The CPG Guys

Peter V.S. Bond & Sri Rajagopalan
  • 4.7 (123)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Semiweekly

CPG industry icon Sri Rajagopalan (Papa Raj) & consumer loyalty guru Peter V.S. Bond explore today’s consumer, brand management, retail media and the in store model. Today’s environment is transforming fast with technologies like Artificial Intelligence and a social media engaged consumer. Our guests are CMO, CCO, CEO, founders, Martech, Retail merchants, Retail media networks. Join the discussion, be part of the solution.  http://cpgguys.com 

  1. 31m ago ·  Video

    Hershey's Jessica DuQuesne & Flywheel's Allyson Gill - Building a Winning Global Omnichannel "Scream for Reese's" Campaign

    The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jessica DuQuesne, Global Brand Marketing & Strategy Lead at The Hershey Company and Allyson Gill, Managing Director at Flywheel, the commerce accelerator division of Omnicom. Follow Jessica on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-duquesne-exec/ Follow the Hershey Company online at: https://www.thehersheycompany.com/ Follow Alyson on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyson-holland-gill-55194a2/ Follow Flywheel online at: https://flywheeldigital.com Jessica & Allyson answer these questions: 1. The "Scream for REESE'S" campaign was described as Hershey's first partnership of this kind. What was the internal case you had to make to greenlight something so unprecedented — pairing a candy brand with an R-rated horror franchise — and how did you overcome skeptics? 2. The explicit goal was to establish REESE'S as the quintessential Halloween treat in five key international markets where U.S.-style Halloween culture is still emerging. How do you localize a Halloween campaign for markets where the holiday doesn't have the same roots, and what did success look like differently country to country? 3. The Effie-winning "Be So Eggstra" Easter campaign at Walmart was all about converting shopper interest into action. How does the consumer psychology of Halloween differ from Easter when you're building a commerce strategy — and did those Easter learnings inform how you approached the Scream activation at retail? 4. From Flywheel's vantage point sitting across dozens of CPG clients, how rare is it to see a brand successfully stitch together an entertainment IP partnership, international expansion, and seasonal retail activation all in one campaign? What made Hershey's execution stand out? 5. The campaign delivered "compelling seasonal concepts and highlighted opportunities to prioritize REESE'S product placement" at retail. How do you actually influence product placement in international markets where Hershey's retail relationships are far less established than in the U.S.? What's the commerce infrastructure playbook for markets like Mexico or Puerto Rico? 6. Seasonal confectionery is one of the most contested shelves in retail — every brand is fighting for the same holiday display real estate. From a commerce strategy standpoint, how should CPG brands think about the interplay between in-store placement, digital shelf, and social to amplify a limited-time partnership activation like this one? 7. In the UK, the campaign gave consumers a chance to win exclusive tickets to a private screening of Scream 7 through in-store promotional materials. Sweepstakes and experiential prizes are classic shopper mechanics — but how do you measure their commerce impact beyond entries? What are the right KPIs for a promotion like this? 8. Scream is a franchise with a specific fan base — older, horror-savvy, nostalgic. REESE'S skews much broader. How did you make sure the partnership reached the casual Halloween consumer and not just the Ghostface superfan? Where was the creative tension in that balancing act? 9. We're seeing more CPG brands pursue entertainment IP licensing — from candy to beverages to snacks. Is this a durable strategic playbook, or a moment in time? And what separates a partnership that genuinely builds brand equity from one that's just a short-term sales bump with a logo slap? 10. Agentic commerce and AI-driven shopping are beginning to reshape how consumers discover and buy seasonal products. If an AI agent is doing a consumer's Halloween shopping — choosing between REESE'S and a competitor — what does a brand need to have in place to win that moment? Does a Scream partnership even register? 11. Seasonal is the highest-stakes, most compressed window in CPG. The entire campaign has to land in 6-8 weeks. How is the rise of AI-powered media planning and retail media networks changing how you resource, pace, and measure a seasonal program like this one? 12. You've described this campaign as "just the beginning" and a template for future collaborations that deepen brand relevance and seasonal impact. What's the evolution of this playbook — and as Scream 7 actually hits theaters in February 2026, how does Hershey sustain the cultural connection beyond the Halloween window? CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

