Retail Futures Forum 2017

We began this year’s Retail Futures Forum with an introduction to the latest global trends in retail, including our Uptown Downtown and Band Brands microtrends. We also examined the effect that recent geopolitical turmoil has had on consumer spending and offered a toolkit with key take-outs on how to approach audiences from Generation I to older demographics.

Guests were greeted with a lunch prepared from quality ingredients sourced from around the UK. In keeping with the theme of brand transparency, the food was accompanied by a detailed description of where each ingredient was sourced, from braised lamb supplied by The Ginger Pig in North Yorkshire to root vegetables grown at Chegworth Valley farm in Kent.

We talked to Shelina Janmohamed, vice-president of Islamic branding agency Ogilvy Noor, about how to communicate with the Muslim consumer and the rise of modesty wear. ‘Brands need to cater for the lifestyle. The Muslim consumer shouldn’t be an afterthought,' she explained.

Nick Brackenbury, co-founder of NearSt, which specialises in connecting consumers with the high street, explained the importance of assisting small retailers that are struggling to be recognised within a digital space.

Our talk with Emily Medd, data lead at global influencer and social marketing agency SEEN Connects, developed topics discussed in our Influencer market report, reiterating the power of micro-influencers whose followers are more engaged. ‘Micro-influencers with an engagement of 8% are more authentic for brands,’ explained Medd.