In this episode, Tory Bradley, Global E-Commerce Retail Search Director at Mars Wrigley, dives deep into how Mars is navigating the evolving world of GenAI, search, and digital commerce. Drawing on Mars’ legacy of embracing technology - from pioneering electrified chocolate production in the 1920s to revolutionizing vending machines- Tory explains how the company is once again at a pivotal inflection point. She shares how Mars, in partnership with Azoma, is embracing generative AI to stay visible in an increasingly digital path-to-purchase landscape, where tools like Amazon’s Rufus and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are reshaping the way consumers discover and shop for products.
Tory breaks down the difference between traditional SEO and the newer, fast-moving world of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), highlighting how retail search now demands cross-functional collaboration across content, PR, legal, and marketing. She emphasizes the need for both top-down leadership support and bottom-up experimentation to drive AI adoption. With real-time changes in how platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and others surface product information, Mars is investing in partnerships and agile processes to stay ahead of shifting algorithms, new discovery channels, and consumer behaviors.
The conversation also explores the broader industry implications of AI-powered shopping assistants, such as Amazon’s Rufus and Walmart’s emerging integrations, which are already driving significant incremental sales. Tori shares how she stays informed in a fast-evolving space, the organizational challenges of aligning large teams toward innovation, and why she believes e-commerce and search are the most dynamic and exciting areas in marketing today. With a clear passion for building future-forward strategies, Tori is helping position Mars Wrigley as a trailblazer in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) search during the AI era.