of the United Kingdom’s capitol city.
Culture isn't retail's escape hatch from complexity, no, no. Culture, rather, has become the primary battleground where brands either achieve relevance or fade into algorithmic noise.
This transformation was nowhere more evident than at Shoptalk Fall, where the conference's "elemental alchemy" theme proved unexpectedly prophetic. While attendees expected conversations about economic volatility, they witnessed something closer to actual transmutation: the systematic conversion of cultural moments into commercial gold.
Executive leaders leaned into “culture” as their buzzword of choice, replacing industry favorites like “personalization” and “unified commerce.” Panels touched on how culture was a linchpin for creating “retail alchemy” (the event’s creative theme), empowering marketing, operations, merchandising, and executive teams to blend data and creativity to create true retail magic.
Over three days, executives leaned into the moves they were making to create that retail magic, whimsy, and joy that so many of us need right now.
While we love any moment when culture takes center stage, we can’t help but wonder whether retailers were too quick to double down on these conversations simply because it is a narrative that feels controllable. And frankly, all the other obvious topics were simply too complex and, in many cases, too messy to explore.
Or perhaps brands are now realizing that commerce and culture are intrinsically linked, and that when used strategically, culture can be a powerful tool to bypass, or at the very least mitigate, the aftershocks of external disruptions. When you achieve cultural relevance, that creates resonance.
Pop Culture is the New Feedback Loop
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged, Shopbop saw an opportunity. They carried not only the Ralph Lauren dress that Swift adorned in the couple’s garden-chic engagement shoot, but a curated collection of similar striped dresses from different designers.
Stephanie Roberson, Chief Merchandising Officer at Shopbop, explained that within an hour, the team launched a post on-site featuring this curation, an initiative that required alignment and orchestration between the merchandising, marketing, and creative teams. This, she emphasized, was “retail alchemy” at its core: and a distillation of the art, science, and magic that drive modern retail.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things [in culture],” noted Roberson. “We’re looking at the runway, we’re looking at street style, we’re looking at cues to figure out where we want to go next.”
Social media, especially TikTok, is another key source for insight, but Roberson and her team take a balanced approach that accounts for Shopbop’s core customer and the eTailer’s distinct curatorial approach, as well as the virality of a particular trend. “If we’re talking about a trend on TikTok that we see rising, and everyone's doing it in three days, it's probably not going to last too long…we’re looking for things that have longevity.”
Therein lies the challenge, and opportunity, for marketing and merchandising teams. In an era where every day brings in a new fashion vibe or aesthetic, which then gives way to a collection of related products, styles, colors, and silhouettes, brands can no longer focus solely on buzzy trends that help them enter the zeitgeist. They must also consider the major cultural tentpole moments, like New York Fashion Week, that still have the clout and credibility to drive trends.
When brands focus solely on landing in the algorithm, they risk drowning in the sea of sameness and, eventually, falling away into irrelevance when the trend fades or dies out completely. The key is having a clear point of view on trends that matter, and layering in content and curation tied to those tentpole moments, according to Roberson.
“We spend a lot of time sourcing diverse perspectives across multiple people on the team to make sure that we are not looking at a singular point of view,” she said. “To make sure that we're finding all of the things that are going to resonate with our very diverse sort of set of customers that we have.”
For other brands, like Athleta, culture is a powerful tool for marketing, and systems must adapt in order to support speed and agility. Michelle Goad, Chief Digital Officer for the brand, recalled how her team was able to turn Kendrick Lamar’s flares moment during the Super Bowl into a buzz- and revenue-generating moment. Because marketing and digital teams continually share insights about what is being discussed on social media, they’re able to use their private space to run photo shoots and set up content and campaigns quickly. In fact, the team rebuilt its CMS so they could cut time-to-launch for new content on its site and app in half.
“We actually put in a trigger email with the verbiage ‘looking for these?’ and it was a flare,” Goad said. “You felt really seen as a consumer, and that cycle is just going to get even faster.” Athleta is also using AI to accelerate its ad production and optimization cycles, so team members can instead obsess over storytelling and all of the elements that make the brand distinct.
Both Roberson and Goad made a strategic choice: to elevate their people as the voices behind the brands. They weren’t just team members who executed tactics. They were storytellers and curators who understood the brand better than anyone else, while also keeping a finger on the pulse of what was trending culturally.
