SM’s 65th anniversary, the tenant-,the tenant-partners summit

To kick off the celebrations surrounding SM’s 65th anniversary, the 2023 SM Supermalls’ Tenant-Partners Summit had no less than noted bestselling author and New Yorker columnist Malcolm Gladwell as the keynote speaker.

Emma Chiu, global director of Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, was the other speaker for this auspicious afternoon.

The assembled crowd of business titans, noted entrepreneurs, and media heads were all enthralled by Mr. Gladwell as he continuously walked around the circular stage to ensure that everyone in SMX Halls F2-F4 would feel he was talking to all of them.

Authenticity, inclusivity, and spontaneity are the three keys to a successful campaign or branding exercise for today’s youthful market, according to Gladwell, who invited us to observe along with him that the market of today isn’t governed by hierarchy, as anyone over the age of 30 would understand. For those of a certain age, especially those born in the digital age, the ruling principle is no longer a hierarchy but a network.

Chiu spoke about retail trends and how, post-pandemic, there is a need for retailers and brands to redefine their value proposition in the interest of remaining relevant and being aware of how the market now thinks. With a flurry of examples in her slide presentation, she made a strong case for this revisionist philosophy, and how if we don’t ride this trend of consumer behavior, we could find ourselves out of the loop, with relevance eroding.

Hans Sy, SM Investments vice chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson, Herbert Sy and The Philippine STAR president Miguel Bel

SM Supermalls president Steven Tan welcomed guests to the summit and gave us a bird’s-eye view of the exciting journey SM Supermalls is about to undertake, as it soars to new heights in the years to come.

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. president Jeffrey Lim gave a warm thank you to the partners who attended the summit and closed the festivities for the day.

Golden ABC CEO Bernie Liu and SM Prime Holdings president Jeffrey Lim

Mr. Gladwell and Ms. Chiu were the “icing on the cake,” as the real cause for celebration were the tenants and partners of SM Supermalls. They galvanized during the health crisis, witnessed how SM Supermalls listened to them, found ways to help them survive, and that sense of partnership is now stronger than ever.