Connection: Forever young

The National Retail Federation Conference 2011, the most important event in the world of retail, was held on January 9-12 in New York. While it was a global event, this year's conference focused on the state of US trade that is still feeling the effects of the global crisis of late 2008 and an unemployment rate of near 10 per cent.

Speaking at the conference, Ira Kalish, director of Deloitte, said that by 2020, good products and prices alone will not be enough for consumers. According to Kalish, an ageing population will require new products and services to suit its new needs, including a desire to remain forever young. It will also eat more — a trend that will not only be reflected in higher food sales, but in the circumference of bellies as well; obesity will increase worldwide, according to Deloitte. The consumer will also be better informed and connected in 2020. Depending on the number of options available to them, consumers will force brands to adjust their offerings to draw their interest. In the future, it will not suffice to provide good retail products at attractive prices.

Consumer desires

Retailers will also need to meet the desire for eternal youth and health, and be incredibly well-connected to the consumer. Technology will be a powerful tool to engage with the consumer. The US retail market is using the cellphone as a tool to connect to consumers. The size of the market justifies investment in this marketing tool as 90 per cent of Americans own cellphones and 30 per cent have smartphones. The forecast is that this figure will reach 50 per cent by the end of the year. Interestingly, 49.1 per cent of Americans are now using cell phones for any activity involving the buying process such as searching for information about the product, comparing prices and redeeming coupons. For the American consumer, the cell phone is expected to be the best means to purchase a product in a short time.

In the US, 41 per cent of consumers claim to prefer stores with websites that can be accessed from cell phones, but only 4.8 per cent of stores have a decent website specific for cell phones.

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, scheduled for April 29, promises to heat up the British economy. Imagine how many pounds will be spent merely on souvenirs. The KK Outlet agency has created her own line of wedding souvenirs — unofficial, of course.

Source: Creative Review

Mark it in your agenda

On April 4 the Art Director of National Geographic (USA) will be in Dubai for a lecture and workshop for designers and journalists interested in learning how the magazine famous for its high quality pictures and graphics goes about its business. The lecture is free, but it is necessary to book one's seat in advance. Juan has worked as a graphics artist for El Mundo (Spain) and the Graphics Art Director for The New York Times. He has won more than a hundred SND and Malofiej awards, as well as awards from SPD and the American Institute of Graphic Arts. He was also a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2001 as part of a team of writers and visual journalists for The New York Times.

More information at snd20@snd20.org