Latest / SHeCOMMERCE / Episode 31: Cannes Confidential with Liz Roche - Rosé, AI & Retail Media

Transcript

Episode 31: Cannes Confidential with Liz Roche - Rosé, AI & Retail Media · SHeCOMMERCE

• 0:08
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome back to GCCommerce, where real talk collides in the CPG world.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_02: We're here with Can Confidential.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_02: I did the I did the we're here with Can Confidential.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's day four or five or twenty-seven.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we don't really know.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: No idea.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: So bear with us, folks.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: We are so, so excited about our guests today.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: And let's let's give you a little intro into this powerhouse we're we're speaking to.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone in commerce right now loves to say they're data driven, but saying it and actually doing something about it are very, very different things.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Being truly data driven isn't about dashboards, reports, or buzzwords.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: It's about turning signals into decisions and decisions into real, measurable growth.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where today's guest lives.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: The fabulous Liz Roche, VP of Albertson's Media Collective, sits at one of the most powerful intersections in our industry.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Where media meets transaction, where insight meets action, and where data doesn't just inform strategy, it drives it.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: She's helping shape what retail media looks like when it actually works, when it closes the loop, connects the dots, and delivers impact beyond a slide deck.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: And in a moment where AI is loud and expectations are even louder, everyone is trying to figure out what truly matters, especially this week in CAN.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_02: Liz, you bring something we don't get enough of: clarity.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: Clarity on what data should be doing, clarity on what brands are getting right, what they're getting wrong, clarity on how we move from noise to real sustainable growth.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_02: So today we're getting into all about data, AI, retail media, the chaos of CAN, and what it actually takes to win right now.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_02: Because Liz Roche isn't about following the conversation, she's about shaping it.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: So, Liz, welcome to Cannes edition of Cannes Componential with She Commerce.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you both so much for having me.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited to be here.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: Very excited to have you here.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: Well, before we jump into all of it, Cannes is obviously part thought leadership.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's deal making, a lot of music and chaos and heat.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_02: What's been your biggest like, wow?
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_02: This is where the industry is actually going so far this week.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: AI has been a topic of conversation.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure if you guys have heard about it.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, really?
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: I haven't heard that yet.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, if you haven't heard about AI, it's crazy.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: Everyone's talking about it.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: But I actually think there's a new conversation about AI, and that's the application of AI as opposed to net new items that involve AI.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll give you a few examples.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, one at Albertson's, we launched our conversational AI search on dot com and are actually seeing impact, you know, upwards of 10% basket growth through that.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: So bringing AI to commerce to actually enhance both the shopper experience as well as you know, results for our CPG partners is a super, super interesting space to be.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: I think in years prior, maybe we've talked about AI in a little bit more of a fantastical way of wouldn't it be cool if this practical application, I think, is where we're going.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_01: And all of us are looking for ways to leverage AI in some of our existing channels, our existing medium, just to make them that much more impactful.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_02: Can you notice is this on-site on app?
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_02: So your shopper conversation can say, I'm looking for a gluten-free snack for my daughter, peanut-free, because they have an allergy.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_02: Is it something like?
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, conversational search experience, I think, is is really where the industry is moving.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I know personally that's where I've moved, right?
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um absolutely and that's how that's how I've I've used agents to plan everything from vacations to recipes.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, that's my big hack.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: Plan a vacation using you know, chat GPT or Claude or your preferred your preferred itinerary.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: The itinerary, you can even give it a price range and it'll give you tiered vacation options based on those prices.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: That's amazing.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I've done it.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, um, I I think there's a lot of practical application.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's a fun one, the vacation.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: But but there is a practical application, of course, in grocery because I think, you know, grocery is a very habitual act.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: Like you go, you park in the same spot, you walk the store the same way.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: And what's great about groceries that you know, people still love going to the grocery store.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: In the US, the majority of groceries are still purchased in store.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: So, really, how do you bring in a new experience by way of AI to help people get inspired, maybe break out of some of that habit, try new things?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, love that.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, my God, it's it's true.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: I was just thinking back to my grocery shopping.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: I always go right.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Without fit.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: I always go right.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: Someone's in your spot, it's kind of like, well, why are they here?
