Episodes

Amazon released an outstanding Q4 with strong growth in sales and profitability driving a huge uptick in their share price. In this episode Bryan and Andrea break down the drivers of that performance as well as key attributes of the call that highlight Amazon's future prospects and growth: 1) Faster and Cheaper - how increased delivery speed and lower cost to serve are transforming Amazon's ability to solve for consumer products retail 2) International's quest to balance growth and profitability...

In this episode Bryan Gildenberg does a guest stint on High Impact's "The Retail Journey" podcast (link to audio and YouTube to subscribe below) In this podcast, Bryan, James and Charles discuss why a digital-first approach to retail media in the US is crucial and how it contrasts with other markets. They also share insights about Walmart Luminate and the escalating importance of first-party data. You’ll gain a fresh perspective on the evolution of product discovery and how data is reshaping th...

In this episode Bryan Gildenberg and MAS Commerce founder Matthew Smith talk about Matthew's new venture and how it plans to help companies embrace, harness and develop the promise of AI into practical business results. You were a launch leader of Walmart’s 2 biggest innovation businesses in its history—why would you leave that now? We’ve noticed you posting a lot about AI (Bryan even ran into you at an AI conference last week!)—how has a career sales guy suddenly found himself in AI Tech circ...

In this episode Bryan Gildenberg and Andrea Leigh tackle a few key issues that Amazon's Q3 results highlighted after a quick review of their actual performance. In particular they focus the conversation on 5 key changes for Amazon's "footprint" - the basic shape of their business: 1) Amazon's results in cloud put into context - though "disappointing" they continue to by all appearances be growing scale and share 2) Amazon's international experience and why they aren't more profitable internation...

This episode celebrates the holiday season in style with a conversation about the evolution of digital commerce in a notoriously tricky environment - the alcoholic beverage category! We discuss the following areas: 1) Swiftly's innovative solution for allowing retailers to take advantage of retail media successfully even without money passing from manufacturer to retailer 2) The digital innovations from Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits - one of the most sophisticated companies in the CPG space m...

The CPGGUYS are joined in this episode by Kevin Yu, the founder & CEO of SideChef, an all-in-one home cooking platform. Follow Kevin Yu on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinyuarts/ Follow SideChef on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sidechef/ Follow SideChef online at: https://www.sidechef.com/ Kevin answers these questions : 1) Walk us through the origin story on what drove you to found the company and what consumer need states did you feel that the market was not de...

Bryan & PVSB are joined in the October monthly recap by John carroll, President of Digital Commerce & Advanced Analytics at Acosta Group. Follow John on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnccarrolljr/ We discuss the following topics: Instacart - Trade Desk partnership GLP1’s impact to the food and beverage industry Amazon unBoxed Key Announcements Increase in promotional activity post-pandemic Rite Aid files for bankruptcy AI use cases Wegmans takes Manhattan Changing Retail M...

The CPG Guys in Partnership with Brave Commerce feature Commerce Cares, an effort to provide humanitarian relief to Israel. This one hour LinkedIn Live event featured a number of industry luminaries along with people dedicated to enabling the efficient delivery of humanitarian relief to those affected by the recent horrible atrocities that took place in Israel. To donate money to Commerce cares: http://tinyurl.com/commerce-cares To purchase humanitarian goods via Amazon: http://bit.ly/46NEvZ3

Bryan & PVSB are joined in the September monthly recap by Scott Benedict, Affiliate Partner at McMillanDolittle. Follow Scott on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottrbenedict/ We discuss the following topics: Amazon launches generative AI to help sellers write product descriptions Instacart stock erodes after IPO Jelly giant J.M. Smucker agrees to buy Twinkie maker Hostess Brands for $5.6 billion Kroger and Albertsons Companies Announce Sale of 413 stores to C&S Amazon and Shopif...

Allume Group Founder & CEO Andrea K. Leigh & PVSB recap their impressions of the 2023 Amazon Accelerate sellers conference.

Bryan, Sri & PVSB recently conduct a LinkedIn Live session recapping key themes from August '23. We have converted this into a podcast episode. Topics include: Instacart Announces IPO PepsiCo invests in Instacart Rite Aid prepping for Chapter 11 ALDI acquires Winn-Dixie from Southeastern Grocers Global ad spending to top $1 Trillion in 2023 Walmart Sellers Conference in Las Vegas Amazon resets Fresh format, readies to resume expansion Barbie sponsors reap big returns Dollar General repo...

