Podcast Summary: The CPG Guys - Live from Cannes Lions 2025 with eBay's Emily O'Hara & Joan's Lisa Clunie

Release Date: August 6, 2025

In the milestone 500th episode of The CPG Guys, hosts Peter V.S. Bond and Sree Rajagopalan engage in an insightful conversation with two industry stalwarts: Lisa Clunie, Co-Founder and CEO of Joan, and Emily O'Hara, Vice President and Head of Global Brand and Media at eBay. Recorded live from the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France, this episode delves deep into the evolving landscape of commerce, consumer trust, and the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sectors.

1. Introduction and Event Kickoff

The episode begins with a brief announcement by Sree Rajagopalan about the upcoming Big Grocery Shop Kickoff Party in Las Vegas, hosted in partnership with Rethink Retail. This event serves as a gathering point for industry leaders to celebrate the onset of the annual Grocery Shop event.

2. eBay's Position in the Modern Marketplace

Peter V.S. Bond opens the discussion by querying how eBay fits into the contemporary ecosystem, especially given the plethora of diluted marketplaces and publishers. Emily O'Hara responds by highlighting eBay's legacy as the original marketplace with over 30 years of history. She emphasizes eBay's unique position as a human-to-human marketplace that does not own inventory or exploit user data for unsolicited product suggestions.

"We're really looking at empowering our buyers and sellers on the platform."
— Emily O'Hara (04:20)

Emily underscores eBay's commitment to fostering genuine connections between users, differentiating it from other e-commerce platforms that often prioritize algorithm-driven recommendations.

3. Brand Storytelling on eBay

Sree Rajagopalan steers the conversation towards brand storytelling on platforms like eBay, where community and culture are paramount. Lisa Clunie elaborates on eBay's diverse user base, which ranges from Pokémon collectors to luxury handbag enthusiasts. She stresses the importance of leveraging subcultures, fandoms, and communities to authentically tell eBay's story through the voices of its users rather than traditional top-down advertising.

"How do the voice of the buyers and sellers and the fans really kind of own the narrative and how do we showcase them?"
— Lisa Clunie (06:36)

The hosts and guests share personal anecdotes about discovering cherished items on eBay, reinforcing the platform's role in facilitating meaningful and intentional consumption.

4. Partnership Between eBay and Joan

The synergy between eBay and Joan is a focal point of the discussion. Lisa Clunie and Emily O'Hara discuss their three and a half-year partnership, which has been instrumental in building consistent brand foundations globally. They highlight the collaborative efforts to define "things people love" and ensure that eBay remains the first choice for consumers seeking both C2C and B2C transactions.

"We're not an agency-client relationship. It's a deep partnership and I think we both believe like we win, like together."
— Emily O'Hara (10:39)

5. Measuring Success: KPIs and Brand Performance

When questioning about Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Emily O'Hara emphasizes that eBay's primary KPI is customer satisfaction for both buyers and sellers. She articulates the importance of brand consideration and ensuring that eBay remains a top-of-mind choice for consumers.

"We're just at the start, I mean, three years in, but we're seeing great progress thus far."
— Emily O'Hara (14:18)

Lisa Clunie complements this by discussing Joan's approach to maintaining eBay's brand authenticity while participating actively in cultural moments. She introduces the concept of "modern legends", balancing modern relevance with legendary brand strength to ensure long-term brand health and equity.

"Make sure that our brand foundations feel really strong as you're doing it."
— Lisa Clunie (20:27)

6. The Impact of AI on Creativity and Personalization

A significant portion of the episode delves into the role of Artificial Intelligence in transforming creativity and personalization within marketing. Lisa Clunie shares Joan's perspective on using AI for prototyping creative ideas, allowing for more dynamic and personalized content creation. She anticipates a split in the creative landscape, where some agencies focus on high-volume, personalized content while others prioritize big, original ideas.

"The creative agencies will start to sort of separate where some will build their whole machine on volume and personalization and some will build their whole machine on big ideas and sort of, you know, the originality piece."
— Lisa Clunie (35:18)

Emily O'Hara discusses eBay's strategy to balance human-centric experiences with AI-driven efficiencies. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining human authenticity in the face of increasing automation and AI integration.

