Simon Hathaway
OpinionOpinion: Why Buster the Boxer isn’t a winner
John Lewis’s festive ads have become a national institution, and yesterday’s reveal of the new #BusterTheBoxer ad was no different.
OpinionOpinion: Samsung and Unilever must rebuild trust
Two very different companies’ products have been physically missing from shelves recently, but they have both made headline news.
OpinionOpinion: The secret of retail tech innovation? Never forget the customer
While I spend most of my working life looking to the future, I’m not afraid to take inspiration from the past.
OpinionOpinion: Why shoppers are demanding fresh thinking from retailers
Chewing the fat with retail leaders is usually a fascinating experience, but a chat with the people who shop in their stores can prove equally illuminating.
OpinionOpinion: Forget algorithms and remember retail’s about understanding people
As the industry becomes more reliant on big data, retailers must not forget that every customer touchpoint constitutes a brand experience.
OpinionOpinion: Augmented reality and connected groceries at CES 2016
Technical innovations varying from augmented and virtual reality to the internet of things were all on display at trade show CES 2016.
OpinionOpinion: Why it's Back to the Future for retail in 2016
Star Wars has recently caught people’s imagination in retail but the film franchise that holds greater resonance is surely Back to the Future.
OpinionComment: Time to dump Black Friday and commit to Singles’ Day
New retail red-letter days such as Singles’ Day should be encouraged but they should meet shoppers’ needs and build value for retailers.
OpinionComment: Retailers can boost brand credentials with cool collaborations
Retailers should collaborate with brands and designers to create unique product lines that consumers buy and buy in to.
OpinionHow subscription models could revolutionise retail
New forms of this business model could be massively disruptive for retailers and brands
OpinionComment: How the Super Bowl turns views into purchases
Shoppable advertisements and promotions aired during the Super Bowl demonstrate how retail boundaries are being blurred.
OpinionComment: Never underestimate the power of ‘new’ in retail
While many shoppers turn to online for convenience, stores will always attract consumers who want new and unique products.
OpinionComment: Does beacon technology improve customer experience?
To beacon or not to beacon, that is the question. As retailers roll out beacon technology, is it really enriching the customer experience?
OpinionComment: The possibilities of digital aisles are endless for retailers
Floor space may be one of the most limiting factors for retailers, but innovation is promising to revolutionise the in-store experience.
OpinionComment: In the future all media content will be shoppable
Asos’s recent launch of its #asseenonme initiative is the precursor of a change in how the retail sector perceives advertising.
OpinionComment: Next profits outstrip Marks & Spencer thanks to online boom
Next posted £695m pre-tax profit to the end of January, bucking the trend of flat or declining growth faced by many retailers.
OpinionComment: Smart data is the core of modern retailing
Big data has always been one of retail’s greatest strengths - after all, the Tesco Clubcard is arguably the predecessor of big data as we know it today. It is also one of the biggest challenges retailers face.
OpinionComment: Retailers need to get more serious about m-commerce
In 2011, Tesco HomePlus launched a ‘virtual supermarket’ on a Seoul subway station wall. It was a bold, brave, creative experiment and it swiftly became the global poster child for how people shopped via their mobiles.
OpinionComment: 'Omnichannel' may be the trend at WRC but retailers must remember that the customer is key
‘Omnichannel’ is the phrase du jour, certainly on the first day of the World Retail Congress 2013 in Paris.
OpinionComment: Cannes Lions evidences omnichannel's importance to marketing
It was a week of big parties, big celeb twitter chatter and some fantastic work showcasing how marketing communications is changing towards an omnichannel model.