Groceryshop Takeaway: The Human Advantage

By Aaron LoblinerSenior Vice President of Business Development, RSM&September 2026 · 3 min read

One of my biggest takeaways from Groceryshop had surprisingly little to do with technology. It was people. People were genuinely excited to be there. They wanted to see each other, exchange ideas, ask questions, meet new people and have conversations that simply don't happen over Zoom. The conference felt remarkably human. And I think that's telling us something about where marketing is headed.

Digital Isn't Going Anywhere. Neither Is Human Connection.

Digital has fundamentally changed how brands reach shoppers. It gives marketers scale, precision and increasingly sophisticated measurement. But we're also reaching a point of digital saturation. Consumers are surrounded by screens, notifications, emails, advertising and content all day. Brands are competing not only for attention, but for a moment when someone is actually willing to stop and engage. That's why the conversations I had around experiential were particularly interesting.

I made it a point to ask brands about the relationship between retail media, experiential and the broader shopper journey. The response was remarkably consistent: brands want more ways to connect with consumers. They aren't looking at experiential as something that exists separately from the rest of their marketing. Increasingly, they see it as another opportunity to become part of the shopper journey.

The Question Is Measurement

The biggest barrier isn't whether brands see value in real-world experiences. It's measurement. Marketers want to understand what happens after the interaction. Did the experience change behavior? Did it drive consideration? Did it lead to a purchase? How did it contribute to the broader customer journey? That's where experiential has evolved. With the right strategy, data and technology, IRL experiences can be measured in ways that connect them to meaningful business outcomes.

At RSM&, we've seen firsthand how much that changes the conversation. When we shared R.96 and demonstrated how experiential can be measured with greater rigor, people leaned in. That's an important shift. The conversation is no longer simply about creating a memorable experience. It's about creating a memorable experience that performs.

The Store Is Still One of the Most Important Stages

Another theme I heard repeatedly was the need to make shopping more “stoppable” both in-store and through e-commerce. Consumers want less friction. They want to find what they need faster, understand their choices more easily and feel confident in their decisions. But I also heard something else: fun. That matters. The most effective shopper experiences don't just remove friction. They give people areas on to stop, explore, discover and engage. That's where IRL can play a powerful role.

The 2027 Opportunity: Digital + Human

I don't see the future as digital versus physical. I see it as digital plus physical. The strongest brands will use technology and data to understand their customers while creating real-world experiences that give those customers something technology alone can't provide: human connection. That's particularly important in a world where AI will increasingly influence how brands create content, personalize communications and interact with consumers. The more technology becomes part of our everyday lives, the more valuable genuine human experiences become. Groceryshop reminded me that people still want to talk to people. They still want to discover things. They still want to be surprised. They still want experiences worth remembering. And for marketers heading into 2027, that's an opportunity worth paying attention to.

Because in an increasingly digital world, being human may be one of the most powerful experiences a brand can create.

About the Author

Aaron LoblinerSenior Vice President of Business Development, RSM&Continue the conversation: aaron.lobliner@rsmand.live