime and they all just pile celebrities who are probably getting paid a lot into those ads. But I guess it just goes to show you, like, as a brand, like sometimes you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. Right.

[Sara Lebo]

That's a great point. Like, if we're just like, the wastefulness is another thing. But if we're just upset about the money, like even if $25,000 were real, the Super bowl spot alone costs 8 million. There's however much we're paying the creators.

[Blake Drosch]

It's a very fine line that brands have to walk.

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. All right, number three, Lidl. Lidl just launched a TikTok shop pop up in the UK selling grocery items on TikTok. It's calling this a small scale promotion and not a permanent e commerce position. So in other words, Lidl is not selling groceries on TikTok Shop Forever Now. And it's specifically in the UK, which is worth noting because in the US we have the potential TikTok ban looming over us. But it was fascinating. We have not seen a grocery retailer do this yet.

[Blake Drosch]

There was some data I believe from earnest analytics that behind, I think beauty and wellness food and beverage is like the second biggest category on TikTok shop. So I mean I think it's, it's a, it makes sense as a strategy. Does it make sense as a full on e commerce plate? Not really, but I think it's, it's a fun way to kind of get some attention.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Yeah, I think it's a good. Yeah, I mean it's definitely not gonna like move the needle on their e commerce business, but it's definitely like Good brand marketing if you want to reach the TikTok demographic. Right. Why not be on there?

[Sara Lebo]

Yeah. This kind of move would be interesting in the US obviously of the stickiness of TikTok maybe being banned. But Lidl is a brand that's been expanding in the US in competition with Aldi and I don't think they have the name recognition in the US that they would want. So I'd be interested to see if they do something like this in the US because if they can get some Trader Joe's style viral products going on there, then they could have people visiting Lidl's.

[Blake Drosch]

Yep.

[Sara Lebo]

Number two, Walmart. Arielle, what's Walmart up to?

[Blake Drosch]

It bought em all. Walmart bought em all.

[Ariel Fager]

This is my favorite one on the list.

[Blake Drosch]

I just, I don't know why it's tickled me so Walmart bought the Monroeville Mall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Fun fact, it is the site where the horror classic dawn of the Dead was filmed. I think that's really fun.

[Sara Lebo]

It is.

[Blake Drosch]

Yes, it is. Wow.

[Sara Lebo]

Wouldn't know. I've never seen a horror movie.

[Blake Drosch]

There you go. But currently I think tenants include Macy's and JCPenney's, Claire's, Victor secret your general mall, you know, retailers. But you know, I'm really curious to see what Walmart does with this space. I think Chris McGuire of Cypress equities who helps Walmart, you know, scout real estate, said it's going to be a retail driven mixed use project. So I think it's a very interesting possibility of what Walmart will bring in, what kinds of restaurants or activities or you know, stores.

[Ariel Fager]

So I am so excited about this because in Canada Walmarts are anchor stores at the mall, but in the US they aren't. And so it'll be interesting to see if Walmart decides that the entire composition of the mall, including how we define traffic drivers and anchor stores will change and then if they'll pilot here and then move on. I'm surprised at their choice of mall because it is kind of in the middle of nowhere a little bit. Right. So and it's not a. And maybe that's the point. It's not a class A sort of mall.

[Sara Lebo]

That is I'm interesting if they're trying to make experiences happen almost like the American Dream mall in New Jersey to make it a destination. There's been nothing said that would indicate that, but that's what I'm curious about.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Or was this just like a cheap piece of real estate? Another good listed and they just, they needed the space and they got it.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah. Or it's more in line with what their plans are. The Mall of America, though. We love that mall. Or the one here in New Jersey. It's not. They're not doing well. So I think depends on how Walmart decides to quantify this purchase as a success.

