Today’s world is in the hands of the Millennial and Generation Z consumer but is being shaped by new, digital technologies. Retailing is struggling to adapt. For many, the established retail formats leave the impression that retailing, put simply, is “boring”. Faced with the perfect storm of how and where to invest in the new technologies to compete with online retailers whilst continuing to attract customers has left many retail brands looking dull, slow to react and out-of-step with today’s world.

Not so many years ago, the future was still being shaped by the Baby Boomers – the post war generation. Although now ageing and often dismissed, it should not be forgotten that this was also the most radical, creative, rebellious and transformational generation ever witnessed. In a few short years, the iconic figures of the 1960s and early 1970s found their voice to lead change across society, culture, music, fashion and retail. Harnessing and leading youth culture they challenged the long-established rules in all areas to do things the way they wanted to do it because they believed that they had the power to change things. Technology didn’t exist in any way that could have helped them create what they did.

Retail, brands, fashion and culture became exciting, shocking, rebellious and with it the foundation of modern retailing.

If retailing is going to be reinvented and re-invigorated, it has to rediscover the spirit of rebelliousness, excitement, irreverence and desire to create brands that would appeal to the younger generations that was shown by those iconic leaders from the Baby Boom generation.

We have therefore challenged the student teams to immerse themselves in the spirit of those leaders from popular culture, music, fashion and retail to fully understand the motivation behind their creative output.

Then, to choose an iconic figure – or group if selecting a band - from that period of the 1960s and early 1970s and then apply all that they understand about their values and goals from that time to create a new brand that will appeal to today’s Generation Z or Millennial consumers.

They are tasked with combining all of that rebellious, can-do approach that defines those Baby Boom cultural and business leaders, with the technologies and digital channels of today to create a “Rebel Retail” concept that is fresh, challenging, exciting and new in a way that the founders of those game-changing retail formats and brands from the 1960s would recognise and admire.

Hong Kong Polytechnic won with their inspiring project that turned abandoned buildings into vertical farms interspersed with farm to table dining options, learning facilities and green retailers.

"“I was very honoured to join the World Retail Congress this year. It is really a precious experience for a university student to widen their horizon by joining the Future Retail Challenge, attend different talks and meet a lot of different successful retailers during the Congress." -  Megan Ko, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University