The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jason O’Toole, Head of Connected Commerce & Media, and Katie Tripodi, Director of US Digital Merchandising and eCommerce Expansion at Gildan, a leading manufacturer of everyday basic apparel. The Company’s product offering includes activewear, underwear, socks, and intimates sold to a broad range of customers, including wholesale distributors, screenprinters, embellishers, retailers or e-commerce platforms, as well as global lifestyle brand companies.

Follow Jason on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmotoole

Follow Katie on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-sierveld-tripodi-b945262

Follow Gildan on LinkedIn at: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/gildan

Follow Gildan online at: https://www.gildan.com/us/en

Jason & Katie answer these questions:

How have you structured your connected commerce teams internally to meet the demands of this complex omnichannel landscape and break down traditional silos?

1. For a legacy apparel brand, that is a bold and necessary move. What does your playbook for TikTok Shop look like, and how does your merchandising strategy there differ from a traditional dot-com?
2. In a world where 'attention is the new storefront,' how do you ensure that your upper-funnel brand storytelling actually connects to disciplined, bottom-funnel media systems?
3. When you are merchandising for a platform that is driven by viral moments and creator content, how do you forecast inventory and manage the digital shelf differently than you would for a predictable weekly cadence at a mass retailer?
4. How did you convince the organization to invest so heavily in that upper-funnel homepage placement rather than just fighting it out in bottom-funnel search?
5. you consciously chose to prioritize branded search and incremental ad-attributed sales as your main success metrics. Why were those specific metrics the best indicators of the consumer's path-to-purchase journey for apparel?
6. How do you approach digital shelf management—specifically regarding Product Detail Page (PDP) content, ratings, and reviews—to help the consumer confidently navigate that SKU complexity and hit the 'buy' button?
7. How do brands like Hanes and Maidenform approach 3P competition and brand protection across digital marketplaces to ensure the consumer gets an authentic, premium experience?
8. As consumer discovery shifts away from traditional search bars toward social feeds, creator recommendations, and even generative AI, what is the most critical muscle an apparel brand needs to build today to win the digital shelf in 2026 and beyond?

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Greg Brown, SVP of Innovation for the DAS Group of Agencies at Omnicom. Greg joins to share key themes coming from the 2026 SXSW which dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW® is best known for its conferences and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture.

Follow Greg on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsgregbrown/

Follow Omnicom online at: http://omnicom.com

Download Omnicom's SXSW 2026 Wrap Report here: https://www.omc.com/newsroom/omnicom-at-sxsw-2026-wrap-report/

Greg answers these questions:

1. Omnicom’s SXSW recap is titled “Where Growth Is Moving Next” — what was the single most unexpected signal you picked up in Austin that confirmed that framing for you personally?
2. For CPG brands that have built entire commercial models around scale and mass awareness, how disruptive is that shift really — and how urgently should they be acting?
3. For CPG brands whose products live on retailer shelves and retail media platforms, what does it mean practically when an AI agent intercepts a shopper before they ever reach a PDP?
4. Walmart is reportedly opening its doors to autonomous shopping agents while Amazon is moving to block them — two of the most important retail media platforms taking opposite positions. How should CPG brands be hedging right now?
5. Where do you see genuine participation-led growth opportunities for everyday CPG brands?
6. Gen Z and Gen Alpha were called out specifically — they don’t reject branded content, they reject inauthentic content. What’s the line between a CPG brand showing up credibly in culture versus coming across as cringe?
7. As CPG brands accelerate AI adoption across content, commerce, and consumer insights — where’s the line?
8. The report coins the phrase “the E-IQ economy.” What does leading with emotional intelligence actually look like in practice for a CPG marketer building campaigns in 2026?
9. What’s the realistic on-ramp for CPG brands to participate in immersive, experience-led growth without a Las Vegas budget?
10. As you look across all six themes from SXSW 2026, what’s the one move you’d tell a CPG Chief Marketing Officer to prioritize in the next 90 days — and what’s the one thing they should stop doing immediately?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce.

This week’s topics:

• Amazon FBA Surcharge
• Container Store gets a new owner
• Kristin Wolf promoted at Ulta
• Home Depot's new CTO

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.