Global retail leader Jon Bird to keynote Mumbrella Retail Marketing Summit

One of the most respected retail marketing thinkers in the world, Jon Bird, will present exclusive research in his keynote presentation at the Mumbrella Retail Marketing Summit in February.

Bird, who founded IdeaWorks in Sydney and went on to lead retail at M&C Saatchi, is now the New York based executive director of global retail and shopper marketing for WPP agency VML.

VML’s global executive chairman of retail marketing Jon Bird is headlining the conference

He is joined by KFC’s acting CMO Annabel Fribence, Alibaba’s James Hudson, The Works creative partner Paul Swann and Karen Messitt of Instigate on the lineup for the conference, which takes place on February 28 in Sydney.

In his session, The Third Age of Digital Retail, Bird will present the findings of research from VML offices across the world about what the next iteration of the digital revolution will mean for retailers, from the in-store experience to what is expected from e-commerce, and will be vital for any marketer looking to futureproof their business.

During a career spanning nearly 40 years Bird has worked with some of the biggest retail brands on the planet, with brands including Electrolux, Ford and New Balance to improve their global retail experiences.

KFC’s acting marketing boss Annabel Fribence will open up about the brand’s resurgence

Joining him on the program is Annabel Fribence, acting CMO for KFC in Australia, who will be presenting a session looking at the renaissance of the brand’s marketing in the last two years.

Since January 2016 the quick service restaurant has been building creative messaging around owning the idea of confidence, starting with Plukka Duck skating down a hill and more recently the ‘Shut up and take my money’ spots starring a range of unusual but interesting characters.

A third new session announced today will look at how Aussie retailers and brands can expand their horizons beyond the Australian market and look to target Chinese consumers.

Joining this panel is James Hudson, head of corporate affairs and marketing in ANZ for Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which has set up a presence in Australia to help brands here make the most of the opportunities.

Another session in the summit’s customer journey stream is a panel discussing the changing face of loyalty and relationships in the retail sector.

The first two names on the panel are The Works creative partner Paul Swann, who has a host of experience working with FMCG clients including Optus Perks, Unilever and GSK, while Karen Messitt, who runs digital agency Instigate, will be discussing how technology like their facial recognition system called Optic Insights is helping marketers track and reward customers offline and online, allowing them to optimise their offerings.

These sessions join others already announced including Supercheap Autos talking about the future of in-store experience, Guzman y Gomez talking about its drone delivery pilot, a panel looking at the future of payments and the future of marketing local town centres and shopping centres.

The conference takes place on February 28 at the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney. To see the program so far and book earlybird tickets click here.

Alex Hayes

Alex Hayes worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017 in roles including editor and head of Mumbrella Bespoke.

topics Alibaba Annabel Fribence James Hudson Jon Bird KFC Mumbrella Retail Marketing Summit Paul Swann Retail Marketing Summit shopper marketing The Works Third Age of Digital Retail VML

Share Tweet Share