Ricardo on Innovation

Golf in the dark

2012-01-28T16:50:00.008-02:00

While in Mumbai, on one of the days, I was able to squeeze in two hours of golf from 6 - 8am, before a full-day of meetings. The course of choice was the Willingdon Golf Club. Because we needed to get a very early start, the first two holes were completely in the dark, on a course I had never been too before. It was my very first time using glow-in-the-dark golf balls before and I had to trust the caddie was giving me the right on direction, location of bunker and terrain. I was amazed of how well I completed the first holes. You suddenly realize that if you focus on what you're doing, relax, rely blindlessly on your muscule memory, you can accomplish what you set out to do. I learned that losing a bit of that sense of control is actually a good thing.

Very cool experience.

Cadbury Dairy Milk creative from India

2012-01-28T05:00:00.008-02:00

I just spent an amazing week in Mumbai, India, attending a global chocolate & biscuit meeting. Amazing on so many levels. Starting off with trade visits in the streets of Mumbai was incredible.
It's remarkable how much inventory shop owners get into these very small shops. Low out-of-pocket SKU's, value propositions, enhanced shelf impression and displays exploring every possible inch of the store was pretty much consistent. We then had the opportunity of spending a few hours speaking to local teens and listening to the way they consider, shop, interact with our categories and brands. These were Indian teens but much of their aspirations and comments on their day-to-day lives reminded me of teens in Colombia or Mexico.

We'll, if you're in the chocolate business and in India, you know just how iconic the Cadbury Dairy Milk brand is here. So, we spent time listening to the local team talk about the brand's success over the years. Much of that success linked to fantastic creative from Ogilvy always using deep insights and a pulse on local culture. Watching the advertising reel with spots from the past decade was incredible. I personally enjoyed the current Shubh Aarambh campaign. The insight is that there's a saying in India that when someone is off to something important, they should eat something sweet.

Simple storytelling, suberb acting, product central to the story. Great creative spans boundaries...

The story behind the chinese takeout container

2012-01-21T14:20:00.007-02:00

I've always been a huge fan of packaging, both structural and graphic. I enjoyed reading the other day in The New York Times Magazine the story behind the iconic chinese takeout container - this simple, super functional and totally ubiquitous container.

There always seems to be a good story behind simple concepts.

Movements are cooler when they happen spontaneously

2012-01-21T14:09:00.005-02:00

One of the most fascinating movements in the past months was not necessarily digital.... what is being called the Post-It Wars is just one of those cool cases that any marketing guy would love this to happen with your own brand.

It`s interesting to see that, many times, the best brand movements initiate and spread spontaneously, a legitimate grassroots movement and not the result of the traditional creative process.

Life captured in HD

2012-01-13T13:40:00.002-02:00

This week, I'm skiing in beautiful Beaver Creek Colorado. Clear skies, 7F, base depth 71cm... life is good. One thing that caught my attention thies season is the amount of skiers using the cameras mounted on their helmets. At the ski shop I checked ou the GoPro HD Hero2 - "The World's Most Versatile Camera". Check-out what these little things can do.

In our YouTube way of living, it seems like life has to be captured in HD.

First Jell-O just for adults with the use of new vending technology

2012-01-02T09:43:00.002-02:00

I'm always interested in following the evolution of vending machines. So, I was very happy see how Kraft Foods is using a new technology to test six jelly desserts targeted at adults. The machine uses an optical sensor fitted to the top of the machine to recognise the shape of the human face. A computer processor then carries out a series of calculations based on measurements such as the distance between the eyes, nose and ears. This new vending machine analyses users' age and gender has been launched in the U.S. Market by Intel and Kraft Foods, called iSample.

Kraft Foods in the U.S. is using this cool technology to sample Temptations - a jelly-based dessert marketed as 'the first Jell-O that's just for adults'.

One of the concerns about sampling programs is making sure the investment goes against the brand's core demographic. In this case, the use of this new vending technology allows Kraft to tailor the product to the shopper, and exclude children from the adult-focused promotion.

You can only imagine many other ways this technology can be used in. Intel says it intends to retrofit the technology to existing vending machines to allow companies to study what type of people are buying their products.

Reflecting on the year that's ending... with the help of Google

2011-12-16T10:30:00.003-02:00

For me, December, is always a month of reflection. What has happened around the World that was meaningful... what has happened in my life and with my Family that was meaningful?

I was thinking the other day in ways that I can explain to my daugthers this notion of reflection, the idea that there are certain milestones that we create that are wonderful opportunities to look back, reflect, learn, build on... so that we become more confident to move on. To start something new.

I loved the Google Zeitgest 2011 Year in Review video. When I get home after work, I want to show it to them as a reminder of some of the highlights of the year. Maybe there too young to understand the richness of Google's compilation... maybe not?

Top 12 Digital Predictions for 2012 by Millward Brown

2011-12-13T13:00:00.003-02:00

Millward Brown's Global Futures Group Top 12 Digital Predictions for 2012... great read!

Latin American video game development

2011-12-04T15:54:00.002-02:00

Good news on how Latin Americans are expanding in the booming market of video game development...

Mocotó - celebrating food from Brazil's Northeast

2011-12-04T11:37:00.003-02:00

São Paulo is known for its amazing restaurant scene. Outstanding sushi bars, authentic lebanese restaurants, quaint French bistros, Portuguese bakeries and the very Brazilian churrascarias. But Brazilian food is more than meat on skewers.

Last night, we had dinner at a place that has been getting tremendous amount of buzz: Mocotó - a restaurant specialized in food from Brazil's Northeast and also a cachaçaria (bar specialized in Brazil's famous sugarcane spirit). The experience blew me away. Located in the Vila Medeiros - neighborhood - rather far from where you would expect to find a great restaurant. It took us about 35 minutes to get there but it was certainly worth the drive. Absolutely fantastic! Rodrigo Oliveira added some culinary magic to his father's already famous restaurant. Two generations coming together to celebrate the flavors, aromas, textures and drinks from one of the most culturally-diverse regions of Brazil.

I found this video on YouTube which gives you a little feel for this place. This is a must-go place when you come to São Paulo.

Pop-up mall made with shipping containers

2011-12-03T19:13:00.013-02:00

What is it that makes the upcycling of shipping containers so interesting? These days you see them everywhere, from the Container pop-up stores here in São Paulo to a hotel made of containers in Chile.

I enjoyed an article on article on CNN.com on Boxpark the World's first pop-up mall made with shipping containers that just opened up in East London's fashionable Shoreditch High Street. I'm always fascinated to see how so many cool retail concepts are created in London.

CNN also posted these other examples of how shipping containers are being used in other parts of the world...

Baguette vending machine that provides 24-hour fresh baked bread

2011-11-30T19:49:00.002-02:00

It's fascinating to see the evolution of vending machines. I was amazed when I first travelled to Tokyo four years ago and saw machines dispensing all sorts of things, from electronics to bento boxes.

Recently, I read about Jean-Louise Hecht, the French baker who invented a baguette vending machine that provides 24-hour fresh baked bread. For businesses looking for ways to offer more convenience and reduce operating costs, this certainly is a fresh idea.

We're living in a 2-speed World

2011-11-30T19:25:00.003-02:00

Here in Barcelona this week, I also listened to Anthony Pralle - one of the Boston Consulting Group's senior partners - talk about some of the trends that are affecting and shaping businesses around the globe. One of the concepts that I particularly enjoyed was the notion that we're definitely living in a 2-speed world: slow growth in developed markets versus the vibrant fast pace found in emerging economies.

As an example, he mentioned that 10 years have gone by and the Freedom Towers at Ground Zero in New York have not been completed. In contrast, he showed the video below of a hotel in China that was built in just 6 days.

Listening to Derek Redmond in Barcelona

2011-11-30T18:59:00.005-02:00

Last night, I had the privilege of listening and talking to Derek Redmond - 1991 World Champion 4x400m Relay - and I was blown away by his personal and very inspiring story of determination, passion for winning and perseverance.