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_02: Good.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: Or they have like heart.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: Like if my kids are there, they're like, where's the pink heart?
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: Like that's a problem.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the other thing, when we talked about like the last year, inflation.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_02: I they could use it to say, hey, this is my budget this week.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_02: Like these are the things I need versus some things maybe I want.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: Make a little shopping list for me.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_02: And I could see them doing using it for that.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: And it's all about enhancing the human experience and not trying to take subtract from it, right?
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: But but how can we make folks' lives a little bit easier?
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Of course.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: So we've talked about that, but going back into uh another hot take from Ken, what have you seen that's made you think, all right, now chill for a moment that you've seen so far this year?
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: First and foremost, the back-to-back meetings.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: It's just too hot.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: So it's too hot for me to cruise from beach to beach.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: I I'm I'm running through shirts like you wouldn't believe.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_01: So so I think Ken needs to chill on back-to-back meetings next year.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: But I also think that the the conversations I've noticed an evolution of conversation that and that is more toward partnership and less toward a one-sided sales conversation.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's where we're all at.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: Look, the bottom line is there's no shortage of solutions in market.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: There's a solution for everything you need and and frankly for all the things you don't need as well.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: But being able to kind of sit down and get really real with folks in this environment, I feel like maybe it's the heat or maybe it's the fact that we're in Europe.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: But I do think that that is a unique opportunity at Cannes where we can just get down to brass tacks and say, hey, this is what I'm looking to solve this year.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_01: Here are my opportunity points.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um I maybe this isn't the transaction you were envisioning, but what happens if we work together to solve some of our top priorities?
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's so could be.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Alrighty.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: So retail media networks are sitting on arguably arguably the most valuable asset in commerce right now, right?
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: First party data at scale.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: So here's a question: are brands actually using that data, data to drive growth or just reporting what already happened?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's the evolution of retail media right now into measurable growth versus vanity metrics.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: Right now, all marketers are under pressure to deliver.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_01: It is a it is a challenging environment right now.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't think you can frivolously spend marketing dollars on anything, but it's not good enough to just get a really good report and put it on the fridge and pat ourselves on the back.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we have to take the that information and translate it from data to it to action, which is actually the hardest part.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: There is no shortage of data.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: Anyone who tells you there's a shortage of data simply is lying, but there is a gap in insight, and from insight to action is an even larger gap.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's the direction, though, that I've seen rapidly marketers rapidly shift in that direction because they are being pressed to do more with less.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_01: And in retail media specifically, that's why the conversation has moved to incrementality.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's why it's moved into longitudinal metrics, it's why it's moved into category growth.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: All of those things really take into account the full value of the partnership versus the single campaign.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: What's the cumulative impact of my partnership with Albertsons versus what happened when I ran this very specific promo in this very specific point in time?
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: So, what what differentiates or separates insight from noise?
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's the actionability on that front.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: So there and that is also an issue, right?
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: The noise is never ending.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: But actually, some of the conversations I've had, I had a really interesting one with a with a gentleman who runs kind of an agentic data business.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: And that is one of the promises I have, or I'm I'm seeing potentially with AI is can we use agents to help get us there?
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_01: Because that shortage of data is again non-existent.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: It it's too much data in some ways.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: But if you can leverage an agent to ask why it matters or direct what are the trends, or what are we seeing over time, I think that's where that's where AI can be a really powerful use case because getting to the action and getting to the next best dollar is tough.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: It's really tough.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_02: That's the thing, there's so much data to your point, right?
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_02: So much noise in the system.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_02: So if you're really outcome-based, you could ask that agent, hey, I have all these data sources, which are the data source inputs that are gonna matter most here to get us to measure real performance and what success looks like against these outcomes.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: Because then it's like you have a place to start.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_02: I think a lot of people feel like they're boiling the ocean with that data strategy and getting everything into the system when you don't need everything.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you need those few KPIs that are gonna be tied to those outcomes to give you the impact, as you said.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes it's hard to decide that when there's just so much.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: Again, I I think for brands, there are a ton of retail media networks to work with.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: And we all we all do, you know, measurement is measurement is different depending on where you go.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that can create complexity.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_01: So, how can we leverage AI to to help maybe make sense of some of that?
