New TV Campaign for Quaker On-the-go line in Brazil

The past 12 months have been very exciting for our Quaker oats business in Brazil. We launched a new campaing called Quaker - The Grain of Goodness and this year we started test-marketing an entire new line of convenient great-tasting on-the-go oat-based products called Quaker De Bolso (which translates as Quaker In-Your-Pocket). The line consists of oatmeal cookies, mini multi-grain cookies made with oats, quinoa, flax seed and wheat germ, as well as, a granola in a 'drinkable' format.

Both the brand campaign and the on-the-go line remind Brazilians that they can count on the power of oats in a whole new line of convenient products designed to fit a healthy lifestyle.

To support our new Quaker line, we just started airing a new TV campaing, created by our agency PeraltaStrawberryFrog. The message is very simple.... now you can carry the goodness of oats anywhere.

Video and magazine mash up

Wow!!! Pepsi in the U.S. has inserted a video in CBS's Entertainment Weekly Magainze...
Click here to read the news on the Wall Street Journal Speakeasy blog. 

Below a short YouTube link that shows how it works.  Amazing!

New campaign for Sensações Baked Potato Chips

This week-end, we will be airing two spots of a new campaign for Sensações® Ao Forno - Brazil's first baked potato chip brand.  The Sensações brand targets adults who are looking for healthier snacking options but still want great-tasting gourmet-style flavors.  

In this first spot, a guy who considers himself a connoisseur of fine cuisine, is delighted by the taste of Sensações new baked potato chip.  When his date describes the strong personality of the wine, a little misunderstanding comes up...

Here's the second spot...

Both spots end with voice over:  

"Sensações Baked potato chip for gourmets... both amateur and professional"

Hope you enjoy the campaign.

Listening to Andreas Weigend

Yesterday, I had the opportunity of listening to Andreas Weigend speak at an HSM event here in São Paulo. Andreas is a former Chief Scientist at Amazon.com. He now works as a consultant helping companies leverage the power of data to develop new business models.  He also teaches at Stanford and UC Berkeley.  Since I've always been a huge fan of Amazon - most likely the best e-commerce experience on the web - I was excited with the opportunity to listen to him.  Great speaker with thought-provoking concepts for any company wanting to take their digital strategies to the next level.  Among the examples of companies leveraging data to transform their business, I loved the case of Progressive which gives customers the option of using a wireless device in their car which tracks driving behavior.  The data collected generates a customized insurance rate based on how, how much and when the car is driven.

Click here to check out Andreas Weigend's blog.

I wish my schedule would allow me more time to spend time participating in events like the one I went to yesterday.  Time well spent.

Farewell to Le Paul (1915-2009)

This past week the world said farewell and paid tribute to Les Paul - the man who was the inventor of the solid body electric guitar and also pioneered a number of recording methods like the multitrack recording.  A true legend who influenced the world of rock in many ways.  In the 1950's, the legendary Gibson Les Paul was born, designed by Ted McCarty in collaboraton with Les Paul.  A guitar icon that is part of the fabric of modern rock.

Click here to see a photo gallery of Les Paul published by the Los Angeles Times.

Every Wednesday night, I have guitar lessons with Dante Castanho and the experience has been extremely rewarding.  Music has an amazing ability to take you away from your day-to-day and transport you to different places and times.  I'm having a great time.

Wash your hands please

I love seeing how some companies are fast to identify a cultural movement and quickly transform an opportunity into a business proposition.  

With growing public awareness and concern around swine flu, it's amazing to see the proliferation of hand sanitizing units.  For the past few weeks I've been seeing them all over.  Only today, I saw one in a parking garage, next to the elevator in my office building and coming out of our cafeteria.

For marketers it's a reminder of how any cultural manifestation creates opportunities for new products, services or the comeback of an old idea.

Revolutionary water purification bottle

Watch on TED video with Michael Prichard demonstrating a truly revolutionary water purification bottle called Lifesaver.  Click here to watch.

More on this innovation, click here.

The carelessness of digital photography

As much as I love my new digital Canon and my iPhoto albums, there's one thing I miss from the days of film photography.  When you put a Kodachrome film in your camera, you knew you were rather limited to 36 photos which made you value every single shot.  There were two costs elements associated to amateaur phtography:  the price of the film and the price of developing. That forced you to be more attentive, selecting the right angle, the right moment, the right aperture, the right shutter speed, right lighting.... before the click.

Today, the limitless notion of digital has created a generation of careless photographers who don't value the end result because they can take hundreds of shots and easily delete whatever they don't like.  You can see this at any school function.  Click... click... click... click. 

Yes, technology has brought us amazing rewards for those who love photography like me.   Immediately being able to share a special moment with a friend on another continent is priceless. What we shouldn't allow happen is become careless when it comes to photography just because we can shoot thousands of photos and not be worried about the cost at the local photo shop.

No more vanilla, strawberry or chocolate

What happens with those who market mass consumer products where it's more difficult to provide consumers with true customization?  It seems like expanding choice and inviting your die-hard fans to collaborate on what's next is picking up momentum. 

Two cool projects that I absolutely love...

Take a look at what Mountain Dew did last month....

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Walkers - UK's top-selling potato chips - also ran an amazing promotional campaign this year called "Do Us A Flavor" inviting British consumers to create a movement in favor of their favorite flavor.

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It seems like the days of "we only have vanilla, chocolate or strawberry" are over. It was about time.

Customizing my Mini

Just got back from the Mini Cooper dealership here in Sao Paulo.  The Mini Cooper S I ordered has finally arrived (after a dreadful wait).   My 7-year old daughter and I had loads of fun at the Mini Lounge selecting the accessories to make it my Mini.... bonnet stripes, checkered-flag mirror caps, 17" web spoke alloy tires.  

Customization is a beautiful and powerful marketing concept.  

As a consumer, the design-your-own movement is an empowering experience.  Consumers feel special, unique, differentiated, which ultimately builds a greater affinity for the brand.