For the third practical dialogue in the winter semester of 2024/25, the Institute for Retail, Sales, and Marketing was able to welcome an international speaker. Gernot Stürmer gave a lecture on the strategies of manufacturer and retail brands, drawing from his 20 years of international experience in sales and management, including at Mondelēz International in Switzerland and currently at Brouwerij Martens N.V. in Belgium.

In a practice-oriented manner, Gernot Stürmer illuminated the dynamics in retail between established manufacturer brands and retail brands, focusing on their respective strengths, challenges, and strategic approaches. It was also interesting to note the high market share of private label brands in Western Europe, and especially in Austria, from an international perspective. Additionally, he outlined opportunities and future perspectives for brands in the context of current trends and developments such as digitalization and sustainability.

His conclusion: Manufacturer brands convince with quality and emotional attachment, while retail brands score with price-performance advantages and flexibility. Moreover, the differences between "similar" products under manufacturer and retail brands are practically negligible, as they are often produced by the same manufacturer.

Following the exciting lecture, a lively discussion ensued about cooperation, competition, and market power between retailers and brand manufacturers.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Gernot Stürmer for his interesting lecture and insights into the practice of managing manufacturer and private label brands, as well as to Katharina Hofer for moderating the exciting evening.