Mainstreet Australia Conference 2024: Key takeaways

The Mainstreet Australia Conference ran from July 31 – August 2 and shared some interesting insights for retailers and business operators. Mainstreet Australia is the organisation that represents people who work with local businesses in shopping precincts, business districts and town centres, including trader associations, councils, and industry affiliates. Camberwell Centre Association is a member and, as a committee member of Mainstreet Australia, our manager Kerry Daly attended their national conference, Creating Tomorrow’s Destinations.

Steve Sammartino, an AI futurist, opened the conference with a compelling exploration of transformative technologies, starting with a nod to emojis as a powerful form of communication. He emphasised that technology alone isn’t enough; we must engage and interpret it collectively. He encourages us all to experiment with AI tools and prompts to achieve objectives.

Roxanne Haines, the principal strategic placemaker at Eke Panuku Development Auckland, talked about the power of place. She detailed the significance of understanding place through a holistic, ecosystem approach, emphasising that placemaking connects various elements harmoniously.

Ojay McDonald, CEO of the Association of Town and City Management in the UK, provided an insightful update on challenges facing UK high streets, which also apply to Australian retail precincts. He said retail has struggled long before the pandemic, with online shopping and changing consumer habits reshaping the retail landscape. He shared successful interventions like Stockport’s Foodie Friday, a popular street food event that takes place between 6pm and 9pm at Stockport Market Place on the last Friday of every month. It provides a unique social event for the town centre and attracts people of all ages. He said while retail may no longer anchor main streets, there is demand for experiences related to health, wellbeing, and community engagement.

Keynote speaker Peter Alexander shared his professional journey from his early days at Myer and David Jones to establishing his successful sleepwear brand. He recounted the challenges of starting with mail orders from his kitchen table, managing rapid growth, and eventually partnering with Just Jeans. His candid approach to building his brand highlighted the importance of perseverance and strategic partnerships.

Steve de Niese, from marketing agency Assemblo, presented a fantastic masterclass where he guided attendees through brand strategy and how to create a strong identity that everyone can connect and resonate with. To quote Steve: “Visual identity is just a small part of branding. Brand strategy is where it’s at!”

Conferences are an opportunity to learn and share with other people in the industry, make contacts, and be inspired by fellow professionals who are passionate about main streets and local precincts. We encourage you all to attend industry conferences to stay abreast of new findings and emerging trends.

You can access more key takeaways from the conference here, and learn more about Mainstreet Australia at mainstreetaustralia.org.au