Retail Fluency - Claudia Johnson - Flywheel Commerce Network

🎙 Show Notes: Retail Fluency with Claudia Johnson (Flywheel / Omnicom) What does it mean to be fluent in retail? In this episode of The Middlemen Podcast, Tom and Todd are joined by Claudia Johnson, Tech Advisor to the CEO at Flywheel Commerce Network (part of Omnicom). Claudia brings her deep experience from Target, Kimberly-Clark, and Flywheel to explain why retail fluency is now a must-have skill for brands navigating retail media, shopper marketing, and marketplaces. We cover: • 🛒 Retail fluency defined — why brands need to “speak retailer” to compete. • 🔎 Blind spots in planning — from nasal spray brands missing fast-growing Amazon segments to the unique role of retailers like Sephora and Costco. • 💰 Power dynamics shifting — how brands can push back on shopper marketing asks as retailers chase national TV and brand budgets. • 📊 Measurement challenges — why shopper, retail media, and brand dollars still lack unified KPIs. • 🌐 Omnicom’s role — how Flywheel’s breadth of services helps brands coordinate across media, shopper, and commerce. Claudia’s perspective shows how connecting online + offline data helps brands uncover blind spots, make better tradeoffs, and plan more holistically in a rapidly shifting retail landscape. 🔗 Listen now to learn how retail fluency can give your brand leverage in 2025 and beyond. Find Claudia on Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/claudia-johnson-b133436/ Read Flywheel's White Paper on Retail Media - The Big Shift: https://www.flywheeldigital.com/guides/the-big-shift-redefining-roi-with-return-on-consumer Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Today's Episode 00:34 Understanding Flywheel Commerce Network 01:32 Retail Media Networks vs. Marketplaces 02:37 Importance of Retail Specific Systems 06:37 Claudia Johnson's Background and Journey 07:24 Early Days at Target and E-commerce Challenges 10:10 Transition to Kimberly Clark and Supply Chain Insights 15:03 Joining Flywheel and Initial Concerns 15:56 Flywheel's Growth and Acquisitions 16:56 Retail Media's Evolution and Challenges 24:03 Logistics and E-commerce Challenges 24:39 Marketplace Dynamics and Retail Media Networks 25:34 Brand Strategy and Market Fragmentation 27:55 Shopper Marketing and Retail Media Budgets 29:36 Retail Media Networks and Measurement Challenges 35:24 Flywheel's Role and Retail Media Evolution 36:51 Strategic Advice for Brands 38:44 Fragmentation of Retail Media Landscape 43:47 Challenges with Third-Party Sellers 44:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts