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New retail trade body and marketing institute to partner on awards

By our News Team | 2023

Shop! South Africa and Institute of Marketing Management announce ‘first-of-its-kind’ partnership involving consumer and shopper marketing.

Shop! South Africa, the newly formed trade association that aims to enhance retail environments and experiences, has announced a partnership with the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) ahead of Shop’s inaugural Outstanding Shopper Marketing Awards (OSMA) later in 2023.

“The partnership will see the two bodies look to share resources, achieve mutual objectives and leverage each other’s strengths, leading to increased opportunities for both parties,” says IMM CEO, Irene Gregory.

Photo by Greta Hoffman from Pexels

Shop’s membership profile includes major retailers, integrated agencies with shopper and digital offerings, production houses, POS manufacturers and brands.

“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership between consumer and shopper marketing, demonstrating authentic and fully integrated communications. We believe this collaboration will foster creativity, synergy and innovation by combining different perspectives, ideas and approaches,” says Diane Wilson, Managing Director of Shop! SA.

Inevitably lead to innovation, growth and access

“The IMM brings great resources, expertise and knowledge to the partnership, which will inevitably lead to innovation, growth and access to new markets and customer segments.”

The partnership will see the IMM endorse the Shop! OSMA Awards as part of its focus on retail. Realising that retail is an integral part of marketing, the IMM has introduced short courses in retail store management.

The awards celebrate creativity, innovation and excellence in-store, online and throughout the shopper experience. The focus is on shopper programmes and executions that change shopper behaviour and deliver results.

“As the retail market evolves and consumer behaviour changes, it’s more important than ever to recognise shopper marketing as an approach that goes beyond traditional marketing to create more immersive and personalised buying experiences for shoppers,” adds Wilson.

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