Podcast
Retail Media Vibes
Hosted by Brandon Viveiros · EN
Retail Media Vibes is your marketing lens on the world of shopping, commerce, and culture. Each episode brings fresh conversations with industry insiders who break down the stories driving how brands reach shoppers and how shoppers connect with brands. From big retail moments to the latest shifts in digital media, it’s your front-row seat to the strategies shaping the future of commerce.
We keep it smart, energetic, and actionable, mixing sharp analysis with good vibes so you walk away informed and inspired. Whether you’re a retail pro, a marketer looking for an edge, or simply curious about where the industry is headed, this podcast is made for you.
Join the vibe and stay ahead in retail media.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Extra Vibes: Exploring Shopper Psychology
2d ago00:57:30Tap to summarizeThe retail media landscape is shifting at a breakneck pace, leaving many brands chasing every shiny algorithmic object while ignoring the actual infrastructure underneath. Speed is often mistaken for progress, but moving fast without a grounded strategy simply accelerates your mistakes. In this special 20th episode milestone, host Brandon Viveiros sits down for a comprehensive recap of recent powerhouse discussions to unpack how the intersection of e-commerce, automated tech, and consumer psychology impacts real business outcomes.We sit down to revisit tactical insights from industry leaders including Jessica Hendrix, Amanda Danish-Wineland, Blake Taylor, and Lindsey Hamm, alongside a live panel recorded at Heroes Coffee. The deep dive covers the mechanics of agentic commerce, the technical realities of the digital shelf, and how back-end data cleanliness directly impacts your visibility. We break down the functional differences between alternative optimization strategies like AEO and GEO, moving past generic search parameters to understand how automated systems evaluate product attributes. Brandon Viveiros also shares a rare look behind his own operational philosophy, revealing the specific framework of balancing the business, the work, and the people.The unglamorous reality of the modern commerce ecosystem is that no amount of advanced tech will save a brand with messy data assets or fractured professional relationships. True market survival requires navigating a saturated paid-placement market while building internal team agility from the ground up. Viewers will walk away with a tactical blueprint for optimizing content quality scores, a clear understanding of why micro frictions protect brand loyalty, and a framework for preparing the next generation of marketing talent to be functional on day one.If you care about commercial scale, organizational leadership, and algorithmic optimization, you’ll get a lot from this rerun. Be sure to subscribe to the channel and share this breakdown with your team. We want to hear from you in the comments below: As automation scales across your digital shelf, what is the biggest human element you refuse to delegate to a machine?
Transcribe →Ep . 19 - Breaking the Rules: How Challenger Brands Can Win at Big Retail
2w ago00:56:35Tap to summarizeDowntime is a profit leak and playing by the old rules of retail is a guaranteed way to get buried by legacy corporations. Navigating the modern marketplace requires a distinct level of agility, especially when smaller companies are expected to run the same race as industry giants without the same resources. We sit down with Allisha Watkins, CEO and founder of Paradox Retail, to break down how emerging brands can disrupt the status quo and win shelf space.We get into the specific tactical elements that separate successful startups from companies that flame out early. Allisha shares insights on why a single channel strategy fails across diverse environments like Walmart, Costco, and Instacart, and how to identify true shopper barriers. We explore the realities of building a boutique agency, shifting marketing budgets during economic headwinds, and the operational friction of digital shelf labels. Allisha also highlights her unique agency philosophy, noting that working with these founders is often fifty percent execution, thirty percent teaching, and twenty percent therapy.The unglamorous truth is that building a brand from nothing is an emotional, high-stakes grind that forces founders to place massive personal bets. You cannot rely on a generic cookie-cutter approach or piece-meal tactics like jumping onto every new social media commerce trend without a stable foundation. Viewers will walk away with a systemized understanding of retail logistics, a realistic look at margin pressures, and the ultimate reminder that clarity beats complexity every single time.If you care about retail media, brand scaling, and tactical marketing execution, you will get a lot from this conversation. Be sure to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who is building something from the ground up. What is the biggest roadblock your business is facing when trying to break into major retail spaces? Let us know in the comments below.
