In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Selina Sykes, Global VP of Digital, Social and AI Transformation at Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing, about how AI is transforming marketing, consumer behavior, and the way brands build trust and drive discovery.

Selina shares how Unilever is using AI to strengthen its marketing capabilities while maintaining what makes its brands distinctive. She also explores why AI's biggest opportunity goes beyond productivity, and how Dove leveraged authentic consumer conversations on Reddit to improve discoverability in AI-powered search.

Key takeaways:

• AI should amplify competitive advantage: Brands need to use AI to strengthen their unique capabilities, not simply produce more content.

• Consumer behavior is reshaping brand discovery: As shoppers increasingly turn to AI for recommendations, brands must rethink how they create demand and earn visibility.

• Trust is becoming a discoverability strategy: Authentic consumer conversations and recommendations can help brands build credibility and improve visibility in AI-powered search.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Marcelo Kertesz, Chief Marketing Officer at MANSCAPED, about how the men’s grooming brand evolved from a DTC-first business into an omnichannel brand with a growing retail presence.

Marcelo shares how MANSCAPED expanded its product portfolio and distribution strategy while staying true to the humor and brand identity that fueled its early success. He also discusses the value of bringing marketing, creative, and product development under one leadership team, and how the brand is navigating changing conversations around masculinity and men’s self-care.

Key takeaways:

• Investing in retail early helped MANSCAPED build its omnichannel presence beyond DTC.
• Unifying marketing, creative, and product development creates a more cohesive brand experience across channels.
• Expanding into new grooming categories requires balancing evolving consumer needs with a consistent brand identity.

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In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Rochelle Wainer, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Global Insights and Analytics at Kids2, about how consumer insights are evolving as technology changes how people research, shop, and make decisions.

Rochelle shares how Kids2 combines research, behavioral data, and emerging technology to better understand parents and translate those insights into action across product development, marketing, and retail. She also discusses the importance of studying the shopper journey across digital and physical retail and what brands can learn now as Gen Z becomes a larger part of the parent population.

Key takeaways:

• Consumer research needs to reflect how people actually make decisions, from digital behaviors and social signals to real-world shopping experiences.
• AI and new sources of consumer data can help brands identify patterns and anticipate needs, but human interpretation remains critical to turning those signals into action.
• As Gen Z becomes a larger share of parents, brands need to understand how their expectations around authenticity, digital experiences, and value differ from those of previous generations.

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