Great Food-Los Danzantes Restaurant -Mexico City

It can't get better in Mexico City, Coyoacan (the neighborhood were the restaurant is located) takes you back in time to enjoy Mexico as it was 50 or more years ago, the restaurant is located in the main plaza along with other restaurants. The atmosphere is  elegantly simple and cozy.

The food and the service was amazing, I had the "Filete de Res en Mole Miahueteco", a steak fillet cover in Black Mole and truffles. The enchiladas were outstanding

Make sure you include this restaurant on your next trip and check out some of the other restaurants and sights in this area.

http://www.losdanzantes.com/

Beach Beer: The Caribbean’s Craft Beer Scene is Growing

By Joanne C. Hillhouse

June 9, 2015  |  8:50am

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/06/beach-beer-the-caribbeans-craft-beer-scene-is-grow.html

The Caribbean is known for its post-card-worthy moments, with bold sunsets over pristine white, pink, or, yes, even black, sand beaches. But Caribbean people, like the rest of the world, feel the need to unwind (or “lime”) at the end of the work week, or work day, often with a locally-brewed beer. You can’t go wrong with a Red Stripe or a Carib, as our own informal polling among Caribbean beer drinkers revealed, but there are more options now than ever, thanks to a growing craft beer culture on the islands.

 

Take 10 Saints. Saints, not cents, complete with the halo over the “O,” and not because the Caribbean, home of calypso and Carnival, appreciates a bit of creative irreverence, but as a sort of calling card for the country where the beer is brewed, Barbados. The name is a tip of the bottle to the fact that 10 of the country’s 11 parishes are named for saints. 10 Saints is a specialty beer with a growing regional and international market that strikes certain historical and flavorful notes. Barbados was the first sugar producing island in the former British colonies, playing a central role in the dominance of sugar; As such 10 Saints is aged, for up to 90 days, in rum casks from the world’s oldest distillery. This gives the micro-brew certain “oak and rum notes” that make, according to one Bajan Saints lover, for “a nice finish.”

Newer still, is Antigua’s Lazy Bones. One vendor described it for a first-time drinker as having a flavor similar to a British ale. But Lazy Bones prides itself on being, “the only real beer Made in Antigua.” It may be new to the market compared to the elder Wadadli – a pale lager manufactured since 1993 and packaged in a green-hued bottle much like the Hairouns (St. Vincent), Kubulis (Dominica), even Heinekens (popular import) of the world – but it’s clearly marking its territory and positioning itself, as its name suggests, as a lifestyle beer—a beer for those seeking a laid back “lime.”

There’s almost always a popular local-brewed brand, from Prestige in Haiti to Presidente, the flagship export of Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana in the Dominican Republic. President has been around since 1935 and a popular choice across the Caribbean to this day. So, if you ask a local for his or her favorite beer, the response will likely depend on your location; There is island pride to defend after all.

That said; some Caribbean beer brands know no location. You know them already, but as they were the most popular choices in polling, we would be remiss not to speak on two of the biggest Caribbean exports – Carib and Red Stripe. Most respondents described the sunrise gold brew in the clear bottle (Carib) as “refreshing,” make that “very refreshing” – which is what you want in a beer, really, in the island heat. There’s also a light version and sorrel, ginger and lime Shandy variations of the brand brewed in Trinidad since 1950. Red Stripe, the elder lager in the distinctive brown and stout bottle has been manufactured in Jamaica since 1938. “It’s the richest in flavor,” one respondent said.

 

The beauty of all these options, of course, is that you get to make up your own mind, one mouthful, one beer, one island at a time.

The Duppy Share Rum

http://www.caribbeanandco.com/the-duppy-share-bold-new-premium-caribbean-rum/

The Duppy Share. Launched this past July, The Duppy Share is an artful combination of three year old, 100% pot still Jamaican rum from the beautiful Worthy Park Estate and the warm, buttery finish of five year old rum from the famed Foursquare Distillery in Barbados. The result is a fine blend of bold, tropical fruit flavors in a golden, cask-aged rum that captures the spirit of the islands while representing the taste of the modern Caribbean. So smooth and delicious!

