Chris Doerschlag is the CEO and owner of WD Partners, a 300+ person global strategic branding and consulting firm with 8 offices in the US and overseas. WD is a vertically integrated strategic partner to many Fortune 500 consumer brands, helping them drive innovation and scale. WD has delivered projects in over 77 different countries. […]
Vertical: Retail
From Commerce to Connections: The Rise of Cultural Capital
We’re witnessing a global revolution as brands are reimagining physical spaces in order to build brand love. Leading brands recognize the evolving relationships with consumers and have shifted beyond just selling products. They’re creating movement, fostering community, and immersing shoppers in new forms of brand storytelling and interaction – experiences that evoke true emotion and […]
DICK’S House of Sport
DICK’S Sporting Goods knew keeping pace wasn’t enough—they needed to stay ahead. Their leadership set out to create an ecosystem that could inspire, equip, and energize athletes like never before. The answer was the House of Sport, a concept built to deliver personal, future-ready experiences that raise the bar for the industry.
Retail’s Secret Weapon: Store Associates
What do Costco, Apple, Trader Joe's, REI, LEGO and Wegmans all have in common? They're all on the Forbes Top 10 Customer Service list AND… they all pay store associates over $21 an hour (national retail avg = $16.50). That's five dollars more than the retail average and, in some cases (Wegman's / Costco), ten […]
The Age of the Inspired Shopper
Convenience got us through the last decade. But now, shoppers are craving something deeper—meaning, connection, identity. The brands that win today don't just sell products—they sell a sense of self. Welcome to the era of the inspired shopper. This POV explores how retailers, grocers, CPGs, and restaurants can evolve from transactional to transformational—building brand love […]
The Future of Stores: Smaller, Better, Closer (Or Nowhere at All)
"People are always going to go shopping." — Phillip Green, Chairman, Arcadia Group Where is the ancient idea of a "store" headed? Over the course of months, with new research and more than 50 years of retail experience, we found some things to be true about the future of physical retail – what we're calling […]
The Future of Design Has Arrived—and It’s Surprisingly Playful
NeoCon 2025 showed up big, bold, and full of surprises – proving that workspaces and public environments are shedding their stoic shells in favor of creativity, inclusivity, and adaptability. Our team scouted the showrooms and design labs of Chicago to catch what's emerging, and what's next. Here are the trends you can't unsee (and won't […]
Brazil, the Other “Land Down Under”
We recently returned from a trip to Brazil's top retail conference, FBV (Feira Brasileira do Varejo – The Brazilian Retail Fair), and were thoroughly impressed. Not only by its content, but by the quality of the venue and the organization itself. Here's the surprising part though: virtually NO foreign retailers were to be seen. Brazil […]
The Sweet State of Snacking
The snacking landscape is evolving—one bite at a time. At this year's Sweets & Snacks Expo, the "State of Snacking" session served up plenty of tasty insights that show just how fast the snack category is changing and why brands need to stay ahead of the game. Healthier, Choosier Snacking First things first: consumers are […]
Staffing Smarter: Operations Solutions to Offset the Labor Crunch
For brands across the retail and restaurant landscape, workforce challenges have become the number one operational hurdle. Leaders are navigating a complex mix of labor shortages, escalating wage pressures, skill gaps, and the disruptive impact of technology and automation. In industries where thin margins make or break profitability, these pressures can't be ignored—and solving them […]
