Emmy Brown Berlind is the SVP and general manager of loyalty at Sephora, managing the retailer’s Beauty Insider loyalty program, promotions, sampling, and its Sephora credit card. In her role, Berlind is focusing on growing the 34 million-strong Beauty Insider program as well as engaging consumers, particularly through new gamified elements Sephora added to the program last month. We caught up with Brown to discuss establishing a successful loyalty program and finding a balance between reaching new customers and retaining current shoppers at a virtual Retail Brew Checkout event. Watch the full conversation with Berlind here.

What makes a good loyalty program, and what makes your loyalty program work so well?

It’s really a combination of the fact that we know that the thing that’s most important to our clients is value and convenience, and how they experience value and convenience is through the loyalty program.

Keep reading here.—EC

Investigating new ways to sell? All clues point to TikTok Shop. It’s a one-stop, entertainment-based shopping platform built to help your brand grow.

Powered by TikTok’s unique discovery engine, TikTok Shop connects you with top-notch qualified traffic. It puts your shoppable content in front of customers on their For You feed, where they’re already discovering new content and products tailored to their interests.

And speaking of content, TikTok Shop seamlessly lets customers discover your products and shop straight in the app through shoppable videos, livestream shopping, a search-based shop tab, and creator partnerships.

Plus, you can engage with your audience in real time with LIVE shopping. Just think of the content possibilities: answer customer questions, pack an order, demo your products live…

The app is your oyster. Start selling on TikTok Shop.

As technological advances have throughout history, the emergence of artificial intelligence has been met with both enthusiasm and dread, the double-edged sword that it could elevate society...or destroy it.

Now Blue Bottle Coffee, the chain known for its very particular pour-over method, is entering the fray, with a challenge that will pit a popular artist against AI to make a work of art.

Devon Rodriguez is among the most followed visual artists in the world, with 32.8 million followers on TikTok and 7.4 million fans on Instagram.

He’s most famous for videos where he surreptitiously paints or draws fellow passengers on the New York subway, then surprises them by presenting them with their portraits.

In a scenario reminiscent of the John Henry legend of a railway laborer taking on a steam drill, on October 25, Rodriguez will appear at a gallery in New York. He’ll be given a prompt to make a painting along a certain subject or theme, and at the same time, the prompt will be given to a Shutterstock AI image generator.

Keep reading here.—AAN

On Wednesdays, we wear pink spotlight Retail Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Sarah Nicholson is business development manager at Revmo, a full-service agency supporting the growth of Amazon sellers.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? In my role, I’m responsible for researching and initiating contacts with brands that have the potential to succeed and grow on Amazon, but may not have the tools or expertise to do so. At Revmo, we are a team of Amazon experts who are committed to driving brands forward and expediting their business growth.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I’ve maintained lasting friendships with clients I initially connected with more than a decade ago.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? My favorite project is the one where I secured my initial client for Revmo within a mere 70 days of my first day.

Keep reading here.—EC