We’re thrilled to bring our retail community an expanded, yet curated, event experience with the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo. Anyone who has been to our events (in-person or online) knows that our goal is to spotlight speakers on the forefront of innovative projects and ideas, and dig into the latest, on-the-verge trends. But as our event has expanded, we’ve also realized that different teams and functions have very different needs and priorities.
With the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo’s micro-event model, we’ll have dedicated event experiences that allow senior leaders, omnichannel executives, ecommerce experts and design dynamos to geek out on what matters most to them. Each day, we’ll also have a dynamic track list that reflects the hot topics that are dominating the headlines—and your creative conversations. Here’s a quick list of some of the tracks that I’m most excited about:
NEW with Retail Innovation Summit
- Converging Customer-First & Employee-First Strategies
Company culture became a critical business issue as we all tried to navigate the mental, emotional and even physical stress of the pandemic. Executive leaders and even managers learned very quickly that they couldn’t just follow status-quo processes; they had to find new ways to connect with their employees in a meaningful way and determine how they, together, could improve customer interactions. This track will feature sessions that will help you balance employee-first and customer-centric strategies, so you can create a harmonious brand experience.
- New Revenue Models
This was a new track with our virtual event, and we’re excited to bring it back in May! We’ve seen many brands and retailers push creative limits and roll out new services and solutions over the past two years. We’re excited to feature the executives leading the charge with these new initiatives, as well as platform providers that are creating new commerce opportunities across all channels.
- Creating A Growth Marketing Mindset
What are the new keys to standing out and acquiring new customers in an increasingly crowded world? How can you master nurture strategy and long-term engagement to keep your brand top of mind — at all times? Growth marketers and strategists will offer their lessons and dig into the trends they’re watching as the commerce landscape continues to expand. With so many brands shifting to digital, the marketplace is getting more crowded and overall cost-per-acquisition is getting higher. We plan to offer tactical tips and best practices to help you rethink traditional marketing and advertising strategies, to ultimately set you on a path to long-term growth.
- The DTC Innovation Summit
I’ve always been inspired by the creativity and innovation shown by digitally native, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands. Over the past two years especially, this scope of innovation has expanded and we’re even seeing CPG brands join in on the fun! The DTC Innovation Forum will be an extremely targeted, one-day event dedicated to the unique trends, challenges and goals of DTC-focused brands. A combination of analytical educational sessions and group discussions will give you the insights you need to develop your own customized plan for the future.
NEW with design:retail Conference & Expo
- New Trends in Design & Brand Storytelling
Calling all trend-setters and brand experience professionals! We know that a big part of the design process is gathering inspiration and collaborating with your peers. With this track, we plan to have design pros, trend trackers and agencies get on stage to share the trends and design methods they think will lead design innovation in 2022 and beyond. We know that powerful designs are rooted in beauty, creativity and powerful storytelling, so we’re excited to spotlight folks that are doing exciting things in this area.
- Designing Connected Commerce: Next-Gen ‘Phygital’ Experiences
Some people call it “omnichannel,” we personally like “connected commerce,” but we know “phygital” is able to illustrate just how fluidly some brands and retailers are bringing digital into their physical experiences. And we also know that the “phygital movement” is here to stay! With this track, we’ll highlight new store formats and concepts that meld the best of physical space design and digital experiences together.
This is only scratching the surface of the incredible content we have planned. In addition to two jam-packed days of sessions and 16 tracks, we also plan to have collaborative pre-conference workshops, inspirational Store Tours, exciting event activations and more. Check out the site to see more information and if you have an idea for session, we’d love to hear from you!
