Q&A: Rachel Bennington of Acorn
Rachel Bennington
VP of Retail Partnerships
Acorn
Main job responsibilities: A key focus of my role is educating Acorn sales teams on the latest retail media network partnerships and how to leverage these capabilities to serve our clients using first-party data. I also collaborate with retail media network teams from various retailers to integrate their offerings while informing them about Acorn’s unique services for stronger partnership alignment. Additionally, I attend key industry seminars, such as those offered by the Path to Purchase Institute, to gather valuable insights that benefit Acorn’s sales, strategy and leadership teams.
How you help clients win during uncertain economic times: Acorn and I help our clients thrive in challenging economic times by providing best-in-class customer service through a consultative, collaborative approach. Our clients seek budget efficiencies, and it’s our responsibility to ensure this is at the forefront of every proposal. They also look to us as experts in maximizing the impact of every dollar spent on creator content. This approach strengthens their connection with shoppers and drives cost savings by effectively extending their content across social, digital, onsite, offsite and any other desired connection points.
New marketing tactic that you use: One of the biggest successes for Acorn this past year has been the holistic approach we've taken by integrating influencer marketing with paid social and retail media network digital extensions. Creator content has proven incredibly effective, driving 17x higher engagement with retail shoppers compared to brand content in our most recent case study. This strategy creates a powerful "aha" moment for the shopper as they encounter the same content across multiple touchpoints: first from their favorite influencer on social media, then in their feed via paid social, followed by their favorite app, CTV and finally on the product display page when they're ready to purchase. This consistent connectivity drives purchases and delivers exceptional ROI for our clients.
Best career advice you've received: Start your day with gratitude. When you focus on the good, you’ll find it every time. This simple practice shifts your energy and perspective, allowing frustrations and worries to take a back seat. It helps you approach the day with an open, ready-to-serve mindset, enabling you to support your clients better.
Memorable aha moment in your career: This advice, shared by a leader early in my career, profoundly impacted me ... "There is something to learn from every single person around you, no matter their job title." When starting out, it's easy to feel the need to prove your worth. But the truth is, when you're new, you often lack the experience to do so convincingly. My aha moment came when I realized that the smartest approach is to see everyone in the organization as a valuable source of learning. Embracing this mindset allowed me to absorb knowledge like a sponge, accelerating my growth. It also taught me the importance of valuing others, which can foster a positive and authentic culture within any organization.
Fall travel and leisure plans: On the professional side, I just attended Groceryshop. I loved connecting with brands and retailers there! Although I won't be at Path to Purchase LIVE & Expo in November, our CEO Heather Nichols will attend and is eager to connect with others during the event.
On the personal side, I live in Rogers, Arkansas, and I'm a proud parent of three teenagers/tweens, ages 14, 13 and 12. I'm especially excited for football season, where you'll find me in the stands with my husband, Scott, cheering on our son and watching our daughter perform as a cheerleader. I absolutely love this time of year!