Wall Street Analysts And Research Specialists To Offer The Latest Retail Industry Data And Insight At Globalshop 2003

Furniture World Magazine

GlobalShop 2003, the world’s largest annual store design and in-store marketing show, today announced the list of top industry specialists who will lead conference sessions to help retail professionals succeed in the year ahead. Consumer behavior will be one of the key issues addressed. “In-Store Advertising Measurement” Study, the final results from the Convenience Store Phase of Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI), will be presented by Dick Blatt, president of the POPAI, and Doug Adams co-founder/vice president, Prime Consulting Group. Additionally, insights into post 9-11consumer behavior -- shifting values and buying patterns -- and its impact on business will be discussed by David Bersoff, partner/research director, Yankelovich GlobalShop 2003, the 11th annual GlobalShop event, will run March 16-18 with more than 17,000 attendees and 800 companies coming together at Chicago’s McCormick Place. GlobalShop is where the world’s leading retail, branding and marketing executives traditionally meet to discover the latest innovations designed to satisfy the growing needs and expectations of retail consumers. “We are thrilled to have such inspiring people as Ira Kalish, Ph.d, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Retail Forward, who has over 11 years in retail consulting experience to lead a panel group on the state of retail,” said Doug Hope, group vice president, VNU Expositions. “The insights attendees will gain during this and all of our other sessions will be invaluable.” The mindset of the American shopper will be outlined in a session led by Wendy Liebman, WSL Strategic Retail, and the challenges the shrinking middle class has on the retail industry will be discussed with Joel Anderson, director of New Ventures, Toys R Us and Michael Bills, president, Retail Planning Associates. Retail marketing will also be a focus at GlobalShop 2003 and session attendees will learn the hottest trends and practical information to put to use immediately. Issues will include reaching and courting the growing U.S, Hispanic population, with Victor Ornales, president and CEO, Ornales & Assoc.; Effectively using consumer research to develop in-store advertising, Scott Young, president, and Lily Lev-Glick, director of point-of-sale research, Perception Research Services; “The Impact of In-Store Advertising on Category Sales” Ricardo Siaca, vice president, client principle, ACNielsen; “Building Brands Builds Bottom Lines” led by Elinor Selame, president, BrandEquity International; and a panel on successful techniques and practices of in-store research with Simon Angove, president Brickstream, Tina Cox, FAME, Paco Underhill, Envirosell; and “NASFM’s Innovative Store Fixtures” by Michael Saubert. Insight into where consumers will be shopping in the future will be offered as well. The fate of department stores will be discussed by Kevin Roche, CEO Fitch: Worldwide, as well as “New Urbanism,” with Jeff Speck, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. “Reinventing the Shopping Mall” will be discussed by a panel of experts including Brian Leary, vice president, Design and Development for Atlantic Station, LLC, George Wallis, senior project manager, Wakefield-Beasley & Associates, and Jay Valgora, design principle, WalkerGroup/CNI. ABOUT GLOBALSHOP GlobalShop is presented by Display & Design Ideas, Point Of Purchase Magazine and Brandweek and is produced by VNU Expositions. Display & Design Ideas and Point Of Purchase Magazine are subsidiaries of VNU USA, a leading publishing and information group, and publishers of other retailing titles including Retail Merchandiser, Progressive Grocer, and Convenience Store News. Array serves as the platinum sponsor of GlobalShop 2003. VNU USA is a subsidiary of Netherlands-based VNU, N.V., one of the world’s leading media and information companies. VNU has major market positions in business-to-business publishing; trade shows, seminars and conferences; e-media applications; marketing information; and media information. VNU is active in more than 100 countries worldwide, employing more than 35,000 people, and has annual revenues of approximately $35 billion. For additional information on attending or exhibiting at GlobalShop 2003, visit http://www.globalshop.org.