“What’s next in retail?” is a question that sits top of mind for Arc Worldwide, the lead shopper agency in Publicis Groupe.
At an incredibly complicated time for businesses and professionals, having some true norths to rely on is important.
While the agency has an employee pool of creative, strategic and business minds to tap into for ideas, its recent inspiration came from an unexpected source – a group of college students from across the U.S.
Earlier this month, Arc’s Chicago-based executive leadership team, Soche Picard (Chief Executive Officer), Chris Cancilla (Chief Creative Officer) and Elizabeth Harris (Chief Strategy Officer) had the honor of judging the first round of the National Retail Federation (NRF) Foundation’s annual Student Challenge, a scholarship experience that gives undergraduate students a chance to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom in a real-world setting.
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The trio sat through dozens of pitches, and have since had the chance to ruminate on all they saw and heard, both in terms of the issues that rose to the surface through these students’ ideas—inclusivity, mindfulness and sustainability—and the advice they’d share back with any student or young professional who’s looking to break into the industry:
Soche Picard 
Chris Cancilla 
Elizabeth Harris
- Soche’s business advice: Marketing solutions are only as effective as your understanding of each channel. Think carefully about the roles channels play in consumers’ lives and delivering on brand equity.
- Chris’s creative advice: Succinct storytelling is, and will always be, the foundation of all powerful pitches; spend time perfecting this craft, no matter what role you’re in.
- Elizabeth’s strategic advice: Do not underestimate the power and importance of consumer research. It will underpin everything you do.