One of his stories was portrayed in a 2008 VISA 'Go World' campaign and he also appears in the Nike 'Courage' TV campaign.

Some are certainly destined for greatness.

New Milka Concept Store in Buenos Aires

2011-11-27T15:07:00.006-02:00

Last week I spent a few days in Buenos Aires. I got to visit our second Milka Concept Store, this one located in Las Canitas, one of the city's cool neighborhoods. A great place for a capuccino with a Milka bom bom, to read the paper or go online. I love how Milka's strong iconography - lilac cow, alpine feel - works so well for in-store activation.

Great partnership with Open 25 and La Tienda del Café.

Kinect Effect

2011-11-19T11:58:00.003-02:00

I remember last Christmas when my brother-in-law James Maul gave my nephew an XBox 360 Kinect. Everyone in the house was in awe with this technology. In our house, we don't own any video game consoles but I have to admit I was quite amazed with this almost magical new experience.

I loved watching this video on how this technology is inspiring so many different applications. It's remarkable to see how technology is a beautiful way to open doors and inspire people to find new possibilities.

Importance of listening

2011-11-19T11:52:00.001-02:00

Yesterday, I got back from our annual consumer relations meeting. It's always great to intereact with the team that engages with our consumers on a daily basis, specially in a time of social media and amazing brand advocacy. They opened the meeting using a TED video featuring Julian Treasure - Sound Expert. The speech covers the importance of listening to the quiet, subtle, understated.

A wonderful way to start a meeting on consumer relations.

Our new BelVita 30 TV Campaign

2011-10-15T17:20:00.004-03:00

This is our new TV campaign for BelVita - a line of healthy morning cookies that provide sustained energy - that we started airing this week in Brazil. When a group of scientists inadvertently leaves behind a backpack with BelVita, a cute sloth comes around and... well, look what happens.

The voice over at the end is "Un-sloth your day with the delicious energy of BelVita". 'Un-sloth' is a made-up verb that does a good job describing the storyline.

Creative by Miami-based Crispin Porter + Bogusky

Oreo - Cuento

2011-10-07T08:33:00.002-03:00

Last week, I was in Buenos Aires. The team has been doing a wonderful job with our Oreo brand. Here's the latest TV campaign where a grandfather reads a fairytale, while his grandaughter performs the classic brand twist-lick-and-dunk ritual. The nice thing about this copy is the play of words. For each sentence of the storytelling, the girl uses the cookie and glass of milk to act out the story. Campaign beautifully created by DraftFCB.

How New York is going digital

2011-09-02T11:27:00.004-03:00

I've been learning a lot in the past weeks with Vanildo Oliveira - who heads Kraft Foods Latin America's Consumer Relations - on the huge transformation he is leading with our brands in the social media space.

This is a pretty cool video he sent to me today with Rachel Sterne - Chief Digital Officer for the City of New York - on how she is strengthening the City’s digital media presence and streamlining internal digital communications. Another reason why NYC is one of the great cities of the World. What a lesson for other cities...

I hope you like it.

PSFK CONFERENCE NYC 2011: Rachel Sterne from Piers Fawkes on Vimeo.

Inamo St James in London

2011-08-19T13:13:00.000-03:00

Wow! The new Inamo St.James Restaurant in London is showing how technology can be used to deliver amazing consumer experience. Can't wait to check it out in my next visit to London.

Why No Apple In The Food Industry?

2011-08-15T15:23:00.004-03:00

A collegue just sent me this interesting article wrtitten by Steve Denning and published on Forbes called "Why No Apple In The Food Industry?". An interesting read...

A journey through the world of flavors...

2011-08-11T15:17:00.003-03:00

This week I've been on a fascinating flavor exploratory journey. I've had great meetings at IFF and Givaudan - flavor house partners - discussing consumer trends, the explosion of street & ethnic food, and going through some wonderful tasting sessions. Yum.

This beautifully-produced video, from STA Travel Australia (directed by Rick Mereki in collaboration with Andrew Lees and Tim White) captures the spirit of what my week has been like...

It is wonderful to work in food marketing!

Craft Beer Revolution

2011-07-30T11:38:00.003-03:00

Check out UK's BrewDog and how they're out to change the world of microbreweries through their 'equity for punks' model which has led them to launch an online IPO movement... and they're even using a collaborative approach to their bar expansion, paying people to help scout for bar locations... a little craft beer revolution in the making.

Three amazing food experiences on one amazing trip

2011-07-06T20:14:00.011-03:00

Two weeks ago, my wife and I were on vacation and we had three food experiences that were truly amazing. The interesting thing is that each one represents a different movement in terms of culinary experiences.

The first little story happened in Canada and it´s about the road food movement - locals (and sometimes tourists) who drive for miles to eat at authentic roadside eateries. While our daughters were at camp, my wife and I went exploring the Lake Muskoka area. We drove north on Highway 11 in Ontario, close to a town called Orillia, to experience what our resort concierge told us was the best burger experience in that part of the world. Half hour later, we arrived to Weber's Hamburgers. She was right. This place is like hamburger heaven. Simple charcoal BBQ'd burgers, friendly staff, picnic tables on a backyard park-like setting, railroad cars transformed into a dinning area, storage and restrooms... the place rocks!

My second story is about the farm to table movement, a movement that celebrates the people who farm and produce in your own communities, creating more awareness about the benefits of eating local. My wife made reservations two months in advance at Blue Hill at Stone Barn Farms in Pocantico Hills, thirty minutes north of New York City.

Everything about our dining experience was magical. When we arrived, the host asked if we wanted to have a drink at the bar or watch the fireflies. Obviously, we were curious about the fireflies. He walked us onto a terrace overlooking a moon-lit section of the farm and in complete silence we watched in awe thousands of fireflies creating an unforgettable scene. Back in the restaurant, we were delighted by a no-menu evening. Waiters brought five different courses all using ingredients from the fields and pastures of their own and surrounding farms. Each course with revernce and storytelling. At the end, a cart comes up at the side of your table and, after you sleect the type of tea you want, a woman clips leaves from pots and brews in front of you. I can easily say it was the best dining experience in my life.

My third story is about the Miami Food truck movement. Arriving in Miami for some business meetings, one of my best friends invited me to go with him to one of the many food truck festivals that happen every week in different locations around Miami. Different than other cities where I´ve eaten from one truck, these events bring together over twenty trucks with live music and a rock-concert-type feel with hundreds of people with their folding chairs. Just simple fun.

Three amazing... and yet totally different food experiences.

Rooting for the Chrysler "Born Of Fire" campaign at Cannes

2011-06-25T12:36:00.007-03:00

Today is the last day of an inspiring and certainly memorable week at the 2011 Cannes Lions Festival. Later tonight, the final awards. In the Film Automobile category, it seems like everyone I've talked to is expecting VW "Force" - from Deutsche Lons Angeles - to win gold. It is, after all, a beautiful example of storytelling highlighting a cool feature of the new VW Passat. I love it.

However, I'm rooting for the Chrysler "Born of Fire" spot, one of the most talked about campaigns from the Super Bowl XLV. The reason is that marketing an American-made luxury car in a market dominated by European and Japanese imports is a huge challenge. Chrysler and Wieden+Kennedy Portland did a phenomenal job celebrating the Detroit heritage, taking what may seem to many as a liability and converting into a magnificent piece of advertising. The copywriting is just amazing.

I became an "Imported from Detroit" fan.

Tesco Homeplus Subway Virtual Store in Korea wins Cannes Grand Prix in Media

2011-06-23T11:38:00.001-03:00

I was super happy to see the Tesco Homeplus South Korea Subway Virtual Store win the 2011 Cannes Grand Prix Media Award!

This is an outstanding example of combining a killer media idea, a true brand experience with e-commerce using mobile technology. Everything you dream about. You can only imagine how this case will open doors to all sorts of pop-up store ideas.

Someday in a subway station near you...

Listening to Malcolm Gladwell at Cannes

2011-06-23T11:09:00.015-03:00

I've been having a fantastic time at the Cannes Lions 2011 Festival with jam-packed days filled with all sorts of stimuli from listening to speakers to reading submissions or watching the award ceremonies in the evenings. A week I certainly won't forget anytime soon.

One of the highlights, so far, was listening to best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell on Monday (one of my favorite) where he talked about the advantages of being third than first. Like in his books, inspiring story telling supported by stats and analysis on how companies who come in later can benefit from tweaking existing innovations.

Since Kraft Foods was the sponsor who brought Gladwell to Cannes, we had a chance of meeting him in the evening. He ended up talking about some ideas he's working on for a new book.

The WilliamsWarn Story

2011-06-16T20:06:00.003-03:00

A food friend of mine, Juliano Mendes, was one of the guys behind creating Eisenbahn, one of Brazil's most successful beer brands. Another friend is working on a business plan to expand a retail store specialized in beers from around the world. Beer is one of those categories that generates a lot of passion.

Below you'll find an interesting story of how a New Zeland brewmaster identified an unmet business opportunity and through ingenuity and hard work created a pretty revolutionary product concept. If you're into beer, captivated by the surge of microbreweries and believes in the power of customization, you'll like the story of WilliamsWarn.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore iPad App!

2011-06-11T13:37:00.004-03:00

Last night, my daughters and I enjoyed "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" iPad edition.... the most visually stunning iPad app for children so far.

This is certainly an awesome example of the future of how the editorial market for children is going through a revolution. This app elegantly combines wonderful story-telling, a fantastic soundtrack and engaging visual effects that will leave any children amazed.

A brand that embodies the Colombian spirit

2011-06-10T17:26:00.008-03:00

When traveling, I love to see brands that embody the spirit of the country you're visiting.

Juan Valdez is a great example of a brand that has a true Colombian feel .

I just back from a few days in Bogota (a city that I've always felt has a wonderful vibe). There's something special about the Juan Valdez brand, from its well-recognized iconic fictional character with the mule 'Conchita' to its cafe lounges decorated in a way that makes you feel like you're on a cool version of a coffee hacienda.

Since my wife can't live without great coffee, I brought home three bags from the Juan Valdez Gourmet Selection: Organico, de la Finca and del Bosque.

¡ Maravilloso !

E-Z-GO 2Five

2011-06-04T21:14:00.003-03:00

After my previous post, I got an e-mail from a friend who mentioned another cool-looking street-legal vehicle from the famous golf cart manufacturer E-Z-GO, called the 2Five.

Hey, I hope this becomes a movement...

Not your ordinary golf car

2011-06-04T20:31:00.010-03:00

As a golfer, one thing that has always intrigued me is why haven't golf cars evolved to become an eco-friendly alternative to urban mobility. So, I was happy to learn about the beautiful Danish-designed street-legal Garia LSV. For those who don't know LSV stands for low-speed vehicle.

This not your ordinary golf car. These vehicles are manufactured at the Valmet Automotive factory in Finland, the same place where Porsche Boxsters and Caymans are produced, with a few nice touches like hand-stiched water-resistant upholstery, built-in refrigerator, 768 combination of colors, styles and upgrades.

There has been so much buzz around electric cars these days. This week, São Paulo hosted the C40 Summit - bringing together mayors from the World's 40 largest cities - and the official automobile for the event was the Nissan Leaf.

In a world where it would be wonderful if we could slow down and get around in a way that is more environmentally-conscious, it's fascinating to see how electric cars are finally getting the attention they deserve.

Introducing the New Food Icon: MyPlate

2011-06-03T21:37:00.004-03:00

Tremendous buzz today on the news that the Food Pyramid is out... and MyPlate is in. MyPlate is the new USDA Food Icon to remind people of how to eat healthier. Watch the official video produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Food Truck Movement

2011-05-31T09:58:00.011-03:00

Food trucks are becoming quite a movement in cities around the World. One of my childhood memories, growing up in Virginia and Ohio, was the ice cream truck that showed up in my neighborhood after school. There was something irresistible about the bell ringing and kids lining up to choose their favorite flavors.

It's interesting to see how some brands are riding this new food truck wave. One example is the Oscar Mayer brand which is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Wienermobile vehicle in New York City by unveiling the first Wienermobile Food Truck, in partnership with celebrity chef Tyler Florence to christen the new vehicle and continue the Good Mood Mission by making a $50,000 donation to Feeding America.

People gathered in Times Square for a chance to see the Wienermobile Food Truck, get a free Oscar Mayer Selects Beef Frank and enjoy special toppings created by Tyler. The new Wienermobile Food Truck will be giving consumers a chance to taste Oscar Mayer Selects Beef Franks throughout this summer.

A book was recently published called "Food Trucks - Dispatches and Recipes from the Best Kitchens on Wheels" , written by Heather Shouse, with reviews of the many food trucks that you can find in North America.

I'm very curious to see if gourmet food trucks are starting to show up in Latin American cities.

Software that reduces cyberbullying

2011-05-27T18:15:00.001-03:00

Bullying and cyberbullying are important themes being discussed in our daughter's schools. Themes that my wife and I are particularly concerned about, like any parent. So, I was happy to read about a company called Crisp Thinking that has come up with software called Crisp that polices cyberbullying activities and other bad actors online.

Below an interview with Adam Hildreth, a British entrepreneur, one of the company's founders.

Trident campaign nominated for Cannes

2011-05-27T16:04:00.005-03:00

I'm very excited that I'm scheduled to go to the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity next month. As I look through the work being nominated this year, I was happy to see Trident White campaign called 'Sniper'. This is an awesome example of the use of big screen cinematography techniques to speak about a product benefit in a very subtle and non-conventional way. The suspense is amazing.

Campaign created by JWT Puerto Rico and directed by Luis Gerard and Jaime Costa as Director of Photography.

Congratualtions to the gums & candies team here at Kraft Foods... great work!

Oreo Celebrating Mother's Day

2011-05-09T16:20:00.005-03:00

There are a few brands that are able to strike an emotional chord among consumers of all ages. Oreo is certainly one of those brands with its 'twist, lick & dunk' ritual that has sparked child-like delight and family connections for generations. The more I study this brand, the more I become passionate about it.

Here's the Oreo campaign that was the most effective Mother's Day ad to break in the U.S. this year according to Ace Metrix. The ad, which scored an Ace Score of 628, compared to a norm of 522, took a 55-point lead over the next two favorite ads from Procter & Gamble and Verizon.

The beauty is in its simplicity.

Enjoying great packaging work after a perfect weekend in Rio de Janeiro

2011-05-08T17:27:00.010-03:00

We spent a wonderful weekend in Rio de Janeiro. Saturday was practically a perfect day: Lounging at the Copacabana Palace pool, running on the sands of Copacabana Beach with my daughters, late lunch at Astor, walking on the Ipanema boardwalk at sunset, ice-cream at Mil Frutas (which I've loved since we lived in Rio in the mid 90's), a stop at a great bookstore called Livraria da Travessa and ending the day with a passionfruit caipirinha with Cachaça Lua Cheia by the pool. If yesterday had a soundtrack it would have been 'Acanjú' by Bebel Gilberto.

At Livraria da Travessa I ended up buying a book called "The Package Design Book". I've always had a passion for packaging, both the power of graphic design and the beauty of great structural packaging. It will certainly be fun reading for the flight back to São Paulo. I'll post some of the highlights in a separate post.

National Geographic Store in London

2011-04-30T17:53:00.008-03:00

I was in London this week and after the our meetings were over, I was able to rush out and catch the amazing vibe in the streets as people from around the World were celebrating the royal wedding. On my walk back to the hotel I went into the National Geographic London Store. I had read about it but this was my first time visiting one.

