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These days we're all a little bit sensitive, maybe a little more than ever, and we really need a sense of connection. Community is one of those words that can be misused, but one of the positive things that happened during the pandemic was community building. Whether it was in a branded virtual community like Peloton, a school discord server, or the conversion of outdoor spaces into more comfortable community gathering spots, we craved being together when we were suddenly separated. Today, we're talking to Ziyan Hossain, futurist and managing director of OCADU about community building and the implications for branded spaces. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

COVID is no longer preoccupying our lives as it was three years ago. Now, the war in Ukraine and the destabilization of the world economy are creating more uncertainty. It may seem like there are just too many things to worry about. And for retail brands that have been anticipating a celebratory end of the pandemic, it might feel almost soul-crushing to be facing another major crisis. So how do you get yourself and your team back up on your feet and looking ahead to a positive future when things are so uncertain? Today, I'm speaking to Richard Dirstein, SLD's EVP of Creative and Innovation about how retail brands can support their communities right now. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Every other day, you read a headline about labor shortages hurting restaurants and hospitality. In some places, companies are recruiting 14-year-olds, while others are offering big signing bonuses. Many restaurants are closing their doors several days a week because they don’t have enough staff to stay open, further hurting businesses that have managed barely to stay afloat during the pandemic. And government benefits that have supported those who’ve lost their jobs have ebbed away. So, why this dearth of workers? And why is it persisting? And if it continues, what does that mean for service? Today we’re speaking to Patricia Ghamami, General Manager of the Drake Hotel Devonshire and Motor Inn, about working in the service industry today and tomorrow. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At the end of the year, we like to regroup and look back at the big brand stories that caught our attention throughout the year. And this year was a particularly strange one. The pandemic experience has become regionalized and our appetite for doom scrolling has kind of disappeared. Political intrigues have been flying under the radar in spite of the efforts of social media, and the biggest communal problem the planet’s facing aside from the existential threat of climate change, which we appear to be unable to face, is one that most of us have never really thought about before, and that’s supply chain issues.  So, if you feel like 2021 was a little bit vague and unfocused, you’re not alone because when we decided to talk about brand stories of the year, it was really hard for me to jog my memory. But we do have a list and Digital Marketing Strategist, Sebastian Maynard, and I are going to take you through our favorites.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Retail may have suffered a blow during the harshest times of the pandemic, but as we emerge in various stages around North America, people are heading back to stores, salons, restaurants, theaters, and malls. But are they shopping the way that they used to? A significant shift to e-commerce is not the only drastic change to consumer behavior that retailers are now facing. As people go back to the real world, another trend is emerging and that’s the destination shop. We’re talking about new flashy flagships, concept stores, showrooms. They’re changing the way we think about store design and channel strategy.  Today’s guest, Retail Insider’s Dustin Fuhs, is going to share his thoughts about the destination shop and what it means for retail brands. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For many years, fast fashion was on top – cheap, ubiquitous, ripped from the runway designs that were so fast and easy they were literally designed to be disposable. However, the impact of this approach to clothing has come under intense criticism. From enormous quantities of product ending up in landfills to chemical dye pollution and unethical labor practices, the cost of fast fashion is adding up. For consumers and many in the industry, the cost of such an unsustainable model has inspired them to seek out other approaches now coming under the umbrella of slow fashion. Upcycling, thrift flips, resale, micromanufacturing, and made-to-order are becoming more common as the impact of fashion and climate change changes the way we decide what we want to wear. Today, I’m speaking to Diana Coatsworth, an independent fashion designer from Toronto who has recently shifted her approach to be slower and more sustainable. We’ll also be speaking with Kayla Vickers, an Account Coordinator at SLD who studied fashion from the business perspective, about how social media platforms like Poshmark and The RealReal are influencing the slow fashion movement.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Even though grocery stores remained open during lockdown, many people chose to do their grocery shopping online to avoid exposure to COVID. In fact, in SLD’s recent study on e-commerce for CPG brands, 69 percent of respondents said they shopped more online for groceries during the pandemic. For CPG brands, this news is not generally received with enthusiasm. The online shopping experience is extremely different from a shop in the store and options, such as saving your previous purchase list for reorder can make it harder for brands to be noticed. Some CPG brands are wading into the waters of direct-to-consumer platforms but with mixed success.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The financial services industry has largely begun to undertake the work of transforming their customer experience model from physical branches to their digital experience, to at least some degree. However, to get the most out of these intensive projects, transforming the people who work in banks and how they work is just as critical as your app, your branch design, and marketing campaigns. When people are included in transformation, not only do financial brands get a better end result when it comes to the customer experience, but they’re better poised to fend off incoming disruptors.  Today, we’re speaking to EJ Kritz, the EVP of Training & Customer Experience at ath Power Consulting about why financial brands need to take as much care with transforming their people practices as they do with every other part of their business. EJ, thank you for being with me today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Over the past few years, brands have more often ventured into the realm of social justice and politics, whether it’s Starbucks giving their entire retail network a day off to learn about racial equity, Dick’s Sporting Goods taking automatic guns and ammunition off their shelves, or beauty brands making a pledge to stop Photoshopping models, every day there’s another story about a company taking some sort of stand.  Why is this happening, and does it build or harm brand equity? Today I’m chatting with Digital Marketing and Communication Strategist, Sebastian Maynard, about some of the biggest issues driving consumer preference. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In North America, demographic changes are creating a more diverse customer base. This means that brand strategy and marketing needs to become more inclusive quickly. But some marketers are nervous about making mistakes trying to speak to audiences with different experiences.  Today, my guest is Puja Prakash – a graduate student at OCAD, completing her master's in Strategic Foresight. We’re going to talk about why this is so important to take on, and how to put yourself in the best possible position to be authentic and inclusive.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The future is unfolding in real-time, all the time. But most retail brands are in a state of constant catch-up – just being at par before another innovation appears. This is partly the result of fast-moving times, but it’s also the result of an industry that has been somewhat lackadaisical about innovation. To really become a brand of the future, today’s guest sees audacious leadership as essential. Nancy Giordano is a strategic futurist, speaker, consultant, and author of Leadering, a book aimed at challenging leaders to be bolder in shaping the future – not only of their companies but of the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Innovation and design thinking are new hot topics in board rooms these days, but anyone who has tried to make a company more innovative through strategic design knows that it’s really challenging. Newer companies that are starting off with innovation as a foundational principle have a big advantage over older organizations with legacy systems, ingrained cultural dynamics, and leadership who might understand the benefit but not really know where to begin. Today’s guest, Avi Raj, is a design strategist who understands how to connect the dots between design thinking, business, and digital experience.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.