Unilever’s Selina Sykes on Rethinking Marketing for an AI-Driven Consumer

 

In this episode of BRAVE COMMERCE, Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter speak with Selina Sykes, Global VP of Digital, Social and AI Transformation at Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing, about how AI is transforming marketing, consumer behavior, and the way brands build trust and drive discovery. 

Selina shares how Unilever is using AI to strengthen its marketing capabilities while maintaining what makes its brands distinctive. She also explores why AI's biggest opportunity goes beyond productivity, and how Dove leveraged authentic consumer conversations on Reddit to improve discoverability in AI-powered search. 

Key takeaways: 

  • AI should amplify competitive advantage: Brands need to use AI to strengthen their unique capabilities, not simply produce more content. 
  • Consumer behavior is reshaping brand discovery: As shoppers increasingly turn to AI for recommendations, brands must rethink how they create demand and earn visibility. 
  • Trust is becoming a discoverability strategy: Authentic consumer conversations and recommendations can help brands build credibility and improve visibility in AI-powered search.