‘Dopamine Retail’ Enters the Chat
Tapping Jonathan Adler as its opening keynote speaker was Shoptalk’s symbolic flag in the ground, claiming its commitment to the creative lever of retail. Because the potter-turned-retail-exec is a defining creative voice in home design and now an official “retail thought leader. With this new distinction, he is challenging his peers to temper the robotic processes and digital optimizations, and instead, focus more on the “unstrategic,” wildly creative work that brings joy to consumers.
“Joy is one of those words that has been in the culture, and to me, that’s about the fantasy and theatricality of retail,” Adler said. “A retail store should make you feel that you’re entering a joyful place that is theatrical, and associates should transport you into a place of joy and happiness.”
Leaning into storytelling and escapism makes Adler’s stores feel like a “mini-vacay” that feels so delightful that even his glamorous (and pricey) products feel like a must-have. “Most people don’t need a giant acrylic mushroom,” he admitted, “but that is what retail is: convincing somebody that the environment they’re in and the products you’re selling are going to make them feel happy and change their lives in a positive way.
In a completely different sector, CAMP is taking a similar approach to worldbuilding. One that prioritizes immersion over conversion. Despite starting as a reimagined toy retailer, the company is no longer selling goods; it’s selling services. And yet its principles for worldbuilding, partnerships, and service extensions are applicable to all retailers, especially as they struggle to boost in-store traffic and sales. CEO Jenica Myszkowski noted that approximately 60% of the business currently stems from these experiences, but the brand aims to increase that number to 80% over the next year.
The heart of CAMP’s worldbuilding is powerful IP, something that Netflix is now tapping to bring its experiential concept to life. But the company has freedom in not owning these brands. Instead, it partners with entities that are most relevant culturally, including those with a strong presence on social media and YouTube, and also have the most “legs” in terms of creative ideation and experience design.
For example, the company just launched a Peppa Pig experience in Washington, DC, after the reveal of Peppa Pig’s new baby sister. It was a major moment in the world of kids' TV that made an immersive fan experience even more relevant and timely. And after seeing the success of the Bluey experience across key markets, CAMP is creating a new holiday-themed space.
“Our ears are to the ground of what is coming up, what the streaming results are, what consumers are watching, and what consumer product sales are,” Myszkowski said. “And, we’re also looking for the franchises that both parents and kids will love…but we’re also looking at the creator space. My guess is that is a sleeper hit to be had: figuring out what kind of creator we would work with to bring their world to life.”
Have Brands Lost the Plot, or are They Driving It?
The two months leading up to Shoptalk Fall have been a whirlwind of cultural conflicts and internal turf wars that have retailers questioning how and when to participate in conversations around political and social issues…or if they should participate at all.
Just five years ago, “speaking out” was a commerce mandate; a key to winning consumers who shopped with their values in mind. But as bad news dominates the newscycles, and social media algorithms continue to fan the flame, maybe merchants just want to be merchants, and tell a whole new story about how they can participate in culture.
But can you actually illustrate your cultural relevance without leaning into the tough conversations?
Culture isn't retail's escape hatch from complexity, no, no. Culture, rather, has become the primary battleground where brands either achieve relevance or fade into algorithmic noise.
This transformation was nowhere more evident than at Shoptalk Fall, where the conference's "elemental alchemy" theme proved unexpectedly prophetic. While attendees expected conversations about economic volatility, they witnessed something closer to actual transmutation: the systematic conversion of cultural moments into commercial gold.
Executive leaders leaned into “culture” as their buzzword of choice, replacing industry favorites like “personalization” and “unified commerce.” Panels touched on how culture was a linchpin for creating “retail alchemy” (the event’s creative theme), empowering marketing, operations, merchandising, and executive teams to blend data and creativity to create true retail magic.
Over three days, executives leaned into the moves they were making to create that retail magic, whimsy, and joy that so many of us need right now.
While we love any moment when culture takes center stage, we can’t help but wonder whether retailers were too quick to double down on these conversations simply because it is a narrative that feels controllable. And frankly, all the other obvious topics were simply too complex and, in many cases, too messy to explore.