The Duppy Share is the brainchild of George Frost the youngest son of the late broadcaster Sir David Frost who spend many family holidays in the Caribbean and not only fell in love with the food, people and culture but also the rum. He is joined in the business by start-up guru Jessica Swinfen who honed her craft at Innocent Drinks. 

Together, they founded The Westbourne Drinks Company in London and initially toyed with the idea of creating rum there. Smartly they abandoned that idea and set out on a quest to find the perfect rums that would form the basis for the artistic creation they had in mind. The two scoured distilleries around the world, discreetly gathering only the best samples and experimenting with several blends.


They would eventually strike gold back in the Caribbean – the spiritual home of rum – when they created a tasty combination using premium rums sourced from the renowned rum islands of Jamaica and Barbados. It should be noted that the name ‘Duppy Share’ refers to the dark spirits or ghosts which, according to Caribbean folklore, roam the dead of night to steal the best of the aging rum from the old oak barrels. Now with a brand name that is quite the conversation starter, George and Jessica are focused on developing this exciting new Caribbean rum The Duppy Share into an international brand. 

you can’t fail to notice the design of bottle and its fab artwork. Inspired by the travel posters of the 1930’s and 40’s, it simultaneously invokes nostalgia, whilst achieving retro. No tacky images of cartoon pirates – this achieves a cool level of sophistication and is surely something you’ll want on display.

What your beer says about you

http://fortune.com/2015/03/04/beer-personality/
John Kell
@johnnerkell MARCH 4, 2015, 12:00 PM EDT

 

Should you be judged by your brand? Like it or not, you are. A selective taxonomy of some popular brews and what they reveal about the person drinking them.

What does a bottle of beer say about the person drinking it?

A lot. As MillerCoors CEO Tom Long puts it in Fortune’sarticle about the comeback of Miller Lite, “Beer brands are brands that you wear. They make a statement about who you are.”

Long says the new look for cans and bottles of Miller Lite, which was greatly inspired by the white label look from the early 1970s, signals the beer has “authentic beer credentials.” By moving away from its previous blue can, Long says, MillerCoors conveys that Miller Lite is an easy drinking, 96-calorie beer that originated the light-beer category. It is more about heritage than chasing competitors.

“It’s a beer that Millennials would be proud to be seen holding,” he says.

That got the staff at Fortune thinking: What do other major beer brands say about the beer drinker? We’ve compiled a highly unscientific (and not entirely serious) guide:

Budweiser: You’re a regular guy, or want to appear that way.

Bud Light: You like NASCAR.
Pabst Blue Ribbon: You’re probably playing beer pong. Or are an underpaid millennial.

Corona: You wish you were on a beach right now.

Photograph by Ty Wright — Bloomberg via Getty Images

Negro Modelo: You make fun of Corona drinkers.

Blue Moon: “I love the citrus-y flavor of craft beer. What? It’s made by MillerCoors?”

Heineken: You imbibe at sporting events…while seated in a corporate box.

Amstel Light: “Thank God the beer is free at this office party.”

Sam Adams: You like craft beers but don’t have the energy to learn about every new microbrew.

Stella Artois: You like a patina of Euro-sophistication on your light quaff (plus you think removing the foamy head with a knife is cool, even if bartenders do that only in TV commercials).

Photograph by Matthew Lloyd — Bloomberg via Getty Images

Guinness: You’re salt of the earth—or the opposite and desperate to hide it.

Red Stripe: You hope the jukebox has plenty of Bob Marley.

Coors Light: You like your beer really, really cold.

