To kick off the celebrations surrounding SM’s 65th Anniversary, the 2023 SM Supermalls’ Tenant-Partners Summit had no less than noted best-selling author and New Yorker columnist, Malcolm Gladwell, as the keynote speaker. Emma Chiu, global director of Wunderman Thompson Intelligence was the other speaker for this auspicious afternoon. It was a well-attended afternoon that officially began this 65th Anniversary on a high note.
The assembled crowd of business titans, noted entrepreneurs, and media heads, were all enthralled by Mr. Gladwell as he continuously walked around the circular stage to ensure that everyone in the SMX Halls F2-F4 would feel he was talking to all of them, and not just to one side of the room.
Authenticity, inclusivity, and spontaneity were the three keys to a successful campaign or branding exercise for today’s youthful market. Mr. Gladwell invited us to observe along with him that the market of today isn’t governed by hierarchy as anyone over the age of 30 would understand. For those of a certain age, especially those born in the digital age; the ruling principle is no longer a hierarchy, but a network.
Emma Chiu spoke about retail trends and how post-pandemic, there was the need for retailers and brands to redefine their value proposition. This was in the interest of remaining relevant and being aware of how the market now thinks. With a flurry of examples in her slide presentation, Emma made a strong case for this revisionist philosophy, and how if we didn’t ride this trend of consumer behavior, we could find ourselves out of the loop, with relevance eroding.
SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan welcomed the guests to the summit and gave us a bird’s eye view of the exciting journey SM Supermalls is about to undertake, as it soars to new heights in the years to come. SM Prime Holdings, Inc. President Jeffrey Lim gave a warm thank you to the partners who attended the summit and closed the festivities for the day.
And in the true sense of the word, Mr. Gladwell and Ms. Chiu were just the ‘icing on the cake,’ as the real cause for the celebration were the tenants and partners of SM Supermalls. They galvanized during the health crisis, witnessed how SM Supermalls listened to them and found ways to help them survive that troubling period and that sense of partnership is now stronger than ever.
