hall of Global Innovation

The Smart Kitchen: Trends and Early Success Stories

By Vicki Matranga Design Programs Coordinator Informing Innovation: Meet Greg Kahn, GK Digital Media, Santiago Merea, Yummly; Jenny Cooper, Google and Mike Fretwell, Jarden Consumer Solutions Home environments, kitchen appliances, phones—how do they connect and why? Physical products that respond to our activities and communicate with each other and with services promise…

Informing Innovation: An Interview with Udo Jansen, GfK Retail and Technology|GmbH

By Vicki Matranga Design Programs Coordinator GfK, founded in 1934 in Germany, is one of the largest global marketing research companies. With more than 13,000 employees in countries on every continent, GfK identifies and develops strategic opportunities; collects and analyzes large data sets and offers business solutions in many areas from consumer experiences to supply chain…

Informing Innovation: An Interview with Jens Bauerle, Global Brand Vision

By Vicki Matranga Design Programs Coordinator Jens is founder and owner of Global Brand Vision, an international retail consultancy specializing in assisting retailers to address their difficulties and growth opportunities in home products. The highly qualified team works together with clients to evaluate, change, and develop product assortments, visual merchandising, and…

gia Winners from 23 Countries Celebrated in Chicago

The International Home + Housewares Show and International Housewares Association (IHA), the global sponsors and organizers of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) program, today announced the national gia winners of 2015-2016 – including 25 outstanding home and housewares retailers from 23 countries around the globe. The gia program was created by the IHA and…

Informing Innovation: An Interview with Aaron Ferber, IDEO

IDEO (pronounced “eye-dee-oh”) is an award-winning global design firm that takes a human-centered, design-based approach to helping organizations in the public and private sectors innovate and grow. The Palo Alto-based firm currently maintains 5 studios in the U.S., two in Europe and three in Asia. IDEO was ranked as one of the most innovative companies in the world by business…

Informing Innovation: An Interview with Perry James, The NPD Group

By Vicki Matranga Design Programs Coordinator Since 2013, Perry James is president of U.S hardlines at The NPD Group, the category which encompasses the automotive aftermarket, home, office supplies and toys businesses. In an earlier role, he was president of the home and office supplies division which he successfully launched in 2007. James is responsible for all aspects of…

Brand Licensing in the Housewares Market

By Vicki Matranga Design Programs Coordinator Informing Innovation: An Interview with Jessica Blue, Advanstar and Stu Seltzer, Seltzer Licensing Jessica Blue is vice president of Licensing Expo, which is owned by UBM Advanstar. She is responsible for the strategic planning, growth, sales and day-to-day management of the annual Licensing Expo. Now in its 35th year, Licensing…

Informing Innovation: An Interview with Fran Groesbeck and Suzie Eberhardt, Whitford Corporation

By Vicki Matranga Design Programs Coordinator Fran Groesbeck is the worldwide retail marketing manager and Suzie Eberhardt is the associate retail marketing manager at Whitford Corporation. Together they educate retailers, importers and others who develop, buy or source nonstick coated products about how Whitford coatings can be applied to their private label and direct…

Housewares Marketing: Keeping Up with the Changing Trends

The home and housewares industry knows all about trends, changing styles and evolving technology. As much as those concepts apply to products and brands, they hold just as true for marketing practices. For brands to remain competitive and compelling, they not only need to keep their products and technology imaginative and functional, they also have to market those products…