Brian P. Vendramin 
Professor and Program Coordinator, School of Business | Cambrian College
Sudbury, ON, CANADA
Brian is an expert in retail trends, branding, and mergers and acquisitions. He contributes to online, television, radio and radio reports.
Spotlight
Media
Publications:
Documents:
Videos:
Audio:
Biography
Brian Vendramin has been teaching business and marketing at Cambrian College since 1986.
A seasoned media expert, he is regularly called on by print, radio and television journalists for comment on breaking business news.
Vendramin also has a regular biweekly spot on CBC Morning North in Sudbury, where he discusses timely business topics such as internships, customer service and retail promotions (Black Friday and Cyber Monday).
He is available for comment on stories about retail trends, industry shakeups, marketing, business ethics and more.
Visit his personal website at www.brianvendramin.com
Industry Expertise (10)
Advertising/Marketing
Hospitality
Education/Learning
Travel and Tourism
Direct Marketing
Specialty Retailers
Consumer Services
Retail
Consumer Goods
Market Research
Areas of Expertise (11)
Mergers and Acquisitions
Gamification/Game-Based Learning
Social Issues in Business
Marketing Techniques
Promotion in the Marketplace
Retail Branding
Online Business
Retail Trends
Retail Marketplace
Promotions in the Retail Environment
Ethics in Business
Accomplishments (1)
Recipient of President’s Award for Excellence (professional)
2014-05-30
The President’s Award for Excellence is presented annually at convocation to a faculty member who has been exemplary in achieving professional goals and inspiring peers to set and achieve the highest standards in the classroom.
Vendramin has been a member of the Cambrian College community for 27 years and has become known as a keen and innovative teacher, and a reliable and trusted colleague.
Education (1)
Cambrian College: Advanced Diploma, Business and Marketing 1975
Languages (1)
- English
Media Appearances (23)
Secrets of a Great Teacher
Macleans print
2016-12-08
Macleans magazine publishes an annual guide to Canadian Colleges and professor Brian Vendramin earned the first page of the section for Ontario Colleges.
Check out page 78 of the 2017 Macleans Colleges Guide for insights about why Brian is such an effective and popular professor. Read up on how he stays on top of his teaching game by game leveraging psychology, technology, as well as personal and professional relationships for the best learning experience.
Spoiler-alert: Brian's not a gamer, but the professor successfully integrated gaming's psychological appeal into academics. It's a proven winner in more ways than one!
Cyber-Monday: Don't shop until you listen to this!
Q92.7 Rock radio
Cyber Monday is the BIGGEST online shopping day of the year and 95%b of us will do at least some of our online shopping at work today. The top three products purchased online on Cyber Monday are: apparel, books /DVD s/ videos/ games and consumer electronics. Cambrian College Business Professor Brian Vendramin says if you’re not careful of the shipping charges, interest rates, and duty, your online deal may not be a very big deal at all.
Shopping on Black Friday and through the holiday season
Q92.7 Rock radio
2017-11-27
It seems the Black Friday creep starts earlier and earlier every holiday season, and yes, there are some good deals and it is always good to shop local, but is there a TRUE Black Friday? Cambrian College Business Professor Brian Vendramin talks about the marketing of the sales, what to watch for, and what to jump on.
What's Next for Sears?
CTV Northern Ontario tv
2017-10-18
CTV News at 5 p.m. anchor Tony Ryma has a one-on-one interview with Business professor Brian Vendramin about what to expect now that Sears is winding down its operations.
Some stories to start your weekend
Sudbury.com online
2017-10-14
Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your weekend.
Fire union accuses city councillors of harassing chief:
The embers from the failed fire optimization plan in Greater Sudbury keep burning, as Sudbury's career firefighting union has launched a complaint on behalf of embattled Fire Chief Trevor Bain. This comes weeks after the union representing volunteer firefighters went public with news it was fighting the dismissal of three of its members, as well as the disciplining of another eight volunteers. Firefighting in Sudbury has become controversial since last spring, when Bain led a series of public input sessions outlining the costs of equalizing fire response times across the city. Read the full story here.
Sears closing will leave hole in Sudbury: expert
thesudburystar.com online
2017-10-14
It may be some time before new tenants for Sudbury's Sears store are found, a local business expert says.
Brian Vendramin, a professor in Cambrian's School of Business, was reacting to news Friday that an Ontario Superior Court judge approved a request by Sears Canada to liquidate all of its remaining stores, including its New Sudbury Centre location.
What's Next for Sears' Space?