Stretching a brand into a completely different category is not an easy task. I was delighted to see what a wonderful retail and café experience they were able to create. I have always been a huge fan of Nat Geo's media properties and my daughters enjoy National Geographic Kids which I bring back from my trips.

London is such a fascinating city in so many ways. I particularly find it a great place to see different retail concepts.... always something new to explore.

Looking for more family moments...

2011-04-30T17:48:00.002-03:00

As the father of two children, I find my self looking for more ways to create family moments. With our 12-year-old's increasing interest in technology and my business traveling, finding ways to connect has become particularly important for me and is a feeling that, in certain ways, is influencing my shopping considerations.

So, I was very happy when I received an e-mail from our younger daughter while I was in Miami this week asking me to go to Williams-Sonoma (which unfortunately we don't have in Brazil) to look into a gift she was suggesting for Mother's Day. She had gone online, found a product called Zoku Quick Pop Maker she thought her mom would like and saw some tutorial videos on all the cool ways to make popsicles. It sounded like a good project for the family on a Sunday morning. So, sure enough I went to the store and bought the equipment and a recipe book.

This morning, un-boxing, reading through the instructions with them and planning tomorrow's first production was already very fun. Simple family connctions.... those are the priceless moments I'm looking for these days.

Cannes Lions 2011

2011-04-18T18:29:00.003-03:00

Yupeee! Today I received confirmation of my 2011 Cannes registration.

Can't wait to spend a week immersed in stimulating brand campaigns from around the world.

Traveling with Kids

2011-04-12T20:44:00.013-03:00

One of the most rewarding experiences for my wife and I is traveling with our daughters. We all learn on so many different levels and I believe we're providing our girls a wonderful window to the World. This year, we are focusing more on Brazil. We loved the Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul) and its amazing biodiversity and now we have trips planned for Tiradentes, Rio and the magnificent Iguaçú Falls.

One of our good friends from Coral Gables is planning to visit all 50 U.S. States with her five kids. I can't wait to follow her adventures and learn from her experience on a blog she's planning to write. On my flight to Mexico, I read a great article on Condé Nast Traveller called Perrin Report: The A to Z Guide to Traveling with Kids with so fun tips on how to make the most of your next Family vacation.

Our 9-year old snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters of Rio Sucuri - Bonito, Brazil

When it comes to where your brand is made... do you care?

2011-03-18T19:14:00.006-03:00

Connecting flight in Lima. Newstand at the airport. Picking up some reading material on my way back to Sao Paulo. The Wired Magazine cover catches my attention and the question makes me think. Are we going to see a rise in consumers mobilizing to hold brands more accountable for all aspects of the supply chain?

The flip side of that is a Maytag print campaign I saw a few weeks ago in USA Today. The message was "Better Build With American Pride... designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S.A." The tagline is also quite powerful: "Maytag - What's Inside Matters". There's also logo "From Ohio to You".

Is there a trend emerging?

No more excuses to pack light... The Westin & New Balace get it right

2011-03-18T18:51:00.007-03:00

I just love it when a company clearly identifies a relevant insight and creates a useful product or service. I'm constantly travelling on business and for someone like me there's always a conflict between packing light and staying fit. I want to be ready to work out when I'm at a hotel but packing athletic shoes is a hassle.

This week I stayed at The Westin Santa Fe in Mexico City. I was surprised to see that the hotel chain partnered with New Balance allowing guests to borrow shoes and apparel during their stay. Going online, I found out that there's more to it:

Westin guests will also benefit from travel-specific fitness content and added-value experiences provided by New Balance. New Balance Fitness Ambassador and Exercise TV celebrity trainer Holly Perkins will develop exclusive in-room fitness and equipment-free content that includes stretching and strengthening workouts, cardio and yoga. The program includes “Wellness in Travel” tips from Holly on nutrition and creative ways to combat jet lag and healthy living. In addition, New Balance is working with individual Westin properties to enhance its current three- and five-mile local area running maps. As part of the partnership, participating properties will provide guests traveling to a city for a major athletic event, such as a marathon, with wellness amenities, including turn-down gifts with “performance/fuel” goodies for the race and “good luck” wake-up calls.

That's a great example of a brand identifying a powerful insight, creating a service that connects with a very specific target: business travellers.

Next week, I have to travel to Mexico City again. I'm packing light and staying at the Westin.

Entertainment vs Improv

2011-03-05T16:13:00.011-03:00

Wednesday night I went to the American Airlines Arena in Miami to watch the Miami Heat play Orlando Magic. It has been years since I've been to an NBA game. I'm not a huge fan of basketball, but I have to admit it's an amazing super entertaining sports event. Everything was so well scripted. Its all comes together beautifully: the announcer, the suspense, the lighting, the music, the fans, even how sponsorships blend well to the spectacle.

When I think of Latin-American soccer, the differences are abysmal. While American sports follow a wonderful choreography, the beautiful game in my part of the World is performed with so much improvisation. While Brazil slowly gets geared up for FIFA World Cup 2014, there's a lot that can be learned from watching a live NBA game.

Cool campaign from Land Rover on the iPad

2011-02-26T18:26:00.010-03:00

Land Rover's advertising campaign within The Daily Ipad application is one of the best things I've seen in this new space. This is a brand that is leading the way in this new brave iPad world when it comes to creating messages that are cool, engaging and entertaining. I love it.

One-stop shop for urban essentials in Buenos Aires

2011-02-26T16:09:00.010-03:00

I love cities that invite people to walk and explore. New York, London, Paris, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, my São Paulo doesn't quite make the list. The beauty about these cities is that by walking you feel the city vibe and get the pulse of what's happening on the streets.

From a trade perspective, cities with large pedestrian areas tend to be a wonderful playground for marketing people. I was in Buenos Aires a few weeks ago and it's probably one of the best place in terms of kiosks. Kiosks are the perfect stop to get a candy bar, refresh, get a copy of Clarín one of best coverages of soccer, buy credits for a mobile phone or go online. It's pretty much a one-stop shop for urban essentials. No place in the world, are kiosks so well developed like in Buenos Aires. Next time, you're in town, check them out.

Reading on my way back from Jakarta

2011-01-23T16:29:00.018-02:00

I just got back this morning from a week in Jakarta at a global marketing meeting. On one of the afternoons, we went on a trade visit. It's always fascinating to visit stores in a different market than your own. Just observing how the trade is organized, listening to a local salesperson and just observing consumer dynamics is one of those experiences that you always learn from.

Not surprisingly, the traditional trade in Jakarta is very similar to what we find throughout Latin America. Small mom & pop stores with extremely limited space, many products being sold in single-serve sachets. In our case, the importance of securing space on the counter making our brands as accessible as possible, avoiding people having to ask for your products.

It was a long trip flying back to São Paulo, so I used the time on flights to read Buyology - Truth and Lies About Why We Buy - by Martin Lindstrom. When the book first came out, I was a little skeptical. I decided I needed to read the book to form an opinion about the intersection between neuroscience and marketing. A rather intriguing and controversial subject. The author carried out extensive research using brains scans to try and find patterns on what actually triggers people to make purchasing decisions.

I particularly enjoyed chapter 5 on the power of rituals, where we cites examples like Oreo's classic 'twist, lick & dunk', Corona with lime and Guinness' phenomenal 'good things come for those who wait' strategy.

A long wait for TinTin on the big screen re-created by two of the World's greatest

2011-01-10T19:39:00.008-02:00

As a die-hard fan of The Adventures of TinTin - magically created by Belgian artist Georges Rémi (1907-1983) who wrote under the name Hergé - I just can't wait for the release of the feature film 'TinTin in The Secret of the Unicorn' being produced by two of the World's greatest: Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. What a dream team to bring to the big screen one of the best comic strips of all times. Combining Classics have this amazing quality of timelessness, becoming part of pop culture without trying to be. Exactly what brands try so hard to do and so few succeed.

