Retail is the place where marketers send out their brands to meet the customer. Whether it’s online or at the premises – the retail space serves as the final custodian of our products or services, handing them over to our customers. It is in this moment that our customers’ own dreams, desires – and trust – seamlessly merge with our brands. If the shopping experience falls short of our customers’ expectations, that delicate relationship between customer and brand can weaken. As marketers, we need to fully understand the relevance and power of retail.
At the Nedbank Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Conference 2022, Ron Thurston, one of the USA’s leading retail gurus, will describe the dynamics of how our brands can shine like beacons of relevance in the retail space.
Ron Thurston has spent his life in the retail sector. As a highly accomplished retail leadership executive, board advisor and Amazon bestselling author, Ron has extensive experience in leading the retail teams for some of the USA’s most prominent brands. Throughout his career, Ron has travelled relentlessly across the USA to hear what retailers have to say, and inspiring thousands of them along the way.
According to Dale Hefer, CEO of the Nedbank IMC, Ron provides a compelling lesson in understanding relevance, which is the virtual conference’s theme for this year. ‘Ron is undoubtedly the go-to guy when seeking to understand retail in the marketing mix and how we can ensure that we stay relevant. His commitment to listening to what the industry is saying is something that we can learn from. To be relevant, we need to listen first and adapt accordingly,’ Hefer said.
Ron writes in his bestseller, Retail Pride, ‘The principles of good retail were the same a hundred years ago as they are today. But that doesn’t mean we should not be acutely aware of what is happening around us or how we need to evolve as an industry. We need to evolve along with our customers while still remembering the fundamentals of our business.’
If that is not a lesson in marketing relevance, then nothing is.
Virtual tickets are R1 999 (excluding VAT).Group discounts are available.Book now at imcconference.com
Nedbank IMC 2022 bursaries are available at imcconference.com/imc-bursaries/