The Speed of Culture Podcast

Brand Building: How Lowe’s is Transforming into a Culture-Driven, AI-Powered Lifestyle Brand

Host: Matt Britton, Founder and CEO of Suzy
Guest: Jennifer Wilson, CMO at Lowe’s
Date: February 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Matt Britton sits down with Jennifer Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Lowe’s, to explore how Lowe’s is shifting from its traditional association with construction supplies (“sticks and bricks”) to a modern, culture-driven, customer-focused, and AI-powered lifestyle brand. The discussion covers changing consumer trends post-pandemic, Lowe’s investments in technology and cultural partnerships, the impact of the creator economy, and the role of data in retail marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Evolving Meaning of "Home" Post-Pandemic

[03:21–05:59]

• Home as a Lifestyle:
  Jennifer notes that after the pandemic, homes have shifted from being merely places of respite to multifunctional lifestyle spaces, reflecting how families and individuals live, work, and socialize.
  • “We’re going from respite to lifestyle. That’s really how I want you to think… Where we’re taking our brand is that we play an integral role in how people live their life and we want to be a part of that.” – Jennifer Wilson [03:43]
• Multi-Generational and Pet-Friendly Living:
  Homes are evolving with changing family compositions (children, pets), creating more dynamic needs.
• Return to In-Person:
  Despite more remote work, there’s a resurgence of younger generations (Millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha) desiring in-person experiences, impacting how Lowe’s designs in-store experiences.

2. Challenging Old Assumptions and Retail Transformation

[05:59–08:07]

• Beyond Construction:
  Lowe’s is actively changing its image from a construction supply store to a comprehensive marketplace, adding millions of home décor and lifestyle products.
• Experiential Retail:
  In-store experiences are being prioritized—holiday displays, DIY classes for kids, and unique loyalty perks.
  • “We’re trying to make consumers understand that Lowe’s plays a role in your lifestyle. And it doesn’t have to just be the traditional…Lowe’s for building materials.” – Jennifer Wilson [06:12]
• AI Investment:
  Major investments in AI technologies are helping consumers visualize projects and giving staff tools to better serve customers.

3. The Rise of AI in Home Improvement

[08:07–11:04]

• Customer Empowerment:
  AI helps reduce the barrier to DIY by providing guidance and recommendations at every step—removing the intimidation factor for new homeowners.
  • “AI can really say, OK, first go to Lowe’s, buy this stuff, go home, then do this…could be really empowering...” – Matt Britton [08:54]
• Associate Enablement:
  Staff can use AI for on-the-job knowledge, improving their confidence to help customers, even without deep prior trade expertise.
  • “Now all of that information is at their fingertips… We’re leveraging AI across our stores to really bolster the knowledge of associates.” – Jennifer Wilson [09:03]

4. Commitment to Trade Communities

[09:00–11:04]

• Trades & AI Cohesion:
  While AI empowers both consumers and associates, Lowe’s invests in trade skills and the trade community, recognizing that human expertise for physical installations will remain critical.
  • “AI can’t be the one who does come and fix your clogged drain… we are making a commitment and investing in our trade community…” – Jennifer Wilson [09:43]

5. Changing Shopping Behaviors Across Generations

[11:04–11:59]

• From Weekends to Impulse:
  Younger shoppers are more likely to buy based on impulse and trends surfaced through social media, not just necessity or scheduled DIY weekends.
  • “There’s a whole different merchandise approach that we’re going to market with…” – Jennifer Wilson [11:04]

6. Impact of High Interest Rates & the Home Refurbishment Market

[12:18–14:21]

• Stay-and-Renovate Trend:
  Fewer people are moving due to higher interest rates; instead, they invest in home upgrades and repairs. Lowe’s targets these customers through marketing and by facilitating access to home equity.
  • “We want consumers to think about home equity lines and really taking on those bigger projects…” – Jennifer Wilson [12:52]
• Appliance Sales Leadership:
  Continued product innovation (e.g., "craft ice" refrigerators), supported by efficient supply chains.

7. Content, Creators, and the New Era of Social Shopping

[14:21–17:18]

• Creator Network Launch:
  Lowe’s launched a creator network (>26,000 creators), leveraging diverse voices for storytelling and product virality.
• Social-Driven Campaigns:
  Example: Black Friday viral buckets and golden tickets driving foot traffic, with creators amplifying stories.
  • “The swell that you can get… over 200 million views… in a very condensed period of time with a network is just unbelievable.” – Jennifer Wilson [16:32]

8. Cultural Partnerships: The NFL and "Earn Your Sunday"

[19:01–22:17]

• NFL as a Cultural Anchor:
  The NFL partnership acts as a powerful engagement driver—live sports remain a key unifier for American audiences.