Sault Star online
2017-07-22
Industry watchers doubt another major retailer will move into the space Sears will soon vacate at Station Mall.
The tenant holds 78,000 square feet on two floors. In late June, Sears Canada announced plans to close more than 50 stores across Canada as it entered creditor protection. A liquidation sale started at Sears on Bay Street on Friday and runs until mid-October. A firm store closing date has yet to be announced by Sears Canada.
“I think people are looking well beyond something to replace it directly that would be the equivalent of Sears,” said Tom Dodds, chief executive officer of Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp. “I think that day has passed.”
Instead, he suggests the retail space may best be used by a non-traditional player similar to Riversedge Developments buying the former St. Marys Paper site. The Huron Street property is now home to Algoma Conservatory of Music, The Mill Steakhouse and Wine Bar and The Machine Shop, an entertainment venue.
“Who would have dreamed that we would have had a space that we have there now,” said Dodds. “They looked at that with a much different lens and, in fact, they looked at it through a different lens than what they typically undertake, which is simply going in there as a brown field site pulling out all the stuff of value. They recognized the value (of the buildings).”
The close proximity of shopping in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., adds another potential hurdle for other retailers considering locating at the 44-year-old downtown mall. That's on top of “relatively flat” GDP and a declining population.
“A lot of people are quite comfortable going across the river and shopping,” said Dodds. “(Potential businesses) may think perhaps we're an attractive spot if the U.S. wasn't there, but they know people go across and so they're competing with that.”
Brian Vendramin, like Dodds, doesn't see one business filling the Sears space.
“That's one of the issues with Sears no matter where it was located is the footprint is too big,” said the Cambrian College business professor. “When you have big space like that, that means you need to fill it with inventory and you also have to fill it with staff. As soon as you start cutting back on staff the customer service falters.”
Enterprises moving into Sears’s former location need to offer shoppers “something that's unique,” said Vendramin, also a business commentator on CBC Radio's Morning North.
“It's got to be something really different,” said Vendramin. “It
More to Wal-Mart/Visa battle than meets the eye: Cambrian prof
Sudbury.com online
2016-06-20
Brian Vendramin suspects giant retailer is positioning itself to get into the banking business
Business prof Brian Vendramin’s insights on Wal-Mart plans to stop accepting Visa credit cards
CTV Northern Ontario tv
2016-06-16
Business professor Brian Vendramin discusses Wal-Mart's plan to stop accepting Visa credit cards because of the high fees incurred by the retailer. He suggests that Wal-Mart may be preparing to offer its own credit/financial service, like President's Choice Financial has done in the past, taking over a piece of Visa's business if a deal cannot be struck between Visa and Wal-Mart.
Superstore to stay open 24 hours beginning Dec. 18
Northern Life print
2015-11-27
Retailer takes advantage of deregulated store hours again this year
Almost a year after shopping hours were deregulated in Greater Sudbury, a grocery store is planning to be open round the clock during the holiday season.
Last year, the Real Canadian Superstore in New Sudbury announced it would open 24 hours a day from Dec. 12 until New Year's Eve. The store will do the same this year, but the start date will be a little later.
“Beginning Friday, Dec. 18 at 6 a.m., the Real Canadian Superstore in Sudbury will be open 24-hours until it closes at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24,” the company said in an email Thursday.
While there was talk that other retailers may also open around the clock, so far only the Superstore has taken that step, and only for the busiest shopping time of the year. Other retailers, however, are staying open later during the holiday period.
Cambrian College marketing professor Brian Vendramin said despite all the publicity surrounding deregulating store hours in the city, not much has changed in practical terms.
"My sense is, it's had very little impact,” Vendramin said. “You just look at the number of stores that have opened 24 hours. Even with Black Friday, with all the hoopla, the (New Sudbury Centre) is only staying open until 11 o'clock.”
Black Friday a social, as well as a shopping, event
Northern Life print
2015-11-26
Plan ahead, prof says, and make sure you stick to a budget
Black Friday is a day when people line up in the wee hours of the morning in hopes of getting a deal. It's a day when U.S. networks invariably have footage of people being trampled – or worse – when malls open for business.
In Sudbury, retailers big and small have specials on in anticipation of the crush of hopeful shoppers getting ready to pounce.
Brian Vendramin, marketing professor at Cambrian College, said the day has an impact on the economy, but not an entirely positive one.
"People have been calling it 'Slack Friday' because 1.2 million Canadian are going to call in sick, and another 6.4 million plan to take a vacation day,” Vendramin said. “So there's certainly going to be a big dip in productivity."
