Afleveringen
-
Massive acquisitionsâfrom Skechers to Touchland to Foot Lockerâarenât just headline fodder; they reflect deeper shifts in how value is defined in commerce today. Phillip and Brian explore what this means for brand identity, consumer behavior, and retail strategy, while diving into everything from Ghost Nutritionâs licensing fallout to how Ozempic might reshape fashion trends. Itâs all a signal: the future of commerce is being redrawn across culture, tech, and even your closet.
The Skechering of CommerceKey takeaways:The recent wave of M&A is less about scale, and more about strategic repositioning.Ghost Nutritionâs licensing phase-out may challenge the brandâs original cultural cachet.City Furniture proves sustainability investments can directly boost profitability.Weight-loss trends like Ozempic are subtly altering fashion preferences and product demand.Contextânot trendâis becoming the driving force in personal style and shopping decisions.[00:01:41] Phillip: "Everything is an ad unit. Thatâs the new wild future we have for you."[00:05:15] Brian: "Skechers was also acquired this month... $9.4 billion."[00:27:04] Phillip: "If you want your Ghost Nutrition stuff, you better stock up."[00:47:00] Brian: "Context is taking dominance again ... Thatâs our next move in fashion."Associated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce Plus for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Join the Membership: futurecommerce.com/plus and save $10 on your first month with code AFTERDARK
Wooden nickels, gilded sovereigns, and a juke-joint cash drawer. We peel back the layers of Ryan Cooglerâs SINNERS to show how currency turns into controlâand why plantation scrip still echoes in todayâs loyalty points. Get the full breakdown and bonus notes with Future Commerce Plus.
Join the Membership: futurecommerce.com/plus and save $10 on your first month with code AFTERDARK
-
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Live from Los Angeles, Phillip and Brian explore bizarre and brilliant intersections of commerce and culture of late, from commerce themes in Sinners to pope merch to DIY luxury. In an episode thatâs part futurist insight, part sacred absurdity, they connect the dots between retail psychology, meme theology, and trade policy. PLUS: Phillip and Brian head to The Whalies with Triple Whale. Coming up on the show, catch their live interview from The Whalies with Bryan Cano of True Classic!
High Church, Low InventoryKey takeaways:The Commerce of Catholicism â Pope transitions now drive digital engagement, pilgrimage surges, and resale markets. Welcome to the Vatican's Shopify moment.Tariffs as Theater â The recent 90-day tariff reprieve reveals how uncertainty fuels deal-making and could permanently reshape global economic alliances.Contentification of the Sacred â From Conclave to meme lore, the papacy is now part of the entertainment-industrial complex, raising questions about the role of narrative and brand in modern faith.DIY is the New Luxury â Phillipâs journey from $300 Instagram pants to $6 Goodwill masterpieces signals a cultural shift: recession-core meets personal branding.Slop is Dead (Maybe) â Brian drops a bold claim: participatory lo-fi media has peaked. Whatâs next? Meaningful myth, meta-modern storytelling, and high-context digital ritual.[00:06:27] âOnce you hit the limit with your product, you start to look at category expansion. You have to ask the âwhyâ questions.â â Brian[00:52:45] âThe way we relate to culture is through the commerce experience of itâwhen an American lens is applied.â â PhillipIn-Show Mentions:The Senses: I Vaticanât Believe These PricesInsiders: Language GamesAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Get ad-free episodes and bonus content, including the full recording of this podcast, by joining Future Commerce+ at futurecommerce.com/plus
Access to our new Word of Mouth Index with Fairing, a brand new member benefitSave 15% on Future Commerce print journals and merchExclusive invites to physical events, dinners, and priority invites to industry events (SXSW, Art Basel, VISIONS)Ad-free episodes and bonus content! -
Phillip and Brian bring hot takes on eBayâs Met Gala presence, the latest tariff turmoil, and the future of autonomous driving. PLUS: Dissecting Warren Buffetâs retirement and new research on Gen Z vs. Millennial communication trends.
The Y2K Bug Zapped Us Into PostmodernismKey takeaways:Trends that feel like youth trends are actually just internet trends. Their effects are now felt across generations, not siloed age groups.There has been a shift from modernism to postmodernism, and in turn, sincerity to ironic insincerity.Boy Meets World: 25 years after its series finale airs, we reflect on its sitcom era as a marker of TVâs transition from modernism and sincerity to postmodernism and ironic insincerity. Kendra Scott taps into Gen Alpha.eBay returns to Brianâs radar and then sponsors the 2025 Met Gala. Coincidence?âUnderstanding the society in which you live, and the cultural moment taking place, is taken for granted a lot.â â PhillipâThe Y2K bug was actually just the end of sincerity.â â BrianâWeâve leaned so far into cheap goods for so long, there might be a memetic cycle happening now where we lean back into goods that are durable.â â BrianâAutonomous driving is extraordinarily disruptiveâjust like AI is for information, AVs are for how we live, plan cities, and think about ownership.â â PhillipIn-Show Mentions:The Guardian: Gen Z Is Turning to Voice NotesDirt.fyi: The State of A24Titan Caskets: Grave ConversationsWaymo Partners with ToyotaAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeJoin Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Brian dials in from B2B Chicago, Phillip gets existential, and Alicia Esposito returns to the show and makes her debut as the newest member of the Future Commerce team. This week, we unpack music festivalsâ escalating cost of participation, Coachella as a retail laboratory, and how looming global trade challenges overconsumption. PLUS: The auto industry experiences a rare analog awakening.
It Was Big Hibiscus All AlongKey takeaways:70% of B2B purchasers are Gen Z or Millennials.Tariffs are a real threat â Brands are bracing for supply chain disruption, with some using tariff warnings as marketing FOMO triggers.Future Commerce analyzes the overpriced festival craze on Insiders #190 and Insiders #191.The draw to Coachella? Itâs not music, or $30 Daveâs Hot Chicken sandwiches. Itâs vibes.The Slate Truck represents a broader cultural trend toward digital detox and reverse skeuomorphism, bringing real-world, tactile experiences back into the digital age.[00:04:07] âDigitalization came for B2C and we didnât say anything. And now itâs here for B2B.â â Brian Lange[00:15:17] âThe reckoning has been coming for a long time. Overconsumption isnât just a consumer issueâitâs a systemic one. If the climate crisis didnât spark change, what will?â â Phillip Jackson[00:16:57] âAt what point will the cost of participation outweigh the value of participation to the point where it's like, well, what am I even doing this for?â â Alicia EspositoIn-Show Mentions:Insiders #191: City of Coachella: Population: In Debt Insiders #190: Is Coachella Buzz Brandsâ Supply Chain Friend or Foe? Politico: How Gen Z Became the Most Gullible GenerationAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Phillip and Brian dig into the cultural implications of AIâs new roleânot just as a tool, but as a confidant, a co-pilot, and even a therapist. They also get into the Kraft Heinz x A1 viral moment, trade war disinformation on TikTok, and how AI-fueled consumer aesthetics are transforming luxury. Plus: A new HBR report shows âtherapy and companionshipâ is now the top use case for GenAI. What does this mean for society and us as individuals?
The Secretâs in the SauceKey takeaways:Kraft Heinz's real-time A1 ad proves responsive marketing now competes on cultural speed.âTherapy and companionshipâ is the top AI use case of 2025âraising serious questions about trust and emotional outsourcing.TikTok disinformation and fake Birkin bags signal a new era of aesthetic manipulation and consumer mimicry.Agentic AI use cases like coding and life management are accelerating due to new protocols like MCP.The interplay of commerce, identity, and AI isnât theoreticalâitâs already reshaping real-world buying behavior.In-Show Mentions:Order LORE by Future CommerceHarvard Business Reviewâs 2025 GenAI Use Case StudyKraft Heinz x Mischief âFor Educational Purposes Onlyâ adAll-In Podcast tariff debate featuring David Sacks and Ezra KleinTikTokâs disinformation around luxury goodsAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Andrew McLuhanâauthor, speaker, and steward of The McLuhan Instituteâshares rich, mind-bending perspectives on the current state of culture, media, connection, and commerce. Drawing from a generations-deep intellectual legacy forged by media theorist and philosopher Marshall McLuhan, Andrew explores what it means to live in a world electrified by complete digital immersion.
