DIY Retail Media with Ace Hardware's Molly Hjelm

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Molly Hjelm, Corporate VP of Red Vest Media, the retail media division of Ace Hardware, the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with over 5,900 locally-owned and operated hardware stores in 71 countries. 

Follow Molly on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyhjelm/
Follow Ace Hardware on LinkedIn at: http://acehardware.com
Follow RedVest Media online at: http://redvestmedia.com

Molly answers these questions:

1. Ace has a unique position as a cooperative of independent retailers. How does that structure shape the way you approach retail media compared to traditional big-box retailers?
2. We’re read that Ace balances local relevance with national scale—how do you preserve that hyper-local feel while delivering a unified marketing message through Ace Media?
3. Ace Rewards has over 71 million members with impressive active engagement—how are you leveraging this loyalty data to power Ace Media’s audience targeting and personalization?
4. Ace Media is launching with a full-funnel portfolio right out of the gate. What led to the decision to debut such a comprehensive offering instead of rolling it out incrementally?
5. You’re partnering with Epsilon and launching with interoperability across commerce platforms like Flywheel & Pacvue. How does this commitment to open infrastructure benefit your brand partners?
6. Your approach to launch is intentionally curated, not a land grab for ad dollars. How are you choosing which brand partners to bring in first—and why is that intentionality important?
7. Measurement seems to be a passion point for you. What can advertisers expect when it comes to transparency and performance reporting from day one?
8. Looking ahead, what’s your vision for how Ace Media will evolve—and how do you see it helping both national brands and independent store owners thrive over time?

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