I introduced TinTin to my daughters a few years back, we read and watched all the DVDs. They became huge fans as well. The film is scheduled to hit theaters in Dec.'11... a long wait that will certainly be worth it!

Here are a few images released by Empire Magazine...

The joy of stats

2011-01-06T09:52:00.009-02:00

Messages have a greater possibility of resonating when they are based on hard data and delivered with a touch of theater. Some people have that talent. I really enjoyed the video below “200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes” from the BBC 4 Series "The Joy of Stats" hosted by Swedish Professor Hans Rosling graphically illustrating global development over the past 200 years.

We're only scratching the surface of how new media has the power of transforming education and impacting millions of people around the world. Fascinating times.

Disconnecting to reconnect while following the river's flow

2011-01-01T21:28:00.013-02:00

To celebrate the new year, my wife chose an unusual destination: Bonito - one of Brazil's many eco-tourism havens. If you haven't read about it in National Geographic or Lonely Planet, this place is worth checking out. Hard to describe and certainly hard to forget. Bonito is a region cut by beautiful rivers of crystal-clear waters due to the high concentration of limestone. Rivers with romantic names like Rio Formoso, Mimoso and Rio da Prata, with amazing waterfalls and a wildlife that makes you feel like you're on a Discovery Channel show. In the five days we were there, we spotted macaws, alligators, armadillos, capuchin monkeys and a 3-meter anaconda, which we saw while snorkeling close to the source of Rio Formoso.

One of the things that amazed me is how the entire community seems to be dedicated to promoting a sustainable eco-tourism model. As a marketer, I love to see when a destination carves a well-defined position. Speaking to tour operators, the owner of our B&B or to the many guides who showed us around, there was always a genuine concern around preservation. Bonito seems to be moving in the right direction.

In this remote location, it wasn't easy to get a mobile connection, which was just wonderful. We ended up disconnected and yet very connected as a Family. One of the guides who took us snorkeling down the Rio Sucuri, told me that he tends to ask those coming from the big cities to just relax and let yourself follow the river's flow. What a wonderful way to start a year....

I found this video on eco-tourism produced by the Brazilian Government we some images of Bonito.

Is this the coolest iPad magazine around?

2010-12-27T20:45:00.014-02:00

Richard Brandson's much anticipated iPad Magazine 'Project' lives up it the hype. I really enjoyed the content, the visual effects and how it was conceived to use many of the wonderful features of new technology. I've been downloading many publications in the past months but I have to admit this one was a joy to read.

I particularly enjoyed the article "3D Tour of Secret Tokyo - The Inside Track to Japan's Mega-City from Five Key Creatives". It made me think of how this is the perfect type of application for people who love to travel like myself.

The next issue will be in the App Store Jan. 7th.

A Christmas message of hope from Colombia

2010-12-23T13:09:00.006-02:00

How can the Colombian Army motivate guerilla fighters to demobilize... and find their way back home?

Take a look at a beautiful campaign being aired called 'Operation Christmas'. Colombian Special Forces infiltrated in the Macarena Mountains and set up a 25m Christmas tree with 2,000 lights that lights up by motion sensors. Other trees were set up in nine other rebel zones.

Christmas certainly has different meanings in different parts of the World.

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Making it easier for people to read in poorly-lit places

2010-12-14T18:44:00.002-02:00

Recently, I've been having difficulty reading small print in poorly-lit places, specially in the evenings when I feel my eyes tired after a long day wearing contacts. This happens often at restaurants with menus, reading the ingredient list of a product at a supermarket (which I do a lot of) and it happened a few weeks ago trying to read a newspaper on a late flight from Mexico City to Lima (which I know I'll be doing a lot of in my new assignment).

With a radical change of demographics in many markets around the World, what I'm going through is probably becoming a growing trend. This certainly opens the door to marketing opportunities in products and certainly in services. One of Brazil's top-selling newspapers, Folha de São Paulo, was recently redesigned with larger easier-to-read fonts. Last week-end, my wife and I were in Buenos Aires having dinner at Sushi Club Palermo and the waitress seeing that we were struggling trying to read the options, came out with a back-lit menu. Sushi Yuku, a new restaurant in Blumenau created by my good friend Juliano Mendes, was Brazil's first restaurant to use iPads as menus.

With a bright screen, great photography and adjustable fonts, the iPad is not only great for re-thinking the restaurant experience, but it also makes it easier to be able to read on a night flight or in bed with the lights off. I love it.

Time Out São Paulo is here!

2010-11-29T21:22:00.007-02:00

Good news for travelers from around the World who are interested in exploring my São Paulo.... Time Out São Paulo - English language edition - has just been launched.

For those who are familiar with Time Out London or New York, will certainly be happy that we now have a fun essential guide for locals and visitors who want to find out where to eat, the best gigs, cool places to shop, the city's exciting cultural scene or where to find the best caipirinha. I guess we all need some time out to explore this fascinating (but often intimidating) city.

This is what Publisher Silvio Gianni said in the editorial "....Time Out São Paulo will provide an increasingly valuable service, presenting everything that's interesting and attractive on the city's cultural scene. We have challenges ahead, as the World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro draw closer, bringing with them more tourists, more business and more entertainment, in a virtuous circle in which the media has a key role. This launch is our small contribution to the final internationalisation of our city. São Paulo is amazing and it deserves to be in the spotlight."

A week working out on the Kinesis Wall

2010-11-20T19:42:00.009-02:00

I spent this week in Mexico City. Early morning, everyday before an exciting business agenda, I hit the hotel gym and worked out on this fabulous equipment called the Kinesis Wall. I loved it.

The corporate website says that the equipment incorporates stretching and workout routines that imitate natural movements such as lifting, bending down and reaching out. After a week using the Kinesis, which looks like it was designed by some cool Scandinavian design boutique, I felt absolutely great.... toned, energized and without the sensation of tense muscules I often feel at traditional gyms.

Monocle on Sao Paulo

2010-11-04T16:39:00.010-02:00

Walking back to my London hotel to pick up my things, I pass by the Monocle Shop (24 George St. a few steps off Marylebone High Street). I've always been a fan of the magazine but had no idea they had a store. I bought the Nov.'10 edition which comes with a 24-page city survey on Sao Paulo - a guide covering business, design, architecture, culture, media, retail and why Sao Paulo has become one of the great cities of the world.

I'll have some fun reading for the flight back home.

Books for Cooks

2010-11-04T11:45:00.008-02:00

This morning, before heading off to Heathrow, I went to Books for Cooks (4 Blenheim Crescent in Notting Hill) to pick up a few books my wife asked me to buy. This has always been one of my favorite retail concepts (London is such a great place to see new ideas in retail).

The people behind Books for Cooks describe themselves as "A Cookbook shop crammed with thousands of tasty titles and equipped with a squashy sofa for cookbook junkies in need of a long read. In this shop we really do cook the books - cookbooks are put to the test in our cafe at the back of the shop, while cookery classes take place in the demonstration kitchen upstairs."

If you're into cooking, this is a place you have to visit.

Click here to read the Books for Cooks story.

Listening to Contagious in London

2010-11-04T11:23:00.012-02:00

Spending an amazingly stimulating week in London. As part of the programming, we had a great opportunity to meet with Jessica Greenwood from Contagious - a fusion between magazine, think tank and consultancy - speak about a few of the trends that are shaping the fascinating and ever-changing marketing/advertising/digital landscape and how some brands are breaking through the clutter and connecting in different ways. An hour that blew me away. She was brilliant.

Is this the coolest parking garage?

2010-10-24T21:36:00.014-02:00

Back to Lincoln Road in Miami Beach this mroning and we ended up parking at 1111 Lincoln Road Parking Garage. What a surprise. Everything about this inspiring structure of concrete and steel cables is outstanding. It's fascinating to see how great design tends to have universal appeal. The kids we had in the car were like 'wow, this is the prettiest parking garage!'

