initiatives and data-ready implementation strategies. Mastering the modern cultural landscape One of the first panels of the day, moderated by Cosmopolitan’s EIC Willa Bennett, featured two major beauty heavy-hitters: Dan Manioci, SVP of global consumer engagement and digital marketing for Parlux, and Rachel Lockett, VP of marketing for Mac Cosmetics. The discussion focused on the shopping behaviours of younger generations, such as Gen Z and how brands need to shift their marketing and storytelling strategies to stay current with the cultural landscape. Lockett referenced a viral moment at the 2025 VMAs when musician Doja Cat pulled out an item that looked like a standard Mac Cosmetics lipstick, but was actually a piece of edible chocolate. The video of the artist seemingly eating lipstick went viral, showcasing how brands can tap into playful, creative moments to engage audiences. Both executives emphasised the importance of playfulness and experimentation in keeping a legacy brand relevant. At the same time, they warned against jumping on every viral trend. “Sitting out [on a trend] is equally important, and sometimes more so, than the trends that you chose to participate in,” said Manioci. He explained that companies, particularly those with a defined brand image, need to ask whether they can add something meaningful to the conversation by participating in a trend and whether they can provide a unique point of view. Otherwise, the effort can come across as disingenuous and alienate audiences from the brand. Democratising organisational data and unlocking AI’s superpower In a panel led by retail strategist Christine Russo, principal of RCCA, retail veterans and data science experts discussed the importance of democratising organisational data to make it actionable and purposeful, unlocking AI’s superpower. One key point raised by panellists Neha Kovach, global head of omnichannel CRM, CX, clienteling and data for David Yurman; Amy Sullivan, VP of buying and private brands for Stitch Fix; and Manuel Neto, VP of global analytics and data science for Capri Holdings Limited, was that retailers are now grappling with too much data rather than too little. “What may often happen when you have too much data, but your organisation is not ready to act upon it, is that you can have decision paralysis,” said Neto. If the systems across an organisation are not prepared to read and sort data, whether related to shoppers’ purchasing patterns or the popularity of certain SKUs, brands cannot make the most optimised decisions possible. Kovach and Sullivan also stressed the importance of ensuring all teams across an organisation understand the customer experience through data collection and work cohesively rather than in silos. They said it is a shared responsibility among leaders such as the CEO, CTO and CFO to monitor inventory management, merchandising strategy and other operational areas to ensure customers have a seamless experience. The masters of emotional brand building One of the final panels of the day featured two retail players that have mastered the art of listening to drive emotional brand building: Primark and Every Man Jack. In a discussion led by marketing strategist Colin Daniels, Rene Federico, head of marketing for Primark US, and Kim Dao, VP of marketing for Every Man Jack, explored the importance of building brand narratives and customer connections through listening. Both Federico and Dao warned against treating customers as a monolith. “When you look at the consumer as a monolith, you’re going down a path that could lead to some real challenges for your brand,” Federico told the audience. “That’s because consumers are multifaceted and way more complex than I think they have been in the past. Before, the paradigm was that the brand was the authority and could project a message that consumers would absorb. Now, it is actually the consumers that look to their own circles and communities as the authority and brands have to be smart enough to listen and understand what role they play so that they can be trusted and can be memorable.” Dao pointed to the evolution of men’s beauty brands as an example of how companies have historically treated certain consumer groups as a monolith. She explained that male beauty consumers were once viewed as simplistic, with brands releasing optimisation-focused products such as 3-in-1 body wash or low-key items like soap-on-a-rope. However, today’s male beauty consumers, particularly Gen Z shoppers, are far more conscious of the products they use on their face and body. They also want brands to address specific concerns, such as dry versus oily skin, and explain the benefits of the ingredients being used. “What segmentation told us is that these segments were really separated by how much men are involved in a grooming routine, and how much they feel that it’s part of their identity,” Dao concluded. “I remember one consumer saying that he had a full-blown nine-step routine and an express five-step routine, depending on the type of morning he was having and how missing one step could ruin his entire day. It’s the mindset of the person that you really want to be in touch with.” Further reading: Day three at NRF: How retailers like Target are bracing themselves for 2026