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Bonus: The Future of Retail: AI, Retail Media & the Return of Human Connection – Inside ShopTalk 2025 with Marielle Bobo
00:26:45
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- [00:00]
Marielle
We're not in the business of doing a standard conference. We like to call our events experiences. And it really is an experience. Once you step foot on that floor, you're transported in the world that we've created for those three days. We have a theme every year that sort of sets the tone. This year the theme is all about retail's new golden age. This idea of returning to sort of the roots and the DNA of retail and why shoppers fall in love with brands. A lot of brands have been sort of caught up in the rat race of chasing after the latest technology, the latest innovation, AI AI, AI, AI. But that personal touch sometimes gets lost in the mix.
- [00:36]
Eric Dick
For me as a first time attendee, how do you recommend I get the most value out of the event?
- [00:41]
Marielle
From what I know about what we have planned and the magnitude of the show, I would say first and foremost.
- [00:54]
Eric Dick
Marielle, welcome to the DTC podcast. I am extremely excited to be attending Shop Talk in Las Vegas. And I guess as of recording, this is about 14 days away. 14, 13, 14 sleeps.
- [01:06]
Marielle
Yeah, we're right around the corner.
- [01:08]
Eric Dick
What's your title again?
- [01:09]
Marielle
So my title is VP of Content for Shop Talk Spring and Fall. So, you know, we have several events within our portfolio. We have Shop Talk Fall that we debuted last year in October in Chicago. We have Shop Talk Spring. That's sort of our, our biggest event in the portfolio. Then we have Shop Talk Europe, which happens in June in Barcelona. And then there's Shop Talk Luxe, which we're launching next year in Abu Dhabi. So I oversee content for Shop Talk Fall and Spring.
- [01:36]
Eric Dick
I want to jump in on some of the major themes in the content you're programming this year. But first I was just curious a little bit. I was reading up on your background a little bit. You've got a really interesting editorial background. Can you talk a little bit about what brought you to Shop Talk?
- [01:49]
Marielle
Yeah, absolutely. So I have a long 25 year career in editorial content. So my background has been primarily in magazines. I was a editor that covered fashion, beauty, retail at brands like Women's Wear Daily, Cosmo Allure. I was the fashion director at Essence Magazine and then most recently I was the editor in chief and senior vice president of programming at Ebony. So that was a role where I was involved not just in sort of programming for the magazine and website, but also experiences, events, conferences, seminars, and in real life programming that they were doing and sort of, I think I like to say that the role of an editor over the last few years has really evolved. It went from sort of very traditional storytelling in magazines and digital to now, storytelling is everywhere, including on the stage. And so that's why, you know, this was such a great transition for me coming out of publishing, because I have such a great background in media and telling stories when it relates to brands. But then as an editor, we are storytellers. And Shop Talk, I think, is a great place for me because we really take a editorial approach to storytelling and how we shape out our content and our conversations and our programming. So it was a great sort of.
- [03:12]
Eric Dick
Natural transition, and it goes all the way down to where every brand in the world is looking to get better at storytelling about their own brand, whether it's through their advertising or their organic content. It's a theme that comes up again, again on the podcast.
- [03:23]
Marielle
And I mean, literally, I mean, a lot of the challenges that you kind of are seeing happening within traditional media and print and are the same challenges that a lot of retailers and brands are facing as well, with regards to engaging with consumers, figuring out their approach to storytelling and advertising, how they show up on different platforms. So it really is a lot of, you know, very much of a natural fit coming from that world and figuring out how to tell those stories in this new sort of space for me as well.
- [03:52]
Eric Dick
Have you been to previous ones before? How do you think this one's gonna be different from where it's evolved?
- [03:57]
Marielle
Yeah. So this will be my first time attending Shop Talk Spring. So my first day actually with the team was at Shop Talk Fall, which was the newest event that we launched last October in Chicago, a much smaller event, about 4,000 attendees. So, you know, Shop Talk Spring is sort of like the behemoth within our portfolio of all the events. It's, you know, has a massive footprint, 10,000 attendees every year. We take a really different approach to the storytelling, you know, going back to kind of what I was saying about the editorial approach. We have a theme every year that sort of sets the tone for all of the programming, all of the conversations, the keynotes, the speakers we want to have, and how we want to curate the different track stages and rooms where all the programming is taking place. And so this year, the theme is all about retail's new golden age. So it's sort of this idea of returning, I like to say, to sort of the roots and the DNA of retail and why shoppers fall in love with brands. Right. And that's really about that human touch, that human connection. And I think many shoppers would argue nowadays that that's been lost a bit. Right. A lot of brands have been sort of caught up in the rat race of chasing after the latest technology, the latest innovation, AI, AI, AI. But that personal touch sometimes gets lost in the mix. And so we really wanted to kind of go back to the basics and the core of why shoppers love brands. And it's really that human touch. And so our theme this year is all about sort of building that connection. If you can take sort of the technology with the human touch. You know, we believe that the brands that can really do that well will be the ones that have that long lasting success and longevity. So our theme this year definitely is unique. And then also I would say the new market, which I know we'll probably, we're going to dive into a little bit later.