All Caribbean Hotels Should Have Free Wi-Fi

By Nick Sutherland

IN an increasingly connected world, having Wi-Fi in a hotel room has become as obligatory as running water. I hate having to check into a hotel in the Caribbean and hear that Wi-Fi is extra. I immediately  starting planning to stay somewhere else on my next visit. 

I have found that Trinidad and Barbados are pretty good in the proliferation of free Wi-Fi in their hotels, although I have heard that in  the Bahamas, it's common, and there are a lot of restaurants that offer free Wi-Fi.  The Bahamas Weekly newspaper frequently publishes an updated list of free Wi-Fi places. http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/publish/inside-the-bahamas-weekly/Free_WIFI_Hotspots_of_The_Bahamas_Listings7413.shtml

But at hotels around the world, Wi-Fi isn’t always accessible — or free. Sometimes there’s a daily charge, or a multiple-day fee. Other times, Wi-Fi is free, with restrictions: from expiring codes to cumbersome passwords. And, frequently, if it is free, it’s not very fast.

As the Caribbean seeks to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive global tourism market, the question is, should Caribbean hotels offer free, fast, unrestricted Wi-Fi, standard?

Well, there are certainly inherent costs.

Wi-Fi isn’t free to set up, and, depending on the size of the hotel, ensuring smooth, continuous bandwidth can be pricey. (There are, of course, some Caribbean hotels that offer a “digital detox” — but at those properties, the absence of Wi-Fi is actually a major reason for the trip.)

But there are options — as is already common in some Caribbean properties, hotels could offer free Wi-Fi for one device, and charge for any additional devices. Others could simply charge a few extra dollars a day and effectively include the Wi-Fi price in the room rate.

There’s another option, of course: simply add a small, included Wi-Fi tax to the room rate, similar to taxes that have been used to develop tourism marketing budgets. So many Caribbean governments continue to levy departure taxes at the airport — could perhaps a small percentage of these taxes be used to develop, not just hotel Wi-Fi, but island-wide Wi-Fi ?

Indeed, a Caribbean with broad hotel Wi-Fi connectivity would mean broader Internet access for all — not just the region’s hotels. The Caribbean could then boast to the rest of the world that, despite its beautiful, tropical scenery, its hotels always include free, fast Wi-Fi. Would that not be a competitive advantage?

Wi-Fi has become a necessary part of any traveler’s stay, and the bad taste its absence leaves should not be understated.

Business Branding with Social Media

By Nick Sutherland

Today, just about every brand has a social media presence, usually Facebook, Google +, Twitter.  Most are boring, bland and self-fulfilling and built with advertising in mind. You have to ask yourself why would anyone want to subscribe, follow or have that feed coming up on their screen on a daily basis? It’s more important than ever to be interesting, entertaining, and most importantly real. Society has become pretty good at sniffing out fake personas and company images; we tend to shun these and reward the authentic. Here are some ways to kick start that

Be Transparent

Transparency is VERY sexy for brands. People want to talk to and listen to REAL people behind real brands – Not Big Bad Corporate Logos. Social Media transparency can mean a lot of different things to many different people. It should mean  letting your personality shine, engaging with people, being cute or funny, and sometimes putting it out there.  People love fun, exciting and real and are far more likely to tune in and even engage with you if you are. If you like something as a brand or as a whole and it’s not political or really controversial then put it out there.  People also appreciate humility, admitting mistakes or saying you can do something better goes a long way towards being authentic as well. Always remember you’re real people behind the company and consumers will appreciate that.

Engage, Engage, Engage

There is nothing more important than letting your audience know you’re listening. How do you do that, by engaging with them! There isn’t a bigger turn off for me right now than shooting a  Facebook post over to a brand and getting zero response. It essentially says hey we don’t care.  Yet on the other hand when it elicits a response it makes you feel warm and fuzzy about that brand. A simple thank you, or an answer about a product or service can go a really long way.  

You Must engage with people if you want to build a fan base and brand champions.

Get to know your audience

So you have Friends, Likes or Followers but what does it all really mean if you’re disconnected from them?  No matter who you are a celebrity or a Fortune 500, take some time to get to know your audience. Ask them what they think about topics, or decisions you’re going to make. Show them their opinion matters. Provide feedback and replies to their engagement with you, show them you’re listening.  It’s an amazing way to create brand champions and fans. They will genuinely appreciate you.

Be Interesting

As I’ve stated  before Social Media is just that a form of media just like TV, Movies, Magazines, etc.  If it’s not entertaining, informational or intriguing nobody is going to stay tuned in. You need to create and share quality content if you want people to follow you, engage with you which in turn grows your branding and exposure. 

Part of the problem is a widespread belief that content is content -- any will do. Generic content typically lacks relevance that not only doesn't it engage consumers, but its lack of uniqueness can hurt the integrity of a brand.

Successful content marketers need to think less like advertisers and more like publishers. Publishers distinguish themselves in several ways. They apply distinct inclusion criteria to every pivotal content decision. They adopt a "pull" orientation rather than "push," allowing consumers to define the conversation. Finally, publishers dynamically plan and create content on a more "real-time" basis than on a rigid, cyclical campaign-centric basis.

Red Bull is a content-marketing success story, having shifted from energy-drink manufacturer to content dynamo, particularly with 2011's film "The Art of Flight" and last year's record-setting Stratos Jump, featuring a helmet-cam video of Felix Baumgartner's free fall. By understanding what its consumers are most interested in and consistently aligning content -- and the brand -- with action sports and adrenaline seekers, it has been able to cut through the content marketing clutter. But brands don't have to send a stuntman to the edge of space; a few simple rules will help stem the tide of bad branded content.

Support content by fueling the fire. The best content experts strive to create "elastic" content that stretches across multiple channels and devices and is shared by consumers.

If you haven't already done so, it is likely past time to update your approach to content. A brand with poor-performing content runs the risk of getting lost in in today's distraction-filled environment.

Bacardi celebrates 'untameable' spirit with global marketing campaign

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/11/18/bacardi-mounts-global-untameable-1862-marketing-campaign-betc-london
The rum brand is launching a new global campaign based around the line, "Untameable since 1862", along with a new visual identity and typeface inspired by the Cuban Art Deco style of Bacardi’s former sales office in Havana.

The television, digital and print ads offer snapshots into the brands history spanning more than 150 years with headlines such as, ‘We Remember Prohibition – It was a Blast’; ‘Some Men are Kicked Out of Bars – Others are Kicked Out of Countries’; and ‘Earthquakes, Fire, Exile, Prohibition – Sorry Fate, You Picked the Wrong Family’.

TV, digital and print ads, by BETC London, look to convey the "true grit and determination" which has sustained the Bacardi family though various challenges, including natural disasters, prohibition and exile from Cuba in the wake of the country’s Communist revolution.

A global TV ad, called ‘Procession’, shows actor Jordi Mollà walking through different crowds representing historical events, with a voiceover by Harry Potter star Jason Isaacs. In all global marketers, other than the UK, the ad will be soundtracked by Arctic Monkeys hit ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ 

Dmitry Ivanov, senior global category director of rums for Bacardi, said: "Bacardi is known for its passionate drive, regardless of circumstance, convention or expectation.   The campaign pays tribute to the brand’s enduring popularity, continuing ingenuity and connects with consumers as it inspires them to ignite the bold, ‘Irrepressible Spirit’ within us all.” 

“Taking a global creative approach with the ‘Bacadri Untameable Since 1862’ campaign allows us to focus all of our marketing resources against a single powerful idea; an idea that’s completely ownable to Bacardi as it is rooted in the brand’s history and the Bacardí family’s attitude to life.”

Domino's Pizza Jamaica -Great response to customer

By Nick Sutherland

About 2 weeks  I had an issue with Domino's Pizza in Kingston, Jamaica.

