Celebrating Rio

Last day of carnival and it makes me think about how Rio is finally becoming so cool. Yes,it has a lot to do with the fact that Rio will be one of the host cities of the FIFA 2014 World Cup with the final match at a totally renovated Maracanã Stadium and will also host the 2016 Summer Olympics. From a marketing standpoint, what you also see is how the cidade maravilhosa - the birthplace of bossa nova - is inspiring films, fashion, vodkas and even the boom of coconut waters.

My wife and I lived in Rio back in the mid 90's and we never quite understood how it took so long for people to start rediscovering one of the World's most original and beautiful cities.

Falling in love with the movies all over again...

Martin Scorsese makes us all fall in love again with the movies with his extraordinary 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret'. This is a wonderful celebration of the art of movie making...

Lacta Chjocolates celebrating 100 years

Not many consumers brands have been able to stand the test of time, especially here in Brazil. Lacta - Brazil's leading chocolate brand - is celebrating 100 years. Brazilians have grown up with Lacta tablets, Diamante Negro, Sonho de Valsa bom boms and the traditional Lacta variety box.

This is the TV campaign that celebrates Lacta Chocolates...

MilkBite

It's always great to read about how new products are created. What was the genesis of the product idea. In this particular case, I enjoyed how Ad Age told the story of Kraft Foods' MilkBite, launched in the U.S. market and how Groga5 created the campaign.

belVita Breakfast Cookie in the U.S. Market

This is the belVita breakfast cookie campaign that supports the U.S. launch, in case you didn't see during pre-Super Bowl. Campaign created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky. After our Brazilian roll-out, it was great to see belVita launched in the World's largest biscuit market.

Golf in the dark

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Latin American video game development

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

Mocotó - celebrating food from Brazil's Northeast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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...

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

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

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.