Brace For The Branding Breakout

Online, November 8, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Branding in retail is heading into a breakout year, and the 2012 RetailConnections Business Executive Summit will reveal new opportunities to build brand excellence across multiple fronts.

This new age of branding extends beyond marketing, and the Summit, Feb. 26-28, 2012, Miami, will present ground-breaking initiatives in every operational area within retail - from merchandising, marketing and store design to supply chain, e-commerce and social/mobile interactions.

"Never before have so many departments, once isolated from each other, stepped up and taken ownership of the total experience," said Marc Millstein, president of RetailConnections. "It seems 'collaboration,' and 'branding' are the watchwords for 2012. "While some struggle with the new challenges such changes entail, retailers seeing great success will share their stories at the Summit."

Among the RetailConnections Summit presentations:

• Office supplies giant Staples generates a whopping 42% of sales online and Brian Tilzer, Staples VP, E-Commerce, will detail the newly revamped platform supporting this channel in his keynote presentation, "The New Staples.com: Leveraging E-Commerce to Drive Multichannel Growth."
• Casual Male Retail Group is enjoying a renaissance, thanks to a new superstore format that has captured shoppers' imagination and loyalty. Dennis Hernreich, EVP, COO, CFO, will detail the branding journey and the amazing results it's delivered in "The Ultimate Customer Experience."
• Many retailers seek to exploit customer analytics to drive sales, but it remains an elusive goal. Bon Ton Stores has documented success in this realm and is ready to share results from newfound, nonintuitive opportunities to boost profits in all channels. Tiffany Tocco, Divisional VP, Marketing, will tackle "Customer Analytics That Bridge Cross-Functional Gaps."
• Breaking down silos is key to collaboration across all departments. Katherine Bahamonde, VP, E-Commerce, Juicy Couture, will reveal new tactics to build synergies in "Cross Channel Collaboration: Defeating 'Us Vs. Them'."
• A riveting speaker, Dan Remer, CEO and Creative Director of Remer Inc., will astound attendees with unconventional but proven tactics to create a positive, lasting consumer impression in "The Branded Retailer."
• Technology drives branding and other retail initiatives, and Michelle Garvey, CIO, Warnaco, and Sunil Verma, SVP, CIO, The Children's Place, will dissect the best opportunities (and risks to avoid) in an unscripted, lively panel discussion on new innovations.
• Media hype focuses on mobile and social networking, but the physical store remains the single most critical space where customers bond with the brand. A panel of leading retailers, including Paul Calderon, SVP, Store Environment and Development, Kohl's, and Christine Sturch, Midwest Interior Design and Branding Coordinator, Whole Foods Markets, will share perspectives on excellence in store design and experience. The session will be moderated by JGA Chairman Ken Nisch.

The Summit also features hands-on workshops led by retail executives, such as Jay Dunn, Chief Marketing Officer, Bare Necessities, and Tom DeCaro, EVP, Supply Chain, Michaels Stores. Workshop sessions will include: Building the Brand with Facebook Ads & PR; Supply Chain Innovation; RFID Proven Benefits; Mobile/Social and Connecting with Customers; Store Design and Experience; Technology Innovation; The Customer Experience.

Summit sponsors include Avanade, Cisco, Epson, Microsoft Dynamics, Reflexis, Scopix, TradeCard, 4R Systems, CrossView, Manthan Systems and Pitney Bowes.

Registration is now open to senior-level (VP and CXO) retail executives. For information, contact Denise Power, (773) 573-3939 [email protected], or Marc Millstein, (914) 620-5947 [email protected]

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Tia Potter, (917) 846-5185 [email protected] or LuAnn Hallberg, (814) 516-4965 [email protected].