As part of The Drum’s Year of Retail, Carat and Synovate Retail Performance will be running a year-long study called the Year of Retail and the Role of Media. It will examine key elements ranging from mobile to the evolution of supermarkets. Here, key members of the Carat team give their views on key questions the project will seek to answer. Topics covered include:

• Key social media trends in retail, including Facebook as a driver of traffic to retail websites
• Development of new media channels in relation to how people use retail outlets
• The role of traditional media in retail and consumer behaviour