Shoptalk
ROLE
Creative Direction
SCOPE
Brand + Experiential + Environmental + Production
Shaping the Future of RetailShoptalk is a retail and technology conference bringing together the people, brands and ideas driving the future of commerce. As one of Shoptalk’s earliest team members and Creative Director, I helped build the brand from the ground up—creating the identity and shaping how it would come to life as an experience.
The identity paired a tech-forward aesthetic with an arrow built into the “A”—a simple visual cue for movement, progress, and the future of retail.
Main StreetFor the inaugural event, we took the idea of retail somewhere unexpected: the exhibit hall became a quintessential Main Street.
Custom storefronts, bike racks, traffic lights, and street-inspired carpeting transformed the convention floor into a walkable retail environment. It connected the familiar language of retail with the innovation shaping its future. Rather than simply filling a show floor with booths, we created a place people could explore.
From Storefronts to StageThe retail-inspired thinking continued onto the main stage. Corrugated metal—a material familiar from storefront awnings—became the foundation of the environment, bringing an industrial, modern-tech aesthetic to the space.
The Shoptalk logo was spray-painted directly onto the metal, giving the branding a raw, tactile quality. Hanging Edison bulbs became another visual motif, referencing the spark of a new idea and reinforcing Shoptalk as a place where the next generation of retail thinking could take shape.
Taking It Beyond the Show FloorIndustry Night extended the Shoptalk experience beyond the conference itself. Sponsored by Google and held at Marquee at The Cosmopolitan, the event brought more than 1,000 attendees together for a live set by Wyclef Jean.
It turned a traditional networking event into a full-scale concert experience—and helped establish the culture and energy around a brand in its first year.
Building Something NewWith a lean startup team, creative direction extended far beyond traditional brand design. I helped shape how Shoptalk looked, felt, and behaved across the entire experience.
The inaugural event attracted more than 3,100 attendees, including 395+ CEOs. It has since grown into one of the world's largest retail-tech conferences, bringing together 10,000+ retail executives each year.