Or perhaps brands are now realizing that commerce and culture are intrinsically linked, and that when used strategically, culture can be a powerful tool to bypass, or at the very least mitigate, the aftershocks of external disruptions. When you achieve cultural relevance, that creates resonance.
Pop Culture is the New Feedback Loop
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged, Shopbop saw an opportunity. They carried not only the Ralph Lauren dress that Swift adorned in the couple’s garden-chic engagement shoot, but a curated collection of similar striped dresses from different designers.
Stephanie Roberson, Chief Merchandising Officer at Shopbop, explained that within an hour, the team launched a post on-site featuring this curation, an initiative that required alignment and orchestration between the merchandising, marketing, and creative teams. This, she emphasized, was “retail alchemy” at its core: and a distillation of the art, science, and magic that drive modern retail.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things [in culture],” noted Roberson. “We’re looking at the runway, we’re looking at street style, we’re looking at cues to figure out where we want to go next.”
Social media, especially TikTok, is another key source for insight, but Roberson and her team take a balanced approach that accounts for Shopbop’s core customer and the eTailer’s distinct curatorial approach, as well as the virality of a particular trend. “If we’re talking about a trend on TikTok that we see rising, and everyone's doing it in three days, it's probably not going to last too long…we’re looking for things that have longevity.”
Therein lies the challenge, and opportunity, for marketing and merchandising teams. In an era where every day brings in a new fashion vibe or aesthetic, which then gives way to a collection of related products, styles, colors, and silhouettes, brands can no longer focus solely on buzzy trends that help them enter the zeitgeist. They must also consider the major cultural tentpole moments, like New York Fashion Week, that still have the clout and credibility to drive trends.
When brands focus solely on landing in the algorithm, they risk drowning in the sea of sameness and, eventually, falling away into irrelevance when the trend fades or dies out completely. The key is having a clear point of view on trends that matter, and layering in content and curation tied to those tentpole moments, according to Roberson.
“We spend a lot of time sourcing diverse perspectives across multiple people on the team to make sure that we are not looking at a singular point of view,” she said. “To make sure that we're finding all of the things that are going to resonate with our very diverse sort of set of customers that we have.”
For other brands, like Athleta, culture is a powerful tool for marketing, and systems must adapt in order to support speed and agility. Michelle Goad, Chief Digital Officer for the brand, recalled how her team was able to turn Kendrick Lamar’s flares moment during the Super Bowl into a buzz- and revenue-generating moment. Because marketing and digital teams continually share insights about what is being discussed on social media, they’re able to use their private space to run photo shoots and set up content and campaigns quickly. In fact, the team rebuilt its CMS so they could cut time-to-launch for new content on its site and app in half.
“We actually put in a trigger email with the verbiage ‘looking for these?’ and it was a flare,” Goad said. “You felt really seen as a consumer, and that cycle is just going to get even faster.” Athleta is also using AI to accelerate its ad production and optimization cycles, so team members can instead obsess over storytelling and all of the elements that make the brand distinct.
Both Roberson and Goad made a strategic choice: to elevate their people as the voices behind the brands. They weren’t just team members who executed tactics. They were storytellers and curators who understood the brand better than anyone else, while also keeping a finger on the pulse of what was trending culturally.
‘Dopamine Retail’ Enters the Chat
Tapping Jonathan Adler as its opening keynote speaker was Shoptalk’s symbolic flag in the ground, claiming its commitment to the creative lever of retail. Because the potter-turned-retail-exec is a defining creative voice in home design and now an official “retail thought leader. With this new distinction, he is challenging his peers to temper the robotic processes and digital optimizations, and instead, focus more on the “unstrategic,” wildly creative work that brings joy to consumers.
“Joy is one of those words that has been in the culture, and to me, that’s about the fantasy and theatricality of retail,” Adler said. “A retail store should make you feel that you’re entering a joyful place that is theatrical, and associates should transport you into a place of joy and happiness.”
Leaning into storytelling and escapism makes Adler’s stores feel like a “mini-vacay” that feels so delightful that even his glamorous (and pricey) products feel like a must-have. “Most people don’t need a giant acrylic mushroom,” he admitted, “but that is what retail is: convincing somebody that the environment they’re in and the products you’re selling are going to make them feel happy and change their lives in a positive way.
