Think Retail

A field of study that previously was seen as something of an academic niche is now emerging as a key tool that can help brands not only stay relevant, but if leveraged to its full extent, can even help them leapfrog ahead and become leaders. That field is strategic foresight and future studies.

Today, we’re talking to Foresight Strategist Robert Bolton to understand exactly what strategic foresight is and how it can help brands.

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In this episode,  Jean-Pierre Lacroix , President of SLD speaks with Manpreet Juneja, a Design Strategist at SLD about a  study we recently conducted  on the subject of future readiness and strategic foresight. The study asked brands to consider the subject of the future and how well prepared they think their organization is to cope with change.

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With economies in a fragile state due to COVID-19, many are wondering what Q2 and Q3 will look like, or if they’re even going to have a job. Retail brands that have incorporated AI are faring better. Today we speak with Max Peiro, CEO of Re-Hub about how Chinese companies have used innovation to get through this difficult time, and what the rest of the world can learn from their experiences.

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As retail brands are forced to close their doors in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, many are understandably concerned about the impact this is going to have on their business. In times like this, it’s still important, or maybe more important than ever, to keep the lines of communication open with customers. Despite retail locations shutting down left, right, and center, retailers need to be creative in maintaining relationships with their customer base, positioning themselves as part of their communities and offering help in any way they can. Today, we’re speaking to Scott McArthur of Statflo – a brand dedicated to helping brands communicate directly with their customers – about how to weather this storm.

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Almost every retail category has been transformed by technology, social media, and the mainstreaming of progressive social attitudes. But for the luxury beauty industry, the change has been more long coming than for others and it’s been revolutionary. Up until the past few years, luxury beauty focused on the narrow idea that affluent white women were their one and only target market. Models were almost always thin, white, and young. However, the shift over the last decade has been remarkable. The very idea of beauty and luxury are being redefined by younger generations who’ve never even flipped through an edition of  Vogue  or bought a lipstick at Saks. Today we’re talking to  BXP’s  Linda Casey about branding luxury beauty in this brave new world.

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For the majority of indie start-up brands, design seems like something of a luxury. Indie operators end up doing a lot of the work on their own, relying on an ad hoc internet education to patch together something that feels like an image. Once they grow and have a bit of money, then investing in design might be on the table. Local Toronto brand Pilot Coffee Roasters took a different approach. They were fortunate enough to have today’s guest, Creative Director Michelle Wilkin , as part of the family, and as such, Pilot has been in a unique position to be able to leverage a design approach from early on. We’re going to talk to Michelle about the challenge and the value of design thinking as an integral part of your business, and how this approach has helped Pilot make a mark in a very competitive category.

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Every new year brings the promise of new, magical, game-changing digital innovation. But what we expect from technology doesn’t always deliver quite the way we want it to. As retailers consider the expansion of 5G, AR, VR, and artificial intelligence, there are a lot of promises. But what will they actually deliver? In this episode we speak with  Christopher Hall , Managing Director of the  ICX Association , about five big tech promises for 2020, and whether he thinks they’re going to live up to the hype.

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In this episode, SLD's Jean-Pierre Lacroix has a conversation with Simon Stenning , a consultant who works exclusively in the foodservice and hospitality sector, providing brands with actionable market intelligence. Simon’s background includes working with huge names like Hilton and Compass.

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For years now, Millennials have been the most researched and targeted demographic group in the history of brand marketing. Today, Millennials are approaching middle age, and as their needs shift, Generation Z is stepping into the spotlight. Born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they’re now coming of age and represent 25 percent of the U.S. population, making them bigger than Boomers or Millennials. Today, we’re talking to VP and Managing Director of our New York City office,  Janice Jaworski , about designing for Gen Z.

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Men’s apparel has undergone major shifts as workwear becomes more casual and at the same time more men are interested, or at least curious about being fashionable. So how then do you take a classic menswear brand into the future? Today we’re talking to Lance Itkoff, CEO of the iconic men’s wear brand Tip Top.

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