A New Medium Is A New CultureKey takeaways:âI quickly discovered that itâs easy to overwhelm people with too much information. Itâs almost the worst thing you can do, because you lose them, and it can be hard to get them back.â â Andrew McLuhanâItâs much easier to teach people one thing at a time than it is to teach them ten things at once.â â Andrew McLuhanââA poem canât mean something that it doesnât mean to you.â Which is kind of deep, but itâs not the cop out that you think it is.â â Andrew McLuhan, quoting T.S. EliotâMarshall McLuhan saw that through human history weâve been influenced and steered by the structure and nature of our innovations more than by what weâve done with them. A new medium is a new culture.â â Andrew McLuhanâWe donât like finding out how weâre being used.â â Andrew McLuhanâCommerce is a form of media. It is manipulating people in some way and people are being shaped by it.â â PhillipIn-Show Mentions:How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025 â Harvard Business ReviewOther Harvard Business Review pieces:Personalization Done RightThe Consumer Psychology of Adopting AIEric McLuhanâs Taking Up McLuhanâs Cause â re-releasedThe McLuhan InstituteAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and to save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Live from Optimove Connect, Brian sits down with Optimove CEO Pini Yakuel and Nikolas Badminton, Chief Futurist at Futurist.com, to unpack the philosophical and practical implications of 'positionless marketing'âa radical rethink of organizational roles in the AI era.
Mind Over MechanismKey takeaways:Positionless is Power: The most innovative organizations won't be flatterâthey'll be fluid. Roles dissolve; talent flows where itâs needed.AI Is the New Intern: It drafts, it preps, it gets you startedâbut the genius still has to come from you.Old Process â New Potential: Layering AI on legacy workflows just speeds up your inefficiency.Control is a Creativity Killer: Let go of silos, turf wars, and micromanagement. The next gen of leaders will trust, not gatekeep.The Kids Are Alrightâand in Charge: Within 10 years, new mindsets will lead. Curious, collaborative, and chaos-embracing.[00:04:48]: âStartups get stuff done because you're positionless. One day you're marketing, next day you're writing code. Thatâs how you beat the big guysâspeed and fluidity.â â Pini Yakuel[00:08:03]: âWe create the tools, and the tools create us.â â Nick Badminton[00:14:44]: âNew tech + old process = expensive old process.â â Nick Badminton[00:11:50]: âFriction is what makes life life.â â Brian LangeAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Brian goes live from Optimove Connect in London to explore how the idea of âpositionless marketingâ is revolutionizing the way we think about team structure, agility, and creativity in marketing. He chats with endurance swimmer and environmental activist Lewis Pugh, as well as DAZNâs Ria Chin-You and Optimoveâs Paul OâShea, about marketingâs future and how AI is shaping it.
