NRF embarks on retail road trip
The National Retail Federation’s ongoing effort to highlight the industry’s value and career opportunities have been expanded with two new initiatives.
One year after the trade group launched its “This is Retail” career opportunity awareness initiative, two larger scale program have been created to accomplish related objectives. NRF launched “Retail Across America” and the “This is Retail Summer Road Trip” to bring together select retailers and students with state retail associations, legislators, government and opinion leaders, and universities.
Throughout the spring and summer, NRF will partner with five targeted state retail associations to produce “mini campaigns” designed to drive awareness of retail’s impact in specific states and local communities, as well as challenge common misperceptions about careers in the industry. NRF has formed partnerships with the California Retailers Association, North Carolina Retail Merchants Association, Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, South Dakota Retail Association and Washington Retail Association.
“We have an extraordinary opportunity to promote retail’s incredible story through partnerships with state retail associations,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “By leveraging historic and well-known retailers in each of these states, we hope to further the idea that retail provides life-long and dynamic careers, plays an instrumental role in the innovations consumers see today and greatly and positively impacts the communities they are a part of.”
Each state partnership will include the production of videos highlighting the industry’s economic footprint in the state, roundtable discussions with legislative leaders and retailers, targeted in-state media outreach and advertising buys and blogger coverage of the “road trip” across America.
Another component of “Retail Across America” involves NRF’s student and university member programs. NRF will select four college students from the NRF Student Association to travel with staff members to each partner state where they will film and gather content while also contributing to NRF’s social efforts through blog posts, Twitter, and Instagram.
“The summer road trip is a unique opportunity for students considering a career in retail to meet with industry leaders and see retail in action first hand,” said Shay. “We are hoping these students benefit as much from this experience as we know we will. We’re looking forward to being a part of these students successful journey and are eager to see them flourish in their eventual careers.”
The students will be selected based on their desire to pursue a career in retail after college and communications and social media experience and understanding. In addition receiving the all-expense trip, each student will receive a $1,000 stipend.