With younger cohorts of shoppers increasingly choosing ultra-personalised experiences over brands’ product offerings alone, retailers are having to adapt how they engage and nurture their next generation of customers.

This mindset shift will be a key theme explored at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show Europe, which takes place between 15 – 17 Sep 2026, as brands look to build relationships with Gen Z and Alphas through the creation of micro-communities, affinity platforms and targeted collaborations.

Balancing brand strategy with community

“The major challenge of tomorrow will be to balance the powerhouse impact of traditional brand strategies with the authenticity of new community roots, in order to build a sustainable and shared dialogue,” said Jill Dvorak, SVP of Content at NRF. 

“Retail has become a vector for social connection and cultural expression. The rise of engaged communities and new digital spaces for exchange is profoundly redefining the relationship of trust with the consumer,” she added.

Welcoming The Lego Group’s Rossana Mastrosimini and Primark’s Sarah Jackson to the stage, NRF Europe will host a deep dive into cultural relevancy in its panel session, “Marketing with a Twist: Co-Create, Play, Remember.” 

It will explore how forward-thinking retailers are making engagement and experience a key strategic priority, leveraging imagination, play, co-creation and powerful licensing partnerships to win share of mind among next-gen consumers.

This trend for “active engagement” which defines Gen Alpha’s key demands from brand relationships was highlighted by WGSN’s Carla Buzasi during NRF Europe’s 2026 Roadshow in May.

She identified play as a key component of active engagement, requiring retailers to build in creativity and co-creation to their offerings. “They want that sense of community, they want play, and retail has a real opportunity here… Play gives them that sense of confidence and autonomy,” she said.

A need for creativity & sharing

“Today, new generations express a deep need for creativity and sharing,” Rossana Mastrosimini, Branded Channel Director West Europe at The Lego Group, said.

“Our mission is to provide our communities with spaces for expression where they can make our universe their own, play together, and extend the LEGO experience far beyond the act of purchase and create lasting memories.” 

“Clothing has become a cultural marker and a means of self-expression in its own right for young consumers,” Sarah Jackson, Global Director of License and Partnerships at Primark, added.

“By partnering Primark with iconic pop culture and entertainment licenses, we transform our collections into genuine spaces for sharing. The store thus becomes a physical extension of their shared passions and a place to assert one’s identity,” she concluded. 

NRF Europe takes place between 15 – 17 September 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.

To find out more or register for your pass: NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe.