BRANDmate: Exciting programme with new focus on retail

• Inspiring presentations on pioneering topics
• Retail Day in collaboration with Licensing International Germany

Looking to the future, re-experiencing brands, setting up collaborations: on 25 and 26 June BRANDmate will once again bring together leading lights from the world of licensing, brands and retail, in the Grand Hall of Zeche Zollverein. Its multifaceted programme of keynote speeches, panels and showcases provides space for exchange of ideas, innovation and inspiration. One highlight is Retail Day on 26 June, which takes place in collaboration with industry association Licensing International Germany. With exclusive presentations and round-table discussions, this format is aimed specifically at decision-makers from the retail trade – offering new stimuli, practical insights and forward-looking licensing strategies.

Wide-ranging presentations 

Right from day 1, under the slogan ‘BRANDS for future’, the stage events will be inviting participants to look beyond the natural horizons, with topics such as artificial intelligence, cultural marketing, co-creation and new approaches to promotional activity highlighting the broad spectrum of today’s brand strategies. Experts offer practical insights and deliver ideas for innovative and collaborative activities with licences and brands. Speakers including Annie Reischmann (NEXT mdr) and Viktoria Rode (Rode Consulting) take a look at the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence has to offer to brands and companies. Inspiration for re-imagining market collaborations is provided by the second thematic strand, ‘BRANDS for mates’. Here the focus is on innovative approaches to community-building, how to address subcultures and the further development of traditional target group models. Taking gaming culture as an example, Bruno Kollhorst (Die Techniker) shows how health insurers can find new ways to access young target groups, while in a panel discussion Annette Kunze (Banijay), Mikkel Robrahn (yvolve), Jonas Konrad (CE Community Edition) and Carol Rapp (Merz Verlag) explore the roles of fandoms, kidults and collecting cultures. In addition, Jessica Bühler (We Are Family) presents the findings of a recent study on cultural marketing.

Broad-ranging Retail Day

Ideas for the retail trade of tomorrow are promised at the new BRANDmate Retail Day. This exclusive themed day – in collaboration with Licensing International Germany – is aimed specifically at retailers from all sectors and offers a varied programme of exciting presentations and exclusive expert round tables. The morning sees the launch of the ‘BRANDS for retail’ theme in the Grand Hall of Zeche Zollverein – with fresh perspectives, concrete examples of successes and new ways of thinking for the retail trade. Ute Stauss, Managing Director of Licensing International Germany, opens with a presentation entitled ‘The Power of Licensing – how brand licensing makes a difference’, in which she provides recent market data as a basis for the day’s discussions. Following this, retail consultant Frank Rehme supplies more ‘bursts of encouragement’ in the German-language market with his keynote address. Market researchers Lena Gabold and Luca Salehi (Appinio) highlight the factors for success in licensing with the aid of a study specially commissioned for BRANDmate. Exciting insights into the topic of social commerce are on offer from Jakob Neise (wyrld), who introduces his brand new immersive social retail store. Then, under the slogan ‘Retail for the Senses’, Mogens Link Schmidt (Head of Germany at successful retail chain Søstrene Grene) speaks about the feelgood factor in retailing. Afternoon sees the launch of the exclusive round-table session – to which only registered representatives of the retail trade with a valid ticket will be admitted. In four 30-minute workshop slots, participants will discuss key issues in retail with experienced experts from the sector, including Prof. Dr. Carsten Kortum (DHBW – Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg) and Florian Berger (Donkey Products). Together they cast light on the latest challenges and potential solutions, present examples of best practice and creative business models, and highlight growth opportunities in the licensing business.

Anyone interested can find the full BRANDmate programme, and information on registering for the Retail Day round tables, on the official website www.brandmate.events.