2025 Agenda:
Retail's Power Players. One Critical Moment

From tariffs and supply chain shocks to economic swings and policy whiplash, this session dives into how a resilient brand leader is staying one step ahead with scenario planning that’s built for uncertain times. Learn how to stress-test operations, model for disruption, and turn unpredictability into competitive advantage.

From supply chain shakeups to rapidly evolving consumer demands, today’s retail landscape is more unpredictable than ever, especially for emerging brands still in the thick of building. In this candid conversation, the founders of two growing, independent labels share how they navigate uncertainty, pivot with purpose, and make strategic moves while resources are tight and stakes are high. Hear how they use data to sharpen decisions, adapt quickly, and carve out space in niche or underserved markets, while staying true to their mission.

Fast-changing customer preferences and expectations have prompted resilient brands to ditch rigid models for flexible formats. This session explores how pop-ups and other agile approaches to retail design and merchandising are enabling faster, smarter unified retail experiences. These nimble formats are efficient, and moreover they empower brands to experiment with store design and merchandising, testing new concepts, making seasonal changes, or just keeping products and experiences fresh and inviting. Learn how retailers are thinking flexibly, moving fast, and making every square foot count.

Agentic AI is ushering in the next era of operational intelligence, going beyond analysis to make and execute decisions across business operational functions, including site operations, store ops, customer care, and supply chain, with speed and precision. This session spotlights breakthrough technologies leveraging agentic AI to automate complex workflows, adapt in real time, and drive unprecedented efficiency where it matters most.

Agile brands must be everywhere their customers are, with relevance, authenticity, and consistency. This session explores how consumer brands launch in new channels without fracturing their identity, scaling storytelling across multiple channels and proliferating digital, physical, and social spaces, while staying sharp and managing operational complexity.

Supply chains today are frontline drivers of innovation and resilience. In this high-impact session, retail and brand leaders reveal how they're overhauling traditional models to move faster, smarter, and more flexibly. From reimagining sourcing strategies to integrating real-time visibility and advanced analytics tools, learn how smart companies are aligning design, development, and delivery to stay competitive.

This session explores how leading retailers are rethinking their product mix to stay ahead by insight and influence to stay relevant and drive sales. Learn how merchandising teams make faster decisions, test smarter, and blend cutting edge data analytics with good old intuition to build assortments that can flex with fast-changing demand.

Unlocking growth today requires more than great products. It demands seamless strategies that connect authentically with customers wherever they are. This session explores how brands activate across channels, harness digital influence, and leverage cross-channel behavioral insights to strengthen relationships and drive retention. Learn how leaders scale with purpose by weaving together data, strategy, and the personal connections that make brands resonate.

Learn how the most innovative retailers are reimagining search as a powerful engine for discovery, conversion, and loyalty. From generative AI powering more intuitive and personalized results to advanced data-driven algorithms reshaping product discovery, explore the tools redefining how consumers browse and buy across channels. Gain practical strategies to enhance search performance, streamline the shopper journey, and stay ahead.

A new wave of beauty brands is redefining what innovation looks like, blending creativity, science, and consumer insights to bring breakthrough products to market. This session explores how some of the most exciting brands are reimagining product development, packaging, and community-building. Discover how they’re using agile production models and cultural relevance to create offerings that connect with today’s shoppers—and what brands across industries can learn from beauty’s unique ability to build loyalty, spark emotion, and stay ahead of the curve.

In today’s scroll-fast, shop-smart world, brands have just seconds to connect, and algorithms are only part of the equation. This conversation explores how brands can evolve their creative strategies to break through the noise and build lasting relationships. From emotionally resonant brand storytelling to building community through optimized content, learn how to balance performance with purpose. Because when attention is fleeting and discovery is automated, creativity that connects on a human level is what truly drives loyalty - and results.

This session explores how bold leaders are steering their businesses through volatility by making tough calls, cutting through noise, and finding new ways to drive value. From pricing strategy and operational efficiency to smarter investments in product, people, and platforms, learn how to keep your business strong while the world is in flux.

This session features visionary leaders who have made bold, high-stakes pivots in their businesses while staying rooted in what their customers love. From product overhauls and channel shifts to brand repositioning and operational rewiring, these examples show how businesses can best evolve for changing times, without losing your audience.

