Brands, Retail, Technology (and more) by David Roth
This week sees the launch of our BrandZ Most Valuable Italian Brands 2019. Last year I did a series of short films with some of the key insights from the 2018 study. I never published them here. So, for the next few days here is the catch up. Their insights are still sharply relevant. Today’s is about Italy heritage.
At STREAM Commerce in Miami I interviewed a number of the key speakers and participants as part of my “In Conversation with…” series. I am very grateful to everyone who graciously participated in the recordings and were were so generous in sharing their insights.
Todays “In conversation…” is with my good friends Jon Bird VMLY&R and Jon Stine MIT
Torrential rain and ferocious winds stopped work on a London building site. Thank the Lord for Starbucks.
It was lashing it down with rain for most of the morning here in Westminster, London… Perhaps as a metaphor for what the day will eventually bring. The vote on the Governments Brexit deal.
The World’s media broadcasting live in the rain from College Green opposite Parliament
As it stands, the deal is going to fall apart at 7pm by around some 100 votes. The DUP will not be supporting the Government motion in the House of Commons. The Conservative ERG Group and Her Majesty’s official opposition, The Labour Party, will both be opposing it… with a few notable exceptions.
The Prime Minister arriving in her motorcade at the House of Commons to start the debate
We are most likely to have an extension to article 50 and the withdrawal date…so the uncertainty will continue and continue.
Making their point
It’s not a party political point but this Parliament will in history be seen as “The Failure Parliament”.
The wonderful thing about British democracy is that there is always an eclectic demonstration of views around big occasions in Westminster….
The Indian Electoral Commission has announced the India election timetable.
It will take place from the 11thof April to the 19thMay 2019.
It is significant not just for India, but for the entire world. This election will be the biggest the world has ever seen. 900 Million, over the age of 18, eligible voters. They will cast their votes in over a million polling stations right across the country. Not for India, the low levels of turn-out that we see in other countries, including the UK. In 2014 it was 66% up from 45% for the first elections in 1951.
The list of candidates will also be big. Whilst they have not been finalised yet, in 2014 there were more that 8,250 – expect this to increases significantly in 2019.
It will also cost a lot of money, a huge amount of money…candidates spent around $5Bn in 2014.
Women may hold the balance of power in 2019. More women are expected to vote than men…
The big question is will Mr Modi led his BJP party to another victory? In 2014 it was epic and historic, the first time since 1984 a party in India had won an absolute majority in a general election.
That’s the wonderful thing about democracy…anything can happen. In politics it’s a long time till the 11thof April.
To celebrate the India elections I will be periodically posting, from now until the results, some of the insights from our BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable Indian brands…Some contextual insights that might help you navigate the enigma that is the magical India.
At STREAM Commerce in Miami I interviewed a number of the key speakers and participants as part of my “In Conversation with…” series. I am very grateful to everyone who graciously participated in the recordings and were were so generous in sharing their insights.
Todays “In conversation… is with Kim Snow, Creative Director at Google. Have a good weekend when you get there…
At STREAM Commerce in Miami I interviewed a number of the key speakers and participants as part of my “In Conversation with…” series. I am very grateful to everyone who graciously participated in the recordings and were were so generous in sharing their insights.
Todays “In conversation… is with Danielle Bailey Managing Vice President, Gartner L2
Each week I will be posting my picture of the week. An eclectic selection from my pictures taken from around the world.
Here is this weeks….from Peru.
THE MOST INTERESTING STORE IN THE WORLD… At least that’s what Showfields founder and CEO Tal Nathanel is confident he is creating.
In a world where many retailers are closing physical space, this plucky entrepreneur has gutted an iconic building in New York’s trendy NoHo area and is creating a new four story brick-and-mortar retail concept intended to bringing digitally native and direct to consumer brands to a physical life. Its proposition for brands centres on configuring their space online via a six-step process, which will then be fitted out and staffed by Showfields. It costs a flat fee per month (no turnover related element to it.). All the tech comes as standard – including mobile POS, data sensors and visitor analytics.
It’s currently in its “soft launch” stage. Just one of its four floors are open but that has not stopped a number of digital brands opening their space already including “Quip” electronic toothbrushes which started life as a Kickstarter project. Their space at Showfields actively encourages you to try out the brushes for yourself. Difficult to do that on a web site.
Or “Gravity Blanket” the weighted blanket for sleep, stress and anxiety. Which I have to say I had heard a lot about but never really understood or seen the value in until Tal persuaded me to try it out for myself at Showfields. It really was good and worth the premium!
Quod Erat Demonstrandum (QED).
Sometimes you really do need that physical experience…And that is what Tal is banking on.
As he took me on a behind the scenes tour of the yet to be opened floors Showfields strengths become more apparent. Its official opening will serendipitously be on the same day that Gordon Selfridge opened his Iconic Selfridges department store in London’s Oxford Street, back in 1909. That redefined retailing in Europe. And Tal’s betting on doing the same around the globe.And serendipity is what underpins the customer promise. He discusses this with me and other topics in this video interview you can see here. http://bit.ly/2TbglGx
Go see Showfields for yourself. It’s on corner of Bond and Lafayette Streets in NoHo, New York.
The world’s most interesting store…It could well be…It deserves to be successful.
At STREAM Commerce in Miami I interviewed a number of the key speakers and participants as part of my “In Conversation with…” series. I am very grateful to everyone who graciously participated in the recordings and were were so generous in sharing their insights. Over the next few days I will publish here the individual interviews as well as the consolidate live broadcast that we took pace each day.
Todays “In conversation… is with Brian Moroz, Creative Strategist, Google
