Rogério Colantuono

Our industry has always been about creativity, innovation, and adaptability, at least for as long as I have been in it. I firmly believe that we must constantly evolve but never change who we are. At Thesis, our vision is to create a world where digital spaces drive us forward together, not further apart. It's important to understand that the people we want to reach are humans. What brings them joy? What do they care about? Why should they care about your brand? What will your brand offer to people? Asking questions to understand audiences is mutually beneficial for people, the work we do, and the brands we support. Thanks for the interview DesignRush it was fun to dig a little deeper.

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Without brand awareness, there is no business. 📉 Brands have to be known to your buyers. But being known alone is not enough. Brands have to be recognized for something. That something is your brand positioning and attributes. Being top of mind for your buyers is critical. Because it helps move you to brand consideration in a buying process. ++++++++++++++++++ There are two types of brand awareness – aided and unaided. Aided brand awareness is the recognition of your brand name when prompted with a list of brand names or logos. Unaided brand awareness is unprompted recall of the brand name or product, with a cue (which generally, the category of products). ++++++++++++++++++ To increase brand awareness, consider these things: 1) Advertising 2) Public relations (PR) 3) Sponsorships 4) Partnerships 5) Events 6) Brand activations / Launches 7) Thought leadership program 8) Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ++++++++++++++++++ Every brand needs to be known for something. Don’t just put your brand out there without careful development of a brand strategy to help your brand become recognized for something that your buyers resonate with. #brandawareness #brandrecognization #brandconsideration #brandfunnel #brandstrategy #brandpositioning #brandidentity

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We’ve all seen examples of brands or influencers who in times of crises opt to “turn off” the comments. It’s something we heavily recommend against in our risk assessments for new campaigns and this new study shows exactly why. As soon as you turn off the comments, the trust from your consumers drops. https://lnkd.in/e5a5YKNA It shouldn’t be a surprise, this is a pretty predictable outcome. But in times of crises, if you haven’t pre-planned, when reputations are on the line, it feels like an easy solution to make the pain go away. The lesson: ensure reputation and crisis planning is built into every campaign. With a clear stakeholder plan and pre-agreed responses to predictable hiccups. 9/10 you won’t need it. But for the one time you do - it’ll be worth the foresight.

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Oh, brilliant advertising, how I miss you so. Part MCCLXXXVIII I can't be the only one who would love to see ABSOLUT revisit/revive this world-famous campaign. The inaugural ad, ABSOLUT RETURN. #whenadvertisingtriedharder #creativitymatters #adsworthsharing #ohbrilliantadvertising

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Strategy > Visual + Messaging = Positioning 👁 💬 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ When it comes to branding (specifically in brand identity), both the visual and messaging are key components that express the positioning of the brand. Positioning is what differentiates and sets you apart from your competitors. Having a visually appealing brand identity is not enough. That is like putting lipstick on a pig. Having great messaging is not enough if the messaging is too difficult to read or digest due to the lack of visual hierarchy in how and where it is laid out or called out. But when both visual and messaging are working together in a way that personifies the brand, it becomes a powerful force. Of course brand identity is just one component of your brand. Brand identity is how your brand is expressed visually and verbally. A strong brand has to start with a solid strategy. And the strategy is then reflected through the brand identity. Let’s make sure your brand visual and messaging are working together to reflect your brand strategy. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ #brandidentity #branding #brandpositioning #brandstrategy #visualidentity #brandmessaging

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Netflix has the DNA of a disruptor but as this piece explains, ad-free mass media is proving to be a “blip” and advertising revenue is now key to its growth. “Netflix is no different to Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast — just another international TV company that is dependent on the same economic equation,” the publication’s editor-in-chief writes. I find it fascinating, though not surprising, that the world’s largest streaming service is headed “back to the future” and the proven economics of traditional ad-funded television. It’s great news for advertisers who will be able to increasingly access Netflix’s valuable audience. https://lnkd.in/esyAsQRX

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How Shifting Brand Message led to +25% Sales Boost (Intel success story) "Our processors are faster." "Our technology is advanced." "Our specs are better." That was Intel's message. The market? Stopped listening. In 2015, I faced a challenge: How do you sell technical products to non-technical buyers? The old way wasn't working: ↳ Clock speeds ↳ Processing power ↳ Technical specs ↳ Feature lists People bought computers. But they didn't care about what's inside. The shift was simple but powerful: ↳ Stop talking about the technology. ↳ Start talking about life with the technology. From: "Advanced processor technology" To: "Making your every day better." The transformation: → Technical specs became human benefits → Features became stories → Products became experiences → Complexity became simplicity Working with Jim Parsons as campaign frontman, we rebuilt Intel.com around one idea: It's not about the chip. It's about what the chip lets you do. The results? 25% increase in consumer device sales. The lesson? Customers don't buy technology. They buy better versions of themselves. This isn't just for tech companies. It's for anyone selling complex products. Ask yourself: Are you selling features? Or are you selling outcomes? Just DM me if you want to learn how to make this shift in your business.