- [05:50]
Eric Dick
Yeah, sure, go ahead.
- [05:52]
Marielle
It's the first time that we've launched this show within the show, as we're calling it, the Footprint, obviously at Mandalay Bay is massive. And so the new market will sort of hold a space within the show floor that really is going to be at the center of all the attention. We've always sort of had these marketing, retail media conversations at Shop Talk, but this is the first time that we're having a whole stage built around that, you know, and it'll have its own set of, you know, track keynotes, its own panels, its own unique programming and creative footprint. And so that's a new experience for us that we're really excited about. And I think it's going to attract, you know, an even more diverse range of attendees that are really clamoring for the latest insights on retail media and how to navigate that landscape. Because I think, you know, it's, it's very top of mind and it's something that so many folks within our industry are figuring out what, what should be their strategies when it comes to retail media. So that's, that's a big exciting experience I think that we're going to be debuting.
- [06:54]
Eric Dick
Retail media is not something, it's actually a new term and I love a new three letter acronym, a new rmn. We talk about them individually. We're talking marketplaces or are we talking ads in places like Walgreens? What exactly is a retail media network?
- [07:08]
Marielle
So I mean, it's, it's all of those things. I mean, it's, you know, figuring out brands, figuring out how they can connect with consumers at that point of purchase. Right. So finding ways to be able to get their ads right in front of shoppers when they are about to make that purchase and the reason why, you know, Retail media networks are so big is because the amount of data that comes out of it, you know, for brands that are investing in retail media, they're able to get so many insights on behaviors, what it is that really is connecting with the shoppers. And so from a strategic standpoint, it really sets the tone for a lot of brands as they're trying to figure out the ways to build that deeper connectivity with shoppers.
- [07:51]
Eric Dick
I was telling you in the pre interview that I did some programming for some events, always enjoyed trying to find the people that were available, the people that had a great story to tell to fit within our narrative. Are there any sort of speakers that you're personally excited about or think you really hit a home run with?
- [08:07]
Marielle
There's so many. There's so many. I think that first I'll say that we, I think, do a great job at making sure that we have a really diverse mix of speakers. So it's everyone from big major retailers to burgeoning brands. Of course, you know, all of our keynotes are super exciting. You know, I'm really excited about, you know, having Richard Dixon from the Gap having some of the new market keynotes. We have Base, which I think is a newer brand to a lot of folks that they may not be as familiar with. The founder is Shay Mitchell, who is an actress and it's a luggage company that's doing some really interesting things. And she's going to be over on the new market stage giving a keynote there. Kevin O'Leary. I mean, who doesn't love Mr. Wonderful, you know, so the star power is major. And I think that conversation I'm really excited about because the way that we've set it up is that he will be joined by two brands that are within his venture firm. So I think for those VCs that come to Shop Talk and burgeoning brands that are at Shop Talk, they'll provide, they'll get some great insights as to, you know, what found, what investors are looking for when they're looking for founders to partner with, for brands to partner with, how brands need to sort of position themselves for success when it comes to investment, how to really capture attention when it comes to pitching. And so I'm really, really excited about that session as well. Also Levi's, you know, we've got the CEO of Levi's who's going to be on our stage. And you know, between Gap and Levi's, you have two legacy all American brands. And I think Levi's has been having such an exciting year with Beyonce and the denim movement and country and all of the excitement that's been happening there. And so I think, you know, we do a really great job from, you know, the keynotes that are on the main stage to even the sessions that we're having, you know, in the smaller track stages. Another session that I'm super excited about is we have a conversation about the Metaverse happening, which it's the first time that we've had within gaming. We have an executive from Roblox as well as from Xbox, who are going to be having a conversation about shopping in the Metaverse and how they've been able to connect with that audience, that's the gaming audience, and be able to put product in front of them in real life for real life shopping purchases. And so I think that's another really interesting way to think about the different ways that brands can engage with shoppers and meet them wherever they are. Right. Xbox has so many fans and people spend hours on Xbox on that platform, and wherever there's sort of an audience, there's an opportunity for commerce and for that connection. And so I'm excited for that session because that's the first time that we've had those two brands together. And we always try to push the envelope at Shop Talk and think about new ways to look at commerce and retail.
