Unilever’s Data-Driven, Social-First Future With Ryu Yokoi

CPG marketing is in the middle of a seismic shift—fueled by AI, accelerated by retail media, and redefined by consumer expectations. 

In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton speaks with Ryu Yokoi, chief media and marketing capability officer at Unilever North America, to unpack Unilever’s evolution from a traditional brand builder to a nimble, data-powered, socially fluent marketing machine. 

They explore how Unilever is leveraging consumer signals, creators, and commerce to win in a social-first world.

Whether it’s optimizing for online shelf presence or collaborating with creators, Ryu Yokoi reveals what it takes to stay competitive in a category where cycle time has collapsed and signals matter more than size.

Over Ryu’s 19-year tenure at Unilever, he’s held roles across brand management, digital transformation, and ecommerce. From leading the integration of Schmidt’s Naturals to spearheading Unilever’s shift toward omnichannel and data-powered marketing, Ryu’s work focuses on enabling scalable, outcome-driven innovation in one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies.

Key takeaways:

[03:00] Driving Digital Commerce Through Media Convergence — Ryu explains how Unilever reshaped its media and marketing structure to reflect the new reality of converging data, commerce, and media. As Amazon and Walmart.com rise, Unilever is scaling omnichannel capabilities and applying media signals to guide creative, shelf strategy, and packaging decisions. Brands should align digital shelf and media learnings to boost omnichannel ROI.

[06:35] Future-Proofing Marketing Talent with Speed and Curiosity — As AI and data tools rapidly democratize marketing, Ryu emphasizes the need for curiosity, collaboration, and adaptability. Marketers must move from annual campaign mindsets to iterative, always-on thinking. The standout talent, he says, are those who “give a damn” and embrace marketing’s messiness as a craft—not just a job.

[10:15] First-Party Data Without DTC? Yes, It’s Possible — Even without a direct-to-consumer model, Unilever captures valuable consumer signals via media tagging, real-world activations, and publisher partnerships. Ryu stresses the importance of earning trust by creating content that adds value—whether it’s recipes or meaningful interactions at live events.

[13:00] Retail Media Isn’t the Future—It’s Now — With players like Walmart and Target acting more like full-service media agencies, Ryu shares how Unilever is using retail media as a core part of its funnel. From full-funnel attribution to video ad placements powered by Vizio, retail media now rivals traditional platforms in both scale and sophistication.

[18:00] Creators Are the New Shelf Space — Unilever’s creator strategy prioritizes contextual and cultural relevance. Creators offer both reach and resonance, especially with Gen Z consumers who distrust traditional advertising. Ryu explains how human relationships with creators, not automated buys, are key to authenticity—and brand lift.