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Strategy is the answer. What’s the question? The future is easy to predict and hard to get it right. Here are some of my musings about the future of creative strategy. Fun read. I think. 😁 #creativity #strategy #advertising #creativestrategy

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A lot of variables affect the pitching process even when you pitch with deep creativity and integrity. And, if it's a category, a brand, product, experience or service you grew up with, rest assured you're going to go all out. What's it like pitching for a brand, product or service you grew up on? Read my blog and subscribe to my newsletter to see it from my point of view. #Substack #Newsletter #Blog #Pitching #NewBusiness #Business #CreativeBusiness

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A TRUE STORY ABOUT ADVERTISING AWARDS. Cannes has just wrapped up so it seems fitting to share this story. Sometime in 2011, I started dating someone, and on about our third date she came over to my New York apartment before we headed out for our dinner reservation. As I poured a glass of wine she was perusing my bookshelves. She stopped and was looking at one shelf in particular and asked me about a bookend on that shelf. Her: “What is this?” Me: “Oh, that is a Cannes Lion.” Her: “What do you mean?” Me: “It’s a trophy I won at the Cannes Festival in France.” Her: “Oh My God. You’ve won at Cannes?” Me: “Yes.” Her: “What was the film you made?” Me: “Oh, no, not the Cannes Film Festival. After that, they have a Cannes festival for advertising and give out awards for ads.” (Awkward pause - and confused look from her) Her: “You’re joking right? Why would they do that?” (Awkward moment of silence from me - strong desire to change the subject) Me: “Is that the time? We have to go.” It’s easy to live in a bubble in many industries, especially in advertising. What we see as important, many others will find odd or even ridiculous. I’ve been reading a number of posts about Cannes this year, many are saying it seems to have lost its way. Many have been saying it is now more an overpriced tech gathering than a celebration of smart advertising creativity. Also, many noted the lack of young people. Why is that? Are they not interested? Or can’t afford to go? Or their agencies won’t pay to send them. Seems odd for an event such as Cannes not to be flooded with the next generation of talent. Maybe it’s time for a new event. One that is purely dedicated to the creative craft of advertising. It doesn’t even have to include awards, maybe it would be better if it didn’t. Instead, focus on elevating and inspiring better creativity in the industry. No mega yachts, no overpriced hotels, and no bookends. Just creativity. Now there’s an idea. #cannes #creativity #advertising (Note: this is a photo of said bookend on my bookshelf back then in New York)

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AARON ADAMSON & ALEX POLAMERO: 🌟The Power of Brand Reinvention in a Post-Pandemic World🌟 The seismic shifts induced by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced businesses to rethink, realign, and reinvent their brands. Here’s the real kicker: adapting isn’t a choice—it’s a necessity. Adapting to Market Changes: The market we once knew has evolved. Your brand must follow suit. Take a hard look at your current positioning. Does it resonate in this new landscape? Listening to the Market: Your audience has changed. Engage with them. Dive deep into their needs, preferences, and pain points. Their voices are louder than any data chart. Identifying Voids in the Market: Go back to your roots. Why did you start your business? Those original voids might have shifted. Realign your brand to meet these new gaps. Leveraging Qualitative Data: Quantitative stats only tell half the story. Customer surveys, feedback—these are gold. They capture the heart and soul of your brand. Maintaining Constant Engagement: Don’t just set and forget. Keep your finger on the pulse of your community. Continually gather intel and evolve. Your brand’s relevance depends on it. Connecting Data Points to Human Decisions: Numbers aren’t just numbers. They represent human choices, feelings, and actions. In conclusion, adaptability, customer-centricity, and a data-driven approach are not just buzzwords; they’re the pillars of sustained success in a world turned upside down. #BrandDevelopment #CustomerEngagement

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Two Great Charts that Go Great Together In this installment, two charts that illustrate the power of standing out. The first is the Von Restorff effect which shows that in a sea of sameness, incongruous elements are the most memorable ones. The second chart, from Peter Field, shows that a rational (i.e. boring) ad campaign costs considerably more than an emotional campaign to drive the same results. Together they make a strong case for creativity. At a time when advertisers are more risk-averse than ever, these two charts are a reminder that being different is actually the best way to play it safe.

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Why did WPP and Cannes invite Elon Musk to speak at Cannes? Musk has shown nothing but contempt for the advertising industry, expressed racist views, peddled dangerous conspiracy theories, and allowed hate speech and disinformation to run amok on the website formerly known as Twitter. At the beginning of their discussion, Read lamely said that he “didn’t agree with Elon on everything” which is about as hard-hitting as it got. You can watch the whole painful interview, which consists entirely of Read lobbing softball after softball to Musk, on YouTube. Here's the thing. If you’re going to put a malign figure like Musk on a stage—especially if you lead a company that claims to value diversity—you should hold him to account. So these are 10 questions Read should've asked. 1.       You wrote that “DEI is just another word for racism.” I couldn’t disagree more, and at WPP, we are strong proponents of DEI, and have invested heavily in it. Why do you believe it’s racist? 2.       Regarding DEI programs, you also wrote, “It will take an airplane crashing and killing hundreds of people for them to change this crazy policy of DIE [sic].” What evidence do you have that DEI initiatives make airline travel less safe? 3.       Your post about airline safety was a reply to a post that claimed, without evidence, that Black HBCU graduates have low IQs (“borderline intellectual impairment”). Do you think your amplification of racist views like that is responsible? 4.       Since Tesla is currently being sued both by the US Equal Opportunity Commission and by 200 Black employees for racial discrimination, don’t you think your company would benefit from more diverse representation and perspectives? 5.       You accused the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the world’s most well-regarded organizations committed to fighting hatred—and one we have supported at WPP— of being “the biggest generators of anti-Semitism” on X. What is the evidence that this is true? 6.       You agreed with a post that said Jewish people hold a “dialectical hatred” of white people, writing, “You have said the actual truth.” Why did you agree with that? 7.       You posted a video that promoted "the great replacement" theory, writing "This is actually happening!" Can you explain that? 8.       You often claim you are a “free speech absolutist.” But according to Bloomberg, you ordered a team to search Twitter employees’ Slack and social media postings and fired those who made “snarky comments” about you. How do you square that? 9.       Multiple independent studies, including by the EU, the ADL, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, and Montclair State University have shown that hate speech and disinformation on X have increased dramatically since you bought the company. Why has that happened? 10. Why should brands advertise on X when the CEO amplifies content that almost no brands want to be associated with? #CannesLions2024 #WPP #Advertising #X

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While we are in the middle of awards season, it’s a good time to remember that the quality of the work that gets in front of the most consumers is what matters most for the future of our industry.

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Loved listening to this Jorge Ruiz. It’s been awesome to watch you continue to produce truly innovative work over the 20+ years we’ve known each other. What I really liked was how, more than once, you called out how important “the team” is to navigating advertising’s complexity to understand effectiveness. You’re such a great leader, collaborator and team builder. Also appreciated your steadfast and pragmatic view on the power of structured learning agendas/experimentation to understand success and uncover growth opportunities.

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The importance of putting brand and consumer relationship on perspective.

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I want to talk about an Apple ad, no, not "that one", instead this one below from 1997, a classic that should be the anthem and manifesto for advertising & creative agencies today. The big agencies, and many medium-sized ones, seem to have lost or are fast losing, the rebels and the crazy ones.   Agencies were once home to the misfits and malcontents who would come up with some wild thinking that would push the needle for a brand. Safe was once the worst four-letter word you could use in an agency. “If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.” - David Bowie Many agencies have been doggedly focused on the bottom line while being steered by non-creative leadership, forgetting the lines they used to cross to unearth better ideas and creative thinking. The very things that separated them from merely being consultants. Oh, and the consultants caught onto this lapse in reasoning and jumped in to offer creative solutions. Big ad agencies seem really good at creating their own competition, and they still have not learned their lesson. So many talented creative people have been shown the exit door and others kicked the door open themselves and departed, mainly due to frustration and creative dissatisfaction. Some have chosen to start micro-creative outfits that are popping up worldwide. There seems to be a new one every week joining the roster of those who led the charge a few years ago. And, as I have written previously, I believe clients have had enough too. The old agency model isn't working. Revisit that classic scene from the 1976 movie - ‘Network’, where the TV news anchor Howard Beale (played by Peter Finch) vents his anger and frustration. It could easily be screamed from many agency office windows today, even client windows. Here’s an excerpt. “I want you to get up right now. Sit up. Go to your windows. Open them and stick your head out and yell – ‘I’m as mad as hell and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’ Things have got to change. But first, you’ve gotta get mad!…You’ve got to say, ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’ Then we’ll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first, get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!" We need more rebels, more pirates, and more different points of view. This Apple ad sums it up well, it should be used as inspiration by many. And the more misfits, round pegs in square holes, and crazy ones we get, the better. ⚡⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡⚡ ⚡ ⚡⚡⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡⚡ ⚡ ⚡⚡⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡⚡ ⚡ ⚡ #advertising #cmo #brands #creativeagency #advertisingagency #apple #crazyones

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Meet Izzy (aka Izzy Stardust, known for modeling while drinking vodka in a spaceship), one of the synthetic models in the infinite key visuals generated on kvyourway.com. The beta demo showcases how effortlessly users can customize a key visual for a hypothetical vodka brand campaign. The platform leverages OpenAI and Midjourney APIs, and it can be adapted for the hyper-personalization of any brand's key visuals, maintaining the previously established look, feel, and guidelines. Key visuals can also be automatically generated based on personalized data. Learn more about AI for creativity and branding here: ai4creativeagencies.it

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