I called Domino's Pizza Constant Spring (Kingston, Jamaica) and they told me that since they have only one bike that night, the delivery will take 1 and 1/2 hours.

I was very disappointed that they didn't offer a discount if something like this happens. I decided to order from Pizza Hut instead, I thought Domino's just lost me as a customer, I was very disappointed. 

I posted my complaint on my  Facebook page and Domino's Pizza Jamaica- "If only they could have the sames quality of customer service that they do in the States, it seems the Jamaican franchises always lag on service ."

The next day Domino's Pizza Jamaica got in touch with me, apologized for the issue and offered me a free pizza of my choice.

I was very happy to get such a good response and the next day my free pizza arrived at exactly when they said it would. I posted on Facebook how happy I was to see that service in Jamaica is not just restricted to our tourist hotels.

 I am back as a loyal customer of Domino's and glad to see that their Jamaican franchise holder Wisynco is making sure that customer concerns are at the forefront of their business focus.

Domino's franchise holder and charismatic brand ambassador Ramon de Leon (owner of 6 stores) has set the standard pretty high for all franchise holders. See an apology he posted to Youtube below and check out his presentations at LeWeb Paris in 2011 and 2012.  

Latin America’s Competitive Airlines

 By Nicholas Sutherland

While Latin America in general lags behind the United States in competitiveness, it can actually boast a competitive advantage in certain areas. One such area is airline service and comfort. 

While some U.S. airlines flying Latin American routes typically offer poor service aboard old and run-down planes, Latin American airlines like Avianca, LAN, TAM and Copa all provide friendly service and modern planes. 

 I have to also mention Caribbean AirlineS,  which has acquired Air Jamaica. Air Jamaica had a generally good level of service but that seems to have declined. Recently I had to fly Caribbean Airlines (CAL) from Jamaica to Trinidad. Their fees for overweight and/or extra bag is outrageous. 

Onboard, the cabin staff were friendly  but we couldn't get extra creamer for our hot beverages. The attendant came with evaporated milk and proceeded to add it to my friend's coffee, resulting in her having to get another one and another package of creamer and sugar. The little TV was loud and there was no way to block it out. The food was cold and tasteless. Asking for  a second soda, was apparently frowned upon by the flight attendant, if her withering stare was anything to judge by(I did receive the soda though).

I contrast this with the service that Air Jamaica gave to its passengers. I think the difference lies in the fact that Air Jamaica was a major carrier for European and North American tourists to the island, while CAL (formerly BWIA) carries mostly Trinidadians and other Caribbean islanders. The feel of the service at Caribbean Airlines is that it is somewhat friendly, but not professional.

The difference between friendly and professional service,  is that a friend represents only him or herself, whereas a professional represents a company. Friends are free not to care, but a CSR is paid to care, and is obliged to provide service regardless of their mood, or how they feel about the person on the receiving end. To that end, Caribbean Airlines' service is good when things are going well and that friendly feeling prevails. It quickly turns distant and unfeeling, however, when things go badly and this is where the other airlines are generally better.

Did I mention the TV, Avianca  and TAM all offer personalized in-flight-entertainment centers for all passengers, unlike the TV hanging from the roof on U.S. airlines, with its one-size-fits-all programming.

Not only do Latin American airlines beat their U.S. counterparts on international flights, but also on local domestic ones. I remember a short trip between Bogota and Medellin on Avianca where the airline still made time to serve us a meal and a good one at that. Even flying with one of Panama’s small domestic airlines, I was served a basic meal on a 50-minute flight between Panama City and the city of David. 

Caribbean Airlines now upholds the banner for ferrying North American tourists to Jamaica and other destinations like Barbados. They need to ramp up their customer service training as they start to fill the shoes of Air Jamaica or thousands of Jamaican residents abroad and North American tourists, who previously flew on "Air J" start using American carriers for their trips to our sunny climes.

