Mintel has taken its expertise on the road with its European Big Conversation events, presenting new and exciting research on the ‘consumer of tomorrow’ to a handpicked audience of food, drink and beauty industry leaders across Europe.

In each city, we were joined by a panel of guest speakers, each sharing their expertise on iGens, the consumer generation currently reaching adulthood. Here, they highlight their key learnings from this year’s Big Conversations and share why they think you should join us for next year’s series coming to a city near you.

London

Stéphanie Capuano, Founder of 31st State:

“Research and experience tell us how teens are posing a growing challenge to companies, non-profits, and brands everywhere. Mintel’s Big Conversation provided current and curated insights and creative solutions to that challenge.

“We have used our learnings and experience from the Big Conversation to help inform and bring to life our brand purpose in a more meaningful way. The presentations by the Mintel team and panellists encouraged us to not just make products that address the needs of this generation, but explore how we make meaning for this generation, and how we impact their lives on a higher level.

“We left the Big Conversation with inspirational ways of thinking about our brand and the mark we are trying to leave.”

Join us for Big Conversation London on 26th March 2019!

Warsaw

Joanna Kaczmarek, Head of Marketing Chias Brothers:

“Mintel’s Big Conversation gave me very valuable insights into the minds of the young consumers of today, the iGeneration, in a very educational and entertaining presentation with plenty of immediately applicable suggestions. It gave me a better understanding of how young consumers make purchase decisions. Beyond that, it was a great opportunity to catch the latest food trends, see the most successful products launches and to network.

“Overall, #BigConvo was an amazing experience full of insights into the latest trends and an opportunity for networking with knowledgeable experts. I am already looking forward to next year!”

Join us for Big Conversation Warsaw on 30th May 2019!

Barcelona

Loan Bensadón Naëder, Baïa Food Co:

“Mintel’s Big Conversation was a good opportunity to get deeper insight into the present and future trends of consumers. The teens of today are consuming more than ever and changing the way brands define their strategies. Thanks to the market intelligence of Mintel, small start-ups like Baïa Food Co. can better plan their marketing and innovate in the right direction, taking the consumer preferences into account.

“We had a great time giving a speech at the Big Conversations in Barcelona and the audience was full of decision makers of big brands of the food & drink sectors. Thanks to Mintel for the opportunity and congrats for such a well-planned event.”

Join us for Big Conversation Barcelona on 25th April 2019!

Milan

Domenico Gravagno, CEO of IDA:

“Staying on top of our business, and in particular the needs and aspirations of new customers, is crucial. Teens constitute a fair share of the market now and Mintel’s Big Conversation offered a deeply insightful view on that demographic.

“Joining our knowledge with those provided by the panellists, we were able to draw a fully comprehensive picture on how to revitalise our brand purpose and how to address it in its entirety. Furthermore, we valued the opportunity to look at customers under a new light: allowing us to understand how our products account meaningfully in their lives. The experience helped us to appreciate how it could be possible to make a bold statement that encompasses both our product and their needs.

“On a side note, the organisation of the event was close to perfect. The management team effectively achieved an almost perfect schedule, and kept it running on time.”

Join us for Big Conversation Milan on 13th June 2019!

Frankfurt

Charles Bahr, the 16-year-old founder of TubeConnect Media:

“As someone who is both a teenager myself as well as the founder of a media agency targeting teenagers, the Big Conversation was especially fascinating for me. Mintel’s in-depth data analysis and interpretation of the behaviours of GenZ really nailed the behaviours I can observe on myself and my peers.

“The Big Conversation Frankfurt for me really was one of those rare events you leave with real insights and tangible learnings.”

Join us for Big Conversation Dusseldorf on 16th May 2019!

Paris

Sébastien Bouillet, Co-founder of Influence4you:

“Teenagers, Millennial, Z-Generation, are words everyone needs to understand but represent people above all. This is the first generation who don’t know a world without the internet and mobile phones.

“Brands need a change of mindset when they want to reach them and that is what explains the incredible power of influence marketing. The power of communication is not in brands’ hands anymore but is in the hands of ‘unknown’ teenagers or young adults who succeeded in gathering people around specific values and passions.

“But if the power is not in their hands anymore, how can brands control the messages they need to broadcast?

“Thanks to the Mintel event, all the experts on this subject have discussed and brainstormed about it for a full day with very good contacts, energy and positivism in the end!”

Join us for Big Conversation Paris on 25th June 2019!

Save the date for Big Conversation 2019

Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to benefit from Mintel’s expert analysts and research, as well as guest panellists when the Big Conversation returns to a European city near you in 2019.

Dates for next year’s European roadshow are below and more information will be published soon:

Amsterdam – 22nd January 2019
Oslo – 5th February 2019
Manchester – 12th February 2019
London – 26th March 2019
Barcelona – 25th April 2019
Düsseldorf – 16th May 2019
Warsaw – 30th May 2019
Milan – 13th June 2019
Paris – 25th June 2019