Dichos
We (Mario Quiñones and Jay Gronlund) just returned from a conference in Los Angeles on Hispanic Marketing where we conducted a workshop on Emotional Branding for U.S. Hispanic consumers. It was very well received, as the audience recognized the importance of adding an emotional dimension to their branding and marketing, although they were previously not sure HOW to make their brands come alive. Another effective presentation that impressed everyone, especially us, came from Aric Melzl and Wendy Jacobson from Kimberly-Clark. This involved a case study for a new promotional campaign that was refreshingly unique and that genuinely resonated with Latin Consumers.
Aric and Wendy admitted that paper towels in general were not the most “sexy” product out there, even though the Scott brand was very familiar and highly respected. With limited budgets, Aric and Wendy approached the challenge of creating a new promotion idea that was innovative and viral, with diligence, an open mind and true professionalism. The objective was to build awareness and trial of the Scott line of paper towels among Hispanic females, in a way that would further solidify its bond with these consumers and strengthen brand loyalty.
Starting with prudent research to understand category drivers and brand perceptions among Hispanic women, they quickly identified a very relevant insight – about 98% of Hispanics attribute their common sense competence to their mother, who is also the principal source for traditional expressions that reflect their cultural wisdom and attitudes. Leveraging this insight in some ideation sessions, Aric and Wendy came up with the concept of an engaging sweepstakes where Hispanic consumers would be asked to write down and submit their favorite “common sense” expressions, or “dichos” in Spanish.
Hispanic consumers jumped all over this, and the Scott brand people were receiving up to 1,500 entries per person in some cases. This buzz-worthy idea spread like wild fire via word-of-mouth, becoming a “dicho-mania” craze which enabled the brand group to set up massive displays in retail stores, get free PR in high Hispanic locations throughout the country, and basically achieve a high return from a very limited marketing investment.
What did we (and the audience) learn from this? Simply, there is no replacement for smart market research and creativity to help marketers identify and successfully leverage a distinct insight, transforming it into an idea that is viral and resonates among a specific target segment like Hispanic females.
Jay Gronlund