Inspiration Theater Audio Replays
Click on the 2025 sessions below to learn more about them and listen to their audio replays.
Sunday, March 2
How Leading Brands Are Harnessing Walmart Marketplace to Dominate Their Categories
Michael Lebhar
SellCord
Discover how top-performing brands are leveraging the unique opportunities of Walmart Marketplace to expand their category share and drive incremental growth. This session will explore actionable strategies, insights and tactics to help your brand stand out and succeed.
The Best Stores of 2024... and What's Coming Next in 2025
Top Retailers
These are the freshest, most inspiring retail debuts of the past year with hands-on details on what made them special. There will also be a sneak preview of the new retail formats expected in the coming year. The presentation will include photos, videos and first-person visit experiences.
Creating Breakthrough Products and Experiences Via Brand Licensing
Beanstalk
Brand licensing 101, including case studies for inbound and outbound licensing, as well as benefits of licensing for brand owners and manufacturers.
Pets at the Heart of the Home: Unpacking Consumer Trends and the Future of Retail
American Pet Products Association
Join Pete Scott, President of the American Pet Products Association, for insight on pet ownership trends, consumer behavior and the role of pets in your retail outlook. Discover how highly engaged pet owners incorporate pets into their homes and their lives.
Monday, March 3
Bridging Channels, Building Loyalty: The Omnichannel Blueprint for Home Goods
Brij
Gina Lombardo
Quip
Kait and Gina will dive into how Quip thinks about omnichannel distribution across channels including Target, Walmart, CVS & DTC. They’ll discuss how they think about a seamless experience for their customers across all of these channels. Gina will also share about a new, connected product that they’re launching and how Brij supports that experience.
Creative Catalysts
Jack Hough
Grove Product Group
Steve Cozzolino
Grove Product Group
Jack and Steve will present their unique approach to catalyzing product growth: the harmony of “Art + Science,” blending creativity with insight, strategy and analytics to form the bedrock for successful products.
Legislation Update: A Global Perspective on PFAS and More—What the Housewares Industry Needs to Know
Fran Attilio
Cookware & Bakeware Alliance
Thomas Lee
Bryan, Cave Leighton and Paisner
Tobias Gerfin
Kuhn Rikon AG
Steve Burns
Cookware Sustainability Alliance
The Cookware & Bakeware Alliance, with a growing panel of partners from the FEC, BCLP Law and the CSA, will inform the housewares industry about legislation impacting the industry. Come hear the latest on proposed and enacted legislation, involving such key topics as PFAS, and lead and cadmium. The panel will share what you need to know and best practices related to the issue, in the U.S. and Europe. They will also share key information, insights and updates to help all members of the industry—retailers, importers, manufacturers, product managers and others—anyone who wants to know more about these regulations and their impact on the domestic and international housewares industry.
The Exciting Retail Experience – A Digital Evolution with AI and Human-Centric Values
Wolfgang Gruschwitz
Scott Kohno
Henrik Peter
Reisby Nielsen
Retail is on the brink of a major evolution. AI and digital innovations will redefine convenience, while human values and sensory experiences will restore meaning to physical spaces. The future of retail is not about what is sold, but how people feel and connect within these spaces. In this era of change, retail will be more than commerce—it will be culture, trust, and a new way of life.
AI in Action: Empowering Your Creative Team to Meet the Demand of Tomorrow
Idan E. Cohen
IDMA Commerce
AI is not just a tool—it’s a game-changer for creative teams looking to thrive in today’s fast-paced market. This session explores how AI can amplify your team’s talent, improve collaboration and deliver exceptional products that meet skyrocketing demand. Discover actionable insights to stay competitive and create products that lead in 2025.
Tuesday, March 4
Intellectual Property Protection for the Home Industry
James Aquilina
Quarles & Brady LLP
This session will provide a summary of how the various forms of intellectual property (utility and design patents, copyrights and trademarks) can be employed to protect company inventions, product designs, artistic works and brands in the home industry. IP portfolio development and maintenance, as well as rights enforcement and online takedown efforts, will be covered.
The Power of Cross-Industry Collaboration
Cassandra Gagnon
WGSN
In a time still heavily impacted by cost-of-living pressures, engaging consumers with a curated and consistent offering driven by lifestyle is more important than ever. Discover how cross-pollination can impact your industry and extend your reach by bringing novelty into saturated categories. Collaborations are becoming increasingly diverse, as artists, influencers, fashion designers, chefs and others team up with homewares and gifting brands to create fresh collections and long-term partnerships that attract new audiences. Cassandra Gagnon, an experienced strategist at WGSN, the global authority on trend forecasting, will share key strategies for conceptualizing and facilitating these collaborations, connecting the dots between consumer behaviour and the latest product launches that serve as best-in-class examples.