Podcast Summary: Behind the Numbers: An EMARKETER Podcast

Episode: The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (September) — Back-to-College Campaigns and Activations | Reimagining Retail

Date: September 24, 2025

Host: Arielle Fager
Guests: Becky Schilling, Rachel Wolfe, Blake Drosch

Overview

This episode of “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” dives into EMARKETER’s September list of the most interesting retailers, with a focus on standout back-to-college campaigns and campus activations. The panel ranks and debates which brands are moving the needle for college students, discussing the creative, cultural, and commercial impact of campaigns by both legacy chains and innovative newcomers. The episode is marked by lively banter, passionate defenses, and even a wild card entry that shakes up the final rankings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Initial Rankings: The Retailers in Focus (01:17–16:00)

The committee (Arielle and Becky) unveils their list of the top eight most interesting back-to-college campaigns:

8. Pottery Barn — Dorm Concierge (01:48)

• Pottery Barn launched a “dorm concierge” to assist students and parents with dorm move-in logistics, making the process less stressful.
• Becky: “There's a lot of logistics that take place. A lot of that is put onto the parents. So having something like this to where the student can get in there and pull a little weight, as my family likes to say, is a helpful consumer service.” (01:52)

7. Wawa — Standalone Store at Villanova University (02:40)

• Wawa’s dedicated on-campus store delivers full food, beverage, and convenience options.
• Arielle: “Wawa has a huge cult following… It just lends itself really, really well to a college campus.” (03:30)
• Blake: “Wawa is sort of like full service, also… fresh foods is something that other convenience stores can't really pull off. Right. And... it’s almost certainly a recipe for success.” (03:57)

6. Buc EE's — Product Sales at Texas A&M (05:16)

• Texas-based retailer Buc EE’s sells 45+ top products on the Texas A&M campus, uniting two “cult” institutions.
• Becky: “Buc EE’s has a cult following. And so does A and M. And I can say that because I'm an alumnus there. We are a cult. I can attest to it. A cult in the best way possible.” (05:18)

5. Poppy — Internship with Alix Earle (06:36)

• The soda brand Poppy collaborates with influencer Alix Earle for an internship focused on influencer marketing, targeting the Gen Z audience.
• Rachel: “Poppy is… doing a really good job of, you know, getting in front of this target audience. They've been doing product seeding across all of these campuses…” (07:42)

4. Skippy — College Football Tour, Tackling Food Insecurity (08:22)

• Skippy’s campaign teams up with college athletes and highlights college food insecurity.
• Becky: “Skippy’s new campaign is tapping right into the fervor for college football… also aiming to educate and do some good along the way.” (08:37)
• Arielle: “Food insecurity is definitely a cause I am passionate about… it's often overlooked on college campuses.” (09:16)

3. Bath & Body Works — Campus Store Expansion (11:00)

• Bath & Body Works is now found in 600+ campus stores, introducing its popular products to a new generation.
• Rachel: “Gen Zers are already super interested in Bath and Body Works. It's the most popular fragrance brand among Gen Zers, the third most popular beauty destination.” (12:11)

2. PacSun — College Capsule & Tour (12:45)

• PacSun leverages “in-person experiences” with multi-college game day events and gift boxes for freshmen.
• Becky: “The brand has released new pieces… game day and classwear… and the brand is also giving out some gift boxes to incoming freshmen.” (13:28)

1. Urban Outfitters — ‘Good Game’ Multifaceted Campaign (14:12)

• Urban Outfitters dominates with a multi-tiered campaign: popups, partnerships (including Chipotle), contests, and music events.
• Arielle: “They partner with Chipotle on limited edition dorm collection and also a rewards program for college goers, which I think is just super, super smart.” (15:07)
• Rachel & Blake discuss the eclectic Chipotle-themed dorm merch: “There's a lamp… looks like a bag of chips.” “There is a mat that says leave my Chipotle here…” (15:29–15:41)

Honorable Mentions:

• 9. Ulta — College Glow Up Tour
• 10. Target — ‘Hey Mom, I’m at Target’ Influencer Campaign

2. Panel Shake-Up: Debating and Adjusting the Rankings (17:01–27:12)

Blake’s Suggested Changes (17:01–23:29)

• Advocates for Wawa & Pottery Barn as Top Picks:
  Argues that they provide tangible, campus-changing services, offering genuine innovations versus the “run of the mill” fashion activations.