Transcribe →Ep. 18 - Retail Media Talent: Why the Pipeline is Breaking
May 900:56:06Tap to summarizeWes participated in this conversation in a personal capacity. All views are his own.The retail media industry is moving at a breakneck pace, but while the technology scales, the talent pipeline is hitting a massive bottleneck. We are operating in an environment where expectations for perfection are higher than ever, yet there is no "Retail Media School" to prepare the next generation of leaders. If we don’t figure out how to bridge the gap between entry-level tasks and high-level strategy, we risk a total collapse of upward mobility in the modern workforce.In this episode, we sit down with Wes, a Director of Media at a retail media agency, to discuss the "softer side" of the industry. We get into his unique "side door" entry into the field from a 15-year career in professional photography and how systematic mindsets translate across disciplines. We explore the rise of "Walmazon" as Walmart and Amazon begin to mirror one another’s strategies, the tactical necessity of clear summarization over AI-generated "novels," and the high-stakes reality of managed service vs. self-serve social tools. Wes shares his unique philosophy on why managers must find their own replacements to move up and the "aha" moment that led him to prioritize humility over individual wins.The unglamorous truth is that AI might be able to handle menial tasks, but it cannot replace the "boots-on-the-ground" experience of walking a store floor or understanding a shopper's psychology. There is a real danger in over-relying on automation; if you turn in work without validating it, you aren't saving time, you’re devaluing your own expertise. You will walk away from this conversation with a fresh perspective on how to take initiative in your own career development and a warning about why "the way we've always done it" is already out of date.
Transcribe →Ep. 17 - AI Readiness Overcomes Entry-Level Fear
Apr 2501:06:29Tap to summarizeAI is raising the bar for everyone entering the workforce, and it’s also creating a lot of noise about what matters most. We recorded this conversation live from Heroes Coffee in Rogers, Arkansas to get grounded in the real question students are asking: how do I land my first role and thrive when the tools, titles, and expectations keep changing?I'm joined by Dr. Anne Velliquette from the University of Arkansas (Walton College of Business), Karson Feuerbacher (graduating senior and Hershey intern), Sarah White (omnichannel marketing at Nestlé), and Victoria Van Dusen (SVP at Mars United Commerce). Together, we unpack “AI readiness” without the hype. You’ll hear what hiring managers actually look for in entry-level talent, what great first 90 days behavior looks like, and why agency roles often start with foundational work before you earn client-facing responsibilities. We also talk about using AI responsibly, avoiding copy-paste mistakes, and keeping the human touch through curiosity, emotional intelligence, and relationship building.We get practical on how to stand out beyond GPA: internships, career fairs, side projects, personal brand, and transferable skills that prove you can execute in the retail media and retail commerce world. We even tackle the uncomfortable parts like managing up, professional polish, and how COVID still shows up in communication habits.Subscribe to Retail Media Vibes, share this with a student or new grad, and leave a review if it helps. What skill do you think will matter most when AI becomes the default tool at work?
Transcribe →Ep. 16 - Human Connection: Why Relationships Drive Media Success
Apr 1100:59:40Tap to summarizeAds on a smart fridge sound like a punchline until you realize it’s already happening. We sit down live in Rogers, Arkansas, flip the script, and let Lindsey Hamm interview BV about where retail media, marketing, and AI are headed and what we might be breaking along the way.We unpack why AI can be an incredible career amplifier while still being dangerously overused. BV explains how he uses AI for ideation, planning, writing, and staying organized, and why “black box” automation in media buying can weaken strategy if it removes the friction that helps people learn. We get practical about what retail media teams need right now: curiosity, fundamentals across in-store and digital, strong data storytelling, and relationships built shoulder to shoulder with brands, agencies, retailers, and partners.Then we hit two timely stories shaping the commerce conversation. First, Samsung’s smart fridge ad pilot and the backlash that followed, plus the bigger question of whether advertising is being pushed into spaces that should stay private. Second, the reported shift in how Walmart and OpenAI approach agentic shopping, and why discovery and comparison may be a better near-term fit than instant checkout. We close with rapid-fire “Bold Vibes” on the future of retail media, agency team size, AI theater, risk-taking, and why connection matters more than output.Subscribe for more honest retail media and AI conversations, share this with a coworker, and leave a review. Where do you think the line is between helpful personalization and pure intrusion?