I was super curious to find out more about the project so, later in the day, I went online to find out it was designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron, This is the same firm behind the National Stadium at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, known as the 'Bird's Nest' and London's ultra-cool Tate Modern.

If it's possible to reconceptualize something as mundane as a parking garage and create something extraordinary, it's only proof how transformational architecture and design can be.

Next time I'm in Miami, I guess I'll need to rent a Tesla Roadster...

I know this day is coming....

2010-10-23T19:23:00.008-02:00

Don't you just love it when advertising strikes an emotional chord? When there is a powerful insight that leads to great brand storytelling. It happened to me the other day with this Subaru spot called "Baby Driver".

As a father of two little girls, this campaign is certainly making a connection with other people who are in my same lifestage. A nice little reminder that yes, this day is coming...

Using design to re-invent the fast food experience

2010-10-23T19:07:00.011-02:00

You have to give credit to McDonald's for constantly looking for ways to re-invent the fast food exeperience. Reason why I enjoyed reading FastCompany's article "Making Over McDonald's" as part of the special edition Masters of Design 2010. The article talks about how the burger icon has been using the power of design to recreate the mcexperience.

If you also agree that design is one of the most fascinating forces behind marketing, it's worth the read.

Giving customers what they really need

2010-10-23T18:29:00.013-02:00

Apple Store Lincoln Road, Miami Beach - Today 11:00am. I walk in determined to buy a MacBook Pro. I had done all my research online back in Brazil, which I usually do, so I knew 'exactly' what I wanted in terms of hardware configuration. A salesperson comes by and starts asking all sorts of questions about my family's computer habits and makes a completely different recommendation. I end up paying US$ 700 less than my original order. I swipe my debit card on the spot, no lines, no hastle. They guy finds out I like photography and gives me cool tips in terms of storage, photo compression and file sharing resources. No hard sell. Pure bliss.

In a world where we're so used to so many annoying salespeople pushing high-ticket products or features you don't want just to guarantee a higher commission, from insurance brokers to car rentals, today's experience was awesome. An experience that only reinforces my love for the Apple brand and makes me coming back.

Giving customers what they need even though that means selling for less than the person had budgeted for is an amazing lesson... that will certainly pay off later on in terms of loyalty.

Miami's Design District

2010-10-15T18:34:00.008-03:00

Last week-end, I went out to dinner with a friend who took me to the Sra.Martinez Restaurant in Miami's ultra cool Design District.

We lived in the Miami area from 2000 to 2003 and at that time, the area north of midtown was pretty run down. I was amazed to see the transformation: art galleries, chic boutiques, renovated historic building housing an exciting gourmet scene, loads of people in the streets. Proof that, with the right planning and entrepreneurship, cities or degradated parts of town can morph in something amazing. What a refreshing makeover.

Click here to get more info on the place, in case you're heading to Miami anytime soon.

Using visuals to bring ideas to life

2010-10-11T12:44:00.006-03:00

In any brainstorming session, I can only properly function when I have something to draw on. I feel there's a more productive flow of ideas deas when I'm able to draw certain correlations, flow charts or conceptual ideas. So, I was happy to find out I'm not alone. I just read an interesting article written by Clive Thimpson for Fortune Magazine called "Think Visual - Why the best way to solve complicated problems might be to draw them".

If you're also the type that feels an uncontrolable urge to draw in meetings, worth reading the article.

Apples & Berries

2010-09-30T11:37:00.005-03:00

What did you think about the recent announcement of the BlackBerry PlayBook?

It's never an easy task when you're late in the game especially when you're going head-to-head against a device that introduced an entirely new product experience, that got so much buzz, so many reviews. I also believe the game is less about hardward and more about applications and the disruptive business model of the incredibly intuitive App Store. If the PlayBook doesn't bring anything new to the table except supporting flash, it only reinforces that Apple is the true industry thought leader.

Challenger thinking in São Paulo

2010-09-24T12:27:00.002-03:00

This week Adam Morgan - the creative thinker behind EatBigFish - is in Brazil as part of the Future Speaker Series. It's always a tremendous pleasure listening to him speak about challenger strategy. Fresh, thought-provoking and powerful concepts that can help anyone who needs inspiration to grow their business by changing the rules of the game.

I personally love one of the challenger credos: sacrifice and overcommit - the notion of clearly defining what you're willing to sacrifice to build a strong engaging brand story. Always easier said than done. We tend to believe that there's always opportunity for a product tweak here and there or adding another claim on the package or launching a new line extension or even expanding to another category, many times diluting what the brand stands for.

Adam and his team are also fabulous story tellers. Click here to explore some of their thinking.

Ideas That Spread

2010-09-17T12:13:00.011-03:00

Next week, Jaboticaba Publishing House will be launching the book "Ideias Que Espalham / Ideas That Spread", a collaborative effort that brought together 12 Brazilian thinkers around a common theme.

The idea was inspired by Seth Godin's "The Big Moo", suggested a year ago by Alexandre Peralta - head of StrawberryFrog Brazil - inviting some interesting people with different professional backgrounds to write a chapter on their experiences of creating ideas that spread... ideas that eventually became part of a cultural movement.

The list of collaborators include the Campana Brothers - Brazil's coolest product designers, Heitor Dhaila - one of Brazil's most successful film directors and screenwriters - João Batista Chiaco - head of marketing at Fiat Brazil and one of the country's most award-winning professionals and Adam Morgan - the intellectual genius behind EatBigFish - just to name a few.

I took part in the project writing one of the chapters, which was a new yet daunting experience for me. More on the book next week...

Nobody's Backyard

2010-09-17T11:49:00.008-03:00

Following a tradition of great news coverage on Latin America, The Economist Sept.11 edition is a must-read.

After the fantastic Nov.'09 cover "Brazil Takes Off" with the image of Rio's Christ The Redeemer taking off into the future, this month's special 14-page edition has an upside map of the region with the great headline "Nobody's Backyard - The Rise of Latin America".

Talking apps

2010-09-16T07:53:00.006-03:00

Two days ago, I sat down to talk to a friend who I hadn't seen in a few months (something I need to do more of). This guy is the wired type that knows it all and is always a pleasure to talk to. It's funny how, a few years ago we would have talked about what's hot in São Paulo's restaurant scene or catch up on who is doing what, especially since we have some many friends in common.

What happened was, the conversation revolved pretty much around the latest apps we've downloaded and our opinion about the brands that we think are doing a good job taking advantage of new media. It was fun.

Sign of the times...

Revolutionizing Education

2010-09-02T07:50:00.009-03:00

After reading this article in Fortune Magazine, I went to YouTube to check out the Kahn Academy channel in YouTube. In you haven't seen it yet, there you'll find over 1,600 videos that will blow you away. From the Pythagorean Theory to how to calculate EBITDA... powerful concepts explained in a beautifully simple way. The educational videos created by Salman Kahn are the best examples of how the internet can and will revolutionize education. I spent the four past nights immersed in these amazing mini lectures.

Proof that simple ideas can change the world.

eQlibri - Brazil's new line of healthy snacks for women

2010-08-18T07:37:00.004-03:00

eQlibri - our brand new line of healthy snacks for women - was launched a few weeks ago and is getting great reviews from trade customers around Brazil. eQlibri comes in two product formats:

eQlibri breadchips - a mini baguette-shaped breadchip that comes in two great-tasting flavors: mild cheese & herbs and parma ham, in a 40g stand-up pouch.

eQlibri crackers - a very light cracker in three flavors: mozzarella & basil, hint of lime and an original flavor. The crackers come in a 100g box, an ideal size for sharing and in a 100-calorie 23g single-serve package designed for on-the-go consumption.