  2. 1d ago ·  Video

    The Digital Shelf Institute’s Lauren Livak Gilbert - Impact of AI in Winning On The Digital Shelf

    The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Lauren Livak Gilbert, Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute, part of Salsify. Follow Lauren on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenlivak/ Follow the Digital Shelf Institute online at: https://www.digitalshelfinstitute.org/ Listen to "Unpacking the Digital Shelf" podcast on Apple at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unpacking-the-digital-shelf/id1483944522 Listen to "Unpacking the Digital Shelf" podcast on Spotify at: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Qme24wjJjUnqrztQyMkUE?si=b6a0a46a58774fd7 Learn about the Digital Shelf Summit here: https://www.digitalshelfsummit.com/ Lauren answers these questions: How is generative AI changing the way shoppers actually discover and evaluate products online — and is “search” even the right word anymore?With AI-powered shopping assistants and chat-based commerce emerging, how should brands rethink product content that's optimized for an AI intermediary rather than a human scrolling a page?What does “digital shelf readiness” mean in an AI-driven world compared to five years ago?Are retailers' own AI tools (like retail media search and generative product Q&A) creating new data or visibility gaps that brands need to manage?How is AI changing the economics and workflow of content creation — copy, imagery, A+ content — at scale across thousands of SKUs?What early use cases of AI in digital shelf analytics have actually moved the needle on sales or share, versus ones that are still more hype than results?How should brand and eCommerce teams be restructuring roles or skill sets as AI takes over more manual digital shelf tasks?What are the biggest risks — misinformation, hallucinated product claims, brand voice drift — as AI generates more customer-facing content, and how are brands guarding against them?How is AI reshaping competitive intelligence and price/promotion monitoring on the digital shelf?Where do you see agentic AI — bots that shop, compare, and even purchase on a consumer's behalf — heading, and how prepared is the CPG industry for that shift?What's a common mistake you see brands make when they adopt AI tools for digital shelf management too quickly or without a strategy?Looking two to three years out, what's the single biggest way AI will change how brands compete for shelf space and share of search?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

  3. 3d ago ·  Video

    Commerce Riff with Sri & PVSB - September 8, 2026

    Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce.  This week’s topics: Campbell's swings to a loss, cuts 13% of its salaried workforcePepsiCo hands its global media business to PublicisBarilla adds mac-and-cheese disruptor GoodlesWalmart adds Dunkin' to its restaurant delivery lineupCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

  4. Sep 5 ·  Video

    Cornell University’s Dan Hooker - Omnicommerce Leadership

    The CPG Guys are joined by Dan Hooker, Executive Director of the Food Industry Management Program at Cornell University’s S C Johnson College of Business along with eight participants from the 2026 Omnicommerce Leadership Executive Education Certificate Program. Learn about the 2027 Cornell Omnicommerce Leadership Program here: https://ecornell.cornell.edu/certificates/financial-management/omnicommerce-leadership/ Follow Dan Hooker on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hookerdaniel/ Follow Pacvue’s Luke Batestri on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-balestri-b5085127/ Follow Kevel’s Joe McCorkle on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmccorkle/ Follow Iterate.ai’s Brian Sathianathan on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansathianathan/ Follow Shipt’s Kristy LaMontagna on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-lamontagna-b5646912/ Follow DoorDash’s Katie Daleo on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiedougherty/ Follow Fetch’s Jag Wadhwani on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagdeepwadhwani/ Follow SheCommerce’s Cristina Marinucci on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinamarinucci/ Follow Instacart’s Priyash Shahane on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyashs/ CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

