• One Step Beyond: The Buyer helps launch new tech event

    Arguably the biggest achilles heel of the drinks industry, and particularly the complex category of wine, is keeping on top of consumer trends, changes in behaviour and the power of the new technologies that are driving them. Today The Buyer is linking up with the Wine & Spirit Trade Association and Jump Start to launch a new conference that will focus on the disruptive and essential trends, innovations and technology that the drinks industry needs to be on top of for future sales, marketing, branding and communications. The 2020 – One Step Beyond conference will look to provide a platform for trends and technology experts outside the industry to share their insights with key decision makers across beers, wines and spirits. The event, which takes place in March 2020, will also give drinks businesses, retailers, and on-trade operators of all sizes practical steps and ideas they can introduce in their own businesses. Here’s what to expect.

    Arguably the biggest achilles heel of the drinks industry, and particularly the complex category of wine, is keeping on top of consumer trends, changes in behaviour and the power of the new technologies that are driving them. Today The Buyer is linking up with the Wine & Spirit Trade Association and Jump Start to launch a new conference that will focus on the disruptive and essential trends, innovations and technology that the drinks industry needs to be on top of for future sales, marketing, branding and communications. The 2020 – One Step Beyond conference will look to provide a platform for trends and technology experts outside the industry to share their insights with key decision makers across beers, wines and spirits. The event, which takes place in March 2020, will also give drinks businesses, retailers, and on-trade operators of all sizes practical steps and ideas they can introduce in their own businesses. Here’s what to expect.

    mm By September 27, 2019

    March 4, 2020 will be a new opportunity for the drinks industry to come together and get on top of the consumer insights, trends, and changes in spending behaviour that is being driven by the pace of new technology with the new 2020 – One Step Beyond conference from The Buyer, Wine & Spirit Trade Association  and Jump Start.

    A new conference is announced today that will focus on the most disruptive and essential consumer trends, innovations and technology that the drinks industry needs to be on top of for future sales, marketing, branding and communications.

    The 2020 – One Step Beyond conference looks to help decision makers across the beer, wine and spirts sectors to keep their businesses one step ahead of their competition. They will hear directly from leading experts about the most disruptive technologies and consumer trends that are changing the way we behave, shop, and lead our lives.

    This new event is a collaboration between the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, wine marketing consultancy, Jump Start and The Buyer. Its first headline partner is Emetry, the US-based data analytics business for the wine trade.

    Keeping ahead of changing consumer trends and technology has long been the achilles heel of parts of the drinks industry, particularly the complex, largely unbranded wine sector. The 2020 – One Step Beyond event looks to provide a new platform to address the most challenging and important changes in consumer behaviour and help better understand the advances in technology that are driving so much of this disruption,” said Richard Siddle, co-founder of The Buyer.

    Sophie Jump, director of Jump Start, added: “Having organised 20 conferences for the International Wine Clubs Association over the past decade I appreciate how hard it is for companies to keep up with new technology whilst managing the day to day of business. It’s key to communications and sales that they do so. 2020 – One Step Beyond aims to provide practical insights for the present and future.

    Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, said: “Understanding and keeping ahead of consumer trends and the new technologies driving them is crucial for the future of the wine and spirits industry. The WSTA is excited to be part of a conference that aims specifically to address, interrogate and provide practical solutions for its members and the drinks industry.”

    How it works

    Leading US digital analytics expert, Paul Mabray, has signed up to the event as a keynote speaker and headline partner through his data analysis business, Emetry, that works with a number of leading wine brands and producers

    The one-day conference to be held in central London on March 4 2020 and is targeted at senior executives covering marketing, sales, brand development, commerce, communications and retail. It is designed to give delegates the chance to take a deep dive into key areas of potential growth with practical takeaways that they can implement in their own businesses.

    The programme will include five 90-minute sessions featuring a combination of 45-minute presentations followed by panel sessions with leading members of the drinks industry. The sessions and headline speakers are to date:

    Hugh Fletcher of Wunderman Commerce will look at how trends in e-commerce are going to impact drinks
    • Future trends in e-commerce, omni-channel retail and role of social: Hugh Fletcher, Naji Al Arifi of Wunderman Thompson Commerce.
    • How voice and new technology is shifting consumer behaviour and business life: James PoulterVixen Labs.
    • Direct to Consumer and how the subscription economy is changing the world: Paul Mabray, Emetry.
    • How packaging and design can still push the boundaries: James Harmer, Nicki Sherlock, Touch Pack Design.
    • The future of retail – what’s next for both online and offline retailing: The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD)

    Leading drinks industry panelists will be confirmed in the coming weeks and if you are interested in taking part and sharing your insights then please contact Richard Siddle at richardsiddle@btopenworld.com. 

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