In a completely different sector, CAMP is taking a similar approach to worldbuilding. One that prioritizes immersion over conversion. Despite starting as a reimagined toy retailer, the company is no longer selling goods; it’s selling services. And yet its principles for worldbuilding, partnerships, and service extensions are applicable to all retailers, especially as they struggle to boost in-store traffic and sales. CEO Jenica Myszkowski noted that approximately 60% of the business currently stems from these experiences, but the brand aims to increase that number to 80% over the next year.
The heart of CAMP’s worldbuilding is powerful IP, something that Netflix is now tapping to bring its experiential concept to life. But the company has freedom in not owning these brands. Instead, it partners with entities that are most relevant culturally, including those with a strong presence on social media and YouTube, and also have the most “legs” in terms of creative ideation and experience design.
For example, the company just launched a Peppa Pig experience in Washington, DC, after the reveal of Peppa Pig’s new baby sister. It was a major moment in the world of kids' TV that made an immersive fan experience even more relevant and timely. And after seeing the success of the Bluey experience across key markets, CAMP is creating a new holiday-themed space.
“Our ears are to the ground of what is coming up, what the streaming results are, what consumers are watching, and what consumer product sales are,” Myszkowski said. “And, we’re also looking for the franchises that both parents and kids will love…but we’re also looking at the creator space. My guess is that is a sleeper hit to be had: figuring out what kind of creator we would work with to bring their world to life.”
Have Brands Lost the Plot, or are They Driving It?
The two months leading up to Shoptalk Fall have been a whirlwind of cultural conflicts and internal turf wars that have retailers questioning how and when to participate in conversations around political and social issues…or if they should participate at all.
Just five years ago, “speaking out” was a commerce mandate; a key to winning consumers who shopped with their values in mind. But as bad news dominates the newscycles, and social media algorithms continue to fan the flame, maybe merchants just want to be merchants, and tell a whole new story about how they can participate in culture.
But can you actually illustrate your cultural relevance without leaning into the tough conversations?
Culture isn't retail's escape hatch from complexity, no, no. Culture, rather, has become the primary battleground where brands either achieve relevance or fade into algorithmic noise.
This transformation was nowhere more evident than at Shoptalk Fall, where the conference's "elemental alchemy" theme proved unexpectedly prophetic. While attendees expected conversations about economic volatility, they witnessed something closer to actual transmutation: the systematic conversion of cultural moments into commercial gold.
Executive leaders leaned into “culture” as their buzzword of choice, replacing industry favorites like “personalization” and “unified commerce.” Panels touched on how culture was a linchpin for creating “retail alchemy” (the event’s creative theme), empowering marketing, operations, merchandising, and executive teams to blend data and creativity to create true retail magic.
Over three days, executives leaned into the moves they were making to create that retail magic, whimsy, and joy that so many of us need right now.
While we love any moment when culture takes center stage, we can’t help but wonder whether retailers were too quick to double down on these conversations simply because it is a narrative that feels controllable. And frankly, all the other obvious topics were simply too complex and, in many cases, too messy to explore.
Or perhaps brands are now realizing that commerce and culture are intrinsically linked, and that when used strategically, culture can be a powerful tool to bypass, or at the very least mitigate, the aftershocks of external disruptions. When you achieve cultural relevance, that creates resonance.
Pop Culture is the New Feedback Loop
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged, Shopbop saw an opportunity. They carried not only the Ralph Lauren dress that Swift adorned in the couple’s garden-chic engagement shoot, but a curated collection of similar striped dresses from different designers.
Stephanie Roberson, Chief Merchandising Officer at Shopbop, explained that within an hour, the team launched a post on-site featuring this curation, an initiative that required alignment and orchestration between the merchandising, marketing, and creative teams. This, she emphasized, was “retail alchemy” at its core: and a distillation of the art, science, and magic that drive modern retail.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things [in culture],” noted Roberson. “We’re looking at the runway, we’re looking at street style, we’re looking at cues to figure out where we want to go next.”
