Robots are taking over, our planet is in crisis and money is tight. But don’t worry, us Kiwis have got something special going on. We've got more pets per capita than just about anyone else, and even though we're laybuying our groceries, our peanut butter game is unrivaled. Brace yourselves, because that's the buzz from the Future of Retail Marketing Conference 2023 held last Thursday in Tāmaki Makaurau.

The day kicked off with Gemma Rasmussen, the Head of Research and Advocacy at Consumer NZ, dropping some insights into what customers care about these days. It turns out that cold, hard cash has taken centre stage. Back in 2021, our worries revolved around housing, health, and education. But fast forward two years, and we're grappling with more pressing matters like the skyrocketing price of everyday essentials like fresh fruit and veggies, not to mention the ever-mounting debt.

But while the forecast is looking gloomy, this provides us with an opportunity to shake things up, rethink our strategies, and truly engage with our customers and clients.

Key takeaways:

1. One out of every four people has a buy-now, pay-later account
2. One in five Kiwis have savings
3. When it comes to making decisions, Kiwi consumers consider three crucial factors: price competitiveness, sustainability, and locality
4. Escaping reality through affordable pleasures like watching a sports game or going to the movies has become incredibly valuable to today's consumers

Continuing on the path of understanding customer concerns, the conference featured a lively panel discussion on ESG - environmental, social, and governance responsibilities (yep, I had to Google that one too). Led by the amazing Nicky Greville, the Managing Director at Spark Foundry, the panel included Rachel O'Connor, the Marketing Manager at Toyota New Zealand, and Suraiya Phillimore-Smith, the Chief Marketing Officer of Westpac New Zealand. Together, they shared insights on sustainability and carbon reduction. But the real gem of wisdom was all about securing that "social license."

Back in the day, being "environmentally-friendly" was just a bonus for a competitive edge. Now, it's the name of the game. If you don't have a commitment to the triple bottom line, your customers will call you out faster than you can say "greenwashing." Authenticity is harder to fake than ever before.

When the floor opened for questions, Playground NZ raised a crucial question about the carbon footprint created by the Media and Advertising industry. Nicky shared insights on how measures and expectations regarding environmental responsibility will evolve in the coming weeks for Media Agencies and Suppliers.

It made me proud knowing that Go Media was already putting sustainability at the forefront of our operations, leading the charge in our industry. So for us, the most important takeaway from this panel was the importance of embracing vulnerability on our sustainability journey. It's okay to make mistakes along the way; what truly matters is owning up to them and sharing the lessons with others.

Next up, we dove into the two extra "P's" of marketing: Pets and Peanuts.

If there are two things us Kiwis absolutely adore, it's our furry friends and peanut butter. Did you know that Aotearoa has more pets per person than almost anywhere else? A whopping 64% of Kiwis proudly call themselves pet parents.

As someone who cherishes her role as pet-parent (and is a regular Animates shopper), this section was the highlight of my day. Representing the incredible team from Animates were Rebekah Gierlinska, the Managing Director at Hearts & Science, and Nathalie Moolenschot, the GM Marketing at Animates. Both speakers blew our minds with their insights on Omnichannel marketing while also making us coo over adorable pet pictures - a winning combo if you ask me. 

Their message was crystal clear: instead of chasing every possible sales avenue, we should focus on what's inside our customers' heads. Their secret sauce is building trust and providing the best advice, not just focusing on short-term sales. 

Next up, we had the fascinating story of Pic's Peanut Butter, shared by their newly appointed CEO, Aimee McCammon. Pic's philosophy revolves around making the best peanut butter and trusting people to spread the word. And guess what? It works like a charm! This passion project from Nelson has become Aotearoa's number one peanut butter brand, all without relying on "fancy pants" marketing tactics. They embrace the spirit of a pirate ship rather than a cruise liner.

Pic's origin story resonated with Go Media, too. Both of us strive for greatness in our respective industries, and there's a certain sense of accomplishment when you reach the top. We all know that tall poppy syndrome runs rampant here, making businesses (and individuals) shy away from well-deserved recognition.

Aimee even admitted to feeling a bit scared about claiming the top spot in the peanut butter world, but she was pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback and celebration of their achievements. The cultural code of New Zealand is changing, and even the social media trolls showed encouragement and national pride.

Key takeaways:

1. Over 20% of people aged 21-35 are choosing pets over kids
2. People have proven to prioritise pet expenses over their own food
3. Never stop thinking like a challenger brand 
4. B-Corp is the answer to sustainability for any business

Next, we shifted gears to talk about the highly anticipated panel on AI where Matt Bain, the Marketing Director at Spark, Spencer Bailey, the Head of New Zealand at Meta New Zealand, Nick Houldsworth, the Board Chair at Ambit, Connor Archbold, the Co-founder of Tracksuit, and Hayley Burrows, the Head of Social at Dentsu Creative Aotearoa, took the stage.

Despite their tech jargon, these future thinkers had a simple message to share: Robots aren't coming; they've been here for ages. And that things are changing very quickly, so it's time to buckle up and embrace the change!

We learned that "Predictive AI" is everywhere. It's the magic that digs up data to serve you the perfect conversation. It's the wizard behind the scenes that optimizes marketing campaigns and delivers outstanding results. 

Whereas "Generative AI" is the new kid on the block. This is the power behind ChatGPT, Bard, and Co-Pilot, the tools that turn simple inputs into creative outputs. It's like predictive text on steroids! All you need to do is tune up your "Prompt" game, and these tools can spit out incredible creative content—faster, cheaper, and often even better than human creatives could ever dream of.

But here's the best news: humans still matter. In a world where so much online content is generated by machines, people are starting to doubt the authenticity of the internet. Trusted brands will become the fuel that powers these robots, and those human moments—like in-store interactions and brand activations—may become more valued and valuable than ever before.

Key takeaways:

1. Make AI your assistant, not your content strategy
2. Businesses with human touchpoints will thrive in the age of AI 
3. AI won't be the death of Sales Force (sorry not sorry)
4. Social media verification badges will become vital in improving trust and verification
5. Let your customers know when AI is at work, and provide access to real humans when needed
6. Be kind to ChatGPT (you never know when it may become sentient...)
7. All the answers given above may change in six months. Stay agile!

Now, let's bring it all together and paint a picture of the future of retail marketing.

Whether it's AI-informed strategies, omnichannel marketing, or delivering on a triple bottom line, my main takeaway is that core marketing principles matter now more than ever. 

And the best part? The middle "thinky" bit of marketing, the part where we ask ourselves why people should choose us, why they should trust us, and what makes our product special—that's where the magic happens. This is the heart of marketing, and it will always be invaluable.

So, embrace the future, keep those core marketing principles alive, and remember that genuine human connections and moments will never go out of style. 

Written by Isabella Dervan (and edited by ChatGPT)