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Because the way that I might measure or I might create a control group might be different from retailer X or retailer Y.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm not sure I'll plug it, but if you haven't read our iROAS white paper that we published with Ovative and Kellogg School of Management, please check it out, please read it.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: What we did was just examine a bunch of campaigns and we looked at the methodology behind the iROAS measurement.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: What we found is depending on your methodology, iROAS can swing 6.5x.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: We also found that over 80% of campaigns can flip from positive IROS to negative IROS, depending on how control groups are being created, what the factor up looks like, just a whole variety of fact facts.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: So it it can be a black box, but I do think that's why, especially on the Albertson side, we're so bullish on transparency.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: The benefit of retail media is we all want to sell more products, we all want to move more units.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_01: Retailers are working in good faith to do this.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_01: And for us, it's it's not about creating one way to do business, rather, an area where we can be transparent and help educate our our uh buyers on the other side.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_02: Well, you know, everyone likes to say they're data driven, right?
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there's not a company that's not saying that.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: So but what does being truly data driven look like inside Albertson's media collective operationally, everyday?
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it's kind of an infrastructure, a governance and a strategy trifecta to be to be data driven.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: But but when you consider again the amount of data points we have, we're operating in over 2200 stores across the US, 13 of the top 15 DMAs in the US.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: There is no sh again, no shortage of data.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: But actually going into a data set with an identified hypothesis is how how we move.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_01: Back interpret them, right?
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_01: This isn't a retrospective interpretation per se.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: We like to go into every campaign, every experiment with really defined hypotheses on the front end.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: So we can either prove or disprove them.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: It makes for the interpretation on the back end.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: We talked about data to insight to action.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: I think when you start any investment with just a few hypotheses and a thing that you want to learn, the interpretation and the action becomes a lot easier at the end.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_02: And it does sound so easy, especially when you talk about it.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_02: We know it's a lot harder than that.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_02: So what do you think is harder than people expect, especially when they get into the nitty-gritty of it?
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: The hardest thing is scaling results, I think.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's where a lot of a lot of suppliers are challenged because there are nuances in the way folks shop.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: Folks shop Albertson's a little bit different than they might shop a pharmacy, than they might shop a club.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_01: So being able to kind of categorize and almost taxonomize your results to find find through lines, yes, across retailers, but also through lines within your retailers.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: I think that that can be the most complex.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: Just because it worked at retailer X doesn't mean it's gonna work at retailer Y.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_02: Good reminder.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: And very true.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, very true.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Let's uh switch gears for a moment and let's talk about let's go back to, I should say, AI and retail media.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: What is you know the hype versus reality?
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: Because Canada's basically AI in a linen suit, right?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: I mean that's what this week is a sweaty linen suit.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Just gonna say moist.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: So from where you sit, how is how is AI actually changing retail media?
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like meaningfully.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I it's it's interesting because I I think a lot of the parts that that I see are are kind of like the less sexy parts, if you will, right?
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, I I mentioned our our conversational search on site, and that is amazing, right?
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: That's not a retail media product at this point, but it's an amazing innovation that that Alberts is leaning into, which which we love to see.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_01: But on the other side of it, you know, there are a lot of repetitive workflows that happen within media buying, planning, optimization, measurement, and being able to bring AI into those workflows and free folks up to do more strategic work.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think it's just a way to increase our strategic altitude altogether and bring more value to our client.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: It's also the work people want to do.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, at the end of the day, you know, I have a ton of really smart folks on my team and they want it, they want to solve the hard questions.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: So what can we automate for you to give you more time to ponder those harder questions?
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_01: I think to me, that that's the unlock.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: Is it the most fun, interesting thing to talk about?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: How you automated a workflow from system A to s system Z?
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe not as fun, but it really does drive impact.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: It is, it's not it may not be fun, but it's fundamental.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, right.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: And what it unlocks is the sexy path.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, yeah.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: So, where would you say that people are expecting AI to deliver too much too fast?