  • Blake: “Those two seem a lot more sort of innovative and just like, fresh ideas than the Urban Outfitters and PacSun example.” (18:32)

• Pushback:
  Arielle and Becky acknowledge Wawa’s importance (“I think moving Wawa up, I'm definitely OK with.” (20:47)) but decide Pottery Barn is less “exciting” than it sounds; its value is limited to logistics.

• Compromise:
  Wawa gets bumped up, Pottery Barn stays low, Urban Outfitters maintains a high position for its multifaceted execution, and PacSun is moved down but not to the bottom.

  New interim order: Urban Outfitters, Wawa, Bath & Body Works, Skippy, PacSun, Poppy, Buc EE’s, Pottery Barn.

Rachel’s Wild Card — GoPuff x Fizz Partnership (23:40–26:37)

• Adds GoPuff Partnership with Fizz:
  GoPuff, the delivery app for snacks and groceries, partners with college-social platform Fizz for 15-minute delivery on 600+ campuses. Fizz is also tied up in a rivalry with Instacart over a similarly named service, making this a cultural and competitive moment.

  • Rachel: “GoPuff really got its start as a delivery service for college students, so… pertaining to its roots. And… Fizz is currently suing Instacart… This is kind of a way for Fizz, the social platform, to get its own back at Instacart and maybe take some of the sales.” (23:48–24:22)
  • Becky: “To have an option for delivery I think is incredibly smart for college students because it's what they want. And where they're at is struggling to provide that service.” (25:26)

• The Panel Is Impressed & Agrees:

  • Arielle: “I would even dare to put this pretty high up… in the number three position behind Wawa.” (26:05)
  • Becky: “Knowing my background, I would put it higher… I think Rachel came in with a new number one.” (26:19)
  • Arielle: “I love it… Let’s make a note of that. A first in the retail rankings.” (26:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Becky on Buc EE’s and College Culture:
  “Buc EE’s has a cult following. And so does A and M. And I can say that because I'm an alumnus there. We are a cult. I can attest to it. A cult in the best way possible.” (05:18)

• Arielle on Urban Outfitters & College Struggles:
  “They partner with Chipotle on limited edition dorm collection and also a rewards program for college goers, which I think is just super, super smart.” (15:07)

• Rachel’s Wild Card Disruption:
  “My wildcard is GoPuff, which recently partnered with the college social app Fizz to allow students to order late night snacks and groceries in 15 minutes or less… So I think it's interesting for several reasons.” (23:48)

• Lively Banter:

  • Arielle (re: Becky’s A&M loyalty): “New drinking game. Take a shot every time Becky says Texas A and M.” (13:47)
  • Blake: “You kind of give… You're giving me like a Troy Aikman vibe…” (13:54)

Final Rankings (After Panel Debate and Wild Card Entry) (26:34–27:27)

1. GoPuff (w/ Fizz partnership) — NEW!
2. Urban Outfitters
3. Wawa
4. Bath & Body Works
5. Skippy
6. PacSun
7. Poppy
8. Buc EE's

Honorable Mentions:

• Ulta (College Glow Up Tour)
• Pottery Barn (Dorm Concierge)

Episode Flow with Key Timestamps

• Podcast & Topic Intro: 00:00–01:17
• The List Breakdown (Ranks 8–1): 01:17–16:40
• Panel Discussion & Ranking Arguments: 17:01–23:29
• Wildcard Entry (GoPuff x Fizz) and Re-ranking: 23:40–26:37
• Recap & Final List: 26:37–27:27

Tone & Style

The conversation is lively, energetic, and peppered with personal anecdotes and humor. Arielle keeps the group moving with sharp questions and laughter, Becky adds vivid color and regional flavor (especially regarding Texas A&M and Buc EE's), Rachel brings the industry wild cards, and Blake challenges the status quo — yielding a thoughtful, multidimensional review of the season’s most innovative campus retail campaigns.

“Let’s make a note of that. A first in the retail rankings.”
— Arielle, 26:34