Weren't able to join us for the amazing seminar, "Let's Get Phygital," hosted by Earnshaw's Magazine at Playtime & Kid's Hub New York?

Don't worry, you can still learn about the evolving retail market! Read the top takeaways from the insightful discussion by the expert panel that included Ali Moroze from Ali's Market, Adrienne Dorsey from Magnolia PR, Brooke Stewart from Power Moms Media, Ariana Fluet from Stylophane, and Luc Lesire from the brands NoNo, Le Chic, and Like Flo that was moderated by Jennifer Cattaui, or [re]watch the Instagram live anytime on the @iloveplaytime Instagram!

Let's get ahead of industry trends!

• As a rep for multiple brands, Ali from Ali's Market talked about the importance of building a community around a brand, not only as a rep and brand, but with retailers as well. By tagging their retailers, brands can drive consumers to the stores where they can connect the brand with in-person customer service experiences.

• Coming from Jolo Fashion Group and representing the brands NoNo, Le Chic, and Like Flo at Playtime & Kid's Hub New York, Luc gave us insight from a European perspective. He talked about brands being able to leverage the increasing in-store traffic by using images of real people and crowds shopping collections on social media to underline the interactions and interest consumers are showing in the brand. As he works both on the wholesale and retail sides, Luc described how his buying attitudes have evolved. He is decreasing his pre-season budget to make room for more open-to-buy, which is time consuming but allows him to respond to customer sentiments in real time.

• Founder of the PR company Magnolia PR, Adrienne is working on building the expertise of her clients. By positioning them as experts in their field, people are even more responsive as the brand comes to life and builds its online reputation. Adrienne is increasingly using local marketing to encourage brands to find their sweet spot where there are opportunities for more specialized interactions with consumers. She also noted that many publications expect brands to be part of an affiliate program.

• As a marketing professional who works with over 2,000 influencers, Brooke urges brands to look at utilizing influencers in their marketing strategy, regardless of their size. There is a misconception that working with influencers is expensive, but there are certainly ways to work with them on a budget. Brooke explained that what is really important is to build sincere connections with the influencers, to find the influencer that is "right" for your brand and organically enjoys it. What Brooke's company Power Moms Media, offers is research. By getting the response to your products and collections from influencers, you can find one that fits your brand and will be relatable for your consumer. Working with them is also a great way to do market research for new products.

• Ariana works for Stylophane, a leading fashion & beauty digital marketing agency. She talked about the shifting rules as things like Apple's privacy policies change with new updates. You used to be able to target your ad in a very granular way, but with the change, you’re not able to do that to the same degree. One thing that brands and retailers should be doing is really managing and segmenting their own lists by things like who has purchased before, who has spent a certain amount, etc., to be able send them customized messaging. Starting with your email list, brands can focus on segmenting and targeting these different consumers and growing your contacts in the categories that are working well for you.

Thank you to our lovely panel members for their participation, to Jennifer Cattaui for moderating, and to all the brands and buyers that attended in person and online!

[Re]watch the seminar in full anytime on the @iloveplaytime Instagram!