Tony D'Onofrio
Blog
Emerging Markets, Technology Welcomes You to Modern Retail
Earlier this month had the pleasure to speak to 100+ business leaders from Central, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, and the Middle East at a conference in Budapest Hungary. This week's post summarizes some of the key insights from my presentation titled "The Future of Retail".
European Market Analysis
In EMEA, only the Middle East and Eastern Europe have 2018 retail growth forecasts that outpace the rest of the world. The Middle East is the only region in EMEA where 2018 GDP will grow faster than the world aggregate.
Russia is experiencing some spending slowdown, but it is still an attractive market. The country has become more mature in modern retail and consumers don't necessary fully cut spending during turbulent times. Moscow and St. Petersburg are increasingly saturated, but other cities offer opportunities. 42 cities in Russia have more than 500,000 people. Modern retail shopping space for the size of the country is still in short supply. The food sector is experiencing double digit growth and consumer electronics are growing 30%. Luxury brands see Russia as a key market with wealth increasing.
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The brand consultancy agency Interbrand recently published the "Best Retail Brands 2014" report. Quoting directly from the document, 
following are key ideas from the 136 page report.
North America
Analysts predict that Amazon will soon carry more than 85% of the products sold at leading retailers, including grocery, at better prices, with more delivery and payment options. A fully functional mobile presence is a given for every brand; the new onmichannel reality has led to a rise in "connected stores for connected customers." While e-commerce sales continue to grow 10% per year, questions about the role of brick and mortar seem to be largely resolved. The store is now a brand experience that drives revenue across all channels.Europe
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For the past four weeks, a special family moment keeps replaying in my mind. While spending time with my again parents in Italy, I made it a priority to visit my ailing Godfather Uncle Ralph.
Standing next to his hospital bed, we briefly reminisced about the old times, the great Italian card games, the many toasts to a healthy future, the family reunions in his favorite place in the mountains, and the mutual immigrant journeys on multiple continents.
At one point in the conversation, my frail Godfather reached for my hand. Abruptly words melted into silence. Holding hands, we stared into each other's eyes and I started stroking his arm. Our simple handshake was now speaking volumes. Silently, my Godfather was saying goodbye to a lifetime of enduring mutual experiences.
Sadness engulfed our family as less than two weeks later my Godfather passed away.
The somber news led to reflections on five key exemplary lessons of "Greatness" from the celebrated life of my Godfather, Raffaele D'Onofrio.
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In an attempt to be closer to one of the global centers of technology innovation, a growing number of retailers are investing in Silicon Valley. Couple examples from the more than a half dozen retail companies making the IT move to California and the innovation gold they are 
trying to mine:
The growing trend of retailers shaping their own technology development journey is not limited to California:
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Welcome to the Twitter Generation
"A tagline is a slogan that succinctly, memorably, and descriptively sums up a company or product. The art of crafting one is quite complex....A well-constructed slogan can endure in the minds of consumers for years; some taglines have actually outlived their products."
From headlines to taglines, great messaging is composed of exiguous creative words that transcend time. Combining key words into memorable lines started in literature, and then transitioned to other media such as newspapers, radio, movies, and television. The advertising industry turned taglines into a business.
Can you name the company represented by these advertising taglines?
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Throughout history, retail technology has evolved in waves. With the industrial revolution and mass manufacturing, the mom & pop store transitioned to the
supermarket. The massive amount of data on shipping trends, i.e. what's selling, placed the manufacturers at the center of controlling the information to drive retail sales.
Bar code scanning in the 1970s transitioned the knowledge power base to the retailer. The planogram, i.e. what to actually place on the shelf for sale, was now a retailer decision.
As discussed in a previous post, we are currently in the middle of the next major evolutionary technology wave re-shaping the retail industry. The foundational elements driving the new retail megatrends include:
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"Too many people think they know how to lead, not fully understanding what that really means. Foundational elements of great leadership include
willingness to work with others, readiness to cooperate, achieving common success goals, and building strong teams. Poor leaders want the position for the power. Exceptional leadership derives from confidence in yourself, knowing who you are, building on your strengths, and leveraging team members to mitigate your weaknesses. Leadership is a team sport." -- Michael D'Onofrio
A Poem on Leadership from guest blogger, my son, Michael Anthony D'Onofrio
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Lessons from the Google Acquisition of Nest Technologies
In January, the Economist published a special report on the evolution of technology which they titled "A Cambrian Moment". The premise
of the special report is that "cheap and ubiquitous building blocks for digital products and services have caused an explosion in (tech) start-ups." The magazine compares the current convergence of technology trends to the "Cambrian explosion" 540 million years ago when life forms began to multiply.
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Every year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) trade event in New York seems to get bigger and more global. 2014 did not disappoint with over 30,000 retail professionals listening to 300+ industry experts and visiting a record 200,000 square feet of exhibit space showcasing the latest technologies. Brazil had once again the largest contingent of attendees outside the United States.
NRF is a great stage on which to reflect the " Big Ideas " that are reshaping retail. The top 10 from NRF 2014 include:
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... And Why Three Others Really Matter for a Prosperous New Year
At the start of the New Year, two amazingly confluent appreciable elements came together:
For the past 12 months, on my regular commute to Neuhausen Am Rheinfall I've struggled from the train to read the "How to Work Better" rules painted on a grey building north of Zurich. Most days could only discern the top 3.
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Harvard Business Review
It is a Small World
“Even monkeys can fall from their trees.” – Japanese Proverb
Continuing our global learning journey, our next stop is Tokyo Japan. Founded, in 1603, this city was once a small fishing village called Edo. In 1890, it became Tokyo which means Eastern Capital in English.
In Tokyo, you will find the world’s busiest intersection, the Shibuya crossing where 2,500 people cross the intersection, every time the lights turn green. This city also holds the record for the most Michelin starred restaurants at 212 places to enjoy amazing food.
Tokyo is the most populous city in the world with 37 million people. Uniqueness is everywhere, even in vending machines, where you can buy hot meals, fresh produce, and even umbrellas. There is one vending machine in the city for every two people.
Have lost count on the many times I visited Tokyo to experience their modern retail industry. This picture is from the New Otani Hotel gardens, a favorite during multiple visits.
As the Japanese proverb that opened this summary reminds us, no matter how accomplished we become, you can always make a mistake. Overconfidence can lead to missteps. Life is one sweet ride and Japan provides many reminders on how to enjoy it.
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Brilliant Research
World Happiness Report 2024
The top 10 countries have remained much the same since before COVID. Finland is still top, with Denmark now very close, and all five Nordic countries in the top 10. But in the next 10, there is more change, with the transition countries of Eastern Europe rising in happiness (especially Czechia, Lithuania and Slovenia). Partly for this reason the United States and Germany have fallen to 23 and 24 in the rankings. - A partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board. Read more
Smart Infographic
ChatGPT Statistics - Users, Revenue (March 2024)
ChatGPT has over 180.5 million monthly users as of March 2024. Nearly 15% of the ChatGPT users are from the United States. More than 92% of Fortune 500 companies are using ChatGPT. atGPT is forecasted to generate a revenue of $1 billion in 2024. 53% of the readers failed to identify ChatGPT written content as AI-written. – From Demandsage.com
Insightful Videos
The World Ahead 2024: five stories to watch out for
From the biggest election year in history, to how to control AI and even taxis that fly, The Economist offers its annual look at the world ahead. Read more
