To drive innovation and industry progress, we must create an open forum for conversation and idea sharing. We attempt to bring this collaboration to life in everything we do, especially in our programming — and our latest partnership with Future Commerce is testament to that.
For the first time, Future Commerce, a media company that analyzes and reports on the intersection of commerce and culture, hosted their VISIONS Summit at the 2023 Retail Innovation Conference & Expo. The summit commemorated the official launch of the company’s VISIONS Report, which is designed to feature industry thought leaders and cultural figures who have thought-provoking insights on all things commerce.
In one afternoon, the agenda of speakers dug into everything from the power of nostalgia to the evolution of visual arts and media in influencing commerce, and how consumers are engaging in critique to influence the future of brands. Here are some of our favorite moments from the summit:
Ruby Thelot, artist, designer and founder of 13101401 Inc., shared his thoughts on the thinking of figures like John Berger and Norbert Wiener predicted the world we live in today. He also shared thought-provoking perspectives on how he believes the blending of art, activism, commerce and culture will impact our future.
If you scroll through TikTok or Instagram, you’ve likely seen a few video clips providing commentary on everything from pop culture to a new restaurant experience. Ashwinn Krishnaswamy spoke to the audience about brand critique based on his experience as both a branding agency owner and digital creator. He asked pointed questions about the ways brands can challenge and embrace these critiques, and whether they can be critics themselves.
How does technology enable the intimate connections that consumers expect in this highly contextual era of commerce? What innovations are in the pipeline and how will they impact the future, especially as brands determine their next move? Nitu Walker of Adobe and Dave Wisdom of Bloomreach shared their thoughts, informed by their companies’ unique positioning and influence in the commerce industry.
These days it feels like every past trend and nostalgic piece of media are converging. We call it the “Context Collapse”. Matt Klein had a lively conversation with Future Commerce Co-founder Brian Lange about how trends form, and how those trends lead to subcultures, ultimately influencing what, and where we buy.
The Future Commerce team were amazing partners, and we were thrilled we were able to bring the VISIONS Summit to an engaged audience that was excited to explore new, thought-provoking ideas. Be on the lookout for what’s to come in 2024, because we will surely be bringing some more new voices and insights into the mix!
