Up Close is Sourcing Journal’s regular check-in with industry executives to get their take on topics ranging from personal style to their company’s latest moves. In this Q&A, Hannah Bernard, global marketing and communications director, Intelligent Labels at Avery Dennison, discusses how technology will enable companies to be more transparent with consumers.
Name: Hannah Bernard
Title: global marketing and communications director, Intelligent Labels
Company: Avery Dennison
Which other industry has the best handle on the supply chain? What can apparel learn?
The food industry is trying to address the challenges we have regarding food waste. Obviously there is a long way to go here, but the idea of being able to track every item or batch from source to consumer is a valuable one. As we know, consumers are demanding more transparency over the products they consume; understanding all of the ingredients and materials that go into each product as well as detailing how they are made will provide brands with valuable data that they can ultimately serve up to their consumers so that they can make more informed decisions.
Do you consider yourself a typical consumer? Why or why not?
I am probably not a typical consumer. Since having my little boy, finding time to go shopping is a challenge. Previously I loved going into stores and feeling the quality and seeing the fit of clothes before purchasing them. Nowadays I tend to lean towards convenience and the flexibility of online shopping. Sponsored Instagram ads manage to get me in the few hours of downtime in the evening!
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As a consumer, what does it take to win your loyalty?
Free delivery and returns and a reliable delivery company.
What’s your typical uniform?
I have quite a mixed wardrobe, at the moment I tend to wear dresses with a skinny belt with boots or jeans with a shirt. At weekends you will find me in high top Vans, “mom” jeans and a bright knit.
Which fashion era is your favorite?
1920’s
Who’s your style icon?
Audrey Hepburn
What’s the best decision your company has made in the last year?
To acquire Smartrac. The culmination of two best-in-class businesses is going to be transformative for the future of connected products and smart supply chains.
How would you describe your corporate culture?
We have a strong set of values that the corporation lives and breathes by, from innovation and courage to diversity, teamwork and sustainability. At Avery Dennison, there is a strong focus on our people and the world we live in, which is something I truly value.
What should be the apparel industry’s top priority now?
To reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of the products we are creating.
What keeps you up at night?
What the future holds for our future generations if we are unable to solve the huge challenges we face to reduce our environmental impact.
What makes you most optimistic?
We have technologies at our fingertips that will help consumers to make more informed decisions around the products they consume.
Tell us about your company’s latest product introduction/service:
At Avery Dennison we are investing in a progressive family of IoT-enabled labeling technologies that authenticate product history, provide tracking and inventory solutions and conjure richer consumer encounters. In a world of mass data and mass information, Intelligent Labels help create certainty.