Branding 'guru' Rita Clifton addressed a packed NBG conference in Liverpool as part of the Supplier Summit, a joint NBG Partner / Supplier seminar to keep everyone abreast of the latest NBG developments. Her keynote address urged merchants and suppliers to place their brand at the very heart of their business.

Rita, who has worked with some of the world's biggest brands during her time and top branding consultancies in the 80s and 90s and who now advises the boards of some of Britain’s largest companies, was extremely well received by NBG Partners and Suppliers alike. She outlined the ways that merchants could learn from successful brands in other sectors to maximise their local presence and make every part of their customers' experience count.

By using the example of Irish food distribution company Musgrave Group, she highlighted how independent businesses and major brands can successfully work in Parrtnership, a key theme of the Conference.

By establishing clarity, coherence and brand leadership within the business, Rita argued that independent merchants could leverage their unique knowledge of their customers and locality to build bigger, better, bolder brands within their businesses.