- [11:06]
Eric Dick
It'll give me some points with my daughter, that's for sure. She's a big Roblox fan, but that's super cool. The other one I was excited for was the VP of Business AI at Meta Clara. She. That could be very interesting. A lot of people, you know, we're in the DTC world, so Meta is this. Is this omnipresent force and so finding out, and they're constantly rolling out new, you know, their AI is sort of taking over more and more of the ad process. So I'm really interested to hear her talk.
- [11:32]
Marielle
Yeah, no, really excited about Meta. And I think the AI conversation in general at Shop Talk is going to be really different this year because I think in general, obviously the conversation about AI is not going anywhere. Right. And it's going to continue to evolve. But we really have been, I think, approaching the conversation around AI through the lens of the customer. Right. So how are brands using AI to really still build that human connection? Right. Not relying on it to sort of replace and make decisions without sort of the human touch in mind. And so I think it's a little bit of a different approach for us this year as well. We don't have a necessarily designated track that's calling out AI in a major way, but you'll see it sort of woven throughout the different narratives that are happening throughout the stage. And it's all sort of through that same lens of that human touch, you know, how brands are using it to sort of optimize processes, to maybe free up some of the sort of minutiae that salespeople may be doing in stores. And that gives them more time to really have that human connection with shoppers or maybe to get data that helps them create a more customized experience for shoppers. And so really sort of, I think, changing the POV of how we're looking at the uses of AI. And we've been having all these really fun speaker prep calls in the weeks leading up to Shop Talk. And in some of my conversations, you know, controversially, I'll say, you know, some brands are, you know, saying, well, we don't even use AI. You know, we.
- [12:59]
Eric Dick
And pride themselves on it as a point.
- [13:01]
Marielle
Yeah, they're like, yeah, we don't. We don't use AI, you know, which many folks would kind of cringe to hear that. But this notion of, I think the marriage again, of the technology with that human touch and getting back to sort of again, the basics, the. The DNA of why shoppers fall in love with the brands that they do.
- [13:21]
Eric Dick
Business with 100% that's, you know, D2C is the product of a, you know, me partnering with an ad agency, a performance ad agency. So we really tend to look at the lens through meta and through, you know, performance marketing and growth. But as this space has matured and more players have entered the fray and tracking became more difficult on meta, that it really is this whole concept that you need a fully omnichannel approach. Everything needs to be dialed and to be a, you know, for instance, a saleable asset, you need to have all of these different aspects really dialed in your business and working.
- [13:54]
Marielle
You really have to kind of play in all these different facets of the business. But I think it really is kind of having that unified commerce approach, right? You know, from you going. You're going from sort of the omnichannel approach to really that. That unified approach of creating that seamless experience across every touch point and making sure that there's that synergy so that customers are experiencing and engaging with the brand in a way that feels cohesive across all of those different platforms. And I think that's the struggle, right, for today's business owners, it's kind of figuring out how to put all the pieces together to create that synergy and to create that truly optimized experience for the shopper.
- [14:33]
Eric Dick
Content and commerce is something we talk about all the time on the podcast. That's what DTC is. We're the content arm of a performance marketing agency. We're sort of a inception, because by the time you realize that all the tips that we send in the newsletter and every other podcast is with a pilot house team member, you're already like, okay, I guess I'll work with them kind of thing. And it's worked really well. How have you thought about content and commerce in terms of the speakers and content that you programmed this year?
- [14:58]
Marielle
Yeah, so we have a lot of exciting conversations around content and commerce. You know, obviously, I think the conversation around content creators and how brands are engaging with them has been a continual sort of evolution in terms of folks trying to figure out the best approach. And I think one session that we have, we've got True Religion, Taco Bell, and a burgeoning beauty brand called Lawless Beauty, talking about how brands can kind of think differently about the value in connecting with content creators and really making more informed decisions about those that are going to sort of be most on brand and be most effective. So being a little bit more thoughtful about their approach to partnering with creators. I think the beauty industry does that really well. There's a lot of, I think, learnings. And I'm excited that at Shop Talk Spring, we have a lot more beauty, kind of burgeoning beauty brands that are going to be on the stages that I think can help inform folks from different sectors of the industry with regards to the innovation that they are taking with regards to their content creation and how they're engaging with influencers. Also, we have a new market keynote with the CMO of Pandora. She'll be talking about sort of their approach to advertising and marketing campaigns and how they're sort of thinking differently about their approach to storytelling in this, you know, really complicated landscape where folks have a short attention span. Right. And so you're figuring out how to get the best bang while, you know, really resonating with shoppers. And so they're going to really lay out their approach in that respect. We also have a really cool session with TikTok, Amazon and Roku about how they're creating more seamless and engaging experiences. So I think, again, looking at how tech companies are thinking really differently about content and commerce, we also have some sessions that are leaning into sort of live shopping and live shopping as an experience with regards to commerce. And so I think that we really are sort of touching on all these different buckets of how people can think differently about their content strategy and how they're using it across different platforms.
- [17:07]
Eric Dick
We did an event in the fall and live shopping was one of the major themes that people really into. Like for the right brands and done the right way, it can be incredibly powerful for both the brand and direct sales, which is really cool.
- [17:18]
Marielle
Yeah.
- [17:18]
Eric Dick
Events are the best just because there's a million different ways you can gain value from them. Right. Whether it's one of these talks, it hits in the right way, you take the right notes in your notebook, you go back, you implement it. It can be a 10x type thing in your business. Like B2B events are just like, even if you didn't have any, just by bringing all of these crazy, all these crazy brands together, they would, through kismet, you know, create value for themselves. So it's a real win, win opportunity. I bet we probably have hundreds of people in our audience who are attending or thinking of attending. You mentioned something about a First Timers program. What does that look like?
- [17:54]
Marielle
Yeah. So the First Timers program is a great initiative for those who are attending, who are newbies to Shop Talk. It's a great way to sort of network with people who are new to the show and build those relationships. And so I would highly recommend it as a way to sort of build those connections when you're new to the show and trying to figure out how best to navigate.
- [18:14]
Eric Dick
For me, as a first time attendee, how do you recommend I get the most value out of the event?
- [18:18]
Marielle
Yeah. So I would say, because I'm actually a first time attendee too at Shop Talk. Right. But just from what I know about what we have planned and the magnitude of the show, I would say first and foremost, make sure you go in with a game plan. You know, I think kind of going in, you know, and just kind of have it. Not really having a strategy for how you're going to tackle the floor isn't going to work. So I think really look at our agenda, look at the sessions that you're most interested in. We do a really great job at programming the sessions by theme, you know, so that if you're interested in a specific topic, let's say you really want to know about how to think differently around value. You know, we've got a whole track dedicated to that. If hospitality is your thing and you're looking for conversations that really do a deep dive into hospitality, you can really pay attention to those sort of sessions. If you're excited about what's happening on the tech stages and you want to see about the latest innovations. We've got a whole series of programming there, so I think definitely look at our agenda. Be sure to download the app because the app is your best friend when you're on site. It's, you know, has everything right there at your fingertips. It is constantly being updated because as you know, in the event space sometimes there may be real time changes that are happening. And so we're going to be on the ground updating the app in real time if there are any changes at the last minute. Also, I would say if you can divide and conquer, if you're coming with a colleague or coworker, I think try to divide and conquer. That way you don't miss out on any of the insights. So maybe you can sort of between you and your coworkers, figure out what the sessions are that you want to split up and that way you can kind of come together post show with all the learnings that you found. Also, I would say dress comfortably. You're going to be running around, you know, three days non stop. You know, we've got a jam packed agenda. So make sure you're comfortable, stay hydrated, stock up on your coffee, make sure.
- [20:17]
Eric Dick
Your toenails are trimmed. I went to a conference one time, my toenails weren't trimmed properly and they just hurt in my feet all day. So that's a weird one, but just throwing that out there.
- [20:26]
Marielle
Comfort is key.
- [20:27]
Eric Dick
Comfort is key. That's what I should have said.
- [20:29]
Marielle
Yeah. Comfort is key is the name of the game, you know, and just try, you know, the other thing I would say is to really try to take advantage of all of the different experiences that we curate. Right. So beyond our panel discussions and our keynotes, we've got table talks, we have the Meetup program, we have so many other events that are happening throughout the time. And I would really encourage attendees to take advantage of meetups because you figure there are 10,000 folks in the room from all over the world, probably every and anyone that you would want to get in front of. But because of the magnitude of the event, you may miss people, right? There are people that you may never get to cross paths with. But with our meetup program, you know, you're able to really get that one on one time. You know, it's a double opt in program where you can get that time and do business. And I think even for those that walk the floor during the meetup program, just the buzz and the Excitement of just walking through it, of, like seeing, you know, hundreds and hundreds of meetings happening in real time and, you know, business transactions being made, relationships being built. That energy, I think, is really infectious. And, you know, I think it's a can't miss experience. So I would totally say take advantage of the Meetup program and I would also say table talks, because table talks, our team, I think, does a great job. I'm biased, but, you know, we do a great job at really curating different experiences for our attendees to be able to connect with their peers. And the table talks are these sort of informal discussions that we put together. We put together sort of an agenda of topics. We match you through an algorithm and a platform that our team uses internally, and you'll get paired with peers in your respective field to talk about the various, you know, challenges and topics that are top of mind. So aside from the official programming that's on the agenda, the table talks, you know, afford for a more intimate opportunity to have conversation with your peers around some of the topics that are really top of mind for a lot of our executives. So a lot there to offer, you know, a lot there to take advantage of. And, you know, I would encourage to, you know, really use it. Take advantage of the three days to. To get that. That one on one time.
- [22:48]
Eric Dick
And on top of that, you're gonna have D2C recording some live podcasts from the premises, which we're super excited about. So if you're in the audience, we're doing two things. We're gonna be filming some podcasts in the, in the media center at Shop Talk. And then we're also gonna be walking the floor and doing some short, like, man on the street style, style interviews with our intrepid social media creator, Heather, who's just been so great at creating this. We're excited to ask some like, you know that show where the guy's with the subway on the subway and he's just like, so what's your take? You know what I mean? We're gonna be doing some so what's your take? Video. We'll get some hot takes from the attendees out there.
- [23:22]
Marielle
That's awesome. I can't wait for you guys to experience it. And it's really unlike anything that you can imagine, even just from, I think, a creative standpoint. Right. I think we do a really great job at building out this experience. Experience. We're not in the business of doing sort of a standard conference. You know, we like to call our events experiences. And it really is an experience. Once you step foot on that floor, you're transported in the world that we've created for those three days. Right. We've got everything at your fingertips. And we really try to create a space where the showgoers are able to not only network, but also have fun and really feel like they're just able to lead with so many, you know, key learnings.
- [24:04]
Eric Dick
And plus, it's Las Vegas.
- [24:05]
Marielle
And it's Las Vegas, and we do a great after party.
- [24:08]
Eric Dick
So, I mean, yeah, that's why I was wondering, what. Are there any part like. I'm sure there's lots of different parties, lots of sponsors throwing parties, but what are, what are the parties on your radar or that Shop Talk is putting on specifically?
- [24:18]
Marielle
Well, Shop Talk always does a huge party on the. The night before the final night. So our party will be on on the Wednesday night, and that party will be sort of the party that closes out the show. Right. You know, for those who make it to Thursday, you know, a little bit hungover after the Wednesday night party, they'll have many memories to reflect. And so that's, you know, we do it at the beach. We call it the beach at Mandalay Bay. And, you know, it's a fun time. It's a way for everyone to sort of reconnect, let loose. And throughout, you know, the three days, there are also a bunch of, you know, different events that are happening. There are smaller luncheons. There are all sort of, you know, different kinds of programming that are happening. And so I would really recommend that attendees take advantage of looking at the program that's on the app and on our website for the full rundown and kind of figure out, you know, what, what, what excites you and what you want to attend. But we like to have a healthy mix of fun with the business right at Shop Talk. And I think that that's what makes our event special.
- [25:23]
Eric Dick
And if you needed any more reason, the feature act this year is Lil Jon.
- [25:27]
Marielle
I mean, you can never be mad at Lil Jon, right?
- [25:31]
Eric Dick
His time has come. He actually, in my. This is a weird story, but he's my first cease and desist I ever received in this industry. Oh, no. I was, I was with a performance marketing company and I was, I think, advertising on his name as a keyword in, like, 2009. I think it was basically like cease and descent from Lil John. So it was my first claim to fame in the performance marketing world.
- [25:52]
Marielle
It's a moment that you'll always remember.
- [25:54]
Eric Dick
Full circle. Full circle. Marielle, thank you so much for coming on the podcast today. If you're, if everyone's listening out there, if you're thinking, I just had a friend of mine, Brandon Hirojo from Montana Knife Co, tell me he's gonna come last minute. He saw that we were going. He wants to do a podcast there. If you're gonna go last minute, go to shoptalk.com and navigate to the Las Vegas show. And I hope to see you there. I looking forward to meeting you as well. Marielle. This is super exciting.
- [26:19]
Marielle
Can't wait to meet you as well. Thanks for having me. This is awesome.
- [26:28]
Eric Dick
Thanks so much for listening to today's episode. If you're not a subscriber to our newsletter, you can do that right now at Direct to consumeralloneword Co. I'm Eric Dick, and this has been the D to C podcast. We'll see you next time.