Looking to attend the BCSC Conference & Exhibition this fall? You might want to get a move on: delegate bookings are now open.

Be prepared to show up early if you want to take in headline sessions from retail royalty like Mary Portas and Luke Johnson—the sessions will fill on a first come, first served basis.

There’s also a huge selection of focused sessions to take in. A few that might pique your interest include “Re-tuning Consumer Trends – What do shoppers really think about the latest market trends?”"Food & Beverage – the new anchor,” and “Fit out or switch off? Low Carbon Futures – behaviours or technologies?” But there’s quite a lot more, and you can check it all out at the conference website here. There are concurrent sessions running through all three conference days, so you’re sure to find something of interest.

On top of all that, there’s the exhibition, a ton of great social events and more. So plan to be at ACC Liverpool, September 10 – 12.

And of course there are discounts available to BCSC members, including a reduction to last year’s member delegate fees and early bird rates available until the end of this month.

Mall of America turns 20 this year, and as part of the celebration it’s taking a look back. The MoA Blog is running through the top 20 moments in Mall of America’s history and so far they’re a fantastic read.

We’ve only seen 19 through 16 so far, but they’re pretty great stories. A visit from Cirque Du Soleil, an astounding concert series to raise money for those in need, a memorial to the heroes of 9/11 and an arranged marriage that’s lasted nearly 15 years to date. We can’t wait to see what’s next, and you can keep an eye on them here.

For the younger crowd, the center is also looking back to more recent events with its MOA Flashbacks. These chronicle appearances from celebrities over the last few decades, from ‘NSYNC to Demi Lovato. And every month on the 20th, the center also pulls together 20 on 20: a handful of retailers that offer 20% off to shoppers between the 20th and the end of the month.

Sometimes it’s all about building your brand. Other times, it’s about building suspense.

Ford took a gamble with its recent ad: it included no Ford branding, logos or anything. It’s an interesting idea, letting viewers go in with no preconception. Ford isn’t exactly known for its eco-friendly vehicles, so this may be an outstanding idea.

It seems to be working, to the tune of over a million views so far. And viewers who make it through to the end get the true pitch: the link to GoFurther.com, the elegant website where Ford goes into detail about its tech and its cars.

What a nice way to break away from “Built Ford Tough.”

Good news from Coyote Management. One of the members of our editorial advisory board, Kymberley Scalia, has been promoted to Vice President, Corporate Marketing.

Scalia previously held the position of Corporate Director of Marketing for the company. Now she’ll be responsible for all day-to-day marketing programs and overseeing the company’s new marketing subsidiary, Coyote Creative. She’ll also be responsible for overseeing all key asset management and third party projects.

Scalia has been with Coyote Management since March 2001 as the Corporate Director of Marketing. Before that she held the position of Director of Marketing Director/Specialty Leasing Manager for the West End Marketplace in Dallas. That position followed a five year stint as Marketing Director for Insignia/ESP at Maple Hill Mall in Kalamazoo, MI.

“Kymberley’s performance, dedication and commitment to the company have been evident in all phases of her work and we are proud to announce this well earned and well deserved promotion,” said Michael Rulli, Coyote’s CEO and Chairman.

Congratulations, Kymberley, and a job well done!

Have you recently taken on a new role or welcomed someone new to the team? Let us know, and your story may be featured in our next On the Move.

• Cash in a Flash: Just as flash mobs start to lose their appeal, cash mobs flare up to support local retailers. Sounds like fun! (Stores Magazine)
• Malls finding new life since recession: Things are looking better all the time in the U.S. shopping center scene. (Connecticut Post)
• Millennials pull back on spending: Shoppers 18-34 continue to look for bargains, leaving mid-range retailers scrambling to appeal to new demographics. (Toronto Star)
• Sears to invest in rewards program, stores: Sears is down but not out. The company goes over its plans to reinvigorate business. (Bloomberg)
• April retail sales worst since 2009: U.S. retail drops a bit in April following a couple good months of growth. (Business Week)
• A Cinderella story: The “This is Retail” edition: The NRF retail video contest has reached its end, and here’s a look at the winners.
• There’s a good chance mom secretly hates her Mother’s Day gift: There are some truly awful Mother’s Day gifts out there—a good argument for gift cards. (The Globe and Mail)
• Macy’s ties stores more closely to the web: Another retailer brings online fulfillment into its shops. (Internet Retailer)