Behind the Numbers: An EMARKETER Podcast

Episode: The Unofficial Monthly Retailer Awards for January: Coach Sims Bags, a Nespresso Store, and More | Reimagining Retail

Date: January 28, 2026
Host: Suzy Deva Kenyon
Guests: Arielle Fager, Rachel Wolf, Sky Canavas

Episode Overview

This episode of Reimagining Retail unveils EMARKETER’s new “unofficial monthly retailer awards”—the “Umrahs”—spotlighting standout strategies and under-the-radar moves among retailers for January 2026. The awards replace the previous retailer rankings and “committee” format, honoring innovation in three categories:

• Most Impactful Campaign
• Best In Real Life Initiative
• Greatest Under the Radar Move

Analysts Arielle Fager, Rachel Wolf, and principal analyst Sky Canavas each present their nominees in each category, with Suzy as both moderator and judge.

1. Most Impactful Campaign

Discussed at [01:12–07:14]

Nominees & Analysis

• Arielle: Dr. Pepper’s TikTok Jingle Turned Commercial

  • A TikToker named Romeo posted a catchy Dr. Pepper theme song on December 23rd
  • By January 19th, Dr. Pepper turned it into an official commercial, featuring Romeo
  • Praised for its quick momentum, agile response, and creative fan engagement

  “What a fun way to incorporate fans.” – Arielle [01:47]

  “You don’t often talk about how audio can also go viral … it was a very cute moment.” – Suzy [02:30]

• Rachel: Coach x The Sims In-Game Brand Integration

  • Coach launched branded items in The Sims, moving beyond typical platforms like Roblox or Fortnite
  • Noted as a novel channel to reach a broad, multi-generational audience

  “It’s a great way to reach a huge audience of people, not only younger consumers that Coach has really been going after, but there’s such a wide audience for The Sims that I can really see it doing wonders for their sales.” – Rachel [02:53]

• Sky: Fanatics Launches Fanatics Studio with OBB Media

  • Fanatics launches a content studio (Fanatics Studio) with OBB Media, marrying sports/music entertainment and commerce
  • Example: Bringing Tom Brady out of retirement for a flag football classic in Saudi Arabia
  • Ties to broader trend: brands investing in content to expand reach and drive sales

  “Brands and retailers would be taking greater stakes in media and entertainment content to engage with customers, reach new audiences and ultimately sell more products in a market where it’s a lot harder to stand out.” – Sky [04:03]

Award Winner

Dr. Pepper’s TikTok campaign

• Recognized for its fresh, fast, and unexpected transformation of user content into official advertising

“It’s like they got it, they went with it … it got unveiled during a college cultural moment, which I thought was really cool.” – Suzy [06:32]

“For such a big brand, I think we tend to think about bigger brands having a little less agility … showed that really agile thinking from them.” – Arielle [06:59]

2. Best In Real Life Initiative

Discussed at [07:14–15:40]

Nominees & Analysis

• Rachel: Nespresso’s NYC Flagship Store

  • Opened recently on Fifth Avenue, NYC
  • Offers multi-sensory mocktail experiences, lounges, masterclasses, and a coffee “speakeasy”
  • Focused on experience over transactions; “a place where you can spend the whole day immersed in everything coffee related” – Rachel [08:08]

  “It’s literally a destination where … they welcome transactions, but it’s not the focal point.” – Suzy [08:59]

  “It really adds to the enjoyment of a product.” – Arielle [14:52]

• Sky: Levi’s Wear Longer Project

  • Workshops teaching high schoolers to repair and repurpose clothing
  • Launched in San Francisco with plans for wider rollout, including Super Bowl activation
  • Aimed at supporting sustainability, appeals directly to Gen Z’s thrifting/DIY trend

  “If they brought something like this into stores, it creates new experiences … it’s not just for transactions. It’s to have experiences and do things together with other people.” – Sky [10:08]

  “A way for them to justify premiumization … you can buy this more expensive pair of jeans, but we’ll give you tools so you can wear it for longer.” – Rachel [11:05]

• Arielle: Albertsons’ In-Store Retail Media Expansion

  • Rolling out in-store advertising to 800+ more stores
  • Launching enhanced measurement for advertisers to track incremental sales
  • Question raised: Will more in-store screens add clutter?

