Sunday Paper in Washington Park

There's something very special about reading the New York Times on a beautiful sunday morning in the Fall. That's was what I did yesterday morning in Washington Park in NY. I know a lot has been said about the future of newspapers.... but I`m one of those who enjoys flipping through the pages not knowing exactly what you're going to find. It's specially nice when you're traveling and reading a newspaper from another city.

There was a great interview with Tim Brown - president of IDEO - where he talks about the importance of asking the right questions. In a world where people expect us to have answers, I enjoyed readng about his view on questions.

Here's the interview.

More on PepsiCo's Institutional Campaign in Brazil

Here at PepsiCo we started off 2009 launching our first ever institutional print campaign. The first phase, which we covered on this blog, presented our entire brand portfolio (including snacks, beverages and food) and we introduced our institutional campaign theme:
PepsiCo - Creating a Tomorrow Better Than Today

We've now moved into phase two which celebrates the people who make PepsiCo great. In one print ad we talk about our people, in another ad we celebrate the farmers who cultivate the potatoes, corn and wheat used in our snacks, and in the third execution we celebrate the partnership PepsiCo Beverages has with AmBev.

The campaign can be see in Brazil's most top-selling magazines such as Veja, Exame, IstoÉ, Revista Caras and Claudia.

Let's make it fun!

I saw this video last night, which is part of the Fun Theory cultural movement in Europe - a VW initiative - and it made me think of how the power of fun could change the way schools educate kids or even how companies sell their products.

As marketers, how can we add a little more fun in the way we sell... engaging consumers in a whole new way?

For those of us who live recycling... this is a killer idea.
Absolutely Brilliant!!!

YouTube... a great substitute for the Food Network

This morning, I had a nice meeting at Google Brasil which is always a great opportunity to feel the pulse of what is going on in the digital world.  We ended up talking about one of the hottest search topics for women in Brazil: recipes.  

Both on Google and on YouTube, recipes are hot.  

This is obviously a subject that interests in me because one of the barriers we face in two of our categories (oats and canned fish) is that gatekeepers not always know how to use our products in differentiated ways.  They value the heart health properties of oats and they love the Omega-3 found in tuna & sardines but they want to learn more on how to add these products to their day-to-day lives. Unfortunately, we don't have the wonderful Food Network in Brazil which is a fantastic resource for those who want to learn more about cooking.  My wife and I miss the channel... but fortunately there's YouTube (whcih according to their blog has reached over 1 billion views per day).

I decided to go online to find out which Brazilian company is doing a good job in terms of recipes.  I enjoyed the work Sadia is doing.  A very clean graphic approach (different than the traditional in-kitchen production), clear instructions on what ingredients are needed upfront and simple instructions.  Bravo.

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The Day Spa experience

I've always believed that brands should aspire to provide people with experiences that define what the brand is all about.  In some cases, like in categories with low emotional connection, that is not easy.  On the other hand, some companies do an awesome job in experiential marketing, providing moments that transcend the products they sell. 

Today I had a wonderful experience at São Paulo's Spa L'Occitane.  As a birthday gift, my wife gave me a gift certificate for a 5-hour day spa.  I enjoyed every moment, from time off from everything just to read in a quiet place... to my first facial... to a great back massage.  Every once in while, it's wonderful to spend time on yourself.

This was certainly an experience that will have a lasting effect on the already positive perception I have for the L'Occitane brand.

It makes me wonder what exeriences we should be providing with the brands my team and I manage here in Brazil?  

Rio... Cidade Maravilhosa

Congratulations Rio 2016!

The video produced by the Rio 2016 Olympic Committee captures the spirit of our... cidade maravilhosa...

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