The CPG Guys — Commerce Riff with Sri & PVSB

Episode: January 20, 2026
Hosts: Peter V.S. Bond (PVSB) & Sri Rajagopalan

Episode Overview

In this fast-paced, 10-minute Commerce Riff, Sri Rajagopalan and Peter V.S. Bond dissect the latest pivotal developments in the CPG and retail landscape. This week’s focus spans digital transformation at Coca-Cola, landmark changes in retail media, AI and omnichannel orchestration, Walmart’s executive reshuffle, and emerging consumer spending trends amid economic uncertainty. The discussion is enriched by industry data, strategic implications, and memorable insights from both hosts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Coca-Cola’s New Chief Digital Officer & Digital Transformation

• Timestamp: 00:37–02:21
• Coca-Cola is creating a new Chief Digital Officer (CDO) role as part of a major leadership reshuffle under incoming CEO Henrique Braun.
  • Zef Salingan Sahin (20-year company veteran) is tapped for the role, reporting directly to the CEO.
  • Sahin will lead digital transformation aimed at streamlining workflows and enhancing consumer engagement across the enterprise.
• The move signals that digital is now a core enterprise-wide strategy, not just a marketing function.
• Memorable quote:

  “Digital isn't just a marketing plan anymore, it's enterprise wide strategy. …Coke is betting big on digital transformation at a time when CPG brands face massive technological disruption.”
  — Peter V.S. Bond [01:30]

2. Retail Media’s New Era: Omnichannel Orchestration & GenAI

• Timestamp: 02:21–04:57
• Sky Constratably’s 2026 State of Retail Media Report reveals retail media as a critical driver, now at nearly 30% of all US digital ad spend.
• Top performers distinguish themselves with:
  • Unified omnichannel orchestration
  • Real-time incrementality measurement
  • Advanced applications of generative AI across the campaign lifecycle
• Key Statistics:
  • 70% of advertisers meet or exceed retail media performance goals
  • 30% of paid search and 34% of paid social dollars now drive retail
  • 32% of total media spend (not just digital) coordinated through retail media
  • 63% of marketers are leveraging GenAI, increasingly for optimization, analytics, and personalization—beyond just creative
  • Brands measuring incrementality see:
    • 54% reduced wasted spend
    • 49% increase in new customer acquisition
    • 29% improved competitive positioning
• Sri’s commentary:

  “Brands that don't plan, organize and measure for it will find themselves invisible at the point of discovery and decision. Invisible is the word.” [03:40]

• Notable partnership: Kroger with Google Gemini

3. Walmart’s Executive Reshuffle & AI Focus

• Timestamp: 05:04–06:55
• Incoming CEO John Furner announces sweeping changes:
  • David Gina becomes CEO of Walmart U.S.
  • Catherine McLay exits; Chris Nicholas takes over Walmart International
  • Latrice Watkins becomes CEO of Sam’s Club U.S.
• Seth Delaire will serve as Chief Growth Officer globally.
• Walmart brings on Grammarly CEO Shishir Mehrotra (AI, YouTube, tech veteran) to its board.
• AI is a front-and-center agenda, with collaboration with Google/Alphabet:
  • Plans unveiled at NRF 2026 Big Show for new consumer experiences via Google’s AI chatbot, Gemini.
• Memorable quote:

  “What won’t change is our purpose, our values, the way we think about leading... But everything else we are willing to change: what we sell, how we interact with customers, with our associates.”
  — John Furner at NRF 2026, cited by Peter V.S. Bond [06:40]

4. 2026 Consumer Spending & Retail Outlook

• Timestamp: 06:55–08:45
• Moody’s Ratings forecasts real consumer spending growth will decline to around 1.5% in 2026.
• Emerging pressure points:
  • More cautious consumer behavior due to affordability concerns and a softening labor market.
  • Households face rising health care costs, high childcare expenses, and increasing costs for other essentials.
  • Discount retailers (Dollar General, Dollar Tree) are gaining higher-income shoppers and expanding offerings with multiprice strategies.
• Value-oriented retailers stand to gain as shoppers trade down.
• Deloitte data (October): Consumers of all income brackets plan to curtail spending, especially post-holidays.
• Sri’s insight:

  “Companies best aligned with consumer value and convenience are more likely to have better financial outcomes… value-focused retailers are poised to gain market share as consumers trade down.” [07:50]

• Younger job seekers face more challenges, while stable middle-aged employment helps steady spending.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the significance of digital transformation:

  “This formalizes digital strategy at the C-suite level... Digital isn't just a marketing plan anymore, it's enterprise-wide strategy.”
  — Peter V.S. Bond [01:00]

• On retail media’s new reality:

  “If you are not a retail media guru, you are not a media guru anymore.”
  — Sri Rajagopalan [04:50]

• On being visible at checkout:

  “Brands that don't plan, organize and measure for it will find themselves invisible at the point of discovery and decision.”
  — Sri Rajagopalan [03:40]

• Walmart embracing change:

  “Everything else we are willing to change: what we sell, how we interact with customers, with our associates.”
  — Cited from John Furner [06:40]

Important Timestamps

• 00:37 – Coca-Cola’s Chief Digital Officer, new digital strategy
• 02:21 – Retail media and omnichannel orchestration insights
• 04:57 – Analyst reactions, commentary, segue to Walmart topic
• 05:04 – Walmart C-suite updates and technology focus
• 06:55 – Consumer spending forecast, value retailers’ outlook

Summary Takeaways

This episode spotlights massive digital acceleration across both brands and retailers—from Coca-Cola’s executive-level commitment to digital, to Walmart’s AI-driven reinvention and leadership shakeup. The hosts underscore the imperative for brands to integrate retail media omnichannel strategies and harness gen AI, or risk market invisibility. Meanwhile, macroeconomic headwinds and consumer caution point to robust opportunities for value-centric retailers. The recurring message: Adaptation and technology integration are no longer optional—they’re business-critical in CPG and retail as we move toward a complex, AI-powered future.