[Sara Lebo]

At number one, we have Nike. Nike did a few things this month. They had one of my favorite super bowl ads, the one that featured a whole bunch of prominent female athletes. The one that was like, they say you can't do it, so do it. It was really cool to see and really cool to see such prominent female athletes. Caitlin Clark was featured, by the way. Do any of you know what Caitlin Clark's salary is? I just learned this in the wnba. And yes, I do.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Not less than a million dollars.

[Ariel Fager]

Oh, it's bad, huh?

[Suzy David Canyon]

Yeah.

[Sara Lebo]

$78,000.

[Blake Drosch]

Wow.

[Sara Lebo]

Is how much Caitlin Clark is being paid in the NBA this year.

[Blake Drosch]

NBA pay her.

[Sara Lebo]

Wnba. I mean, anyway. So it's cool to see. It's cool to see these, you know, historically underappreciated athletes in this ad. That was a really strong ad. And then they paired that, which we didn't realize when we saw the ad with debuting Nike Skims in partnership with Kim Kardashian's shapewear company. As, you know, really a clear play, I think, to connect with women and be a women's.

[Ariel Fager]

But Skims is the one, right? The one that's like shapewear.

[Sara Lebo]

Skims is a variety of things. It was definitely. It definitely started as shapewear. And, you know, the Kardashians themselves are conflicting messaging there.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, I think it's an interesting play with Kim Kardashian. She's obviously so incredibly famous. But I also think, like, as Susie noted, her position is kind of controversial at times. So it is, like, a little bit of an interesting.

[Sara Lebo]

But so is Nike's. So true. We're matching controversial with controversial. Okay, so our list for the first half. We've got number eight, Amazon. Number seven, Reformation. Number six, Coca Cola. Number five, Wayfair. Number four, Poppy. Number three, Lidl. Number two, Walmart. And number one, Nike. Now it's time for our second half, where Suzy and Blake get to tell us where we went wrong. Each of them will have a chance to move around brand up or down on the rankings and to add a new company entirely. So, Blake, why don't you go first and make a move?

[Suzy David Canyon]

So I would pull Reformation from the list. I don't think that really, that ad campaign really warrants a place on the interesting Retailers list. I think it was already touched upon that it's probably not a super relevant campaign outside of New York City. And yes, it was like tied to the SNL50 event. It also came around the same time as the super bowl, which I thought a lot of the advertising was reliant on sort of these celebrity cameos and the creativity was really lacking. And I thought that this was sort of very similar. I also think that, like Pete Davidson, no disrespect, is sort of. His status is kind of waning a little bit.

[Sara Lebo]

Wow, that's fire.

[Blake Drosch]

I disagree.

[Sara Lebo]

You think Pete is.

[Blake Drosch]

I think he's on the rebound. I think he's going all the way back up.

[Suzy David Canyon]

No one watched his show and it got canceled and he's not on SNL anymore. So I don't really think, like, what's he doing? No, he hasn't been on SNL in like two years.

[Blake Drosch]

He went to rehab, I think, so I think that's what he was doing.

[Sara Lebo]

Blake's move is moving, let's say moving Reformation down below Amazon. Cause they're at seven right now.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Okay.

[Sara Lebo]

The reason we put them at seven and Amazon at eight is because I found Amazon opening this beauty store and just having more ads pretty boring for Amazon. So I agree with you that Reformation isn't particularly exciting either. But I don't think that they should move below Amazon because I don't think what Amazon did was exciting either.

[Ariel Fager]

But Amazon having Saks let people shop.

[Sara Lebo]

That's a good point.

[Ariel Fager]

Is a pretty big deal, I think.

[Sara Lebo]

Okay. Yeah. All right. I would move reformation to 8 then.

[Blake Drosch]

I'm okay with moving Reformation down, even though I. I have a weird love for Pete Davidson.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, Suzy, you are not alone. Suzy, what is your move?

[Ariel Fager]

I am removing or moving down Coca Cola because while I do think it's important to be cognizant of the movement in the market and to know about the adjacencies in your core business. I don't know that it's really interesting that Coca Cola is launching a new product.