Fortune for iPad

2010-08-17T08:40:00.009-03:00

It's becoming a nice habit, after putting the girls to bed, to search through the Apple App Store to find interesting content to download. Last night, I had a chance of reading through one of the editions of Fortune Magazine for iPad. I really enjoyed it. Clean graphic design with fun-to-read business stories and interactive articles like one on FM Global which was great. As a marketing guy, it was interesting to see how advertisers are jumping on board using video resources (like an ad from IBM called 'Conversations on a smarter planet'). I can easily see Brazilian business publications borrowing a page from this initiative as they figure out how to play in this fascinating space.

Worth checking it out.

Time to open up

2010-08-14T20:10:00.007-03:00

I finished reading "Open Innovation - How Social Technology Can Transform The Way You Lead" by Charlene Li (author of "Groundswell"). I wasn't unable to attend Charlene's speech here in São Paulo earlier this year, so I was happy when my friend Alexandre Peralta gave me her latest book. The book is a guide on how to manage, communicate and navgate in this new (and sometimes intimidating) socially networked world full of interesting stories of how some companies and leaders are getting it right.

For information on the openess journey, go to open-leadership.com.

I also found this short video of Charlene Li talking about her new book.

No TV at home.... time for the iPad

2010-08-10T19:27:00.007-03:00

It's been over a month since we've been living without a TV at home (I'd rather not mention what happened....) and it's interesting to see how much the whole Family has been reading much more than before. The girls and I have been spending a few hours after dinner downloading and reading books on the iPad. We just love it. Last night, after they went to sleep, I continued on the iPad but this time reading through the Cool Hunting app which is absolutely essential for anyone working on innovation. It's a great way to read a bit about what's going on in other markets without having to travel at all.

I can't get over how e-books will transform the publishing business in a big way and certainly engage a new generation of readers. An awesome disruptive revolution in the making.

Creating a purpose-driven organization

2010-08-04T16:55:00.010-03:00

Yesterday, I was invited to a presentation that was truly inspiring. Especially inspiring for anyone who is interested or determined in creating a purpose-driven brand or company. It was a presentation by BrightHouse - an ideation corporation which is now in Brazil represented by the Grupo Troiano de Branding. They talked about how they are helping companies generate master ideas through what they call the 4I's Process (investigation, incubation, illumination and illustration).

What blew me away were two case studies of how the process is brought to life. Instead of yet another powerpoint, the work is presented in an inspirational video fromat. The film carves a very defined positioning and lays out what purpose a specific brand should have. The videos were insightful, using powerful words & imagery, elevating the brand story to a different place. Great work.

My love affair with the Canon EOS 7D

2010-07-11T02:16:00.011-03:00

When it comes to photography, I've always been a Canon fan. With the exception of my first SLR camera during high school, a classic Pentax K1000 (the camera that helped me fall in love with photography), I've only had Canons. From the EOS Rebel to the digital EOS D50 to my very new Canon EOS 7D, which I bought for this summer vacation, and I'm absolutely in love with. After two months using it, it's definitely my dream camera, combining an 18.0 megapixel SLR camera with the benefit of full HD video.

Aix in local style

2010-07-11T01:29:00.018-03:00

This year, my wife and I decided our summer vacation would be different. We decided to spend time travelling around Provence but we also enrolled our two daughters in a summer school in Aix-en-Provence as a reward to the French classes they have been taking for the past few years. So, we decided to rent a summer home. We used an online resource called Homelidays that worked very well for us. Easy search navigation, useful information and photos of the properties, which helped us find the perfect space we need for our Provençal adventure, perfectly located just steps away from the old part of town.

The first days have exceeded our expectations. The owners of the property we are renting have been absolutely amazing doing everything possible to make us feel truly at home. Fresh flowers on our arrival, tips on the best neighborhood bakery, where to eat local and how to get into a great country club on the weekend... nothing quite beats living like a local. We're loving the experience!

iPad creates a whole new reading experience

2010-06-26T21:31:00.010-03:00

Reading to my daughters has always been part of our family evening go-to-bed ritual. Now that our daugthers are getting older, it's fascinating to see how they are enjoying a completely new reading experience with our iPad.

.

As I help them download new books, it's interesting to see how some publishing houses and media groups are rapidly understanding that creating books takes on a whole new meaning. Stories and illustrations can move, morph, transform and become totally interactive.

An entirely new experience that will certainly influence a new generation of readers. This is an example of what books are becoming....

On the Cannes shortlist

2010-06-24T20:17:00.005-03:00

Today I received a phone call from Wilson Pereira, our account executive from AlmapBBDO telling me that our Doritos TV campaign "Wanna share something with friends, share a Doritos" made it to the Cannes 2010 Shortlist.... cool!

Toddy's Moooooovement of truth

2010-06-12T18:25:00.010-03:00

Last year, we launched a very successful campaign for our Toddy® business in Brazil called "Toddy the flavor of truth". Brand loyalists love how Toddy has always been about authenticity... a certain unpretencious coolness. Brazilian millenials identify with the brand's iconic cows and their very Brazilian-style irreverence. The campaign idea is rather simple. You either say the truth or you get a moooooooo from the cows. You're either real, authentic, cool or you get a moooooo.

Hundreds of different moooos are being posted in social networks and forums by people all over the country. It has become a fun way to protest against anything that's not real.

The campaign was created by PeraltaStrawberryFrog.

Here are the two latest spots which start airing this weekend. Come join the mooooovement.

Wallpaper* June edition 'Born in Brazil'

2010-06-12T18:01:00.007-03:00

If you've got a thing for Brazil or just curious to get into the vibe of what's going on in this beautiful country.... pick up the June edition of Wallpaper* - one of the coolest magazines around with cover story "Born in Brazil - a warm wellcome from the most exciting country on earth". It was a great read flying back from Curitiba this week.

Different than other publications, Wallpaper* set up a temporary office in São Paulo to live, breathe and get a true inside view of why this place is finally happening.

Brazil's little piece of chocolate heaven

2010-06-05T10:05:00.006-03:00

France has truffles... Brazil has the brigadeiro.... a little chocolate sin served at birthday parties and as a dessert around the country. Nobody knows brigadeiros like Juliana Motter, founder of Maria Brigadeiro. Until recently, she would only take reservations by phone but now Juliana opened a storefront in one of São Paulo's cool neighborhoods. We went there last night to buy a gift box.

If you're ever in São Paulo and you get a craving for chocolate... here's the address:

Rua Capote Valente, 68

World's first display made from reclyced chip bags

2010-06-01T07:38:00.006-03:00

Last week, here at PepsiCo Brazil we started to roll-out an exciting new product display for our line of snacks. The news is that is the world's first display made 100% from recycled chip bags. In fact, 675 chip bags are used to make each display. By the end of the year, we will be producing 25,000 displays to be placed in stores all over Brazil.

We're working with waste management coops in São Paulo which are collecting chip bags as part of a larger post-consumer packaging program that we're deploying in partnership with TerraCycle - the world's most innovative eco-friendly manufucturers.

This initiative means, that in the next six months, 16.8 million bags won't go to landfills.

The Nothing Movement in Rhode Island

2010-05-23T18:07:00.004-03:00

Jeanette Palmer and I worked on a few packaging graphic projects for 7UP and H2OH! a few years ago when she was with Raison Pure New York. She now lives in Providence, Rhode Island and works for a local agency called NAIL. She sent me a link with an amazing cultural movement called Nothing her agency has created for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

A beautiful example of how the power of creative can work for a greater cause. This is the type of campaign that would work very well in developing countries, like here in Brazil.

I love everything about it.

Click here to visit the movement's website

Campaign for NatuChips - all-natural chips made from Brazilian Roots

2010-05-17T07:37:00.005-03:00

This is our TV campaign for NatuChips - a line of all-natural chips made from Brazilian roots: Mandioquinha (arracacha in English) and Inhame (taro).

The copy reinforces naturalness and freshness with a touch of humor. It actually takes between 12-36 hours from the moment these roots are harvested and are produced at our plant in Sete Lagoas (state of Minas Gerais).

