Retail Brands Institute “Boldly”
Becomes the Velocity Institute
The Retail Brands Institute (RBI) has announced a new and “bold” name change that leverages the brand equity of its signature Velocity conference. This organization, introduced along with the tagline “Boldly Retail Brands,” aims to advance retailers and their brands across all categories and channels.
RBI is changing its name to The Velocity Institute as it moves forward on accelerating its groundbreaking new professional member organization launched late last year.
“We became a member organization to help the Retail Brands industry ambitiously achieve innovation and growth,” said Christopher Durham, President. “This name change is another bold step in the process. The Velocity name will serve as the anchor as we continue to move forward with our wide range of previously announced strategies and plans in 2022 and beyond to advance this industry sector.”
Among the strategies are in-person and virtual events, research, education, community-building, awards, and daily news updates about the industry. The organization has a founding Advisory Board of more than two dozen retail executives and solution partners companies, representing the industry’s leaders.
The forerunner of the institute was My Private Brand, a thought leadership website launched by Durham in 2008 that gained wide acclaim in the industry.
The current move to align the institute with the Velocity branding comes at an especially timely moment. The Velocity Conference + Innovation Expo is set for May 16-18 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC.
“Velocity will be the first in-person event for the Retail Brands industry since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic more than two years ago,” said Durham. “We look forward to welcoming the industry and building community.”
“We invite ALL retailers, manufacturers and solution partners to join the Velocity Institute so that we can build the Retail Brands industry together,” Durham said.
