The Sam Walton Business School at the University of Arkansas is on our
calendar every October because of the superb annual conference run by
the Center for Retailing Excellence. Andy Murray, Global CEO of Saatchi
& Saatchi X, was a founder of the conference, and this year a keynote
speaker. His subject was “the future of shopper marketing” – which
should apply to anyone and everyone who wants to sell something to a
customer.
The presentation featured five key points (and a whole bunch of
arresting stories, insights, and examples):
- Put yourself at the heart of the customer (most companies try it
the other way around) - Navigate the experience of your customer from the “shelf back”
- Create ways for customers to participate and be involved in your
brands and store experiences - Explore the fringe/edge/margin for new ideas (Wal-Mart was a
fringe idea, it came from Bentonville, not Chicago) - Find new ways for manufacturers and retailers to collaborate
authentically based on trust, transparency and shared goals
This is a special presentation and will be viewed in five years time as
a definitive statement about the world’s biggest activity: shopping.