Social media, especially TikTok, is another key source for insight, but Roberson and her team take a balanced approach that accounts for Shopbop’s core customer and the eTailer’s distinct curatorial approach, as well as the virality of a particular trend. “If we’re talking about a trend on TikTok that we see rising, and everyone's doing it in three days, it's probably not going to last too long…we’re looking for things that have longevity.”
Therein lies the challenge, and opportunity, for marketing and merchandising teams. In an era where every day brings in a new fashion vibe or aesthetic, which then gives way to a collection of related products, styles, colors, and silhouettes, brands can no longer focus solely on buzzy trends that help them enter the zeitgeist. They must also consider the major cultural tentpole moments, like New York Fashion Week, that still have the clout and credibility to drive trends.
When brands focus solely on landing in the algorithm, they risk drowning in the sea of sameness and, eventually, falling away into irrelevance when the trend fades or dies out completely. The key is having a clear point of view on trends that matter, and layering in content and curation tied to those tentpole moments, according to Roberson.
“We spend a lot of time sourcing diverse perspectives across multiple people on the team to make sure that we are not looking at a singular point of view,” she said. “To make sure that we're finding all of the things that are going to resonate with our very diverse sort of set of customers that we have.”
For other brands, like Athleta, culture is a powerful tool for marketing, and systems must adapt in order to support speed and agility. Michelle Goad, Chief Digital Officer for the brand, recalled how her team was able to turn Kendrick Lamar’s flares moment during the Super Bowl into a buzz- and revenue-generating moment. Because marketing and digital teams continually share insights about what is being discussed on social media, they’re able to use their private space to run photo shoots and set up content and campaigns quickly. In fact, the team rebuilt its CMS so they could cut time-to-launch for new content on its site and app in half.
“We actually put in a trigger email with the verbiage ‘looking for these?’ and it was a flare,” Goad said. “You felt really seen as a consumer, and that cycle is just going to get even faster.” Athleta is also using AI to accelerate its ad production and optimization cycles, so team members can instead obsess over storytelling and all of the elements that make the brand distinct.
Both Roberson and Goad made a strategic choice: to elevate their people as the voices behind the brands. They weren’t just team members who executed tactics. They were storytellers and curators who understood the brand better than anyone else, while also keeping a finger on the pulse of what was trending culturally.
‘Dopamine Retail’ Enters the Chat
Tapping Jonathan Adler as its opening keynote speaker was Shoptalk’s symbolic flag in the ground, claiming its commitment to the creative lever of retail. Because the potter-turned-retail-exec is a defining creative voice in home design and now an official “retail thought leader. With this new distinction, he is challenging his peers to temper the robotic processes and digital optimizations, and instead, focus more on the “unstrategic,” wildly creative work that brings joy to consumers.
“Joy is one of those words that has been in the culture, and to me, that’s about the fantasy and theatricality of retail,” Adler said. “A retail store should make you feel that you’re entering a joyful place that is theatrical, and associates should transport you into a place of joy and happiness.”
Leaning into storytelling and escapism makes Adler’s stores feel like a “mini-vacay” that feels so delightful that even his glamorous (and pricey) products feel like a must-have. “Most people don’t need a giant acrylic mushroom,” he admitted, “but that is what retail is: convincing somebody that the environment they’re in and the products you’re selling are going to make them feel happy and change their lives in a positive way.
In a completely different sector, CAMP is taking a similar approach to worldbuilding. One that prioritizes immersion over conversion. Despite starting as a reimagined toy retailer, the company is no longer selling goods; it’s selling services. And yet its principles for worldbuilding, partnerships, and service extensions are applicable to all retailers, especially as they struggle to boost in-store traffic and sales. CEO Jenica Myszkowski noted that approximately 60% of the business currently stems from these experiences, but the brand aims to increase that number to 80% over the next year.
The heart of CAMP’s worldbuilding is powerful IP, something that Netflix is now tapping to bring its experiential concept to life. But the company has freedom in not owning these brands. Instead, it partners with entities that are most relevant culturally, including those with a strong presence on social media and YouTube, and also have the most “legs” in terms of creative ideation and experience design.
For example, the company just launched a Peppa Pig experience in Washington, DC, after the reveal of Peppa Pig’s new baby sister. It was a major moment in the world of kids' TV that made an immersive fan experience even more relevant and timely. And after seeing the success of the Bluey experience across key markets, CAMP is creating a new holiday-themed space.
