Beyond the Desk featuring Samantha Provenzano, dentsu X US

We’re back with our first ‘Beyond the Desk by dentsu X’ feature of 2023, diving into the people, passions, and talents that make the agency so special.

For February’s edition, we hear from Samantha Provenzano, an associate director of commerce and retail media. Learn more about the morning ritual that sets her up for success and the trend she thinks will change the game in 2023 in her Q&A interview below.

Q> Do you have a morning routine or one ritual that sets you up for success?

Samantha> I love financial and business news, so I watch Squawk Box every morning. It helps me throughout my day because I hear about updates from retailers and brands before the workday even starts. I like to think it gives me a little bit of a leg up, plus I find it interesting. Every morning, without fail, Squawk Box is on my TV while I drink my coffee and then I take my dog out on a walk.

Q> Do you have an early work experience or a person that you met that shaped or steered you towards your current career path?

Samantha> Yes, big time. My entire career has been in the world of commerce and retail media. My first exposure to that was my college internship, where I was a shopper marketing intern just as ecommerce became popular for brands to start investing in. As the years have gone by, my career has evolved to merge both shopper and ecommerce, as those two worlds become one. In every position I've had, I’ve grown my career within the world of commerce and retail media. It all goes back to my first internship, because without that experience and exposure, who knows where I would be now.

Q> What is something you wish you had known before entering the marketing industry?

Samantha> I mentioned my entire career has been in the world of commerce and retail media. One thing I wish I had known going into it was just how small that world is. I have contacts and friends at different partners, retailers, and brands that I've worked with in every single role I’ve held. It is important to keep that network healthy. Of course, never burn a bridge, which I’ve known as a general rule in life, but I wish I had known earlier on just how small this community is and how impactful this community would be to me.

Q> Tell us about an accomplishment you've been most proud of during your time at dentsu X.

Samantha> I've been here for exactly one year and I am most proud of the relationships I've been able to build both internally and externally with my team and clients, especially when coming into a role that's completely virtual. It makes the workday a lot easier when you enjoy the people you're working with and know that you can trust them. I'm definitely proud of that.

Q> What is a media trend that you think will have a huge impact on 2023 or something that's up and coming?

Samantha> I am biased, but I think retail media networks are still up and coming in 2023. We’ve seen RMN’s evolve and move upward in the funnel with their capabilities - exploring all sorts of media opportunities. Things that were once considered 'national' or 'brand' media now have the opportunity to be 'retail' media. At the end of the day, retail media will just be media, and everything will have the opportunity to be shoppable.

Q> The Dentsu X experience is powered by ___.

Samantha> Dentsu X is powered by experiences... I’ve found that dentsu really offers opportunities for us to get involved and allows us to branch out and grow, which feeds into my earlier answer about relationships. I would say the value the organisation puts on experiences is why I love working at dentsu X.

We are a team of Thinkers, Makers and Doers – committed to defying convention and creating unparalleled experiences for brands. Interested in learning more? Check out the denstu X LinkedIn page here.