This dynamic session dives into how brands are embracing bold innovations, from cutting-edge new platforms to bold marketing plays. Hear how leaders are moving beyond test environments to embed these ideas deep into their product strategies, transforming them into end-to-end business drivers across design, production, and delivery.

Ever-increasing media fragmentation poses the creative challenge of speaking consistently to shoppers who may see your message across one, two, or ten different places, both on- and off-line. This session explores how smart teams are building bold, cohesive brand expressions that stand out across platforms, moving shoppers along the customer journey with every scroll, tap, and swipe. Hear from a Chief Marketing Officer who is succeeding in building customer retention through compelling campaigns.

Ever-increasing media fragmentation poses the creative challenge of speaking consistently to shoppers who may see your message across one, two, or ten different places, both on- and off-line. This session explores how smart teams are building bold, cohesive brand expressions that stand out across platforms, moving shoppers along the customer journey with every scroll, tap, and swipe. From TikTok to store shelf, discover examples of tailoring content, tone, and storytelling to meet consumers across touchpoints without diluting your message or blowing your budget.

Technology leaders aren't simply pioneers at the helm of development — they're also bold leaders who must set the strategic vision for their organizations. As disruption becomes the norm, and the investment and B2B and consumer landscapes seemingly change daily, executives are making big bets, fostering agility, and guiding teams through transformation. In this Leadership Talk, you'll hear senior leaders helming tech solutions share how they are balancing innovation with operational stability, plotting about their companies' courses through uncharted business waters, and helping retailers prepare for what’s next.

In a retail climate where speed matters and trust is everything, this panel provides sharp insights into where AI is delivering game-changing results and where it’s missing the mark. From powerful personalization to conversational business intelligence, merchandising to operational automation, hear how three pioneering consumer brands are embracing AI’s potential while mitigating its weak spots.

Today’s winning brands succeed by turning every touchpoint into a moment of meaning by blending storytelling, smart design, and emotional connection. They also remove as much friction as possible from the moment of purchase. This session dives into how immersive physical spaces and frictionless digital journeys work in tandem to spark connection, boost conversion, and build brand love.

This session dives into how cultural intelligence is helping resilient brands stay relevant, authentic, and deeply connected to their audiences. From decoding emerging subcultures to tapping into real-time social shifts, discover how today’s leaders are using cultural insight to shape brand identity, guide product decisions, and spark loyalty. In times of volatility, staying relevant isn’t just about marketing; it’s about knowing exactly who you are and who you're speaking to.

Winning retail strategies aren’t always born in boardrooms. Sometimes they're shaped on the store floor, in fulfillment centers, and in customer service call centers. This session explores how frontline insights are shaping smarter decisions in the C-suite, from pricing and staffing to product and customer experience. Hear how executives are bridging the gap between corporate strategy and day-to-day operations and why remaining closely connected to what’s happening on the ground is essential to staying agile.

Yesterday’s “meteoric” is today’s glacial pace. Legacy systems, siloed org charts, and yesterday’s rigid strategies do not serve the needs of today’s retail organization. This session dives into what modern retail companies need to thrive in a time of nonstop disruption. In three research presentations we’ll provide brand new insights on the forces shaping retail, what is really happening, and how companies can stay agile, evolve, and win.

Brand storytelling isn’t just about inspiration; it’s a strategic tool for conversion. This session explores innovative ways that brands translate their story, purpose, values, and vision into messaging that inspires emotion and at the same time drives outcomes. Speakers from three cutting-edge media businesses will discuss immersive formats including live shopping, connected TV, and interactive video, and how these help align brand narrative with customer motivations, personalize messaging at scale, and move consumers from awareness to action.

The brands winning right today’s marketing game use powerful personalization engines to deliver tailored messages and experiences that resonate and convert. This session spotlights the tech driving smarter segmentation, adaptive content, and real-time campaign optimization across channels. We’ll feature four leaders from tech solutions that help marketers turn insight into impact, boost ROI without bloating spend, and measure that ROI with peak efficiency. Because in a world where every marketing bet is scrutinized, AI and personalization are table stakes.