“Our ears are to the ground of what is coming up, what the streaming results are, what consumers are watching, and what consumer product sales are,” Myszkowski said. “And, we’re also looking for the franchises that both parents and kids will love…but we’re also looking at the creator space. My guess is that is a sleeper hit to be had: figuring out what kind of creator we would work with to bring their world to life.”
Have Brands Lost the Plot, or are They Driving It?
The two months leading up to Shoptalk Fall have been a whirlwind of cultural conflicts and internal turf wars that have retailers questioning how and when to participate in conversations around political and social issues…or if they should participate at all.
Just five years ago, “speaking out” was a commerce mandate; a key to winning consumers who shopped with their values in mind. But as bad news dominates the newscycles, and social media algorithms continue to fan the flame, maybe merchants just want to be merchants, and tell a whole new story about how they can participate in culture.
But can you actually illustrate your cultural relevance without leaning into the tough conversations?
Culture isn't retail's escape hatch from complexity, no, no. Culture, rather, has become the primary battleground where brands either achieve relevance or fade into algorithmic noise.
This transformation was nowhere more evident than at Shoptalk Fall, where the conference's "elemental alchemy" theme proved unexpectedly prophetic. While attendees expected conversations about economic volatility, they witnessed something closer to actual transmutation: the systematic conversion of cultural moments into commercial gold.
Executive leaders leaned into “culture” as their buzzword of choice, replacing industry favorites like “personalization” and “unified commerce.” Panels touched on how culture was a linchpin for creating “retail alchemy” (the event’s creative theme), empowering marketing, operations, merchandising, and executive teams to blend data and creativity to create true retail magic.
Over three days, executives leaned into the moves they were making to create that retail magic, whimsy, and joy that so many of us need right now.
While we love any moment when culture takes center stage, we can’t help but wonder whether retailers were too quick to double down on these conversations simply because it is a narrative that feels controllable. And frankly, all the other obvious topics were simply too complex and, in many cases, too messy to explore.
Or perhaps brands are now realizing that commerce and culture are intrinsically linked, and that when used strategically, culture can be a powerful tool to bypass, or at the very least mitigate, the aftershocks of external disruptions. When you achieve cultural relevance, that creates resonance.
Pop Culture is the New Feedback Loop
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged, Shopbop saw an opportunity. They carried not only the Ralph Lauren dress that Swift adorned in the couple’s garden-chic engagement shoot, but a curated collection of similar striped dresses from different designers.
Stephanie Roberson, Chief Merchandising Officer at Shopbop, explained that within an hour, the team launched a post on-site featuring this curation, an initiative that required alignment and orchestration between the merchandising, marketing, and creative teams. This, she emphasized, was “retail alchemy” at its core: and a distillation of the art, science, and magic that drive modern retail.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things [in culture],” noted Roberson. “We’re looking at the runway, we’re looking at street style, we’re looking at cues to figure out where we want to go next.”
Social media, especially TikTok, is another key source for insight, but Roberson and her team take a balanced approach that accounts for Shopbop’s core customer and the eTailer’s distinct curatorial approach, as well as the virality of a particular trend. “If we’re talking about a trend on TikTok that we see rising, and everyone's doing it in three days, it's probably not going to last too long…we’re looking for things that have longevity.”
Therein lies the challenge, and opportunity, for marketing and merchandising teams. In an era where every day brings in a new fashion vibe or aesthetic, which then gives way to a collection of related products, styles, colors, and silhouettes, brands can no longer focus solely on buzzy trends that help them enter the zeitgeist. They must also consider the major cultural tentpole moments, like New York Fashion Week, that still have the clout and credibility to drive trends.
When brands focus solely on landing in the algorithm, they risk drowning in the sea of sameness and, eventually, falling away into irrelevance when the trend fades or dies out completely. The key is having a clear point of view on trends that matter, and layering in content and curation tied to those tentpole moments, according to Roberson.
“We spend a lot of time sourcing diverse perspectives across multiple people on the team to make sure that we are not looking at a singular point of view,” she said. “To make sure that we're finding all of the things that are going to resonate with our very diverse sort of set of customers that we have.”