An Island-by-Island Guide To Caribbean Rum

Posted: 08/16/2013 7:33 am

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fodors/an-island-by-island-guide-to-caribbean-rum_b_3745639.html

Call it rum, rhum, or ron; just don't call it boring. (falsely) portrayed as uniformly saccharine, rum is one of the most diverse spirits on the planet. Today, in honor of National Rum Month (August) and the upcoming National Rum Day (August 16), we're going straight to the source to get the full story. Next stop, the Caribbean islands.

Caribbean rums range from crisp, complex Martinican bottles and subtly sweet Bajan blends to the bold, whiskey-like Haitian distillations. How can one three-letter word encapsulate so many discrepancies? Due to unregulated production laws, anything distilled from sugar cane or its by-products can be classified as rum. Couple that with the broad range of Caribbean cultures, histories, and topographies, and you've got yourself a veritable rum rainbow.

Jamaica: One of the only islands to create an official classification system for its rum varieties, Jamaica's bottles range from light and clear to dark and full-bodied. After distillation in clay pot sills, most Jamaican rums are blended and used in cocktails and seemingly ubiquitous punches. While Appleton is the country's best-known export, island experts like the Tryall Club's Jerome Dellon and Courtney Virgo champion local favorites like J. Wray & Nephew White Overpoof Rum, which has a smooth taste despite its 60+ proof.

Martinique: Arguably the foremost rum destination in the region, this French-Caribbean island produces only Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) rums. Translation? Martinican rum standards are so high that the French government monitors its products using the same type of strict guidelines it has for Burgundy wine or Roquefort cheese. Distilled from pure sugarcane juice, Martinique's rhums agricoles have a complex, almost vegetal quality, and range from the delicately spiced Saint James Royal Ambre to clear and crisp Clément Blanc.

Dominican Republic: For proof that all rums aren't sweet, consider Dominican distiller Brugal. The 125-year-old label produces a range of light and dark rums, culminating in the distinctive Extra Dry. Something of a gin-drinker's blend, this white Brugal is made from fermented molasses and aged for just three to five years in American oak casks once used for bourbon. The result is crisp, clear, and unlike any other rum from the region.

Barbados: Like Armagnac production, Bajan rums are distilled using both column and copper pot stills. The resulting blends range from light to dark, but al have a light, subtle sweetness. Barbados' best-known brand is Mount Gay, which dates back to 1663 and claims to be the world's oldest operating rum producer. The blended bottles make for great company--Bajan rum enthusiasts use them in carefully guarded rum punch recipes or mixed with fresh coconut water for a simple, straightforward, delicious cocktail.

Guyana: The only Caribbean country that is not, in fact, an island, South America's coastal Guyana is an outlier in more ways than one. Its rich, dark rums get their distinctive terroir from the Demerara River, where Guyanese sugarcane is picked before being crushed into molasses. Distilled in both pot and column stills, they can also be aged for remarkably long periods of time. Consider luxury brand El Dorado cask-aged, 21-year-old Special Reserve, which has a dark, honeyed taste, perfect for sipping straight.

Haiti: Made from pure sugarcane juice, Haitian rhums agricoles have a sharp, layered bite. National brand Barbancourt makes all five of its bottles using a French double distillation process called charentaise. Typically used for bottling cognacs, charentaise gives Haitian bottles a distinctive tang that makes them excellent for drinking neat or with a solitary ice cube. Care to sip with a conscience? As part of Haitian earthquake relief efforts, Barbancourt has created a foundation to house some 1200 displaced people. It continues to accept donations and distribute aid; find out more here. --By Emily Saladin

Brazil-A Social Marketer's Dream

By Nicholas Sutherland

Brazil was recently named the “social media capital of the universe” by the Wall Street Journal. A rapid uplift in Facebook users means the country is second only to the USA in terms of account holders, even Twitter recently set up a major office there. And Brazilian users are among the world's most engaged, spending an increasing amount of time on social media sites.

 Brazil is a nation of early-adopters – and not just in terms of technology. Political and economic stability are new to the country, which is only now beginning to experience a culture with an empowered middle-class.  This is a population for which so much is new that adaptability has become second nature. 

In many ways, Brazil is the ideal target for social media marketers – with a young, savvy, socially-connected population who are happy to engage with brands. While Facebook use reaches saturation point in North America and Europe, it’s still growing fast in Brazil.   

According to comScore's 2012 Brazil Digital Future in Focus report, more than 46 million Brazilians are now online, with an impressive 97 percent using social media. This figure doesn’t take into account the high number of mobile-only users, which pushes the figures up even higher.

After a slow start, Facebook has finally taken off in the country, with user numbers soaring to 65 million users in 2012, while the country is the second biggest market outside the US for Google’s YouTube. It’s also one of Twitter's fastest growing markets. 

Once they’re connected, users are bucking the global trend by spending more time interacting on social networks. While globally, the average time spent on Facebook dropped 2% to 361 minutes per month in September 2012 (according to comScore) it rose by 208% to 535 minutes in Brazil. 

As well as the major players, Brazilians have also embraced smaller niche networks. ComScore also reported that Vostu (a social gaming site) grew by 338% in 2011, while Tumblr use grew by 206%. Badoo, a site that combines social networking with online dating, is hugely popular with more than 14 million users.

Alexandre Hohagen, vice president of Facebook's Latin America division, puts the obsession with social media partly down to Brazil’s extroverted culture. It’s common for Brazilians to strike up conversations in elevators, restaurants, and other public places. People have always loved chatting about TV shows, sports and the news. Now younger viewers are turning tv series, soap operas and televised soccer matches into a shared experience, posting real-time updates to Twitter and Facebook.

In a country with a big rich-poor divide, social media bridges class divisions. Although broadband use is still patchy (and expensive), mobile phones provide a much cheaper way to get connected. Twitter has targeted mobile users since it first launched in Brazil. 
 
 Brazilian flavor

Brands that have tried to be successful with lots of hype but without having an adequate product or distribution, or without having a clearly defined reason for being here, have never worked well in Brazil. Global and international brands must acquire some ‘Brazilian flavor to work well there. 

Sponsorship of Brazilian events - with a digital element - is one relatively simple way of doing this.. YouTube’s Brazilian domain has sold sponsorships for live-streaming events such as Carnival in Salvador and Rock In Rio for the first time in 2011, allowing global brands such as Volkswagen, Garnier and Santander to access the marketing power of local events. With the FIFA World Cup coming to Brazil in 2014 and Rio de Janeiro hosting the 2016 Olympics this is an area that looks set to grow.

Coke FM Colombia-The worlds first concert at 50 meters

By Nick Sutherland

Coca Cola in Colombia staged a concert featuring Don Tetto (one of my favorite Colombian bands btw) to promote their online radio station Coke FM.

The audience were required to download the band's songs on the radio station's website, in order for them to descend to and use the stage built on the ground. For every 10,000 songs from coke FM's website the platform lowered by 10 meters and finally made it to the mAin stage. There were over 50,000 downloads in one hour in this genius campaign ! The audience literally "downloaded" the band.

The interaction time in the website increased by 800 % and 337 % more visitors !!

To get free tickets, fans had to send a photo of themselves with a cd, dvd or holding up a picture of Don Tetto various websites, including Coke FM, Don Tetto's facebook page, shock.com.co ( a Colombian music magazine)  and blog.com.co. 

This was a tremendous work of synergy between Coke and Don Tetto which raised the social media equity of both. The "Call To Action" was viral. This was a bleeding edge campaign which went beyond the usual dog and pony show of staging a concert and plastering Coke visuals everywhere, the audience had to interact with Coca-Cola.

Intangible Sponsorship Benefit
Coke, already the market leader in Colombia is cementing its partnership with the young people (the Millenials), as the brand which identifies with their psyche and follows the paradigm shift in engaging with consumers.

The advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather de Colombia won the Ojo de Oro (Latin America's advertising awards) for best interactive campaign.

And on another note, I think this probably was a good marketing spinoff for Android devices and Iphones   vs. Blackberry, because of their faster browsers there was considerable buzz afterwards that Android and Iphone users were able to download their songs faster. 

Imagine the comments during the concerts:

Paola (android user): "I downloaded the first song. What about you?"
Alejando (Blackberry user): "No, wait, almost..almost..almost...."
Sandra(Iphone user): "I just got the third song"
Alejandro (Blackberry user): "Almost got the first one..almost.."

See video below of the campaign and concert.

Coca Cola Guerilla Marketing-Colombia

Coca-Cola eases the stress of traffic by creating an outdoor theater in Bogota, Colombia.

Cultivating Your Customer

 BY Nick Sutherland

We have loyalty programs. Then there’s lead nurturing. Along with the many variations of permission marketing. And not to mention, the growing number of social media and app media that is a location -based service. Trying to enhance the customer relationship is not a new idea.  

The problem with how we as marketers, advertisers, businesses and brands approach the customer is the fact that our goal and only goal is to get the sale. In the majority of cases, that’s it. That’s the truth to our pursuits. The be all and end all to our primary objective. Don’t get me wrong , I’m a believer in business. However, we are constantly and continually pursuing a system of acquisition and reacquisition rather than focusing on retention and personal customer growth. For some this is fine. But so much opportunity is left on the table.

In a world of growing competition and at a period that’s becoming increasingly known as the age of the customer, we have to rethink our business models. We have to rethink how we approach, value, enhance and provide a mutually beneficial relationship for both the seller and the buyer. The customer will always make purchases. So why simply settle for the sale? Why not go beyond that one single event? Why not settle for continued sales from the returning customer instead?

Cultivating your customer is by no means an easy process. Like any relationship, it takes some work to make something great. It has to go beyond the mass emails, check-ins, barcode scans and loyalty points programs. It has to be real and it has to be human. It has to be authentic and it has to be meaningful.  

Although social media attempts to create and solve the issue of enhanced relationships, it’s thinking and logic takes on a very traditional approach in more instances than it should.  It’s essence is often removed as a result. Leaving the customer to be felt as if they were removed themselves.

 Yes, we’re all interested in great “deals” and promotions that spike our interest. And that will always work to an extent. But we would always enjoy the personal touch versus being part of the known mass audience. Luckily, technology is making this easier with there being no better time than now to differentiate and make this about you, the customer.

Great customer service has evangelized many brands and businesses. But great customer service is only concerned up to the point of the sale and maybe some assistance after. Who says the relationship has to end there? Regardless of which category and perceived lifetime value a product or service receives. We’ve been led to believe nothing exists beyond the purchase. Though, I’m hardly suggesting a courtesy call. Does the this vicious cycle merely end here? Considering you won’t purchase said item again, right.

Great customer service has had the ability to profoundly impact how we choose where we decide to spend our dollar. So much so that is has become a significant factor in many of the purchasing decisions we make. Now, think of the opportunities that exist should you expand that mentality to the point of the next purchase. After all, many of us will most certainly purchase more than one pair of shoes, continue to be a part of a growing services environment and endlessly entertain our interests.

Customer cultivation could most definitely be interpreted as methods that currently exist.

 That sense and understanding would be flawed. This is not about sending or providing the customer with something in order to prompt another sale. This is about saying thank you. This is about confidently giving the customer something to enjoy with no recourse other than for that something to be enjoyed by the customer.This is about going above and beyond all existing buyer and seller experiences and perceptions. This is about creating a real relationship and a storyboard. 

 Cultivate the customer, your customer. Deliver the happiness they deserve. And watch everything grow.