Time Out São Paulo is here!

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."

The Economist on 2009

The Economist has issued 'The World in 2009', a compilation of predictions for the year ahead. This edition carries an article from Brazil's President Lula da Silva entitled 'Building on the B in BRIC'.

Click here to read the article at economist.com

From The New York Times this weekend...

Great article in The New York Times this weekend, written by Janet Rae-Dupree, on how we shouldn't forget the role of innovation in these tough economic times. Click here to read.

A nice reminder that, even in a volatile marketplace, one of the key roles of marketing is to keep our brands relevant and provide consumers (and specially non-consumers) with reasons to consider us. Yes, our day-to-day just got much tougher but marketers are the ones that should be dreaming of the future and crafting strategies that lead the way.  So, let's get our ideas flowing and make things happen!

Article sent to me by my friend Pablo Aversa

Biodiesel

It was very nice to see a Petrobras advertorial in Fortune magazine last week covering its development of biodiesel from organic vegetable inputs (cotton seeds, castor beans, soybeans, sunflower seeds), animal input (bovine, swine or chicken fat) or residual waste (residual oils from food-frying processes).  The article explains that, in the case of vegetable inputs, Petrobras is purchasing from approximately 55,000 farmers in order to obtain the Social Fuel Seal granted by the Ministry of Agrarian Development.

I have been a huge fan of Petrobras' leadership in sugarcane-based ethanol which is a benchmark globally and has placed Brazil at the forefront of a cleaner renewable energy model. So, it's great to see how they are researching and developing a second generation of biofuels. 

Interesting way to talk about sustainability

MTV Brazil just launched a new consumer study on how millenials view sustainability. The final report is a wonderful look into the minds of our future generation and how they deal with topics like recycling, global warming or corporate responsibility. MTV found an innovative way to communicate the study to the business community. The ad entitled "Coma Este Anúncio"('eat this ad') was printed on paper made from potato flakes, so, according to the press release, it can be eaten after read.

Exame on PepsiCo

Out today Exame Magazine (my all-time favorite business publication in Brazil) with a cover story on PepsiCo's CEO Indra Nooyi.  Great article explaining how multinational corporations are adapting to a new world order where understanding the dynamics of emerging markets like China, India, Brazil, is key to any company that operates globally.

ManagemenTV

At an airport the other day waiting to catch a flight, I couldn't help but watching the TV monitor at the gate which was on ManagemenTV (a perfect location to reach their target audience). Back at the office, I gave them a call to get additional information. They sent me a brochure and a DVD with highlights of their programming. Great content combining interviews with business stars and entrepreneurs from around the globe, case studies, with in-depth coverage on specific business themes. For those who haven't seen it yet, ManagemenTV is a Latin-American cable and satellite channel targeting the business community. ManagemenTV was created by HSM, one of the world's most respected companies specialized in executive education.

I'm sure business schools throughout the region will certainly benefit from this new media option. With so many channels targeting very specific demographics from college sports to gourmet fans, it was about time someone focused on management.   

My Latest Addiction

For the past week, I have been totally addicted to TED... probably the most thought-provoking address on the web. I can't believe I just found this out now. If you already knew, forgive me for being a late comer. If it is not in you bookmarks, time to add it now. TED - which stands for technology, entertainment, design - positions itself as a destination for 'ideas worth spreading'. Click here to access the site. Every night I've been enjoying amazing lectures from people like Chris Bangle (BMW), Paul Bennett (Ideo) or Jan Chipchase (Nokia). TED is definitely my latest addiction.  Spread the word.

Is São Paulo ready for a local Food Network?

Back from a business trip to find my wife watching a cooking show on cable tv hosted by Nigella Lawson.  During our days in Connecticut, my wife was a huge fan of the Food Network - the best channel in the world for those who love cooking. We don't get the Food Network here in São Paulo, so Aline was happy to find this show being broadcast on a local channel. 

São Paulo has an incredibly vibrant restaurant scene and some high-profile celebrity chefs such as Alex Atala (from fashionable 'D.O.M.' - click here to read about one of Brazil's most innovative chefs) or Carla Pernambuco (who runs a fantastic Brazilian restaurant called 'Carlota'). 

For those who work with innovation, I find that restaurants are great places to be inspired. From the the creativity of combining unexpected ingredients, to cool interior design, to the graphics of menus... 

I wonder if Brazil is ready for a cable channel entirely dedicated to wining & dining São Paulo style? We would definitely be subscribers.

Click here to read a NY Time's article on São Paulo's cool new scene.

For The Nation We Want To Be...

This is not a blog about advertising. However, just a few minutes ago, I saw a TV campaign that struck an emotional chord. The advertiser is Revista Veja - Brazil's largest and most-influencial weekly news magazine. I had already seen the print campaign, which I love. The spot uses only two words: yes (in Portuguese "sim") and no ("não"). Yes is used for positive scenes like kid in school, the Amazon Jungle, the country's vibrant agribusiness.... no is used for scenes of urban violence, poverty and corruption. The soundtrack is a beautiful slow-motion version of the Brazilian National Anthem. 

The spot ends with the campaign theme: 

"Veja.  Indispensable for the nation we want to be."

The campaign was created by Almap/BBDO. 

Click here to see the 60" spot.

Connecting to Brazilian Soccer Fans

It's amazing how Nike seems to always be ahead of the game when it comes to making an emotional connection to fans at a very local level.  For Brazilians, the news that Ronaldo was hospitalized last week and may be away from the beautiful game for the next nine months was devastating.  Nike Brazil quickly set up a hotsite allowing fans to post messages, send an SMS or upload a photo to wish him a fast recovery.  I absolutely love the message "Nunca Desista" (never give up) which is a feeling that is so much part of Brazilian culture.  Just brilliant.  

Click here to leave your message to Ronaldo "O Fenomeno"!

Wired Magazines's Life Cycle of Blog Posts

Last week, my good friend Flavio Maria, knowing how much I love the world of blogs, gave me a great article that explains the behind-the-scene life cycle of a blog post.  What really happens after a blogger presses the publish post button.  The article is from Wired Magazine (a publication I love). Click here to see the diagram that shows how a post goes from blog host... to search engines... to data miners... to content aggregators... to social bookmarks... all the way to you the reader.  For marketers, a valuable opportunity to understand how news travels in an interconnected world.   On one hand, it's the beauty of people having the opportunity of voicing their opinions influencing their social network, their community and potentially even having an impact on someone on the opposite side of the globe. On the other hand, from a marketing perspective, the rage of an unsatisfied or frustrated customer can spread like wild fire having tremendous consequences to a brand or business.  

Collaboration Model for the Amateur Journalist in All of Us

While following the Presidential Elections on CNN and their website, I was positively surprised with how viewers have been actively using iReport - CNN's user-generated reporting initiative. Today I read that CNN will be expanding iReport into a stand-alone website to be hosted at iReport.com. Viewers will be able to upload video, audio, photos and breaking news reports from their home towns, as well as, rate content and embed it elsewhere on the internet. The new site will be moderated to avoid fake reporting and inaccuracies.  As a huge fan of collaboration models, it's great to see the concept expanding to so many different applications. 

Doritos Crash The Super Bowl Campaign

Last year's Super Bowl winner was... Doritos® with its 'Crash The Super Bowl' campaign. It was a fantastic case of collaborative marketing where consumers were invited to post 30" spots for the tortilla brand. The most voted spot was aired in the Super Bowl half time.  The campaign was awarded USA Today Best Ad 2007 and Time Magazine's Top 10 in 2007).

This year, Doritos® has invited consumers to post their amateur music videos at MySpaceTV and thousands are voting for their favorites. The most voted band will win a contract and a 60" video will be aired in the 2008 Super Bowl on Feb. 3.  In the U.S. market, Doritos® has been an early adopter of a consumer-generated model and is making marketing history.  Congratulations to the Frito-Lay Marketing Team for leading the way when it comes to a more inclusive collaboration-style marketing!

http://www.myspace.com/doritoscrashthesuperbowl

Fun Educational Content for Kids

A friend of ours from Florida, Doris Wernick - an inspiring homeschooling role model - introduced our kids to National Geographic® Kids. During our vacations, both our young daughters were completely enchanted by articles on amazing animal facts, tips to help the planet and science news presented in a fun way. In a world where kids seem to be spending more time in front of the TV, it's refreshing to see how a magazine is combining educational content that engages and entertains kids. Their online presence is also worth visiting with a library of videos ideal for parent and kid interaction: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com