Strive for EpicKey takeaways:[12:25] Lewis Pugh shares how emotional drive and preparation fuel extraordinary featsâlike swimming across the North Poleâand what brands can learn from that level of purpose.[20:29] âEpicâ vs. âgreatâ: Pugh discusses how to distinguish good work from game-changing campaigns.[33:42] Environmental justice, consumer justice, and the universal value of doing what's rightâand what this really means for global brands today.[46:05] DAZNâs Ria Chin-You discusses managing CRM across 200+ markets with a team of nineâand the challenges of scaling personalization with limited resources.[50:48] Integrating GenAI into real-world workflows is still a challenge, especially for resource-strapped teamsâbut the potential is there.[58:24] Paul OâShea explains Optimoveâs vision for creating âsuper workersâ through native AI integration and simplifying marketersâ jobs.[1:01:08] Cultural nuance is keyâglobal messaging isnât just about translation, itâs about resonance.[1:07:49] In fast-moving industries like sports, being agile isnât optional. AI could be the key to real-time, reactive marketing at scale.âPractice until you canât get it wrong, not until you get it right.â â Lewis PughâWe need tools that help us scale personalization without sacrificing cultural authenticity.â â Ria Chin-YouâAI isnât replacing you, itâs your new teammate.â â BrianIn-Show Mentions:Learn more about Optimoveâs positionless marketing platform at Optimove.com/futurecommerceDiscover Lewis Pughâs environmental work at lewispughfoundation.orgFind Ria Chin-Youâs work via DAZN and LinkedInAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Get ad-free episodes and bonus content, including the full recording of this podcast, by joining Future Commerce+ at futurecommerce.com/plus
Access to our new Word of Mouth Index with Fairing, a brand new member benefitSave 15% on Future Commerce print journals and merchExclusive invites to physical events, dinners, and priority invites to industry events (SXSW, Art Basel, VISIONS)Ad-free episodes and bonus content! -
Elizabeth Schmidt sits down with Kelly Cook, the new CEO of Davidâs Bridal, for a deep-dive into one of the most ambitious retail transformations happening today. Kelly is leading the iconic bridal company through its pivot from âaisle to algorithm,â turning tradition on its head while honoring the trust of over 100 million women they've dressed. Kelly shares how Davidâs is embracing inclusivity, rethinking what a wedding âshouldâ look like, and creating magical moments for every kind of bride. Plus, we get personal stories, heartfelt leadership lessons, and a big-picture look at what the future of weddings might hold (hint: AR headsets and donut walls).
100 Million Brides LaterKey takeaways:From Dresses to Data: âAisle to Algorithmâ Is Here: Davidâs Bridal is now a full-stack media-tech-commerce company. With AI-driven personalization and financial tools like Pearl Pay, theyâre reimagining how weddings are plannedâand how brides are supported.Wildfang Collab Signals the Future of Weddingwear: Suits, sneakers, ballgowns, cowboy bootsâbrides today are expressing themselves in radically new ways. The Wildfang partnership reflects Davidâs commitment to inclusivity and non-traditional celebration.Intimacy, Trust, and a Whole Lot of Emotio: Kelly shares moving stories about the deeply personal nature of helping brides find their look. From stylists trained in body confidence to bell-ringing ceremonies, itâs not just commerceâitâs connection.Data is PowerâBut You Donât Need All of It: Under Kellyâs leadership, Davidâs is cutting through data overwhelm. The new mantra? 65% of the data is enough to make a decision. Insight and action matter more than analysis paralysis.The Future of Weddings Might Be Augmented: Kelly envisions a not-so-distant future where AR and AI are part of the wedding experienceâthink immersive headsets, projection-mapped dresses, and hyper-personalized storytelling.âWeâve dressed 100 million women. Thatâs not just a legacyâitâs a privilege that allows us to pivot powerfully into the future.â â Kelly CookâItâs women choosing to wear cowboy boots instead of a cushion Louboutinâand we love all of it.â â Kelly CookâWe serve anyone whoâs in love, no matter who their partner is. If we donât have what you need, weâll go get it.â â Kelly CookâYou donât need 90% of the data to make a decision. You need 65âand a little courage.â â Kelly CookIn-Show Mentions: Read on The Senses: "The Auratic Economy"Associated Links:Order LORE by Future CommerceCheck out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Feat. Daisy Alioto & Francis Zierer
Daisy Alioto and Francis Zierer of Tasteland join us to talk about what happens when two distinct media brandsâDirt and Creator Spotlightâcollide. We explore how podcasting has become a creative extension of newsletters, how parasocial dynamics shape audience building, and what it means to build brand and community in a fractured media landscape.
