In episode 350 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Kadian Langlais, chief marketing officer of Renfro Brands, a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of quality socks and legwear products. Langlais discusses the 100-year-old brand (1:02), her professional background in retail (3:12), and the impact that inflation and supply chain disruptions are having on Renfro Brands' business (4:47). She shares the steps the company is taking to address today's business challenges (6:19) as well as the role that direct-to-consumer selling fills in Renfro Brands' growth strategy (8:18).
Furthermore, Langlais discusses how shifts in today's retail environment have impacted marketing strategy at Renfro Brands (9:57), why creating a unified message across all marketing channels is critical to customer experience (12:08), and how she balances long-term planning with short-term flexibility (13:41). Lastly, she shares how she plans to tap into the opportunities she sees for Renfro Brands for the remainder of 2022 (16:40).
With over 20 years of experience across the retail marketing, e-commerce, buying, planning, and consulting spectrum, Kadian Langlais is the chief marketing officer of Renfro Brands, the leading manufacturer and marketer of the world’s preeminent sock brands. In her role, Kadian grows consumer engagement across Renfro Brand’s direct-to-consumer platform, Loops & Wales, and the company’s brand portfolio, inclusive of Hot Sox, Dr. Scholl’s, Merrell, among others. Through Renfro’s global consumer connectivity initiative, Kadian ensures that end-consumer insights are reflected in every aspect of the business to expand brand and customer value propositions.
Prior to joining Renfro, Kadian consulted with leading brands and retailers on their e-commerce and digital marketing strategies. Kadian has also held several roles at legwear company Kayser-Roth Corporation, where she championed its digital vision and strategy throughout the organization, working directly with brands including No Nonsense, HUE, and Simply Vera. Kadian is also an Industry Expert Mentor to the new Do You Fellowship Program at digitalundivided, a program that helps Black and Latinx women innovators and founders who are at, or near, the $1 million-plus inflection point of either raising capital or generating meaningful revenue.