  5. Sep 1 ·  Video

    Commerce Riff with Sri & PVSB - September 1, 2026

    Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce.  This week’s topics: Dollar General & Dollar Tree ride the value waveLevanta raises $22 million to build out creator commerceWalmart extends Scintilla to Sam's ClubAce Hardware's RedVest Media goes big at its first UpfrontCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

  6. Aug 26 ·  Video

    RBC Capital Markets’ Nik Modi - Modi’s Musings: Themes That Will Define the CPG Industry

    The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by returning guest Nik Modi, Co-Head of Global Consumer & Retail Research at RBC Capital Markets for Nik’s recent release . Follow Nik Modi on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nik-modi-675926/ Follow RBC Capital Markets on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rbc-capital-markets/ Follow RBC Capital online at: https://www.rbccm.com/en/= Nik discusses these themes from his recent release of Modi’s Musings: Cultural Relevance > Brand EquityCrisis Capitalism is HereK-Shaped Economy is StructuralSynthetic ShoppersOccasion vs. CategoryLongevity-as-a-Service (LaaS): Revenue WhitespaceShifting Superpowers Influencing Consumer Trends and Business ModelsGlobal vs. LocalReal as the New PremiumNew Revenue Streams / Business ModelsCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

  7. Aug 25 ·  Video

    Commerce Riff with Sri & PVSB - August 25, 2026

    Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce.  This week’s topics: Walmart & Target earningsPrice Reference ResetsCyclospora Won't Go AwayHome Depot Enters Delivery RaceCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

  8. Aug 22 ·  Video

    Instacart’s Adam Silverblatt & Media Ads & Commerce’s Andrew Lipsman - Live from Cannes Lions 2026

    The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Adam Silverblatt, Head of Off-Platform Ad Sales & Strategy at Instacart and Andrew Lipsman, Independent Anlayst at Media, Ads & Commerce. This episode was recorded in Cannes France at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Follow Adam on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-silverblatt-3741362 Follow Instacart Ads online at: https://company.instacart.com/ads Follow Andrew on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lipsman-10b2162 Adam & Andrew answer these questions: In this era of Retail Media 3.0, how is the network escaping the walled garden, and what is the strategic importance of retail media transitioning into a full-funnel, omnichannel commerce engine? For emerging and legacy brands listening, how does off-platform retail media structurally change the programmatic playbook? How does targeting a "logged-in" active Instacart shopper compare to buying legacy programmatic audiences? Why are brands so frustrated with traditional attribution reporting right now, and how does verifying incremental outcomes protect a brand from double-paying for the same shoppers?  Can you walk us through the recent McCormick case study, where leveraging off-platform programmatic targeting managed to cut CPMs by 25% with only a 7% audience overlap? What is the structural lesson there?How must RMNs adjust their data infrastructures to ensure their product catalogs are preferred and trusted by an autonomous AI agent? Are we finally at an inflection point where streaming and commerce are genuinely converging, and have you seen any brand executions recently that made it feel real?What makes grocery purchase data uniquely valuable off-platform, and are there campaign results that have surprised you with how well it translated?If you could issue a single "reality check" to a CPG Chief Media Officer or Head of Sales who wants to maximize the return on their data and media investments over the next 12 to 24 months, what is the single biggest blind spot they need to fix this quarter? CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

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4.7
out of 5
123 Ratings

About

CPG industry icon Sri Rajagopalan (Papa Raj) & consumer loyalty guru Peter V.S. Bond explore today’s consumer, brand management, retail media and the in store model. Today’s environment is transforming fast with technologies like Artificial Intelligence and a social media engaged consumer. Our guests are CMO, CCO, CEO, founders, Martech, Retail merchants, Retail media networks. Join the discussion, be part of the solution.  http://cpgguys.com 

Information

  • Creator
    Peter V.S. Bond & Sri Rajagopalan
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    670
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The CPG Guys
  • Show Website
    The CPG Guys

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