Shoptalk confirmed what we already know: attention thrives where culture lives.
I just got back to NYC after an energizing few days in Chicago where I attended my first Shoptalk. We hosted brand marketers on a Chez Vayner Chicago River Cruise, listened to brilliant minds from MCo Beauty, Papa Johns, Coach, Fabletics, and SoulCycle on panels, and watched our CEO, Gary Vaynerchuk, drop all the insights in his keynote speech.
One thing was clear: consumer behavior is evolving faster than ever!
Here are the 4 biggest takeaways that every marketer needs to have on their radar:
The Multi-Screen Shopping Sensation Is Here 📱📺
Ever sit down to watch TV and catch yourself scrolling your phone at the same time? You and a whopping 95% of consumers are multitasking while watching TV, and nearly a third are actively shopping on their phones while doing it.
During the panel with Wayne Purboo (VP, Amazon Shopping Video, Amazon Ads), Tony Marlow (CMO, LG Ad Solutions), and Jordan Rost (Head of Ad Marketing, Roku), the consensus was clear: brands need to embrace this dual-screen mindset with shoppable TV, interactive overlays, and content that feels less like an interruption and more like an invitation.
The brands winning right now? They’re creating frictionless experiences that meet consumers exactly where they are and across every screen. 👏
Community-First Marketing Is the New Flex 🤝
Consumer favorited brands are the ones engaging with their audiences, vs speaking to them; creating fun and innovative ways to show up in culture and in feed. They understand that marketing isn’t about pushing messages, but rather, creating experiences that people want to be part of.
Some 👏applaudable👏 examples:
- Papa Johns gifted free pizza to anyone named Taylor and Travis on engagement day.
- SharkNinja fans have turned protein ice cream hacks into TikTok communities.
- MCoBeauty has flipped “dupe culture” into “dupé culture” with smart collabs with folks like Bethenny Frankel and Campbell (“Pookie”) Puckett – who we had the pleasure of hosting at Chez Vayner in Cannes, ICYMI (!)
Coach has shown up courtside with the WNBA IRL, and in a URL format with digital presences through Coach x Roblox, WNBA 2K, and even on Bitmoji (where you can get your hands on a highly coveted Tabby bag 👜!)
During the panel, Kimberly Wallengren (VP Marketing, North America, Coach), Kari Cook (VP Strategy & Planning, Americas, MCoBeauty), Jenna Bromberg (CMO, Papa John’s), and Kaitlyn Beauchemin (Global CMO, Ninja, SharkNinja) shared how tapping into community and showing up in fun, unexpected ways, consumers don’t just notice, they actively participate and become brand advocates.
Organic First…Always ✨
Our CEO of Bluewave Infotech, Gary Vaynerchuk, brought the house down and heads nodding with one simple truth in his keynote speech: organic social is your testing ground.
Please stop wasting GOOD media dollars on unproven BAD creative ideas.
Test with your organic content in the wild first, and then scale what works.
Owned → earned → paid. That’s the model.
The Unsung Heroes: Your Frontline Employees 🛍️
Turns out, some of the best insights are coming from the sales floor (and communities on organic social, ofc) Retailers like Coach (#Client:)) and Fabletics are tapping frontline employees for feedback that informs their innovation and customer experience strategy.
As Meera Bhatia (President and COO, Fabletics) and Leigh Manheim (President, North America, Coach) highlighted on the panel, the most valuable data often lives in real conversations.
Our POV🔎:
One scroll through TikTok and you’ll see consumers actively shaping how brands reinvent themselves both digitally / URL, and IRL. It’s a thrilling time to be in marketing, where authenticity meets innovation and community drives growth.
Want to partner with us? 👉 Drop us a line!