Retail Fest Australia wrap-up

Retail Fest 2022, which took place last week in Broadbeach in sunny Queensland, was no less than any Hollywood star-studded event, if not more. It was a perfect occasion for attendees to doll up, let their hair down and network with the best of the Australian retail industry.

It was an incredible week and team APAC attended the event in all its pomp and glory with Winston (the Dotdigital data watchdog) stealing the spotlight on the show floor. (It’s hard not to love Winston). Never have I seen such excitement for a picture with an oversized, British bulldog! Winston also shared a picture (and a Last Man Standing beer) with the one and only Steven Bradbury OAM, four-time Olympian, and Olympic gold medal champion.

Dotdigital, in for the win!

The event kicked off with Dotdigital winning the VIP Challenge Award at the 2022 Australian Vendors in Partnership (VIP) awards. The VIP awards acknowledge service to the retail industry, recognizing and celebrating companies willing to transform from within to create deep and perceptive partnerships, and great solutions. This year’s theme for the The VIP Challenge Award was vendors showcasing innovative adaptability and agility to address clients’ needs from the pandemic’s disruption to the industry.

Hitting the Mark 2022

Day three at the event saw Rohan Lock, General Manager, APAC, Dotdigital launch ‘Hitting the Mark 2022,’ Dotdigital’s global ecommerce benchmark report. Safe to say that he smashed it. Speaking about automation hacks for 2022, he emphasized how retailers need to synergize different channels to engage their audience at scale to achieve their cross-channel marketing goals. Read the full Hitting the Mark 2022 report here.

Secret networking drinks

The day only got better at our top-secret networking event, ‘For your eyes only’ which was a huge success. A big thank you to our co-sponsors and partners – BigCommerce, Gorgias, Yotpo, ShipStation, Auctane, and Klarna for making it possible. With a packed floor, it was a great opportunity for our secret agents to network over bubbles and cold beers.

An extreme black-tie gala dinner

The event concluded with a Gala Dinner at Movie World, with a chance for the retail industry to give back to the community through the Charity Gala Auction, and where Phil Leahy was honored by industry stalwarts, including our very own Tink Taylor. And not to mention the adrenaline rush that got everyone’s heart thumping, riding the roller coasters in ball gowns and black ties. It was the perfect way to end the four-day event.

A big thank you

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Dotdigital booth – it was so good to meet everyone, live and in-person again! Thanks to the amazing team at Retail Global for another great event. You rock it every year and do it without drama!

It was fantastic to watch our incredible team on the ground, work every opportunity to its fullest – be it at the booth, at networking drinks, or while screaming through a 62-meter roller coaster drop. Well done Rohan Lock, Ian Tilson, Sam Richards, Kayla Wilks, and Aarushi Sawhney who was our rock star back in the office! I am looking forward to next year already.