Georgia-Pacific's Melissa Blunte on consumer understanding at scale: why data gives you precision, not understanding

As companies invest billions in AI and automation to scale customer interactions, are they unintentionally building a wall between their brand and the very people they're trying to serve?

Agility requires that as technology accelerates, our ability to listen to and understand the customer must accelerate even faster.

Today, we're going to talk about how organizations can maintain and deepen their connection to consumers in an era increasingly defined by technological distance. We’ll explore:

- Why the more we lean on AI for efficiency, the more we need to invest in genuine human understanding.

- How to translate abstract consumer insights into tangible actions that resonate across the entire organization, not just the marketing department.

- The skills and cultural shifts necessary to prepare marketing teams for a future where empathy is as critical as data analysis.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Melissa Blunte, Director, Consumer Experience at Georgia-Pacific.

About Melissa Blunte

Known for: A “get it done” attitude. With an ownership mentality, strategic thinking, clear communication, persistence, and a willingness to do things differently, I will find a way to get things done.

I am a strategic brand and commercial leader with 20 years of experience driving growth and innovation across Fortune 500 companies and billion-dollar brands such as Zyrtec®, Lipitor®, Similac® Infant Formula, Quilted Northern®, and Angel Soft®.

Throughout my career, I've thrived at the intersection of brand building and business results. From launching products and crafting integrated marketing strategies, to leading high-performing teams and managing P&Ls, my focus has always been on delivering measurable impact.

I bring a unique combination of big-company discipline, cross-functional leadership, and entrepreneurial agility — and I’m energized by the challenge of crafting strategy and turning them into actions that drive value.