  “Anytime you bring more screens in store, there’s the opportunity for it to feel overwhelming or distracting.” – Arielle [13:38]

Award Winner

Nespresso’s NYC Flagship Store

• Lauded as a genuinely immersive destination, a “departure from the Nespresso stores that I’ve experienced.” – Sky [15:12]
• Combines education, experience, community, and coffee fandom effortlessly

“It’s just like, so nice.” – Suzy [15:09]

3. Greatest Under the Radar Move

Discussed at [15:40–21:49]

Nominees & Analysis

• Sky: Amazon’s Upgraded Dash Cart for Whole Foods

  • New, lighter, more capacious smart shopping cart with multiple payment options
  • Smarter in-store retail media and less friction than screen-based or stationary display ads

  “Part of unlocking the power of in-store retail media is really going to be with more flex, mobility and connectivity to the customer as they move through the store, rather than static and stationary displays.” – Sky [16:55]

• Arielle: Wild Planet “Small Fish Resolutions” Campaign

  • Placed miniature billboards at street level in San Francisco for New Year’s resolutions
  • Cleverly tied product (sardines, tinned fish) to sustainable lifestyle choices

  “I’m just such a fan of anything that’s comically large or comically small. I just think it’s a unique, fun way to get that message across.” – Arielle [19:06]

• Rachel: Gap Appoints Chief Entertainment Officer

  • Gap creates a new C-suite position to bridge content, entertainment, and commerce
  • Marks organizational commitment to shaping—rather than reacting to—culture

  “A lot of retailers in the past have been more reactive to what’s happening in culture, and now this is an example of a retailer that’s really trying to shape it in a more active way.” – Rachel [20:59]

Award Winner

Gap’s Chief Entertainment Officer

• Recognized as a pivotal signal of how brands must merge commerce with entertainment
• “Fashiontainment” cited as the next wave in retail’s evolution

“It’s an organizational commitment … taking legs and taking shape.” – Suzy [20:39]

“It wasn’t under the radar, but I don’t think it got enough radar.” – Suzy [20:59]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Arielle on Dr. Pepper:
  “Such a fun way of a brand really capitalizing on quick momentum, a social trend, and kind of just a surprise and delight.” [01:47]

• Rachel on Coach x Sims:
  “It’s interesting to see a brand have a video game activation on a platform that is not Roblox or Fortnite.” [02:53]

• Sky on Fanatics:
  “Bringing Tom Brady out of retirement to play in a flag football classic … ultimately selling more sports-related product.” [05:43]

• Rachel’s playful self-tallying:
  “If you’re keeping count, that’s two for Rachel and one for me.” [22:15]

• Sky’s pop culture close:
  “Thanks. I’m definitely going to try to make Fetch happen next time.” [22:47] (Mean Girls reference)

Episode Flow & Tone

• Fast-paced, friendly, and lively banter among expert analysts
• Playful jabs and pop culture references lighten deep-dive analysis
• The awards format fosters debate on what will actually move the retail needle
• Analytical rigor mixed with genuine enthusiasm for standout ideas and retail trends

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro to the Umrahs: [00:00–01:12]
• Most Impactful Campaign: [01:12–07:14]
• Best In Real Life Initiative: [07:14–15:40]
• Greatest Under the Radar Move: [15:40–21:49]
• Award Recap and Wrap: [21:49–end]

Final January 2026 Umrah Winners

1. Most Impactful Campaign: Dr. Pepper’s viral TikTok jingle commercial
2. Best In Real Life Initiative: Nespresso’s immersive NYC flagship store
3. Greatest Under the Radar Move: Gap’s Chief Entertainment Officer appointment

For retail marketers and brand strategists, these Umrah picks offer a pulse on what’s truly resonating—from rapid-fire cultural engagement and sensory retail experiences to strategic, structural shifts toward entertainment.