Staying Afloat in the Primordial SoupKey takeaways:The âAnti-Sceneâ Scene: Todayâs creative connections often form organicallyâthrough mutual respect and shared ideas, not cliquish gatekeepingâgiving rise to an âasynchronous salonâ of cultural thinkers.Design and Taste as Cultural Signals: Design choices and curation practices influence perception and build cultural credibility.Building Media That Builds Taste: Tasteland isnât about telling people what to likeâitâs about helping listeners cultivate their own sense of taste, with media that challenges, informs, and inspires."You can notice the difference in the approach⊠and I do wonder if the pendulum will swing back to more structured storytelling, like Serial or S-Town. â Daisy"The biggest problem with culture plus business is it's easy for dishonesty to creep in. And that sucks. Who wants to listen to someone with no point of view?" â Daisy"It's like this asynchronous salon of independent figures⊠where the connections become more connections across them." â Francis"If your media diet becomes a closed loop⊠youâve basically traded one algorithm for another. Our job is to help people develop their own taste." â Daisy"I read SIC Weekly like a poem⊠and just click on two links. It forces you to chooseâand thatâs what develops taste." â FrancisIn-Show Mentions:Subscribe to DirtSubscribe to Creator SpotlightSubscribe to TastelandAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Feat. Josh Friedman
Live from Shoptalk Spring in Las Vegas, Phillip and Brian sit down with Josh Friedman, VP of Digital & eCommerce at Ulta Beauty, for an insider look at how one of Americaâs leading beauty retailers is evolving its digital experience. From launching a curated, invitation-only marketplace to expanding into wellness and enhancing in-app experiences, Josh shares how Ulta is blending personalization, innovation, and culture to deepen customer relationships. If you're in ecommerce or retail, this episode is packed with insights on community, category expansion, and retail media.
Extending the Endless AisleKey takeaways:Curation Over Clutter: Ultaâs invitation-only marketplace prioritizes strategic brand extension over endless assortment, reinforcing its role as a tastemaker rather than a commodity platform.Wellness as a Growth Frontier: Ulta is capitalizing on consumer perception and search behavior to deepen its presence in wellness, positioning beauty and wellbeing as an integrated lifestyle category.Omnichannel Experience, Reinvented: The Ulta app serves as a central digital companionâbridging AR try-ons, real-time inventory, and event discovery to create a seamless, pre- and post-store journey.Community-Led Commerce: Ultaâs growing in-app community fosters peer-to-peer engagement and brand interaction, transforming customer relationships into participatory ecosystems.Tech-Enabled Personalization at Scale: Leveraging Adobe, Miracle, and Databricks, Ulta is advancing real-time personalization, AI-powered merchandising, and a retail media network that integrates seamlessly into its broader ecommerce infrastructure.âWe're not going after an endless aisle. We're really just going after an extender.â â Josh FriedmanâWe want the app to be the destination to have beauty and wellness.â â Josh FriedmanâWe owe it to our customers to requite them with a personalized experience thatâs relevant to them.â â Josh FriedmanâMarketplace should be a gateway into experimenting, growing a bit of a business, and becoming a candidate for our physical shelves.â â Josh FriedmanâWe all have to understand AI-driven commerce as a totally new mode of shoppingâitâs not just a new channel.â â Phillip JacksonAssociated Links:Order LORE by Future CommerceCheck out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Live from the buzzing floor of ShopTalk Spring, Phillip, Brian, and marketing expert Elizabeth Schmidt unpack everything from nostalgic branding and Gen Z marketing to luxury retail and AI in education. We digest key themes we heard during ShopTalk in real-time and share a compelling look at how relationships and storytelling are driving the next chapter in retail.
