410. Inside the art of experiential retail at Hershey’s

410. Inside the art of experiential retail at Hershey’s

From Retail Gets Real by National Retail Federation

March 17, 2026 · 24 min · Episode 410

About this episode

José Raul Padron discusses the evolution of physical retail and its importance in a digital-first world.

Retail stores remain powerful spaces for storytelling, connection and cultural relevance. José Raul Padron, design lead for the Hershey Experience at The Hershey Company, joins this episode of Retail Gets Real to share how thoughtful retail design transforms everyday shopping into memorable experiences. From immersive brand homes to viral product moments, he says physical retail continues to evolve in a digital-first world. (00:00:00) From chocolate legacy to retail design leadership (00:06:04) Why physical retail still matters in a digital world (00:11:17) Building immersive retail moments that capture culture (00:14:07) Where creative inspiration for retail design comes from (00:16:31) Inside the Hershey’s creative hub in Pennsylvania (00:17:49) Career advice for the next generation of retail creatives The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. Resources: • Become an NRF member and join the world’s largest retail trade association • Learn about our retail education platform, NRF Foundation, at nrffoundation.org • Learn about retail advocacy at…

People in this episode

Host: National Retail Federation

Guest: José Raul Padron

Topics covered

  • experiential retail
  • retail design
  • physical retail
  • brand storytelling
  • cultural relevance

Keywords

  • experiential retail
  • Hershey
  • retail design
  • immersive experiences
  • cultural relevance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Hershey Company

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