  • “The NFL is a cultural movement… We admire them and really appreciate our partnership.” – Jennifer Wilson [19:40]

• Campaign Activation:
  "Earn Your Sunday" resonates with families and ties into NFL routines; extended through EA Sports and in-person experiences (e.g., tour buses).

• Viral Product Moments:
  Collaborations with NFL stars (e.g., Justin Jefferson's oversized ice necklace) showcase Lowe’s ability to jump on cultural waves with unexpected product offerings.

  • “We created an oversized ice necklace… literally a half an hour later, we're sold out. …And so they're just like cultural moments… That the NFL creates. I mean, they create it hourly, if not every Sunday. And so to be a part of that… it's both incredibly powerful, but also unexpected for a home improvement brand.” – Jennifer Wilson [21:17]

9. Calculated Risk and Brand Passion

[22:17–26:24]

• Balancing Tradition and Innovation:
  Jennifer identifies customer understanding and calculated experimentation as her formula for brand evolution.
  • “I want to take risks. They just need to be calculated. And… be authentic to who we are.” – Jennifer Wilson [24:22]
• Sustaining Passion at One Company:
  Passion and being a “sucker for transformation,” paired with a driven management team, drive ongoing innovation at Lowe’s.
  • “You have no business working for a challenger brand if you’re okay being number two… we hire for people who want to be number one.” – Jennifer Wilson [25:07]

10. Data, Retail Media, and First-Party Insights

[26:24–30:41]

• Loyalty as Leverage:
  With 38M+ loyalty members, Lowe’s uses deep customer and "home" data to drive personalization and share of wallet for partners.
  • “It’s not just consumer data, it's actually home data too. … I can tell you when a home is 10 years old and needs XYZ replacements and repair.” – Jennifer Wilson [28:56]
• Opportunities for Partners:
  Lowe’s retail media network lets advertisers tap into omnichannel experiences and cultural partnerships seamlessly.
• Future of Retail Media:
  Focus on connecting digital data with in-store experiences, blending nostalgia (shopper marketing) with advanced analytics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Brand Evolution:
  “We’re going from respite to lifestyle… we want to be a part of [how people live their life].” – Jennifer Wilson [03:43]
• On AI Empowerment:
  “We’re leveraging AI… to really bolster the knowledge of associates, all propping up this brand promise of being the most helpful brand in home improvement.” – Jennifer Wilson [09:03]
• On The Power of Creators:
  “Our creator network single handedly helped us have a very strong holiday season… You can get… over 200 million views… with a network.” – Jennifer Wilson [16:32]
• On Cultural Partnerships:
  “The NFL is a cultural movement… and we admire them and really appreciate our partnership.” – Jennifer Wilson [19:40]
• On Risk & Brand Passion:
  “What’s so important to me is to not be a 20 year veteran… I want to take risks. They just need to be calculated.” – Jennifer Wilson [24:22]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Meaning of Home Post-Pandemic: [03:21–05:59]
• Shifting from "Sticks and Bricks": [05:59–08:07]
• AI in Empowering Customers and Associates: [08:07–11:04]
• Supporting Trade Communities alongside AI: [09:43–11:04]
• Generational Shopping Behaviors: [11:04–11:59]
• Elevated Interest Rates & Renovation Trends: [12:18–14:21]
• Lowe's Creator Network & Social Virality: [14:21–17:18]
• NFL Partnership & "Earn Your Sunday": [19:01–22:17]
• Calculated Risk, Brand Passion & Team: [22:17–26:24]
• Retail Media Network & Data Strategy: [26:24–30:41]
• Career Takeaways & Team Leadership: [31:08–34:03]
• Personal Mantras & Career Wisdom: [33:24–34:03]

Jennifer Wilson’s Career Lessons

[31:08–34:03]

• Diverse Business Experience:
  “If you want to move in a fast track… make sure you have business unit experience too… it’s a huge leg up.”

• Take the Assignment:
  Embracing challenging assignments shows enterprise-level thinking and commitment.

• Shared Leadership:
  “All our stripes are off. …Whatever it takes for the next year… I’m here for it. And I need you all here for it too.”

• Personal Career Mantra:
  “Lift those around you up and don’t look to be the smartest person in the room. But secondly, own it. Own every decision that you make. Good, bad, indifferent.” – Jennifer Wilson [33:24]

Conclusion

This episode offers listeners a candid, energized look at how Lowe’s is aggressively transforming itself for the next era—blending culture, technology, social influence, and foundational values to stay deeply relevant to both legacy and next-generation consumers. Jennifer Wilson’s insights provide actionable takeaways on leadership, innovation, calculated risk-taking, and the importance of data and culture in retail brand building.