[Sara Lebo]

I would argue to keep Coca Cola where it is. I agree with you that there are definitely more interesting things happening than Coca Cola. Coca Cola launching a soft drink. But I think that this health focused soda and the fact that we are now see like quote unquote, health focused soda and the fact that we are now seeing Coca Cola like the soda company launching their own shows that they clearly see Olipop and Poppy as competitors. And I think that that is what's interesting there.

[Ariel Fager]

So what I would say is they see that everywhere you turn, soda equals very unhealthy. Ditch the Diet Cokes. People don't even say Diet Pepsi like doctors. When you hear the news, it's almost always ditch the Diet Coke. Even Diet Cokes aren't good for you. So they definitely need to find new products that are more. And then if you think about all the Ozempic, all of these CPGs that are in the food business are looking for new snack sort of options. Apparently yogurt is through the roof because of all of the health crazes that are going on. So I agree in that. But is it like that's they're doing their job?

[Sara Lebo]

Arielle, would you move them?

[Blake Drosch]

I mean, I want to say. I want to say no. I think it's interesting that they waited this long to do it. You know, I think that it feels very purposeful. It wasn't just a. Oh. Scramble to kind of protect their share. It feels like it's very purposeful. So I don't. I don't know. I mean, I agree it is part of their job, but I also think that they could be doing. They have been doing a lot.

[Sara Lebo]

So I. Hosting this podcast is part of my job and I keep it interesting. There you go. I'm keeping Coca Cola where it is more than anything because the two brands below it are Amazon and Reformation. And I don't think that what they did is more interesting than Coca Cola, but I agree with your take. Okay, now it is time for our wildcard where you can both add a new company to the list. So, Susie, what is your wild card and where are you putting it?

[Ariel Fager]

So I would like to start by saying I am not advocating for this brand, nor am I a staunch follower. However, I do think it's very clever that Meghan Markle, who is working and has been working with Netflix for a while now and who is like always riding these ups and downs of waves, tried to launch, or did launch, really, American Riviera Orchard.

[Sara Lebo]

Is this her jam company?

[Ariel Fager]

Yes, but it was more than a jam company. It was supposed to be a lifestyle company. And with within a year, they just renamed it to as ever, they are doing a whole new branding campaign. And the retail component in this, which I think is brilliant, is that it's gonna be available in the two Netflix stores just as her new show comes up. So she is like riding the wave of her name in ways that is disruptive, I think, to herself, really, and to her own business.

[Sara Lebo]

I don't know. It's so hard for me to put Meghan Markle, who has been as ever, who has. Has.

[Ariel Fager]

The name is as ever.

[Sara Lebo]

It's hard for me to put as ever created by someone very interesting who has been trying to stake a spot in both media and retail for years now, on the list for a rebrand. I just. I'm not convinced.

[Ariel Fager]

Rebrand with Netflix.

[Sara Lebo]

The Netflix thing is interesting, but it's still just.

[Ariel Fager]

They're doing the show. It's launching in March, the show. And lo and behold, she has a whole new brand name. Because for whatever reason, the first one didn't seem to resonate. For whatever reason, which we all know why it didn't resonate. But I mean, like, that's pretty quick. The American Riviera Orchard. But so she is like, I find it interesting that, like, Coca Cola is like, oh, there's a lot going on in the world. I should reorganize myself. That she's doing the same and that she is using media and entertainment as a vehicle to try and do more.

[Sara Lebo]

There are so many creators who are doing this better. And the Netflix thing is interesting because the other creators aren't doing it with Netflix specifically, but there are so many creators that are launching products in partnership with creating media better. And it's interesting that this one is Meghan Markle, but not enough for me to put it on the list.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, I just. It wouldn't be interesting if Stranger Things launched a, like, backpack. Exactly. It's like, okay, that makes sense to me. I get why you can tell.