For other brands, like Athleta, culture is a powerful tool for marketing, and systems must adapt in order to support speed and agility. Michelle Goad, Chief Digital Officer for the brand, recalled how her team was able to turn Kendrick Lamar’s flares moment during the Super Bowl into a buzz- and revenue-generating moment. Because marketing and digital teams continually share insights about what is being discussed on social media, they’re able to use their private space to run photo shoots and set up content and campaigns quickly. In fact, the team rebuilt its CMS so they could cut time-to-launch for new content on its site and app in half.
“We actually put in a trigger email with the verbiage ‘looking for these?’ and it was a flare,” Goad said. “You felt really seen as a consumer, and that cycle is just going to get even faster.” Athleta is also using AI to accelerate its ad production and optimization cycles, so team members can instead obsess over storytelling and all of the elements that make the brand distinct.
Both Roberson and Goad made a strategic choice: to elevate their people as the voices behind the brands. They weren’t just team members who executed tactics. They were storytellers and curators who understood the brand better than anyone else, while also keeping a finger on the pulse of what was trending culturally.
‘Dopamine Retail’ Enters the Chat
Tapping Jonathan Adler as its opening keynote speaker was Shoptalk’s symbolic flag in the ground, claiming its commitment to the creative lever of retail. Because the potter-turned-retail-exec is a defining creative voice in home design and now an official “retail thought leader. With this new distinction, he is challenging his peers to temper the robotic processes and digital optimizations, and instead, focus more on the “unstrategic,” wildly creative work that brings joy to consumers.
“Joy is one of those words that has been in the culture, and to me, that’s about the fantasy and theatricality of retail,” Adler said. “A retail store should make you feel that you’re entering a joyful place that is theatrical, and associates should transport you into a place of joy and happiness.”
Leaning into storytelling and escapism makes Adler’s stores feel like a “mini-vacay” that feels so delightful that even his glamorous (and pricey) products feel like a must-have. “Most people don’t need a giant acrylic mushroom,” he admitted, “but that is what retail is: convincing somebody that the environment they’re in and the products you’re selling are going to make them feel happy and change their lives in a positive way.
In a completely different sector, CAMP is taking a similar approach to worldbuilding. One that prioritizes immersion over conversion. Despite starting as a reimagined toy retailer, the company is no longer selling goods; it’s selling services. And yet its principles for worldbuilding, partnerships, and service extensions are applicable to all retailers, especially as they struggle to boost in-store traffic and sales. CEO Jenica Myszkowski noted that approximately 60% of the business currently stems from these experiences, but the brand aims to increase that number to 80% over the next year.
The heart of CAMP’s worldbuilding is powerful IP, something that Netflix is now tapping to bring its experiential concept to life. But the company has freedom in not owning these brands. Instead, it partners with entities that are most relevant culturally, including those with a strong presence on social media and YouTube, and also have the most “legs” in terms of creative ideation and experience design.
For example, the company just launched a Peppa Pig experience in Washington, DC, after the reveal of Peppa Pig’s new baby sister. It was a major moment in the world of kids' TV that made an immersive fan experience even more relevant and timely. And after seeing the success of the Bluey experience across key markets, CAMP is creating a new holiday-themed space.
“Our ears are to the ground of what is coming up, what the streaming results are, what consumers are watching, and what consumer product sales are,” Myszkowski said. “And, we’re also looking for the franchises that both parents and kids will love…but we’re also looking at the creator space. My guess is that is a sleeper hit to be had: figuring out what kind of creator we would work with to bring their world to life.”
Have Brands Lost the Plot, or are They Driving It?
The two months leading up to Shoptalk Fall have been a whirlwind of cultural conflicts and internal turf wars that have retailers questioning how and when to participate in conversations around political and social issues…or if they should participate at all.
Just five years ago, “speaking out” was a commerce mandate; a key to winning consumers who shopped with their values in mind. But as bad news dominates the newscycles, and social media algorithms continue to fan the flame, maybe merchants just want to be merchants, and tell a whole new story about how they can participate in culture.
But can you actually illustrate your cultural relevance without leaning into the tough conversations?
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Insights and futurism for executives in eCom and Retail
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Our research reports combine visionary thinking with data-backed findings from our own advisory panel, made up of leaders at brands you know and trust.
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