Episode

Why retailers should sell experiences, not products, with Macy's CMO

Podcast
Ad Age Marketer's Brief
Published
Jul 1, 2026
Duration seconds
1201
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Summary

Shoppers don't remember what they bought—they remember the experience around it. Macy's Executive VP and Chief Marketing Officer Sharon Otterman explains how the retailer is shifting from one-off transactions to "retailtainment": in-store activations, engraving stations and immersive events tied to moments like prom, Father's Day and an upcoming 50th annual July 4th fireworks. She also breaks down how the team tests new activations in select stores before scaling fleet-wide, and the media mix modeling and attribution tools shaping where marketing budget goes. Dig deeper ~ Macy's launches creative agency review ahead of 100th Thanksgiving Parade ~ Macy's celebrates summer in its first campaign from new CMO and agency ~ Opinion: How CMOs can prove their growth impact—the metrics that matter ~ Inside Pacsun and LAFC's playbook for building a culturally relevant sports partnership