E-commerce

Sephora and Kendo Brands execs talk tech and storytelling on day two of Shoptalk

The second day of Shoptalk featured several panels on how brands are harnessing the power of tech and storytelling to connect with today’s consumers. 

Executives like Sephora’s vice president of marketing partnerships Celessa Baker and Meta’s group lead of retail and e-commerce Karin Tracy highlighted the importance of experimenting with digital storytelling spaces, whereas Kendo Brands’ chief digital officer Sapna Parikh emphasised the importance of building an authentic connection with the brand’s community versus chasing virality. 

Immersing audiences in digital worlds

In a discussion with Vic Drabicky, founder and CEO of January Digital, Roblox’s Winnie Burke delved into the reasons why retailers should seriously consider adopting new digital storytelling spaces. 

“Roblox is good for brands who are looking to reach and net new consumers in a way that they haven’t done before,” Burke said. The same is true for brands that “want to have a more immersive relationship with a potential customer that may be different than you would be able to build on other platforms, with a more fleeting amount of time [for viewing content].” 

Burke provided the example of Fenty Beauty’s previous collaboration with Roblox in 2024. Consumers were able to create virtual versions of a lip balm for Fenty Beauty; Rihanna then selected one to turn into a physical product that was later sold at Sephora. This was an ideal instance of melding a virtual experience with a physical product in a way that truly engaged consumers with the brand, which is especially important when trying to attract younger audiences. 

“Gen Z really expects to have a seat at the table in these conversations, and bringing them in with co-creation moments is especially for brands who are looking to resonate with that community,” Burke emphasised. 

The leading edge of storytelling

In competitive retail segments, such as the beauty and toy categories, storytelling isn’t just an important part of a brand’s strategic plan; it’s vital.

As Meta’s Tracy told an attentive audience, “We’re in a moment where you have to earn the attention of the consumer. [You need to] communicate how they communicate and meet them where they are and understand that diversification of this storytelling is the critical piece here.”

Sephora’s Baker added that brands don’t always have to play by traditional marketing rules so long as their storytelling approach connects with the audience in an authentic way. 

“Oftentimes, storytelling doesn’t have to be on the nose. It should be inclusive and representative of your DNA, but then extend your reach in an interesting way that the consumer connects to.”

Baker pointed to the beauty retailer’s partnership with Unrivaled, a women’s professional three-on-three basketball league based in the US. 

While female athletes have not been the conventional representation of Sephora’s core demographic, Baker explained that the brand’s audience was able to strongly connect to the stories of the Unrivaled athletes and their struggles within the industry. By highlighting how these same athletes use beauty products as a form of self-care, Sephora was able to create a resonating moment through storytelling.   

Inspiration and discovery in digital shopping

In the era when digital shopping is king, retailers must focus not only on making the search process as seamless as possible but also on creating ample, interesting opportunities for consumer exploration. A task that has become extremely diversified, noted Kendo Brands’ Parikh.

“Channels like Instagram, TikTok, Roblox, YouTube are providing a way for these communities to really come together and have a conversation,” the chief digital officer observed. 

However, Parikh warned against retailers seeking out moments of virality as a means of being discovered by larger groups of consumers.

“If you’re trying to go viral, you’re setting yourself up for failure. I think what’s really important is that you are developing a brand that has true brand love and is authentic in the relationship with your consumers,” she said.

At the end of the day, it is more important for brands to remember the core consumer they are trying to connect with and what specific needs that shopper is looking to have satisfied. 

As Patrick Buchanan, Lulus’ senior vice president of marketing, stated, it’s all about “really utilising that customer-first mentality and making sure every campaign you build is about the customer. If you keep their needs in mind, then the whole process starts to fall into place.”