NRF creates CMO Council to serve as retail sector voice

The organization’s Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) will transition into the newly created council, bringing with it that community’s reputation as the premier industry association for c-level and senior marketing retail executives.

“During its rich history, RAMA has served as a cornerstone for the retail advertising and marketing communities, and we are fortunate to have such a diverse group of talented executives at the ready to take part in the new CMO Council,” said NRF Senior Vice President of Communities Vicki Cantrell.

“As the consumer has changed, so too has the role of retail executives behind the scenes. We are looking forward to highlighting the retail marketers’ insight and priorities, while offering a cohesive voice to represent this dynamic sector of the industry.”

The council is open to any NRF retail member CMO or an organization’s most senior marketing position and will hold its first official meeting during Shop.org’s Annual Summit in Chicago. Additionally, members of the council will collaborate with other NRF councils and communities, including the invite-only CIO Council and Shop.org to develop comprehensive research, put on events and connect industry peers.

Kevin Brown, a longtime marketing executive who will chair the CMO Council tells STORES Magazine in its October issue, “The transition comes at the perfect time in the organization’s evolution. It allows us to be more inclusive, which will generate more viewpoints to help us tackle the complex marketing challenges facing our industry, be it social, local or technology.”

As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF represents retailers of all types and sizes, including chain restaurants and industry partners, from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad. Retailers operate more than 3.6 million U.S. establishments that support one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.5 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy.

National Retail Federation