NatuChips also follows a global trend towards clean labels. In our case, just three ingredients: roots, palm oil and salt.

Creative by AlmapBBDO.

Dip or squeeze... great packaging idea

2010-05-14T20:50:00.008-03:00

An e-mail came in today from 4Sight - a NY-based packaging design firm I've worked with a few years ago - communicating a recent project they worked on called Heinz Ketchup Dip & Squeeze.

This is an absolutely brilliant example of how many times the best packaging ideas are very simple.

I love it!

Salsa, salsa, salsa!

2010-05-14T20:32:00.004-03:00

In case you haven't seen it, this is a fantastic example of creativity to communicate a food product. Congratulations to the Tostitos Team at Frito-Lay!

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More on our "Share a Doritos" Campaign in Brazil

2010-05-01T16:11:00.010-03:00

The third 30"TV spot of Brazil's new Doritos campaign "Wanna Share Something with Friends, Share a Doritos" beutifully created by AlmapBBDO. This spot, which is take on the famous truth or dare game, is by far my favorite of the three spots. I love the suspense, the production details... and the fact the story is told backwards. It started to air this weekend.

I hope you like it...

What's happening during school recess?

2010-04-27T22:15:00.007-03:00

If you want to know what's hot among kids, check out what's going on during recess in any school around the country. Nowadays, the hottest property in Brazil (and what I've been reading in many countries around the World) is the FIFA 2010 World Cup Official Sticker Album. In the past two weeks, I've been myself driving to the neighborhood newstand to buy more stickers for my two daughters... who aren't really soccer fans. They tell me everyone at school (and even the teachers) is collecting the cards. This is a fascinating cultural movement.

Why is this so hot? Ok, I know that we're 45 days away from the coolest sports event in the World (I personally can't wait!), but why are kids so obsessed to collect these cards? My personal feeling is the following...

There's a certain thrill of exchanging cards with other kids

There's a tangible feeling of opening the envelopes, sticking the cards, seeing the album being complete that beats the many virtual experiences these kids have after school in front of the computer

There's a sense of belonging, that kids all over the world are doing the same

What can we learn from this experience that can apply to the brand experiences we provide?

DVD on the innovation workshop

2010-04-25T18:00:00.008-03:00

I borrowed a DVD on innovative thinking from my good friend Gilvan Azevedo, who works at IFF. Gilvan is a great source of information, always very wired. So, I was curious to watch the video which is called Marty Neumeier's Innovation Workshop. Marty Meumeier is president of San Francisco-based think tank Neutron and author of Zag, Brand Gap and The Designful Company. For those looking for inspiration and a few useful tips on how to jump-start the innovation journey, the video is worth watching.

Innovation toolkit containing the DVD available at Amazon.

Two new spots for Doritos in Brazil

2010-04-19T11:33:00.010-03:00

This weekend, we started airing two new 30" spots from Doritos 2010 TV Campaign. The new spots are a continuation of last year's successful campaign 'Wanna Share Something With Your Friends, Share a Doritos' which reinforces the brand as a social snack among teens.

In these two new executions, AlmapBBDO did a great job creating new situations which are interrupted by the campaign theme... reminding people that the best thing to share among friends is a bag of Doritos.

Doritos - Brazil's fastest-growing snack in 2009 - is becoming a lovemark among Brazilian millennials.

More news to come...

Photoshop free

2010-04-10T17:59:00.009-03:00

On the cover of this month's French-edition of Maire Claire magazine you'll see a lettering that says "100% Sans Retouches" which means the edition is totally photoshop-free. Another good example of a consumer trend that has been with us for a while now and my feeling is it's here to stay: the search for authenticty. In a climate of uncertainty and a mistrust in brand marketing, the interest people are finding in anything that keeps it real. A positive attitude towards 'what you see is what you get'.

You see this trend's manifestation from furniture retail (think Design Within Reach) to food (Innocent comes to mind as well as the recent launch of Haagen-Dazs Five) and now making it to the editorial world.

Remembering a good wine

2010-04-08T11:53:00.010-03:00

With thousands of wine labels available, often people try a wine at a restaurant or party and can't remember the next day what it was. Wouldn't it be great if you could peel off a little sticker on the back panel with the wine's main features.?

I couldn't find any example online. What I did find was a site: rememberwine.com that helps people keep records of the wines they have tasted over time.

Good start.

Ice creams and gelatos I love

2010-03-30T20:04:00.013-03:00

Those who know me, know how much I love ice-cream. Last week-end in New York, I had a chance of visiting

il laboratorio dei gelato (95 Orchard Street - Lower East Side), a gelateria that was on my wish list ever since I read an article on how Jon Snyder (founder of Ciao Bella where my wife and I used to go when we lived in the city) was creating some very unique flavors. I end up tasting toasted sesame, amareto crunch and lime fresh mint. Absolutely fantastic!

Here is my list of great ice-creams and gelatos that I have tasted over the years (in no particular order)...

Gelateria di Piazza (San Gimignano, Italy)

Maison Berthillon (Paris)

Ben & Jerry's Factory (Waterbury, Vermont)

Ferris Acres Creamery (Newtown, Connecticut)

Mil Frutas (Ipanema, Rio)

Freddo (Buenos Aires)

Persicco (Buenos Aires)

Gelateria del Teatro (Rome)

If you know of any other great ice-cream parlors please let me know.

Making it easier for people to keep medical files

2010-03-30T16:13:00.014-03:00

In the beginning of the year, I took my annual medical check-up. A few days later, I received an oversize envelope with the results of practically a full-day of tests. How do those tests relate to previous check-ups? I have no idea. It doesn't help that I've never had a family doctor mainly because I've lived in 12 cities in three different countries.

The other day, I went for drinks with my brother-in-law James Maul, a techie who is very wired (every family seems to have one), who told me about Google Health - a service that allows people to store, organize, consult and share historical health data with a doctor or physical therapist. It sounded like an interesting concept especially when you think how important health is to our lives and yet not everyone seems to keep good records.

Coincidently, on a flight back to São Paulo the other day, I read an interesting article in Time Magazine called "Paging Dr. Google - the search giant wants to help you compile your health records online. Is that a good idea?" written by Bonnie Rochman.

On the week-end, I ended up reading a little bit more about the service and I even found this very useful video resource in YouTube.... a pretty powerful concept.

Another cool augmented reality idea... from Doritos in Brazil

2010-03-18T22:08:00.006-03:00

After the tremendous success we've been having with Doritos Sweet Chili and our augmented reality packaging, our digital agency CuboCC came up with another cool idea. This time, they asked us if we wanted to put together the world's largest augmented reality event. Why not?

Take a look at the video and see who appeared on top of the PepsiCo office building the other day?

Packaging redesign for Brazil's favorite tuna brand

2010-03-16T08:30:00.008-03:00

Packaging innovation for Coqueiro - Brazil's most traditional tuna brand with over 75 years of history. Hitting stores all over Brazil this week, our new Coqueiro Tuna cans are moving from traditional paper labels (wrapped around the can) to easy-open full litographed cans more than doubling the area for product information and branding.

Consumer research showed that one of the main complaints from shoppers when buying tuna & sardines is the difficulty in identifying the right option among solid, grated, in olive oil, different flavors, light... which led us to create a very simple easy-to-read color-coded area where the product variant is written in bold font to stand out on shelf.

Morning newspaper and an oatmeal cookie

2010-03-16T07:58:00.007-03:00

When it comes to new products there´s nothing like simple sampling. The more you get people to try, engage, experiment, the more chances are you´ll start forming a consumer base. Sounds simple but I have made a few mistakes in the past of not sampling enough.

For our Quaker On-the-Go line, we teamed up with São Paulo's Metro Newspaper and used their army of distributors at traffic lights to give morning commuters a sample of Quaker oatmeal cookies and mini squares.