Berns Communications Group’s Post

What an incredible day at the 2024 CEO Summit! A heartfelt thank you to all our speakers and attendees for making this event a transformative experience! 👏 Here are some key discussion points from our influential community, aligning with the theme of the event, "Innovate for Impact":   ✔ The State of Retail: John Furner of Walmart US during his discussion with Matthew Shay of the National Retail Federation, emphasized the shift in consumer shopping habits since the pandemic, noting that digital grocery delivery is Walmart’s fastest-growing category, with deliveries under three hours experiencing rapid growth. This trend underscores consumers' increasing preference for convenience and instant gratification in retail. ✔Rethinking Fashion’s Footprint: The author Dana Thomas moderated by the journalist Teri Agins, addressed the sobering reality of the fashion industry, with stats showing that garments are often worn just seven times, contributing to a staggering 92 million tons of textile waste generated globally each year—calling for immediate action toward sustainability. AI Transforming Retail: The Wharton School Professor Ethan Mollick shared insights on how companies utilizing AI technologies have seen productivity improvements making it a game-changer for enhancing operational efficiency and creativity in retail. ✔ Shareholder Activism: Mark DesJardine, Associate Professor at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, emphasized the critical need for proactive strategies in shareholder engagement, revealing that 23.4% of companies acknowledge activism as a growing risk, urging leaders to strengthen relationships with long-term investors. ✔The Power of Women's Sports: Colie Edison from WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) and Naveen Lokesh from New Balance discussed with the journalist Daniela Pierre-Bravo the incredible growth of women's sports, noting a 247% surge in Gen-Z engagement with the WNBA, highlighting the significance of authentic brand partnerships. ✔Election Economic Crossroads: Kent Smetters, Professor at The Wharton School, offered a critical analysis of proposed budget models, emphasizing the potential for a 33% increase in tax revenue needed to meet fiscal obligations.   Read more interesting insights in our blog post: 👇 cc Jay H. Baker Retailing Center - The Wharton School - US   #rlcbaker2024 #tbt #ceosummit #retail #leadership 

Creating a new keynote today and enjoying adding in some creativity. Speaking has been one of the most unexpected parts of my own personal evolution but it makes sense.... blending my practical, hands-on experience of transformation, my perspective on the evolving retail landscape, plus some left-field thinking. It's always such a great honour to have the opportunity to inject energy, enthusiasm and experience into events, strategy days and important get-togethers to help create a lasting impact for teams and audiences. I speak about all things retail transformation, including: ➡️ The challenges of change. ➡️ Recognising and embracing the real business problems. ➡️ Retail disruption and new business models. ➡️ The secrets of transformation success. ➡️ Many aspects of the ever-evolving retail industry - from op models and omnichannel to CX and tech. ➡️ And can also develop bespoke topics too - I'll let you know clearly if a topic is out of my wheelhouse!* * For the record, actual dinosaurs are not a speciality if I'm honest! 👉 So, if you're organising an event and want to face into the very real challenge of making change happen, it would be great to talk. Message me and let's discuss. Now, where to add in my trademark splash of bright green.... 💚 #retail #retailtransformation

Notable quotes from #Brandweek. ‘Difference is the big bang of growth.’ Marc Glovsky, Kantar at Brandweek Let's think about this: Marc's statement underscores a profound truth in today’s landscape. Growth is no longer about simply scaling what works; it’s about disrupting norms and delivering something unexpected. Brands that excel at differentiation are those that break through and achieve lasting success. The brands that dare to anticipate the future and test newness before anyone else are the ones that truly lead, as differentiation isn’t simply a tactic; it’s a mindset that fuels innovation, keeps brands ahead of the curve, and drives long-term, sustainable growth.

This is an awesome insight that speaks to where we are as a society - evolving rapidly through technology and craving authenticity & meaning. "Growth is no longer about simply scaling what works; it’s about disrupting norms and delivering something unexpected. Brands that excel at differentiation are those that break through and achieve lasting success." #branding #communications #insight

𝟱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 — Retail in 2024 isn't just about forecasting trends — it’s about the ability to transform amidst relentless societal shifts and technological leaps. To help guide businesses through this marketplace disruption, we've identified 5 compelling strategies to manage today's turbulence and come out stronger on the other side: 1. Hyperflux: Turbulence of Change 2. Humanverse: The Sanctuary of Humanity 3. Transcendent: Beyond Boundaries 4. Regenerate: The Rebirth of Symbiosis 5. Storyverse: Crafting Legends See our full report: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gCP-8bKC #RetailNews #RetailTrends #RetailManagement

Has there ever been a better time for Senior Marketers to step up to CEOs? If we look at the skills highlighted in this Forbes article here we can see the key skill areas highlighted are: Leading successful transformations in a rapidly changing environment. Adaptability. Understanding data analytics. Leverage consumer insights. Enhance customer experiences. Optimize inventory management. A culture of innovation. Foster collaboration. Encourage experimentation. Emotional intelligence. Inspire and connect. Strong understanding of digital tools, omnichannel strategies. Appreciation of technology. Seamless multi-platform shopping experiences. By developing these skills and mindsets, aspiring leaders can position themselves to navigate the complexities of the retail landscape effectively. Position yourself and your career against these if you wish to rise to the top! 🚀 #retailCEOs #becomeaCEO #retailleaders https://lnkd.in/eYnuWDEY

50 #RetailVoicesbyNRF for 2025. This recognition reflects the dedication and thought leadership brought to the #retail industry. 1. Bryan Amaral -CEO, Clientricity 2. Liza Amlani - Founder, Retail Strategy Group 3. Jacqueline Ardrey - CEO, Vera Bradley 4. Karen Beebe - CTO, Bealls 5. 🏷 Ricardo Belmar - Director, Retail & CPG Partner Marketing, Microsoft 6. Jeremy Bergstein - CEO, The Science Project 7. Emily Culp - Chief Strategy & Brand Officer, BodyHealth 8. Steve Dennis - President & Founder, SageBerry Consulting 9. Jennifer DiPasquale - Co-founder, Women in Retail 10. Marie Driscoll, CFA - CEO, Driscoll Advisors 11. Jill Dvorak, MBA- Senior Vice President, National Retail Federation 12. mina fader - MD Baker Retailing Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania 13. Rebecca Fitts -SVP, Alvarez & Marsal Property Solutions 14. Sharon Gai 🦾 - Keynote Speaker, sharongai dot com 15. Rob Garf - VP Retail, SalesForce dot com 16. Melissa Gonzalez - Principal, MG2 17. Julia Hare - Editor-in-Chief & Cofounder, RETHINK Retail 18. Sandy Hernandez I The Retail Muse - Founder, The Retail Muse 19. Hitha Herzog - Founder Consumer & Retail Insights, H Squared Research 20. Laura Hnatow - Vice President, Marketing & eCommerce, Sea Bags 21. Chris Igwe - Founder & President, Chris Igwe International 22. Alan John - Global Head of Data & AI, Nike 23. Kevin Ervin Kelley, AIA - Principal and Co-Founder, Shook Kelley 24. Yael Kochman 🎗️- Chief Marketing Officer, Buywith 25. Sucharita Kodali - Vice President, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research LinkedIn limits the number of mentions, so the list continues in the next post

𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 Fortune 500 and Mid-Market organizations have the advantage in so many ways. You own brand awareness, brand loyalty, market share and mind share. You have access to a greater level of assets, of industry knowledge and expertise. You have thousands of bright minds all working towards the organization’s growth and success. Large organizations also face some unique challenges. The unfortunate consequence of organizational silos and being extremely risk adverse is slow-moving, consistently mediocre innovation that is often a year or more behind. It is the small, nimble, risk-forward brands with private equity that tend to drive behavior-changing innovation. We have seen this problem occur with many of our favorite brands. We have spoken with numerous individuals in leadership that have expressed their frustration and desire to end this cumbersome cycle. We put some of our most genius heads together and created a solution for innovating innovation. Fortunately, we have something that can help, and we’d love to share it with you. To learn more about our process for setting Fortune 500s and Mid-Market organizations free of innovation stagnation, let’s chat – message me here. I can’t wait to show you what we’ve developed. Brand to Human®     #brandawareness #brandpositioning #brandstrategy #brandloyalty #brandexperience

The Future of the Creative industry:Key Trends Shaping 2024 Introduction: As we step into the final quarter of 2024, the creative landscape is witnessing unprecedented changes driven by innovation and shifting consumer behaviors. Key Trends to Highlight: 1. Sustainability and Ethical Practices Brands are increasingly adopting eco-friendly materials and ethical sourcing to meet consumer demand for sustainability. 2.The Role of Technology in Transformation From AI-driven customer insights to advanced production techniques, technology is at the heart of industry transformation. 3.Personalization and Consumer Experience Personalization is no longer optional brands that succeed are the ones offering hyper-targeted experiences. 4.The Shift Towards Hybrid Business Models Consumers now expect seamless experiences whether shopping online, in-store, or on mobile. 5.Inclusivity and Representation Brands are embracing more diverse voices, leading to greater inclusivity in designs, messaging, and leadership roles.

⛰✨ At the Digital Shelf Summit 2024, Whitney Price (Mars Petcare)took the stage alongside industry leaders Andrea K. Leigh (Allume Group), Chelsey Alexander (Bayer), and Natalie Cotter (May) (Liquid Death) to dive deep into the evolving landscape of digital shopping and how we can energize the consumer experience. One powerful takeaway is embracing failure as a stepping stone to success! 🎯 In our industry, sitting back and waiting is not an option. Move quickly, experiment boldly, and learn from every outcome - even the failures. As we lean into social selling and explore new media touchpoints, every experiment is an opportunity for growth. 💡 #DSS2024 #ConsumerExperience #Innovation #SocialSelling #TestAndLearn #DigitalLeaders