Rite Aid

Jeanniey Walden is an award-winning leader, with an extensive career spanning over decades, in various industries. Her uniquely hybrid marketing approach fuses traditional and digital methods withinnovativeandcutting-edgetechniquestodeliverresults. Recently named Top Marketer of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals, she is also a frequent speaker on work-life integration. She also hosts a weekly podcast and network TV show called “Liftoff with Jeanniey Walden.”

Being appointed as senior VP and chief marketing officer of RiteAid and Thrifty Ice Cream, Walden shares her insights on customer engagement and shifting trends in marketing in an interview with Retail Tech Insights.

Please give us a brief overview of the journey that you have had so far.

My journey kicked off in the world of education. After graduating from university with a master’s degree in teaching, I made my way into the corporate world, a deviation that profoundly shaped my professional trajectory.

The pivotal realization during this transition was the essence of truly understanding the customer: discerning their intentions, grasping their interests, and, most crucially, forging a connection built on trust.

My career has since encompassed a gamut of roles in marketing and business, from eminent advertising agencies and retail giants to burgeoning startups and Fortune 500 companies. I currently serve as the senior VP and chief marketing officer of RiteAid.

What are the current roles and responsibilities that you have in your organization right now?

The responsibility consists of a set of crucial functions; all centered on creating a solidconnection between our organization and the communities where we operate. I work to establish a sense of the relationship between Rite Aid and the diverse communities in which our stores are located and show that we're not just a retailer; we aim to be an integral part of the communities we serve.

“The ability to connect with customers in an authentic and relatable manner is a timeless cornerstone of marketing.”

One of the cornerstones of my role is to foster and maintain a level of trust between our customers and our in-store associates, many of whom are dedicated pharmacists.  When our customers walk into a Rite Aid, we ensure that our pharmacists not only fulfill their prescriptions but provide the guidance they need to lead healthier, happier lives, including offeringa diverse range of products, including snacks and beauty items from our store. This breadth is designed to support all the needs of our customers and their families, ensuring a one-stop destination for their requirements.

Once they’re in the store, my responsibilities are focused on ensuring they are well informed about the array of products and services we offer and how it helps them to improve their quality of life. We even strike up a conversation with them and try understanding what their needs are, so that we can make sure we always have the right products and the right services.

How hasthe industry evolved over the years?  What are the recent trends that you are witnessing in the marketplace today?

The integration of AI, data analytics, and the ability to gain customer insights without direct interactionhasshifted the marketing landscape over the years.However, one fundamental principle has remained constant throughout my decades in this role: the absolute necessity for every company to understand what drives their customer’s needs.

The ability to connect with customers in an authentic and relatable manner is a timeless cornerstone of marketing, and this fundamental truth will never change. While the industry constantly evolves with new techniques and methods to engage customers, the core essence remains the same – successful marketing hinges on connecting with customers.

It’s essential to embrace new techniques and stay excited about evolving techniquesto communicate with customers. Yet, at the end of the day,success in marketing still revolves around establishing a genuine connection with the customer.

Is there a particular initiative you are working on at Rite Aid? What is your strategy to ensure that sense of connection between communities and your organization?

Leveraging local social and community networks through various technologies, we currently emphasize a more robust and visible approach within the community.

This includes sending messages through local store pages on social media or actively participating in community events such as parades, school activities, and charities. Our goal is to be an integral part of our customers’ lives and build lasting relationships.

We focus on fostering connection and trust within the local community, ensuring we are as invested in them as they are in us.

How do you see retail marketing evolve in the next couple of years? Are there any trends that you are looking forward to? 

Since COVID-19, the retail industry has seen a paradigm shift. From having to shop either online or in-shop, customers can now shop in five different ways, including a new option of buying online and picking up at the store. In the not-too-near future, we will see a combination of the advancements in AI to make customer choices with any retailer more intuitive and more even on demand as it constantly evolves per changing customerneeds.

In this evolving landscape, brand power will be less about the big TV ads and more about the connections forged and how customers amplify your brand across social platforms.

It’s about the organic, user-driven sharing of brand experiences, and this transformative wave will reshape the future of brand marketing.

What would you advise your peers or the young professionals enteringthe industry today?

The key is to bring your fresh ideas and build a strong foundation by understanding the basics. Recognizing that your media channels aren’t just another tactic but powerful tools to forge better customer relationshipscan take your career far ahead.

For young professionals, if you’ve been in the field for a while and haven’t kept up with the latest media channels, it’s time to dive in, explore social media, and join online communities where people are actively engaging in shopping.

This is the future of how business will be conducted, and staying in the loop is vitalbecause it will become how we do business in the future.