[Sara Lebo]

I've only seen the pilot of Stranger Things because they're always wearing their backpacks.

[Blake Drosch]

But that is a perfect example. I'm pretty sure they do have Stranger Things backpacks.

[Sara Lebo]

Sorry, Susie.

[Blake Drosch]

I look forward to seeing what happens in the future.

[Sara Lebo]

I look forward to the podcast episode where we try as ever. Yeah, we should do an episode where we try creator products.

[Blake Drosch]

Actually, that'd be kind of fun.

[Sara Lebo]

Blake, what is your wildcard and where are you putting it?

[Suzy David Canyon]

I think we should put CVS on the list. Not like super high up, but around. I think number eight is where I want to place them. I think their solution to that all. Not just cvs, but all pharmacies and many retailers are facing of having to lock up their cabinets. Their solution to basically create an app where you have to log in in order to unlock the cabinet via your phone is an interesting potential solution to the tremendous level of friction that has been created for the customer to go buy products in stores. And I think, look, we could say, well, locking up all of the products inside the stores was not the solution to begin with. Right. But. But the fact that CVS is not alone in this scenario, I think excuses it from taking the sort of the sole blame for this level of friction. And I think that the solution is actually relatively innovative because if you have the choice of shopping at one of three pharmacies and they are all locking up their products and one has the ability to go in and use the app, then I personally am gonna choose that one. And then CVS also has you better access to my information as a loyalty member because I had to log in in order to get this feature to shop.

[Sara Lebo]

I will not go so far as calling the CVS move innovative, but that's not what we're testing here. We're saying interesting, and I do think it's interesting. So I want to say two caveats. One is that this technically happened in January, but it was the end of January and we'd already made our list. So I'm going to let them. Let them be a February move.

[Suzy David Canyon]

That's very gracious.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you. And then the other thing is, this isn't a caveat. This is my opinion. I've already said this on the podc. I can't express how much I don't like this CVS move. I think it's adding more friction. I think it's inaccessible to older consumers. I think it's a kind of weaselly way to get you to download their app. I think that it's a problem that they created. And I think that the WiFi and CVS is not good enough for this to work. But do I think it's interesting? Yeah. We were talking about this so much when it happened, so. So I would give them a number eight.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, I agree. I mean, we've definitely talked about this enough for it to qualify, I think, being put on the list.

[Sara Lebo]

All right, so we've got our final list, which is number one, Nike. Number two, Walmart. Number three, Lidl. Number four, Poppy, Number five, Wayfair, number six, Coca Cola, number seven, Amazon, and number eight, cbs. In our honorable mention spots, we've got Reformation, which we just knocked off the list. And we'll give, as ever, an honorable mention spot as well. Congratulations, Meghan Markle.

[Ariel Fager]

Yeah, I was going to defend myself, but I'm going to not bother.

[Suzy David Canyon]

This has been my most successful episode of retail rankings, because usually I'm the one where all of my things get denied. So I just want to thank Meghan Markle for being tremendously unlikely. Cause it really aided my success on today's episode.

[Sara Lebo]

I think that this has been Arielle and my most successful episode. Cause usually people are sliding all sorts of things that we didn't really. Susie, I'm give you some credit because the reason that Amazon is still on the list is because you pointed out that Sax thing to us. So you also made it on the list.

[Blake Drosch]

Everyone's a winner.

[Sara Lebo]

Everyone is a winner, especially except for Meghan Markle. It's so clever. Okay, that is all we have time for today. Thank you so much for being here, Blake.

[Suzy David Canyon]

Thank you.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you, Arielle.

[Blake Drosch]

Thank you.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you, Suzy.

[Ariel Fager]

Thank you.

[Sara Lebo]

Thank you to our listeners and to our team that edits the podcast. We will be back next Wednesday with another episode of reimagining retail and on Friday, join Marcus for another episode of behind the Numbers, an emarketer podcast made possible by Zeta Global. Wake up.