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: Tough question.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: I I think people are underestimating the impact of AI on analytics and being able to use conversational search and query to get insights faster.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's underestimated.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_01: And I think overestimated might be just the overall commerce experience.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: You know, like again, with groceries specifically, it's it's still a relatively uh in-store business.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, of course, we have, you know, we have an e a growing e-commerce business, absolutely.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: But there it I always say it, and you know, you you just want to squeeze your own avocados.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_01: And and and that is that's kind of the reality.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_01: You need to look at the tomato.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_01: You're you're looking at the bananas, are they at the ripeness for your week?
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_01: And a lot of folks are s are wanting to do that themselves.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: Also, the grocery stores are fun.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: I I think at the end of the day, it's just fun.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: So I think for for us, I that's where I see there's a tremendous amount of opportunity that's probably being underestimated on the insights to action side.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, the the commerce side, I'm so interested to see how it unfolds.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_01: But I think I think it'll be kind of a zigzag journey on how we get there.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_02: Well, as you said, media to shelf is continuing to evolve.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_02: And Alberts sits at this like powerful intersection of all that media, transaction, loyalty.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_02: So, how should brands rethink that full commerce move in an AI-driven world?
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, it's about before me at least, I think it's about being able to taxonomyze results and kind of going back to what I talked about before.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: Why are your shoppers going to various retail outlets?
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: There's a reason for being, and there's a reason for all of these retailers to exist.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: We all solve a fundamental shopper issue at a given point in time, right?
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: But really being able to understand that shopper mission and taxonomy those, I think that's the way that you're going to drive the most impact because you're going to understand your shopper a little bit better, understand their needs a little bit better, and then of course translate those into your retail media solutions.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean, that's the holy grail, especially from the brand side, to be able to measure that across all the different touch points and really understand, you know, the mission, as you said, the moment, the occasion, where they're going, where they're picking a merchant, a marketplace, et cetera.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_02: So what does that closed loop measurement?
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_02: How does it happen, first of all?
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_02: What where's Albertson's in that journey?
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_02: And what does that unlock?
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_01: So we close the loop in our channels and especially in our digital channels where we can, one-to-one, right?
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: So we have clean room relationships with publishers, and we are looking at loyalty audiences and matching those purchases to attributed sales.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we're also running incrementality.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: We launched our on-site incrementality this year.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: So we're we're making sure that we're able to isolate the causal impact of media.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_01: The holistic part is the hard part, though, right?
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_01: Shoppers don't shop in campaign cycles and they don't shop in individual line item media channels as well.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they're they're kind of all over the map.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_01: So from my perspective, I think they're there's almost a triangulation, right?
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_01: You're going to get these closed loop results on given channels, of course.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of our most of our brands are popping those into their MMMs.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_01: They're looking at those results.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_01: But then a lot of them are running larger scale experiments to maybe try to isolate causal lift within a given DMA and leveraging our match market, match market measurement to actually measure sales lift.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: So again, I I think it's at this point, it's imperfect.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_01: I wish there was a golden metric.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: I wish I could pass everyone a report that just had one number, maybe color-coded, like a color-coded number and just say kind of have at it.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but that's not the world we live in, right?
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: So being able to triangulate by way of using match market lift, by way of looking at incrementality at a given channel level, by leveraging your own MMM.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, these are all really important things to build that kind of circle and then figure out where to move next.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, because that's that's full attribution attribution between online and offline across channels.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's the holy grail that we're all waiting for, hoping for.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_02: So I think we're getting closer.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_02: I think we are, right?
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but it's still a more manual process and you have to connect the cards.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_01: It requires a few strategic jumps, right?
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_01: And and it requires that that human touch of I need to look at this analysis and I need to decide how all these are working together.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: Uh again, going back, going into the future with predictive commerce and decisioning.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: If data is a foundation and AI is the engine, are we moving toward a world where decisions are increasingly being made for us?
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: No, I don't think we are moving into a world where the decisions are made for us.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_01: I think the inspiration gets a little bit more targeted and granular.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: But the nice thing about the way a lot of this AI is evolving is it is conversational, right?
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and you can write and generate prompts to get your outcomes.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_01: I I have to imagine that we have different ideas of vacation.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_01: Although maybe not.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but either way, I I do think I think the personalization will be at a better scale than ever before as we can move into this future, as opposed to kind of this very bland everything's beige kind of uh kind of future.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, hey, for vacation, if it involves whiteboarding, I'm in.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: Fair enough.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: And a beach.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: And a beach, always a beach.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: All right, we're so where do you where do you think humans still matter most?
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: Across the board, humans still matter.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_01: We need humans to interpret a lot of this data, the insight, also the experience.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: People still like doing physical things.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: People like using chat and they love using Claude, don't get me wrong, but they also love going to stores, they ride subways, they go to the movies, uh, they do all kinds of stuff.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_01: So humans still absolutely matter because we need to make sure that we have both oversight, but also we're leveraging AI as a tool as opposed to just a full solution.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's not just pop on top and set it and forget it.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_01: It requires, in my opinion, pretty precise application to solve pretty precise problems.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_02: I think I mean, I think with especially AI and uh hyper-personalization, people are just craving those in real life experiences, that authenticity, and that's something that is never going to be delivered by AI.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_02: We need humans for that touch.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna shift to the she and she commerce now.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_02: You are absolutely one of the key women that is shaping data and AI in our industry.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_02: So thank you.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_02: We talk a lot on on our podcasts about women in leadership, as you know, but we don't often talk enough about those women that are shaping specifically data, AI, and the infrastructure of commerce as a whole.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_02: So, why does representation in that space matter specifically?
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think it matters in in two ways.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: One kind of philosophical way of the fact that we all need a seat at the table in order to inform solutions that actually matter to everyone.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_01: We know that if we have a really narrow-minded thought starter group at a table, we're going to get a narrow solution that doesn't really address the need.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that there's there's that basic point.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: But I think there's a larger point in that, you know, AI is a solution that helps us all scale.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_01: We need to make sure that what we're feeding the AI and the the actual prompts that we're giving AI and the challenges that we're looking to solve are considered by a wide variety of people versus one because whatever pops out the other side can scale.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_01: It's the risk if those voices are missing.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: There's risk if those voices are missing.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: Alrighty.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: In high-stakes data-heavy environments, there's often an expectation to be the smartest voice in the room.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: Where have you seen women hold back?
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: And what needs to change for that to stop happening?
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: I've seen a lot of women hold back in not voicing those contrary opinions.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um and and I think where we're starting to I where I'm starting to see a shift is there are more women in leadership in tech and data.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I look at my own leadership team and it's it's filled with a lot of really, really smart women who are working in these spaces and who are very bold and outspoken.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I think we're we're seeing that shift.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_01: I also think that data is being democratized.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_01: And whether you're a salesperson or whether you're in my role, you know, working on measurement in media, data is part of your daily life.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: There's no escaping it.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_01: It it's part of everyone's daily life, regardless of where you're at.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that democratization and frankly the requirement to have to really interpret, storytell, or what have you with data, I extends well beyond you know traditional STEM roles.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_01: And that's made a huge difference in welcoming more women into the party and also empowering women, saying like, oh yeah, I can, I can do this too.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: I can understand these numbers too.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_01: I can write this story too.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's that's been a really positive shift.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_02: Well and as you said, uh the industry has evolved, data is now, you know, table stakes, everyone needs to use it, interpret it, et cetera.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_02: So how has your leadership style changed as the industry has evolved?
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a high accountability, high autonomy leader.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: There is no shortage of interesting information and great ideas out there.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: And I think, you know, those who are really entrepreneurial are having the most fun in the industry right now because there is no playbook.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_01: No one we're not we're not following a a script.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_01: And so um being able to bring data points in and bring diverse perspectives to life is is what's winning.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_02: And so I think my leadership style has definitely shifted into that very high is there anything that's become less relevant in terms of those skills that maybe you used to value more from either in yourself or as you look for people to build your team?
