How to gain focus and define your strategy: A template
When creating a business plan, many marketers miss the opportunity to clearly define their strategy. A well-defined strategy is vital for a team to understand what needs to be done … Continue reading
35 ways to grow your brand
Originally published on MarketingProfs.com Looking for a way to take your brand to the next level? Here are 35 ideas and examples of brands that are doing it right. 1. … Continue reading
Stock photo clichés to avoid
Stock photos are great. They allow people in advertising to tap into an infinite source of new images without the cost of a photo shoot. However, it’s easy to fall into the trap of reusing the same images everyone has been using… since the 80’s.
Spanglish in ads: A do or a don’t?
One of the discussions I keep seeing is: When targeting Latinos, when to communicate in English vs. Spanish? A recent campaign from AT&T just made that decision even more difficult by endorsing Spanglish as a viable, sensible option.
Customer experience: Movie theaters are missing the boat on key trends
In 2014, the movie industry in North America had the worst summer since 1997—even after adjusting for inflation. Why? Movie theaters are not keeping up with consumer trends. Aside from … Continue reading
Consumer trends in Latin America
Latin America is an exciting market. More consumers have disposable income and access to technology than ever before, creating an environment rich in opportunities for innovation and growth. I spoke … Continue reading
Italian brands going global
Fiat and Vespa expand globally with different levels of “Italianess” Vespa has just launched a new global campaign, ‘Do You Vespa’. The ads are well executed and memorable. One of … Continue reading
International Marketing: Three Steps to “Muy Bueno”
The most exciting part about international marketing is that you get to create or adapt your marketing mix to expand into a new country and connect with a whole new … Continue reading
Diageo Brazilianizes John Travolta
Here’s another TV spot showing a U.S. celebrity in a campaign created in another country. I just can’t get enough of these! Here’s the background: Ypióca is an iconic cachaça … Continue reading
Build credibility through the power of provenance + Fake Q&A
Provenance is a key factor in establishing credibility for a product. So what happens if you create a great product away from its typical country of origin? Vodka from Texas, … Continue reading
Havaianas: Global expansion in 3 steps
Havaianas are a hot brand around the world and one of Brazil’s most iconic and profitable exports. They are also a source of inspiration for companies in emerging markets gearing … Continue reading
Innocent Drinks: The power of cute
Innocent is one of my favorite brands. I often bought their smoothies when I lived in the UK. The smoothies are great, but what I truly miss is seeing their … Continue reading
Ads in the UAE: So edgy!
I have been trying to learn more about advertising requirements in the Middle East. First, each specific country is quite different. Riyadh is more conservative while in Dubai you might … Continue reading
Celebrities and their cheesy ads abroad
Once in a while a new article comes up exposing Hollywood celebrities that make big bucks starring in obscure advertising campaigns in other countries. I just love seeing these, and … Continue reading
Beer giants expand with different marketing strategies
SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch InBev are companies investing heavily in international expansion as a way to maintain growth. Just to illustrate the importance of this expansion, Budweiser already makes nearly half … Continue reading
Opening eyes to local issues
Adam Williams from Brand Failure introduced me to this stunning campaign Lifebuoy (by Unilever) is running. That’s a great example of how a brand can create impact beyond the bottom … Continue reading
How do “international people” look like?
Much more like your neighbor than you would expect. Local culture is what makes international marketing (and travelling) so exciting. Each country’s typical dress and traditions should be appreciated. In … Continue reading
Local taboos
The more we see the world becoming “smaller”, the more we realize local sensitivities and cultures matter – a lot. Be sensitive to local culture and know when it’s ok to … Continue reading
Local taste
Your product launched in a new Market with a classic “vanilla” formula and was a major hit. Next step? Pushing the envelope with a bunch of flavors catering to the … Continue reading
Levels of nudity
Sex sells, but neither everywhere, nor in the same way. When creating packaging, products and ads, think about what “levels of nudity” are acceptable for that market. How much is … Continue reading