You Canât Optimize Your Way to A MythKey takeaways:[02:30] CEO Richard Dixon emphasized Gapâs legacy as a canvas for American culture and its pivot toward digital-first experiences while embracing nostalgia.[08:30] Kevin O'Leary argues that if you're spending $50K/month and not investing in TV (linear and streaming), you're missing out. His brands spend 40% of ad dollars there.[18:00] Accenture outlined 7 dimensions of luxury todayâadding experience, innovation, and social value to the classic trio of heritage, exclusivity, and craftsmanship.[30:30] Zadig & Voltaire targets Gen Zâbut it's Gen X parents doing the buying. Smart multi-generational strategy in play.[15:20] Thoughtful, non-promotional SMS messages (like a GIF with no CTA) outperformed sales-driven texts in some casesâsurprising and powerful.[24:30] The LORE Activation â Future Commerceâs âBook of Loreâ pop-up at ShopTalk captured personal brand confessions and created physical artifacts of digital culture."Gap is a canvas... a portfolio of American brands that shape culture." â Elizabeth quoting Richard Dixon"Any brand spending $50K/month on ads not doing TV is doing it wrong." â Elizabeth quoting Kevin O'LearyâBrighten your customersâ dayâdonât just sell. Some of our best SMS responses came from a simple, feel-good GIF.â â Elizabeth"40% of their customer base is Gen Z, but they're actually winning Gen X because the parents are the ones that are buying... To have a brand that can appeal to two completely separate demographics is incredible." â ElizabethâYou have an always-on advertising channel that's just playing ambiently all the time⊠and that is extraordinarily powerful.â â Phillip"Myths are made when relationships are formed... and this year, ShopTalk feels like a place where those stories begin." â BrianIn-Show Mentions:@Art_lust on TikTokAssociated Links:Order LORE by Future CommerceCheck out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
The brilliant Orchid Bertelsen is back with a huge announcement⊠PLUS: From Aritzia x Sperry's viral fashion to the surprising new role of Amazon in eCommerce, we explore how brands are winning (and losing) in todayâs retail landscape.
âI Would Sugarcoat This, But You Would Eat That TooâKey takeaways:[00:04:30] The Sperry x Aritzia collaboration is a calculated and strategic flexing of the Aritzia brand to drive traffic by leveraging the resurgence of the boat shoe trend.[00:19:30] The new metric of business health and the future of retail and private equity. [00:44:00] Has SkinnyTok gone too far? [01:02:00] Our heroes of the week: White Lotus and their brand collaborationsâauthorized and unauthorizedâand whoever designed this shirt.[01:05:00] Our villains of the week: Pepsi, for buying Poppi (for $1.7 billion), and the new economic policies and tariff policies that drove Forever 21 and Dollar General out of business. âThe average shelf life of a digital skill is roughly 18 monthsâŠbut I would say itâs 3-6 months.â â Orchid âWe know the algorithm is shaping how we think. The crazy part? Weâre okay with it.â â PhillipâMy TLDR for the next three years? It goes back to business fundamentals. You have to be so diligent about every dollar in and every dollar out and run your business to maximize EBITDA.â â OrchidâLarge companies are not in the business of turnaround.â â Orchid âSo, Temporarily 21?â â OrchidâLuxury brands think they can raise prices forever. The secondhand market is proving them wrong.â â PhillipIn-Show Mentions:@orchidbert on TikTokSperry x Aritzia collaborationMiu Miu boat shoeI got Severed at ClaireâsAssociated Links:Preorder your copy of the LORE Journal by Future CommerceCheck out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Get ad-free episodes and bonus content, including the full recording of this podcast, by joining Future Commerce+ at futurecommerce.com/plus
Access to our new Word of Mouth Index with Fairing, a brand new member benefitSave 20% on Future Commerce print journals and merchExclusive invites to physical events, dinners, and priority invites to industry events (SXSW, Art Basel, VISIONS)Ad-free episodes and bonus content! -
This week, we are talking Home Depotâs b-hole reminiscent chatbot and vibecoding JD Vanceâs face. Plusâthe biggest mystery in American shopping: why does TJ Maxx make people need to poop? Also on tap: Appleâs iPad launch cringefest and a surprising rise in Android smartphone adoption among creatives AND finance bros alike.
