The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Michael Krans, Vice President of Retail Media at Macy’s Inc. and Andreas Reiffen, Founder and CEO of Pentaleap, a best-in-class ad-serving platform focused on relevance, transparency, and performance.

Follow Michael on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-j-krans-a7ba85
Follow Macy’s online at: https://www.macysmedianetwork.com/
Follow Andreas on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasreiffen
Follow Pentaleap on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pentaleaptech/
Follow Pentaleap online at: https://www.pentaleap.com/

This episode is sponsored by Pentaleap.

Michael and Andres answer these questions:

1. From your vantage points, what’s broken today about how organic and sponsored product search currently coexist—or don’t—on retail sites?
2. From a retailer perspective, how do you balance monetization with protecting the shopper experience from potential friction impeding the journey?
3. Why is unifying organic and sponsored search so critical to relevance, and what happens to performance when those systems operate in silos?
4. How do shoppers respond when relevance breaks down?
5. Retail media has largely been built as closed ecosystems. Why is that becoming a limitation for advertisers today?
6. What do advertisers actually want when they say they want retail media to “meet them where they already are”?
7. What does “opening up” retail media really mean in practice?
8. Retail media RTB can sound abstract—can you break down what’s actually new here and why it matters now?
9. What does it unlock for a retailer when you can connect demand partners and swap ad servers without losing control of the experience?
10. Can you share a real-world example of how RTB-driven retail media improves outcomes for the retailer, the brand, and the shopper?
11. If this model continues to scale, how should brands rethink their approach to retail search and retail media investment?
12. Looking ahead, what does “best-in-class” retail search and media look like from a shopper’s point of view?
13. If there’s one thing retailers or brands listening today should start doing differently based on this conversation, what would it be?

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/

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.

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Sarah Iooss, Director of Global Agency & Global Twitch at Amazon Ads, the retail media division of Amazon.

This episode was recorded at CES 2026 in Las Vegas Nevada.

Find Sarah on Linkedin at:
Find Sarah on Linkedin at:
Find Amazon Ads online at:

Here's what we asked Sarah:

1. What were kind of the key lessons or pivotal components of your experience that helped inform how you approach agency partnerships today?
2. What does global agency development at Amazon ads mean to you?
3. What are some of the most common misconceptions agencies may have about advertising on Amazon?
4. How are agency relationships evolving and how are those partnerships working out, especially when I think of some of the smaller ones?
5. How's Amazon ads really helping agencies connect those dots on a full funnel basis?
6. Is streaming in video are central to full funnel strategies as you just opened that up?
7. What are agencies getting right or still learning when it comes to working with Twitch communities?
8. How are agencies taking advantage of these AI-powered tools in the shift to more automated, integrated workflows?
9. Budgets are facing more scrutiny. What's resonating most with agencies when they talk to clients about efficiency measurement and improving impact on Amazon apps.

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:

• TikTok Shop announces all sellers must use their fulfillment services
• Pinterest cutting 15% of workforce, blaming it on AI
• Amazon shutters Fresh and Go stores
• Gen Z Holiday shopping

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.