Retail Media Unplugged: Pompeian's Chrissy Arsenault on Why Brands Should Be Terrified in the Agentic Commerce Era
How does a marketer prepare for a future where an AI bot — not a human — makes the brand choice for an everyday staple like olive oil? The question scares Chrissy Arsenault, director of marketing, brand and e-commerce at Pompeian.
"Brands should be terrified, and I am, too," said Arsenault, laughing, during the latest episode of Retail Media Unplugged.
Arsenault explained why brands like hers should be wary of the shift toward AI-driven shopping: Because AI prioritizes efficiency, it could push consumers toward private-label options based strictly on value formulas. Part of the solution, she shared, is building an emotional connection through brand-equity messaging.
In the full episode, Arsenault also broke down several other critical shifts and realities in the landscape, including:
- Navigating Network Proliferation: Recognizing the fragmented RMN landscape, the real operational burden isn't just running the campaigns, but data consolidation. Marketers are stuck trying to stitch together "apples to oranges to lemons" to create a unified view of performance that can accurately inform investment decisions.
- Tailoring the Approach by Retailer: Marketers can't rely on a one-size-fits-all strategy for retailer media networks. Retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Costco all possess different capabilities and shopper behaviors, forcing marketers to be strategists and general managers.
- Full-Funnel Organizational Roadblocks: Internal budget silos often prevent a full-funnel approach, as different departments (e-commerce, shopper marketing, sales, etc.) may have different goals.
Watch the full video above.