The Rise of Butthole LogosKey takeaways:Home Depot's "Magic Apron" and Lowe's "Milo" chatbots launched within hours of each otherâproving that every brand now needs an AI assistant, even if they all look the same.AI is speeding towards eliminating websites as we know themâfuture shopping experiences will be conversations, not catalogs.Apple's recent marketing attempts are wildly out of touchâtrends about trends are dead, but nobody told Tim Cook.Are we Pavlov-ing ourselves into using the bathroom at TJMaxx? All signs point to yesVibe coding is taking overânon-coders can now generate functional apps, proving that AI isnât just summarizing things anymoreâitâs building them from scratch.[00:01:19] âEenie meenie miney Milo. Home Depot's chatbot looks like a b-hole.â - Phillip[00:55:05] âAI is fundamentally changing the way we interact with software. Convenience is the ultimate aim of technology, and we're just at the beginning of this shift.â - BrianLinks:In-show mention: Purchase The Lore JournalIn-show mention: Home Depot Chatbot and Press ReleaseIn-show mention: TJMaxx Reddit ThreadIn-show mention: Register for Shoptalk AfterpartyCheck out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
This episode of Future Commerce is brought to you by Future Commerce Plus and our sponsors Omnisend and MotionApp and Keen Decision Systems.
-
Scripted, mass-produced influencer marketing has sent the internet spiraling toward a dystopian era of âloser-generated content.â Plus, we share key insights from eTail West, a sneak peek into Future Commerceâs Word of Mouth Index with Fairing, and dissect some disturbing internet finds of the week.The End of the World As We Know It
Key takeaways:[04:00] Lemon Balm Teaâs influencer campaign: Meanwhile, on TikTok, a scripted ad for Lemon Balm Tea sparks hundreds of fake testimonials. How many âhighest-paid nutritionistsâ can there really be?[14:00] Old men yell at the Cloud: Is the internet dead? TikTok, Twitter, and even LinkedIn algorithms are riddled with bots and unchecked scripted influencer marketing.[32:00] The Word of Mouth Index: FC+ and Fairing collaborate on a one-of-a-kind index â available to all FC+ members now.[33:00] eTail recap: Future Commerceâs seven sessions included a keynote from Phillip on time capsules and what they represent for commerce and culture. Brian closed out eTail with three sessions in a row on ___[35:00] Overheard at eTail: A lot of concern around tariffs, anticipation for Targetâs earnings (not looking good), and other fears around national commerce. [45:00] Obviâs viral organic ad: An Arcads.ai employee brags about the efficacy of a recent Obvi TikTok marketing a weight loss supplement. The 14.1-million view video likely drove over five figures of revenue, but critics claim a lack of legality and raise an important question about AI marketing regulation.âItâs the grossest way to market.â â BrianâSocial is bought and paid for and sold.â â BrianâThe greatest reach Iâve had on Twitter happened when I left a benign comment on Kieran Culkinâs Oscar speech and thirty people made fun of me.â â PhillipâCultural production is downstream of commerce and commerce-driven social discourse happening on the internet.â â PhillipâThere are two ways people pay attention to things: If theyâre funny or if theyâre hot.â â BrianIn-Show Mentions:Insiders: Alex Greifeldâs The End of OutsideOrder your copy of LORESteph Liu on XWord of Mouth Index - designed in partnership with FairingBarry Hott on XAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!
-
Get ad-free episodes and bonus content, including the full recording of this podcast, by joining Future Commerce+ at futurecommerce.com/plus
Access to our new Word of Mouth Index with Fairing, a brand new member benefitSave 20% on Future Commerce print journals and merchExclusive invites to physical events, dinners, and priority invites to industry events (SXSW, Art Basel, VISIONS)Ad-free episodes and bonus content! - Laat meer zien