In a world rocked by societal change, economic uncertainty, and global disruption, consumer brand leaders can’t sit on the sidelines. They have to show up with clarity, conviction, and agility. At the same time, polarization means everything a company says or does will be scrutinized, and someone will likely disagree. This session dives into evolving strategies for responding to external forces. Hear how bold leadership, cultural awareness, and consumer empathy are driving authentic responses, how brands pick their battles, and what it takes to stay relevant without losing your identity.

A seamless path to purchase does more than drive conversions; it sets the tone for lasting loyalty. This panel explores how innovative brands are transforming the digital shopping experience to drive conversions while laying the foundation for repeat engagement. From smarter search and personalized discovery to seamless checkout, learn how each step of the journey strengthens customer relationships and boosts ROI.

Shoppers expect an easy, consistent experience no matter where, when, or how they buy. Behind the scenes, that means brands need unified commerce tools that can handle complexity and adapt to the shopper, not the other way around. This session highlights the technologies helping retailers integrate systems, sync inventory, and connect customer touchpoints in real time. From digital cart to physical curbside, discover how the right tools are creating seamless journeys for customers and smarter, leaner operations for businesses.

This session will explore how resilient brands are doubling down on loyalty, relevance, and trust to drive retention. Hear from leaders about how they are reinventing retention strategies: rethinking value, reimagining engagement, and finding smart ways to stay connected in the face of unpredictable customer expectations.

What happens when brand purpose collides with shrinking budgets, shifting priorities, and growing pressure to deliver short-term results? In this session, we explore how companies are holding onto their values while navigating the messy realities of an unpredictable market. From brand building and brand protection, to social media and social impact, hear how leaders are making tough calls, staying authentic, and making purpose work.

Savvy consumer brands have learned how to turn browsing patterns, purchase history, and engagement signals into strategic moves that boost repeat purchases and increase lifetime value. This session will feature actionable frameworks from companies that use cross-channel behavioral insights to build retention and strengthen customer relationships.

Retail media is an increasingly vital part of cross-channel marketing strategies. As commerce blurs with content, the digital shelf is becoming a dynamic, data-fueled engine for conversion. Retail media is manifesting in physical stores as well, further increasing its value and impact. This session dives into how sponsored placements, personalized promos, shoppable video, and in-store screens are closing the distance between message and transaction.

This session dives into how brands are turning bold ideas into live campaigns, activations, and product moments faster than ever before. No bloated timelines, no endless approvals — just sharp thinking, tight teams, and creative hustle. Hear how three chief marketering officers are building agile workflows, cutting through red tape, and launching work that resonates and performs without sacrificing quality. When every dollar matters and momentum moves markets, execution speed can be your biggest creative weapon.

Bold leadership requires more than instinct—it demands conviction, clarity, and a willingness to take risks. This session brings together visionary executives who have made bold decisions to reinvent their businesses, reshape categories, and push brand boundaries. From product innovation to cultural investment, we’ll explore the motivations, frameworks, and leadership philosophies behind today’s most daring strategic moves.

Personalization makes customers feel seen, understood, and valued, in addition to closing the sale. In this session, case studies will demonstrate ways personalization drives engagement, spurs purchases, and lays the groundwork for long-term loyalty. Hear how companies are adapting content and individualized messages, product suggestions, rewards, shipping options, and more to build enduring customer relationships.

The past three days have been jam-packed with insights, learning, inspiration, and experience. Members of the Shoptalk team will be joined by industry experts to lead this fun session to share the biggest takeaways we've heard across the conference. This session will be invaluable as you put your notes together and get ready to debrief your teams and colleagues on the science and magic of retail alchemy.

This session spotlights the gutsy campaigns, unique partnerships, and creative risks that are breaking through the media clutter and driving real impact. Hear from the teams behind some of today's boldest brand moves: what sparked them, how they got internal buy-in, and why taking chances can pay off big, even at times when every penny counts.

Challenging times separate good leaders from great ones. This session dives into the mindset shifts, bold moves, and people-first strategies that set today’s top leaders apart. From navigating uncertainty with transparency to driving performance without burnout, discover in a series of two fireside chats how standout leaders are building trust, adapting fast, and turning volatility into opportunities to grow.