Transcribe →Ep. 15 - Scraping Explained: Data Secrets for E-Commerce with Blake Taylor
Mar 2801:01:31Tap to summarizeThe “easy” part of e-commerce ended years ago. Now brands are expected to deliver perfect product content, navigate an increasingly crowded digital shelf, and prove performance across retail media while the rules keep changing underneath them. I’m joined by retail commerce expert Blake Taylor to break down what’s actually working right now and what’s quietly becoming non-negotiable for the next wave of digital commerce.We talk through why content is still the foundation of e-commerce success, not just to answer shopper questions on the product detail page, but to feed the systems that increasingly shape visibility. That leads into scraping, data availability, and why retailers’ first-party data and clean room capabilities are changing how brands plan and measure. We also dig into Walmart-specific shifts like Scintilla insights moving closer to the store level and what that could mean for availability, assortment, and conversion when online demand meets in-store reality.From there, we get honest about the state of the digital shelf: more sponsored placements, more competition for premium real estate, and a growing “retail media tax” that forces brands to pay to be seen. Blake shares practical guidance on building a real Walmart Connect strategy instead of dumping budget and hoping for magic, plus why chasing first-time buyers can beat obsessing over ROAS alone. We close by exploring AI’s role in commerce, from personalization and data orchestration to AEO and GEO, and even a bold prediction about whether search grids survive the agentic shopping era.If this conversation helps you rethink your e-commerce strategy or retail media approach, subscribe, share it with someone on your team, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
Transcribe →Ep. 14 - Recap Vibes: AI Influencers, Shopper Psychology, and Retail Media Strategy
Mar 1401:08:28Tap to summarizeRetail media is moving so fast that it’s easy to lose the plot, so I stitched together the strongest moments from recent conversations with Emma Curry, Aaron Campbell, Lindsay Hamm, Sarah Gillmer, and Toby Willse. The throughline is simple: new tools like AI and new channels like connected TV are powerful, but they only work when shoppers trust the message and teams inside the business stop working at cross purposes.We dig into AI influencers and why they’re tempting for brands that want speed, brand safety, and consistent talking points. Then we get practical about influencer marketing in the retail media ecosystem: how to create evergreen creator content, build the right mix of video and still assets, and extend social creative into retailer placements. One of my favorite examples crosses into the physical store, proving omnichannel is real when creators show up beyond the feed.From there, we zoom out to shopper psychology in the attention economy: multitasking, media overload, and the fight for meaning. That’s where nostalgia marketing, the analog comeback, and even “traditional media” re-enter the chat, not as throwbacks but as intentional ways to earn focus. We also hit the big retail media themes of 2025: full-funnel planning, measurement progress, and where CTV fits when conversion isn’t the only job to be done.We close with the operational truth: retail media networks and platforms don’t fix silos on their own. Align brand teams, commerce teams, and sales teams, automate the repetitive work with AI, and let humans do the strategy and storytelling. Subscribe for more Retail Media Vibes, share this recap with a teammate, and leave a review with the one idea you’re going to try next.
Transcribe →Ep. 13 - Trust vs. Sales: The New Retail Rule with Amanda Danish-Wineland
Feb 2800:58:40Tap to summarizeWhat if smarter shopping isn’t about zero friction, but the right friction? We sit down with Amanda Danish-Wineland, SVP of Strategic Planning at Mars United, to unpack how AI and shopper psychology can actually make commerce feel more human. From Super Bowl ads that nailed the brief to the hidden driver of decision-making; risk. We trace the path from choice overload to real confidence, and why co-creating with agents beats handing over the keys.We start with the timeless why behind purchases; discovery, security, identity, and reveal how the changing how across channels rewires expectations. Amanda breaks down the power of micro frictions: small, intentional checkpoints that signal care, reduce regret, and keep control with the shopper. We explore where automation helps (repeat decisions, clear constraints) and where it hurts (assumptions, opaque pushes), then dive into trust: transparent trade-offs, clear sources, and a conversational advisor tone that explains the “why” behind each recommendation.For brands and retailers, this is a call to move beyond rank-chasing. Performance still matters, but trust compounds. We map a shopper-first approach: define who you truly serve, articulate the job your product does, and engineer backward so agents can recommend for the person, not the push. We also draw a sharp line between strategy and planning, evidence framing versus creative leverage, and show how AI is a force multiplier: cleaning data, accelerating synthesis, and even arguing with our assumptions so humans can push into sharper insights and braver ideas.If you care about agentic commerce, retail media, or just making buying easier without losing agency, this conversation is a field guide. Hit play, then tell us: where do you want advice, and where do you want full control? Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help more curious listeners find the show.
Transcribe →Ep. 12 - CEO to Reset: Jessica Hendrix on Leadership and Letting Go
Feb 1401:03:52Tap to summarizeLeadership isn’t a title; it’s a set of choices you make when the ground won’t stop moving. That’s the through line of our conversation with Jessica Hendrix, former CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi X and a leader who’s navigated retail, agencies, and a CMO seat while keeping culture and clarity front and center.We trace Jessica’s path from selling phones at a mall cart to guiding a global agency inside Publicis. She breaks down how she set vision in shifting markets using a simple framework, business, work, people, and why choosing fewer goals with more intention can actually accelerate results. We dig into the evolution from “shopper marketing” to commerce, the rise of retail media, and how Gen Z now steers family purchases from a phone. Her take is practical: the channels changed, the job didn’t: meet people in the moments that move them to buy, reduce friction, and measure what matters.Culture comes alive in the details. Jessica talks transparency with limits, vulnerability that builds trust, and the power of authenticity to unlock talent. We go deep on the Enneagram, her Two, wing Three wiring, and how leaders can pair high performance with high humanity without burning out. She shares real boundaries that worked, two-night travel caps, morning school walks, quarterly solo resets, and the grace-and-accountability balance that keeps teams healthy and productive.There’s a raw, important chapter here, too: a year of breast cancer, skin cancer, and spinal surgery that ended with a clean bill of health. Jessica’s lessons are urgent and universal, keep the checkups, design for recovery, accept help, and they reinforce her central message: take care of your people by taking care of yourself. Today she’s consulting and coaching, helping leaders set cleaner goals, build resilient cultures, and navigate AI-era change without losing their center.If this conversation sparked something for you, follow the show, share it with a colleague who leads teams, and leave a review with one takeaway you’ll act on this week. Your note helps others find the podcast and keeps these stories flowing.
Transcribe →Ep. 11 - Breaking Silos, Building Retail Wins | With Toby Willse
Jan 3101:01:16Tap to summarizeThe most expensive mistake in retail media isn’t bad targeting, it’s planning in silos. We sit down with media leader Toby Willse to map how the field evolved from banner buys to agentic commerce, why teams still talk past each other, and what it takes to turn retailer-specific wins into brand-level growth. From his design roots to ad tech tours through AOL and Millennial Media, Toby explains how creative strategy, data access, and relationship management shape outcomes more than any single tactic.We unpack the headliners from CES and NRF, including Google’s momentum in AI shopping, retailer partnerships, and the coming wave of sponsored prompts. Expect smart provocation on the “collapsed funnel” narrative: CTV with QR codes lowers friction, but it doesn’t magically become a conversion channel. Instead, think of new side doors to the bottom of the funnel and measure accordingly. We lay out a realistic framework for attribution that pairs platform signals with retail POS and modeled incrementality, while admitting there’s no silver bullet and AMC is a powerful slice, not the whole pie.This conversation also goes human. Retail media teams juggle overlapping retailers, expanding JBPs, and constant change. We share practical ways to fight burnout, from using AI agents for repetitive work to establishing daily learning habits and grounding decisions with store and site walks. And if we could fix one systemic issue? Tear down the walled gardens to enable privacy-safe, interoperable measurement and smarter creative orchestration across channels.If you care about better KPIs, cleaner alignment between brand and sales, and making AI work for your team instead of against it, you’ll find plenty to steal here. Follow the show, share it with a teammate who’s buried in dashboards, and leave a quick review to tell us your number-one retail media headache.
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