He says Black Friday has become a social event, with friends getting together in the days before to research deals and decide a strategy.
Rules of Engagement: Six Ways to Bring Your Classroom to Life
Pearsoned.com online
2015-11-03
“Welcome to Marketing 1100 – Introduction to Marketing” I strain to say over the sounds of Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd that I have playing before this class. I play music before each of my classes and take requests a week before classes so I can ensure that the lyrics are appropriate. The music stops and on cue I say, “Happy Monday (on this particular day).”
Start a Conversation
I immediately launch into current business events and allow 3-4 students to present current events they prepared for presentation. On this day we engage in lively debate over an upcoming Canadian election issue on the legalization of marijuana and the economic impacts of that decision. Someone else offers another headline on the latest developments on Volkswagen’s emissions violations. As I thank the class for their contributions, I always remind them how following current events demonstrate how fluid marketing and business issues are and how they extend beyond our country.
Retail in the city continues to change
Sudbury Star print
2015-04-24
Brian Vendramin was interview for the Sudbury Star's Progress section on the changing face of retail in the city. The article is on page 22.
Future Shop closure reflects changing retail landscape
Northern Life online
2015-03-31
The sudden closure of Future Shop stores across the country March 28 may be a sign of things to come, said Cambrian College business professor Brian Vendramin.
With a soft economy, and many stores unable to distinguish themselves from their competitors because they sell similar items, other retailers could close in the near future, he said.
Terry and Mell Interview: Brian Vendramin on Future Shop
Q92 radio
2015-03-30
Brian Vendramin was interviewed on Q92 in Sudbury about Future Shop's closure.
Future Shop closures part of a trend
Sudbury Star online
2015-03-29
“We're in a day and age in retail where we're looking for efficiencies,” Vendramin said. “With Best Buy and Future Shop under the same ownership, I wondered why they wouldn't move even sooner on this.
“I think one of the things that threw me a curveball, though, was back in November, Future Shop opened a new store in Cornwall and it was going to be their new concept store, which had a smaller footprint, so instead of 30,000 square feet, they had 8,000 square feet, and half of it was stock room, because people are buying more and more electronics online.”
Little change under Sudbury's new shopping law
Sudbury Star online
2015-02-28
Brian Vendramin, a business professor at Cambrian College, hasn't been surprised that stores haven't rushed to embrace 24-hour shopping.
"I expected it would be a slow start," he said. "Retail has been soft across Canada. And at the end of the day, it's a business case -- it's great to say let's open for 24 hours, but if staffing costs don't allow you to make a profit, how long can you sustain that kind of business model?"
Business with Brian Vendramin
CBC Sudbury radio
2015-02-06
Links to all of Brian Vendramin's spots on the Morning North radio show.
Target liquidation doesn't impress Sudbury shoppers
Sudbury Star online
2015-02-06
Brian Vendramin, a School of Business professor at Cambrian College, said Target never really caught on with consumers when it arrived in Canada in late 2013.
"In my opinion, they opened up too many stores too quickly," he said. "As part of that, they had to deal with supply issues. You would go into a store and they had no supply. It was a turnoff."
As well, the United States Target store experience did not translate well in Canada, especially with Canadians who had visited American stores and expected to find the same thing here, Vendramin said.
Target's failure a sign of change in retailing
Peterborough Examiner online
2015-01-17
“I think this is just the start of a retail shakeup.” That’s what Brian Vendramin, a professor in the Cambrian College School of Business, told The Sudbury Star on Thursday as he predicted more chain stores will go under across the country - something that could still happen here.
Target closing
CTV Northern Ontario tv
2015-01-15
Brian Vendramin comments on Target's announcement of the retail chain shutting down in Canada.
Black Friday shopping
CTV Northern Ontario tv
2014-11-28
Brian Vendramin comments on Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping.
Miners Lunchbox
Dragons' Den tv
2009-10-14
Brian Vendramin made an appearance on Dragons' Den to help Catherine Langin pitch her company.
Availability
- Keynote
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Host/MC
Research Focus (1)
MyMarketingLab
Introduction to Marketing
2015-06-16
Summary: In this pilot, professor Brian Vendramin incorporated gamification, new resources, and a new textbook to enhance student success in his Introduction to Marketing class. The results show improved student engagement with the course content and improved exam scores and final grades.
Key Results: Data indicate that students earning higher MyMarketingLab scores achieved higher average exam and final course grades. In addition, data from before and after MyMarketingLab implementation
show that, on average, students earned higher exam and final course grades when MyMarketingLab was required.
Social