In this episode Bryan Gildenberg and Andrea K. (Andrea Minnie) Leigh tackle a few key issues that Amazon's Q2 results highlighted after a quick review of their actual performance. In particular they focus the conversation on 5 key changes for Amazon's "footprint" - the basic shape of their business: 1) Amazon's new economic footprint - advertiser vs. infrastructure vs. retail 2) Amazon's new growth footprint - AWS and it's somewhat "cloud"y outlook for growth 3) Amazon's retooled logistics footr...

Sri & PVSB recently conduct a LinkedIn Live session recapping key themes from July '23. We have converted this into a podcast episode. Topics include: IAB Retail Media Guide. The definitive approach, a good start or not enough? Amazon “re” fresh - a new and better start? How is retail media doing in regional retail? Ask Instacart… transformational to search? Self-checkout for grocery..another checkout option or “all in”? Amazon ad sales up 22% in latest earnings..any signs of ...

In this week's episode Bryan is joined by another Brian, Brian Owens, the SVO of Commerce Strategy for VMLY&R Commerce for a conversation focused on Brian's 2 overlapping passion points - Inclusivity in Commerce (#JusticeAtShelf) and the evolving integration of Healthcare and Commerce. The Bri/yans discuss how to think about defining and achieving success in bringing more inclusivity to commerce, and ways to think about that tangibly and specifically not abstractly. They also discuss the importa...

In this week's 2 part episode Bryan Gildenberg is joined once again by Allume Group's CEO Andrea Leigh for a discussion on Amazon's aspirations in AI - notably how they are using the thinking that powered AWS to power their winning hardware solution in AI. In Part 2 Bryan interviews Kantar's knowledge lead, Walker Smith, about the future of ChatGPT...what it's best at today, how it can help consumers and insights professionals, and where it is going in the future. This episode is sponsored by Go...

In this week's 2 part episode Bryan Gildenberg is joined by Allume Group's CEO Andrea Leigh for a discussion on Amazon's aspirations in the grocery industry based on their last quarter's earnings results...and then in Part 2 Bryan interviews the CEO of the Consumer Brands Association David Chavern about the organization and their upcoming event, the CPG Summit, September 26-28 in Colorado Springs, CO. They discuss the CBA's mission, purpose and position on key issues like supply chain, technolog...

Bryan is joined by guest co-host Andrea K. Leigh of Allume Group as they speak with autor Jason Del Ray about his new book "Winner Sells All:Amazon, Walmart, and the Battle for Our Wallets" This episode is sponsored by GoSpotCheck by Form – the leading provider of mobile market execution software. Purchase Jason's book on Amazon at: https://a.co/d/5UcwUTy Follow GoSpotCheck by Form on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gospotcheck/ Follow GoSpotCheck by Form online at: https://www....

For the inaugural episode of Fast Forward, CPG Guy Bryan Gildenberg is joined by Leon Nicholas, Vice President of Insights and Retail Solutions at WestRock Company, a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions. This episode is sponsored by GoSpotCheck by Form – the leading provider of mobile market execution software. Follow Leon Nicholas on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-nicholas-a06565/ Follow WestRock Company on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/we...

Host Bryan Gildenberg is joined by his fellow CPG Guys Sri Rajagopalan & Peter V.S. Bond along with special guest Andrea Leigh of Allume Group to break down what they found most intriguing about the recent Shoptalk Conference in Las Vegas.

Bryan Gildenberg discusses the application of KPIs in performance marketing

Peter Interviewed Sherry Smith, Executive Managing Director of Retail Media at Criteo. Sherry discussed some of the innovation occurring at Criteo including the new Commerce Max DSP. This interview occurred at the 2022 Groceryshop conference in Las Vegas, NV.

In The Know Series featuring Dave Sommer, Chief Customer Officer of Fetch, the mobile loyalty platform. Dave discusses the 4 Ps of loyalty marketing driving the rapid adoption of Fetch as it approaches 20 million monthly active users.

Fresh 4 News Stories for the week of October 3, 2022 1) Walmart makes bet on Metaverse with Roblox. 2) Amazon Increases Pay, Again, for Front-line Employees 3) Kroger Looks To Wean Itself Off Instacart 4) Instacart unveils sweeping health-focused initiative Featuring: Allume Group's Andrea Leigh Pacvue's Melissa Burdick Sri Rajagopalan Fetch's Peter V.S. Bond

Bryan Gildenberg discusses the concept of brand switchers in the era of the pandemic and the implications from supply chain challenges.