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's less about the skills in in very specific like I'm not necessarily looking for I want you to have this very specific experience, but I am looking for people who are very curious because I know I didn't go to school to learn about retail media and data commercialization.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: That just wasn't really on the table when I went to school.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: But it's been something that I've really loved and I've I've been able to obviously you know make a career out of so being able to find folks who are really curious and really interesting to me is is the best way of hiring.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_01: They don't have to come from retail media.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: They can come from anywhere provided they really want to dig in and learn.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: And you can't teach that.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_02: Nope you absolutely can't teach that's just in you or or it's not if you could go back 10 or so years what would you tell your younger self about navigating this industry and how to be a part of this pivotal pivotal moment.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: I would tell myself to just follow the curiosity at the end of the day we do spend a lot of time at work.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: And we spend a lot of time with colleagues.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you are following your curiosity as opposed to following what you think you should be doing, you're gonna be a heck of a lot happier and a heck a heck of a lot more successful.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm lucky I did figure that part out.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I get to work with an incredible team at Albertson's again that these are some of my f my favorite people I've ever worked with in my entire life.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: But uh but on top of that, you know, we all share a pretty similar curiosity and also passion for this business and it's contagious.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: And and that's a built culture.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah right there 100% that's swag right there for your curiosity.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah I love it.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: I love it.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: Bringing it back full full circle to La Croisette on in CAD.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: What's made it worth it for you this week?
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_01: Again I think I think that the meetings have been very much like let's get honest and let's get down to brass tacks.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: I think people are here with game faces on.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_01: And we want to get everything there's no shortage of meetings and to get everything you can get out of these meetings and but also figure out where there's space.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_01: I I think uh we all want to look for mutually beneficial partnerships no one necessarily wants to be sold to and that's how folks come into can.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_01: Where can we find arbitrage opportunities where we work together and one plus one equals three.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: I always say that if it's about joint value creation you're not selling anymore.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_02: You're building like okay I see the value yes sign me up absolutely all right building fun together.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah yeah we're going to go into a fast fire round okay okay so it's like first thing that that you think of AI trend you're skeptical of generative creative I I've seen a lot of those seven figure those seven fingered AI generated yeah faces and hands freak me out.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah your go-to hype song in Can.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_01: Bossy by Khaleese that is a good one we're adding it to our playlist so Spotify playlist and favorite can memory or moment so far I will say that you know just a team dinner is always the best and running into your team at the end of the day when you've all been at separate meetings and somehow we always end up bumping into each other and saying geez I'm starving there's never a reservation there's never a reservation there was never a plan and it's like that serendipitous team dinner of I don't have a client dinner tonight.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: I bumped into you and now we just kind of get to hang as a team to me that's that's best of the best uh especially when we can top it off with a little gelato at the end of the night and girl why did you have to bring up gelato this one obsessed top of the hill in Old Town that's that's the gelato spot we literally climb the hill to get to that gelato spot.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_02: It's worth the hill.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's worth the hill it's worth the hill.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_02: One more okay favorite tattoo.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well my Pinterest beach tattoos are always pretty awesome but this year I got this little jack in the box.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I'm loving it so far.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: He's a cute little guy but yeah I got this tiger at Pinterest Beach last year.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: I'd say those are two of my favorites.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_02: Right we're heading over there soon.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_02: And fate oh you do that.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_02: So Liz thank you for being here with us thanks for having me.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah this is a good one though.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_02: We really appreciate the time and this is the conversations that we love to have honest, strategic smart futuristic all that but keeping it real.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: Because here's the reality data isn't optional AI isn't optional.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: But how you use them, that's where the differentiation happens.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_02: And that's the feature of commerce it's not just about more data more tech that's gonna come regardless but it's about more insights more action with all those different points as you rightfully said.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_02: And obviously powering those decisions.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_02: So uh as we close we always like to ask our guests to take the pledge with us.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_02: If you listen to our episodes to you know we're building a community and a growing network of female leaders so we ask our guests to join our community join our sisterhood and pay it forward to help drive that voice in the industry for our females and allies as well as future fierce females coming up the rank will you take that pledge absolutely that's fantastic.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_00: Liz Roche thank you so much for being our guest thank you so much for having me safe travels stay cool have a great rest of your ken thank you as well and all that's left for us to say is full brands fierce women once it's right