Shop! SA Hosts First-ever "concept TO Conversion" Conference TO Transform SA Shopper Marketing

"Shopper marketing is about more than just driving a sale. It's about building meaningful, lasting connections between brands and shoppers through insight, creativity and measurable results," says Di Wilson, Founder and Managing Director of Shop! South Africa. "In September, we're hosting our first-ever "Concept to Conversion" conference to give every stakeholder in the shopper marketing value chain the tools, inspiration, and industry connections they need to raise their game. By bringing the best minds together, we can grow our industry, drive collaboration and set new benchmarks for excellence."

Brandon de Kock (WhyFive) will highlight why actionable human truths — not just raw data — are the real foundation for powerful shopper strategy in South Africa's complex and unequal consumer landscape. Siobhan O'Sullivan (Premier FMCG) will make the case for elevating shopper strategy to the same level as brand and innovation strategy, showing how it can build penetration, frequency, basket size and brand loyalty, says the corporation.

Andrew Brand (99c) will demonstrate how retailers can win when they think like brands, telling consistent stories that inspire emotional connection. Sonia Correira (integer \ hotspot) will demonstrate how to translate above-the-line consumer messaging into effective shopper marketing calls to action, creating meaningful brand connections at the point of purchase, adds the corporation.

For perspectives beyond FMCG, Tshiamo Tladi (Hyundai SA) will unpack how shopper thinking can make any marketing execution more relevant at the point of decision, while Dylan Piatti will reveal how aligning retailers and suppliers on shared data and high-return initiatives delivers consistent conversion, says the corporation.

Genevieve Coward (Primedia Out-of-Home) will explore how strategy-led, emotion-driven activations turn everyday spaces into powerful brand moments. Wendy van Zyl (Libstar) will explain how active customer buy-in grounded in insight and collaboration delivers mutual value for brands and retailers. To end off, Phil Day (POPAI UK & Ireland) will showcase global best practice, benchmarking local work against the best in the world, adds the corporation.

As an independent, non-profit industry body, Shop! SA plays a unique role in uniting the sector, raising standards, and showcasing the very best in shopper marketing. "We're agnostic of specific marketing techniques, which allows us to champion the triple win of brand, retailer, and shopper," says Day. "That's what makes events like this so powerful. They move the whole industry forward."

Van Zyl emphasises that Shop! SA is the only industry body in South Africa fully dedicated to enhancing retail environments and shopper experiences through a shopper marketing lens, benefitting the industry with its a deep understanding of the unique dynamics of the local trading environment. O'Sullivan adds that, through initiatives like the annual Shop! SA Awards, the organisation plays a vital role in profiling great shopper marketing work, strengthening capability, and raising the visibility of the discipline within the broader marketing mix, says the corporation.

"In the highly competitive marketplace we operate in, facing escalating pressures on revenues and margins, the ability to stimulate profitable demand seamlessly throughout the shopper marketing value chain is the defining quality of growth leaders. This conference provides a valuable opportunity to learn from each other and continually build our knowledge and hone our skills," concludes Janet Kirkbride, Customer Marketing Director at Tiger Brands and Shop! SA board member. 

Wilson encourages all industry players to secure their seats:

• Date: 16 September, 2025
• Venue: Marriott, Century City, Cape Town
• RSVP: Click here

The full speaker line-up is confirmed by Shop! SA to be as follows:

• Brandon de Kock — Creative Director at WhyFive: A look at SA's shifting shopper landscape
• Siobhan O'Sullivan — Managing Executive HPC at Premier FMCG: The platform for winning shopper campaigns
• Sonia Correira — Strategic Director at integer \ hotspot: Translating equity into basket conversion
• Andrew Brand — CEO at 99c: Retailers showing up as brands and creative design for the trade
• Tshiamo Tladi — Marketing Director at Hyundai SA: Shopper relevance beyond FMCG
• Justine Bufe — MD at Hirt & Carter: Delivering effective in-store visual impact
• Sean Woodcock — Growth and Marketing Manager at H&A: Sustainable POS materials and driving meaningful change
• Wendy van Zyl — Category and Customer Executive, Libstar: Securing active customer buy-in
• Tanja De Kort — MD at Rainmaker Media: Metrics of success and campaign performance optimisation
• Genevieve Coward — Deputy CEO at Primedia Out-of-Home: Strategic activations and going further than the basics
• Dylan Piatti, Managing Director — Africa at Advantage: Learnings from retailers and suppliers
• Phil Day — MD of POPAI UK and Ireland: Global benchmarks and showcase of international winners

For more information, visit www.shopassociation.africa. You can also follow Shop! SA on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor