98. Black Friday Performance Data Explained. What Actually Drove Growth This Year
Paula Macaggi is joined by Ometria's Hannah Stacey, Director of Strategy and Product Marketing, and Rita Martins, Retail Intelligence Team Lead, to break down what really happened during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Drawing on performance data from hundreds of retail brands, they explore why Black Friday has become a full season, which categories and customer behaviors drove growth, how marketing volume and engagement shifted, and why retention remains the biggest post Black Friday challenge. The conversation focuses on what these results mean for long term growth, brand value, and how retail leaders should think about preparing for the next peak period.Discover the trends that defined Black Friday 2025 in Ometria’s report, featuring verticalized breakdowns and expert analysis: ometria.com/page/black-friday-2025-report-offbounds
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Criteo's President of Retail Media, Sherry Smith: “You cannot operate retail media in silos anymore.”
Sherry Smith, President of Retail Media at Criteo, joins OFFBounds to unpack the rapid evolution of retail media and what brands, agencies and retailers must prepare for next. From the industry’s early days in 2008 to today’s surge of more than 200 retail media networks, Sherry explains where growth is coming from, why self-serve activation is critical, how AI and agents will reshape customer journeys, and what talent and skills will win in the next phase. This is a sharp, future-focused conversation for anyone navigating retail, ecommerce, and marketing transformation.You can read more on what we discussed here - https://hub.criteo.com/ujoFf
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96. Enactor's Director,Julius Carrell: “In modern retail, your blueprint is your competitive edge.”
In this episode, Julius Carrell, Director at Enactor, breaks down why the future of retail depends on building a flexible blueprint rather than relying on rigid, legacy systems. We explore how retailers can simplify complexity, adapt faster and design technology foundations that actually match the way their business and customers evolve. From the true cost of rigid stacks to the cultural shift required for future proofing, Julius shares practical insights on creating a blueprint mindset that empowers teams, unlocks new journeys and sets retailers up for long term growth.Julius and Enactor will be with me at NRF 2026 and you can book time with the team here.
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95. NRF's SVP of Content, Jill Dvorak: "One trillion dollars in holiday spend is the highest we have ever forecast.”
In this episode, Paula sits down with Jill Dvorak, SVP of Content at the National Retail Federation, for a wide ranging conversation about the state of retail in 2025, the turbulence created by tariffs and policy uncertainty, and why consumers are still driving a one trillion dollar holiday season. Jill breaks down what NRF really does beyond the Big Show, the global view from APAC and Europe, the surge of AI shaping this year’s event, and the growing importance of reverse logistics and new regulations like California’s textile law. She also shares her unconventional career path and the lessons she learned along the way. This is a grounded, honest, and global look at the forces reshaping retail right now.Learn more about Enactor and see how their platform puts you in control. Click here!
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94. Norrøna's CCO, Martin Lien: “You have to be for real when you build a community.”
In this episode, I sit down with our first Norwegian guest: Martin Lien, Chief Commercial Officer at Norrøna, to explore how one of Norway’s most iconic outdoor brands has built a global community rooted in nature, performance and experience. We talk about Norrøna’s unique approach to product development with extreme athletes, their growing ecosystem of festivals, expeditions and hospitality, the strategy behind Norrøna House in Oslo, and how the brand is preparing for its 100th anniversary. Martin also shares lessons from his own career journey and what it takes to build a brand that stays relevant for almost a century.Check the brand's website here.
OFFBounds is a podcast where commerce executives share their perspectives, successes, and lessons learned in their careers to inspire other global leaders in their journey and decision-making.Every week, the host Paula Macaggi meets industry leaders to discuss business strategies, careers, and leadership in one-on-one conversations challenging the limits of borders and boundaries.Paula unveils the person behind the leader and brings to her audience of commerce executives experiences to relate, motivate, and reflect on decisions that are shaping commerce.OFFBounds is the first podcast recorded in person with audio and video featuring executives in commerce from around the world.