Midwinter closes with insights on consumers, data

FMI's 2014 Midwinter Executive Conference closed with presentations that addressed consumer behavior and Big Data.

These broadened the mix of topics addressed at the event in Scottsdale, Ariz., which also included cybersecurity, marketing, independent operator strategies, and collaboration.

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Attendees were told about new opportunities with Millennials in an address by Jason Dorsey, an author and business executive known as The Gen Y Guy. They also heard about potential challenges with using Big Data in a presentation by author and journalist Nate Silver.

The conference took a deep dive into Big Data by presenting not only the opportunities and challenges, but also the dangers of relying only on data to attract and keep shoppers.

That was underscored in an earlier presentation by Dina Howell, worldwide CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi X, who cautioned the audience to think not only about Big Data, but also "Big Emotion."

"Data is rational," she said. "People are not always rational. You must connect with people on the human level when you sell to them."

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