Innovation Unleashed

RCS is transforming what's possible in mobile messaging. In this episode of Innovation Unleashed, Listrak Chief Product Officer Deanna Ballew and Cheryl Sanders, VP of Mobile Strategy, discuss how RCS is helping brands move beyond traditional SMS and MMS with verified branding, rich media, interactive experiences, and deeper customer engagement.
Drawing from Listrak's early RCS campaign experience, they share performance insights, emerging use cases, and practical guidance for marketers looking to test and scale RCS as part of their mobile strategy.
In this episode:
What RCS is and why adoption is accelerating
How verified branding builds trust and improves engagement
Early performance results from real-world RCS campaigns
Conversational commerce and interactive shopping experiences
Using RCS to collect first-party data and personalize messaging
Best practices for launching your first RCS campaigns
The future of mobile messaging and customer engagement

In this Partner Spotlight episode of Innovation Unleashed, we sit down with Carla Donahue, Senior Director at WITHIN, to explore how brands can unlock growth through smarter lifecycle and post-purchase marketing.
While many teams focus heavily on acquisition, a real opportunity lies in what happens after the first purchase. This episode dives into how brands can build stronger customer relationships, drive repeat purchases, and increase lifetime value through more thoughtful, personalized engagement.
We cover:
Why the second purchase is the most important milestone in the customer journey
How to tailor messaging for new vs. repeat customers
The role of post-purchase education and product-driven personalization
Strategies for upselling, cross-selling, and replenishment
How to use testing and data to challenge assumptions and improve performance
Ways to engage customers who enter during peak moments (like holiday) 
You’ll also hear real-world examples from retail and beauty brands, plus practical ideas you can implement across email, SMS, and broader lifecycle programs.
If you're looking build lasting customer relationships, smart, personalized lifecycle marketing is the key – and this episode breaks down exactly how to do it.

Dive into Listrak’s 2026 Cross-Channel Benchmark Report in this episode of Innovation Unleashed, featuring expert analysis of the data and the marketing insights behind it. Hear the trends shaping retail marketing today from shifts in email and SMS performance to the campaigns driving the most engagement and revenue.
Key insights from the episode include:
• Why transactional messaging is emerging as a critical revenue driver
• How email continues to serve as the workhorse of the marketing mix
• The evolution of SMS programs as they mature across industries
• Why welcome series, cart abandonment, and post-purchase messaging remain foundational lifecycle campaigns
Plus, broader topics like how brands can drive growth by focusing on high-value VIP customers, and the real buzz and impact of AI-driven discovery and conversational commerce on the future of retail marketing.
Explore the data behind these insights: download Listrak’s 2026 Cross-Channel Benchmark Report and the Beauty-Fashion Benchmark Report.

In this episode of Listrak’s Innovation Unleashed, host Jamie Elden reunites with Allie Naughton, Head of Client Strategy, to dig into what’s fueling fashion’s momentum in H2 across prestige and luxury. From DTC darlings opening boutiques to the surge in SMS and the rise of value-driven fashion, it’s a pragmatic roadmap to finish 2025 strong.
Why omnichannel is resurging - smaller format stores, smarter co-tenancy, and how DTC data is picking winning locations
Value-driven fashion: private label expansion, resale/rental, and the nostalgia cycle paying off
Turning reactive marketing into revenue-driven strategy with AI (trend detection, predicted reorder timing, weekly merchandising signals)
SMS/MMS/RCS growth: list-building that actually scales, guardrails for compliance, and how beauty/fashion lead adoption
Inventory volatility → opportunity: low-stock and back-in-stock alerts that convert (and where TikTok Shop/Amazon assortments fit)
Luxury outlook: why confidence (and margins) diverge -and the “entry price point” strategy to seed lifelong loyalty
Holiday, extended: longer promo windows, transparent offer calendars, and “buy-more-save-more” mechanics that lift AOV
Whether you lead a DTC rocketship or a 250-store powerhouse, you’ll leave with field-tested plays to grow acquisition, margin, and loyalty - without wasting spend.
Download the latest insights, reports and learn more at https://www.listrak.com

In this episode of Listrak’s Innovation Unleashed, host Jamie Elden sits down with Allie Naughton, Head of Client Strategy, to unpack key findings from the new half-year report. From the explosion of TikTok Shop and experiential loyalty programs to mobile’s dominance and the shifting role of AI in personalization and predictive marketing - this is your inside look at the trends, data, and strategies shaping the rest of 2025.
How Apple iOS18 and inbox changes are impacting engagement
Why loyalty is shifting from points to VIP experiences
The surge in SMS, MMS, and RCS - and why it matters now more than ever
Retailer predictions on holiday performance, inventory volatility, and price sensitivity
How AI is redefining product discovery, personalization, and replenishment
What TikTok Shop’s rise means for DTC and enterprise brands alike
Whether you're a retailer, marketer, or tech leader, this episode will give you actionable takeaways and strategic foresight to close the year strong.
Download the full report: https://www.listrak.com

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Listrak’s 2025 Cross-Channel Benchmark Report, providing expert analysis of the data and the insights behind it. Jake and Allie discuss trends in send volume, channel performance, and campaign successes, highlighting how these factors are driving smarter engagement, revenue, and loyalty. They also reveal industry trends and movements we’re seeing across Auto, Beauty, Big Box, and Fashion. The report offers performance metrics and takeaways for all 13 retail verticals and across 15 campaign types. In an era of fierce competition and evolving consumer behaviors, listen to the data signals!

In the first episode of Listrak’s Innovation Unleashed for 2025, Jake and Allie break down the key insights from Listrak’s latest client survey and share predictions for the year ahead. They discuss how brands are adapting to evolving consumer behavior, the shift toward hyper-personalized marketing strategies, and the transformation of loyalty programs. Plus, they explore the rise of "click and mortar" experiences—blending online and in-store shopping seamlessly. Tune in for expert insights on driving growth in an unpredictable retail landscape!

Listrak’s own Jake Pasini and Allie Naughton dive into “The Cyber Five” performance as reported from Listrak’s platform data to uncover key insights and trends. Hear performance highlights such as revenue trends, channel performance, and vertical-specific growth. How advanced AI enhanced the customer experience, and boosted conversions and revenue across ecommerce. Learn the tactics that worked for retailers and brands from discount strategies, the in-store comeback, mobile, and emerging trends, plus their 2025 predictions into the evolving consumer mindset focused on value and loyalty. 

In this edition of Innovation Unleashed, Listrak’s CEO, Ross Kramer, and Alchemy Worx CEO, Allan Levy, dive deep into the future of cross-channel digital marketing, emphasizing the power of testing, data unification, and segmentation. Allan shares insights on how his agency optimizes customer engagement through tailored email and SMS strategies, and the duo explores AI's evolving role in streamlining creative processes and improving campaign performance. As they gear up for a dynamic holiday season, Ross and Allan discuss leveraging unified customer data to unlock true 1:1 marketing across channels.

In this episode of Innovation Unleashed, Listrak CEO Ross Kramer and Jake Schmidt, CEO of Structured Agency, explore the evolving ecommerce landscape, from iOS updates to the rise of TikTok’s organic reach. They discuss key topics such as how brands can optimize email deliverability, leveraging Listrak’s tools for personalized marketing, and tapping into additional channels like SMS, push notifications, and RCS. Jake also shares insights on maximizing platform potential,  future trends in DTC marketing, and the top reasons to consider using an agency.