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Shoptalk Kicks Off Tomorrow – Here’s What We Learned from the Pre-Event Buzz
Exclusive pre-event interviews, industry buzz, and what’s shaping the future of retail at Shoptalk 2025.
Sophie Bruxner-Randall
March 25, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
Hi there,
Shoptalk Spring 2025 officially kicks off today—but the action has already started behind the scenes. Yesterday, the ClickZ team was on the ground at the pre-event day, capturing exclusive insights from industry leaders and getting a first-hand look at what’s shaping up to be the biggest retail and e-commerce event of the year.
From major themes to standout strategies, here’s a sneak peek at what’s driving the conversation before the doors even open:
1. Retail’s New Golden Age – A Vision from Sophie Wawro
 | In an exclusive interview with ClickZ, Sophie Wawro, Global President of Shoptalk, shared how this year’s event is designed to reflect a "new golden age" of retail. |
“Tech is finally enabling retail to rediscover personal connection at scale,” Wawro said. “We’re seeing a return to customer-centricity, with AI and new platforms helping brands to deliver that one-to-one experience—but at global scale.”
Sophie also highlighted the rise of retailers as media businesses, noting that the industry is becoming more complex as brands merge content, commerce, and data in new ways.
👉 Look out for sessions on AI-driven personalization, retail media, and customer-centric strategies throughout the week.
ClickZ’s Lee Arthur and Shoptalk’s Sophie Wawro
2. The New Market: Where Media Meets Commerce
A standout addition this year is The New Market, a dedicated section of Shoptalk focused on the future of consumer attention and product discovery.
According to Sophie, the lines between media, commerce, and entertainment have never been more blurred:
“Retailers are now media platforms, and media companies are selling retail products. The New Market is where those worlds collide.”
Expect to hear from cutting-edge brands and platforms on how they’re navigating this complex landscape—especially as platforms like TikTok and Snap become key discovery and conversion channels.
3. AI Isn’t Just a Tool—It’s Reshaping Strategy
Wawro highlighted AI’s growing influence—not just in automating processes, but in shaping entire business strategies.
“We’re not just talking about AI as a tool anymore. We’re talking about how AI helps brands predict demand, personalize at scale, and redefine customer trust.”
Sessions on AI and data-driven decision-making are expected to be standing-room only.
4. The Power of Strategic Networking
Shoptalk isn’t just about learning—it’s also about making meaningful connections.
Wawro revealed that this year’s event will feature:
✅ 3,200+ pre-arranged meetings
✅ 7,000 participants in the Meetup Program
✅ A major industry beach party and a new mini-golf event
“The magic of Shoptalk is that blend of structured networking and spontaneous connections,” Wawro said.
Exclusive Pre-Event Interviews
We also caught up with some key industry figures who gave us a glimpse into what they’re expecting from Shoptalk:
🎯 Casey Lissau – EVP, Executive Creative Director at Publicis Group
"This is the first time Publicis will be talking about Publicis Commerce as a unified entity. We’re excited to explore how we can leverage that scale to drive better results for our clients.”
🎯 Holly Ryall – Product Owner at Dorel Home
"AI is the hot topic—everyone’s talking about how to use it for business growth in a challenging landscape."
🎯 Kayleigh Duffy – Senior Account Executive at Klaviyo
"We’re focusing on helping brands better understand how to use data to drive email marketing performance—and we’ve got some big announcements coming up!"
We interviewed Fospha’s CEO, Sam Carter. Watch below for his exclusive insight on what’s coming up at Shoptalk 2025.
@clickz_official 60 seconds with Fospha CEO Sam Carter, who’s excited to talk all things omnichannel at this year’s @Shoptalk Spring 🌺 #shoptalk #shoptalk2... See more
Must-Attend Sessions Tomorrow
🔹 Keynote: “Capturing Fragmented Consumer Attention”
Tuesday, 10:00am – 10:20am PT | The New Market Stage
Discover how top brands are breaking through the noise to engage today’s always-on consumer.
🔹 The Secrets of Scaling on Snap – Fospha Masterclass
Tuesday, 11:00am – 12:30pm PT
Learn how leading brands are using Snap’s growing audience to drive measurable full-funnel growth.
🔹Amazon Halo – Fospha Masterclass
Tuesday, 2:00pm – 3:30pm PT
Discover how to unify performance data and optimize your media mix for better results.
🔹 The Marriage of Content and Shopping
Tuesday, 4:05pm – 4:45pm PT | The New Market Stage
See how brands are using influencer marketing and social commerce to drive sales.
Stay Updated in Real-Time
Shoptalk 2025 is about to start—and we can’t wait to share it with you.
See you in Vegas!
Best regards,
The Unofficially Shoptalk Team
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