"Keeping human at the center of our strategy is really key."
— Emily O'Hara (31:39)

7. Future of Marketplaces and Consumer Trust

Lisa Clunie shares her vision for the future of marketplaces, positioning eBay as a platform that prioritizes human connections and joyful interactions over mere transactional efficiency. She contrasts eBay's approach with other marketplaces that focus solely on ease and convenience, highlighting eBay's unique blend of personality and thoughtful engagement.

"eBay is the home of where humans can find other humans over things that they love."
— Lisa Clunie (30:00)

Emily O'Hara echoes this sentiment, advocating for a balance between removing friction in transactions and preserving the serendipitous moments that make marketplaces engaging and delightful.

"We're really creating love, will I love it?"
— Emily O'Hara (35:51)

8. Responsible AI and Ensuring Consumer Trust

Towards the episode's conclusion, the conversation shifts to responsible AI and its implications for consumer trust. Emily O'Hara introduces eBay's AI transparency measures, ensuring that users are aware when AI is involved in their interactions on the platform.

"We have eBay, AI. So anytime AI is on our platform, you will see it called out explicitly."
— Emily O'Hara (40:45)

Lisa Clunie touches upon the challenges of authenticity in an AI-driven advertising landscape. She anticipates an increase in litigation related to false advertising and underscores the importance of maintaining accuracy and realness in brand communications.

"We're going to have a lot of litigious stuff going on there, I think."
— Lisa Clunie (41:48)

9. Closing Remarks

The episode wraps up with heartfelt thanks to the guests and a reminder to listeners about accessing more content via the CPG Guys' website.

Notable Quotes

• Emily O'Hara (04:20): "We're really looking at empowering our buyers and sellers on the platform."
• Lisa Clunie (06:36): "How do the voice of the buyers and sellers and the fans really kind of own the narrative and how do we showcase them?"
• Emily O'Hara (10:39): "We're not an agency-client relationship. It's a deep partnership and I think we both believe like we win, like together."
• Lisa Clunie (20:27): "Make sure that our brand foundations feel really strong as you're doing it."
• Lisa Clunie (35:18): "The creative agencies will start to sort of separate where some will build their whole machine on volume and personalization and some will build their whole machine on big ideas and sort of, you know, the originality piece."
• Emily O'Hara (31:39): "Keeping human at the center of our strategy is really key."
• Lisa Clunie (30:00): "eBay is the home of where humans can find other humans over things that they love."
• Emily O'Hara (35:51): "We're really creating love, will I love it?"
• Emily O'Hara (40:45): "We have eBay, AI. So anytime AI is on our platform, you will see it called out explicitly."
• Lisa Clunie (41:48): "We're going to have a lot of litigious stuff going on there, I think."

Key Takeaways

1. Human-Centric Marketplace: eBay distinguishes itself by fostering genuine connections between buyers and sellers, emphasizing community and personal passions over algorithm-driven recommendations.

2. Authentic Brand Storytelling: Leveraging user-generated narratives and subcultures is pivotal for brands like eBay to maintain authenticity and relevance.

3. Strategic Partnerships: The collaboration between eBay and Joan exemplifies a deep, long-term partnership focused on consistent brand building and mutual success.

4. AI's Dual Role: While AI enhances personalization and efficiency, maintaining human authenticity remains crucial to consumer trust and brand integrity.

5. Future of Marketplaces: The balance between removing transactional friction and preserving joyful, serendipitous shopping experiences will define the next generation of marketplaces.

6. Responsible AI Practices: Transparency in AI usage and safeguarding against false advertising are essential for maintaining consumer trust in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Conclusion

This episode of The CPG Guys offers a comprehensive exploration of the current and future state of e-commerce, brand-building, and the integral role of AI in shaping consumer experiences. Through the expert insights of Lisa Clunie and Emily O'Hara, listeners gain valuable perspectives on maintaining authenticity, fostering meaningful consumer relationships, and navigating the complexities of a digitally driven marketplace.