From Loyalty Data to Retail Media: Molly Hjelm’s Playbook for RedVest

From Loyalty Data to Retail Media: Molly Hjelm’s Playbook for RedVest

Retail media has quickly become one of retail’s most important growth engines, but Ace Hardware is taking a different approach. One that’s built around local ownership, community relevance and real-world customer needs. In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Molly Hjelm, CVP of RedVest Media, Ace Hardware’s retail media network, about launching a full-funnel RMN in just six months and what makes the co-op retailer uniquely positioned in the space. Molly shares how Ace is leveraging its network of 5,200 independently owned stores, 70 million loyalty members and deep first-party data to create measurable advertising solutions. She also explains how weather-triggered media, retailer-focused advertising tools and localized customer insights are helping brands connect with shoppers at exactly the right moment. Key Takeaways * How Ace Hardware launched RedVest Media in just six months by focusing on measurable, full-funnel advertising solutions   * Why Ace’s co-op structure creates unique opportunities (and challenges) for retail media innovation   * How weather-triggered advertising helps brands align messaging with real-time customer needs, from snowstorms to hurricane season   * What makes Retailer Reach, Ace’s retailer-focused advertising platform, different from traditional retail media offerings   * Why first-party data, in-store relationships and local relevance remain critical as retail media evolves alongside AI and changing consumer behavior   Related Links * Learn how RedVest Media [https://www.redvestmedia.com] helps brands reach Ace Hardware customers through localized, data-driven retail media. * Learn more about Ace Hardware [https://www.acehardware.com] and its community-focused retail model * Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com] * Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/podcasts]

Winning on Reddit: How Walmart, Home Depot and MAC Tap into the High-Value Community

As AI-generated content floods the internet, shoppers are increasingly looking for something harder to fake: real human opinions. In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Anna Haffner, Senior Director of Large Customer Sales at Reddit, about how the platform is becoming a powerful force in retail discovery and commerce.  Anna explains why shoppers are turning to Reddit for trusted recommendations; how brands and retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot, Dove and MAC Cosmetics are showing up authentically in community conversations; and why Reddit’s advertising products are evolving to complement the user experience. Key Takeaways * Why Reddit has become a trusted discovery channel for shoppers researching products and brands   * How retailers can participate in Reddit communities without relying on overly polished or disruptive advertising   * What campaigns from brands like Walmart, MAC, Home Depot and Dove reveal about Reddit’s retail marketing potential   * How Reddit’s Shopify integration and dynamic product ads are reducing friction for retail advertisers   * Why human conversation may become even more valuable as AI reshapes product discovery and search Related Links * Explore Reddit [https://www.redditforbusiness.com]’s advertising tools for retail brands * Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com] * Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/podcasts]

Beyond the Dress: Inside David’s Bridal’s Transformative Platform Strategy

David’s Bridal may be best known for wedding dresses, but the brand’s next chapter is about something much bigger: becoming a digital platform for the entire wedding journey. In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Elina Vilk, President and Chief Business Officer of David’s Bridal, about how the 75-year-old brand is transforming from a dress retailer into an AI-powered wedding ecosystem. Elina shares how David’s Bridal is expanding from “aisle to algorithm,” using tools like the AI-powered Pearl Planner to help brides manage the hundreds of decisions behind every wedding and stay within budget, while also growing wholesale, marketplace and commerce partnerships to serve more of the bridal ecosystem. Key Takeaways * Why David’s Bridal is expanding beyond dresses to support the full wedding planning journey   * How expectations toward the modern wedding experience have shifted with added pressures such as social media  * How the Pearl Planner uses insights from in-store “dream makers” to guide brides through planning tasks   * Why David’s Bridal now views boutiques, marketplaces and other retailers as partners rather than competitors   * How wholesale, AI commerce and smaller-format store concepts are shaping the brand’s 2026 growth strategy   Related Links * Explore David’s Bridal [https://www.davidsbridal.com]’s wedding dresses, planning tools and Pearl platform * Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com] * Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/podcasts]

How Frances Valentine Built a Viral Fashion Brand Around Women 50+

For years, fashion brands chased younger consumers online, but Frances Valentine has found its edge by doing the opposite. Building a vibrant, social-first brand experience around women 50 and up. In this episode of Retail Remix (and the first hosted by new Retail TouchPoints Editor-in-Chief Kate Robertson), Kate sits down with Katherine Brodie, CMO of Frances Valentine, to discuss how the brand is scaling through video-first storytelling, creator-style content and a deeply engaged community built around color, joy and personal connection. Katherine shares how Elyce Arons — who co-founded the brand with her best friend, the late Kate Spade — has become both the face and personality of the brand across social media, why Frances Valentine treats content creation like its own production studio and how the company is balancing digital growth with expanding retail and wholesale partnerships. Key Takeaways * Why Frances Valentine has found major success by focusing on the underserved and highly affluent 50+ female consumer   * How Elyce Arons’ authentic social presence has become a powerful customer acquisition and engagement engine   * Why the brand treats social content and video production as a separate, always-on marketing track   * How Frances Valentine balances owned digital channels with retail stores and wholesale partnerships to deepen loyalty   * Why Katherine believes today’s marketers need to understand the full business picture — not just impressions and traffic   Related Links * Explore Frances Valentine [https://francesvalentine.com]’s colorful fashion and lifestyle collections * Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com]Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/podcasts]

The New Rules of DTC: How AquaSonic Became a Multi-Channel Powerhouse

DTC success used to hinge on cutting out the middleman. Today, the real growth opportunity is knowing how to show up everywhere customers shop. In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Arsalan Rahbarpoor, Founder and CEO of AquaSonic, about how he built an Amazon-native oral care brand that now sells across Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Best Buy and TikTok Shop. Arsalan shares how AquaSonic disrupted a legacy-dominated category with premium design, accessible pricing and a sharper read on consumer demand — and why consistency, packaging and operational planning became critical as the brand expanded into national retail. Key Takeaways * How AquaSonic identified white space in oral care by combining premium design with accessible pricing;   * Why launching on Amazon was foundational to AquaSonic’s future multi-channel success;   * What changed when the digital-native brand expanded into brick-and-mortar; * How TikTok Shop creates a different kind of discovery-driven opportunity than Amazon or brick-and-mortar retail;  * What the success of AquaSonic says about consumers’ increased interest in wellness and their new expectations for the category; and   * Why AquaSonic is expanding beyond oral care into broader health, wellness and everyday essentials.   Related Links * Explore AquaSonic [https://aquasonic.com]’s oral care products and wellness essentials * Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com] * Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix [https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/podcasts]