RITE AID’S Jeanniey Walden on the Synergy of Authenticity, Inspiration, and Relatability in Retail Environments
On today’s episode of The Retail Experience Show, Bobby speaks with Jeanniey Walden, CMO of RITE AID and Ice Cream Executive at Thrifty. They discuss how Jeanniey’s acronym AIR (authenticity, inspiration and relatability) is key to drive a successful marketing strategy, how RITE AID makes consistent service across locations part of their company culture, and how the company is incorporating the online experience into their business.
They also discuss the future of brick and mortar stores and how they can stay relevant with innovation.
Topics discussed:
How RITE AID strives to give the best service to their customers and their communities.
What AIR stands for and how it guides Jeanniey’s leadership in marketing.
Why it’s important to connect with local communities and the cultures customers are immersed in.
How RITE AID incorporates online shopping in their customer experience.
The importance of listening to what the customer wants and the tools RITE AID uses to get their feedback.
The marketing campaign Jeanniey finds the most impactful and why.
What kinds of innovation brick and mortar stores might bring in the near future, such as in-store virtual shopping tools and even vehicles that bring the store right to customers’ neighborhood.
Guest Quotes:
“And so we really do push ourselves to relate to their needs and make sure that we not only have the products in store, the vaccines that they need available for them, but also that we’re doing it in a way that understands the community, the culture and what else people need to just manage their day.”
“I love getting involved with brands that are really doing something to help people, to help improve their lives, to give them education, really to make their day better.”
“AIR stands for authenticity, inspiration and relatability. And again, it goes back to my education. To be a teacher going into the classroom, you really need to look at concepts and break them down for your audience.”
“One of the things that was really unique and different that I learned when I came to RITE AID was the longevity of a lot of the employees that work at the stores.”
“I don’t think [retail stores are] dead by any means. I think it’s just part of our new omnichannel strategy.”
Get in touch with Jeanniey Walden:
Get in touch with your host, Bobby Marhamat:
