Guillermo Giménez Brotons of Coca-Cola: “I seek to develop communication for Mexico that is exportable”

da Dasha Ovsyannikova

Coke's ads usually focus on happiness and traditional values. In Latin America, however, the brand touches on thorny issues of political polarization and economic difficulties. Guillermo Giménez y Brotons, the head of all communication platforms for all the brands of Coca-Cola in Mexico, explains the reasons for this particular approach: “We are working hard on social and cultural relevance in the communication of our brands. I am a fervent believer that communication represents what is happening in society and good publicity is what captures it in time and reflects it in a relevant way ”, says Guillermo in an exclusive interview to Insider Latam/AdForum.

 


On the peculiarities of the business in Mexico, Guillermo states: "The Mexican market is one of the most evolved in the world for Coca-Cola," and he explains that this is due to several factors. “First because Coke Mexico has a portfolio of the most complete drinks: milk drinks, milks of vegetable origin, soda, soft drinks, juices from the valley and waters. The second is the strength of our brand ecosystem in Mexico with bottling partners that are among the most important in the world, that makes us have a very strong impact at the local level not only in terms of business leadership but also in execution, being a global benchmark. The third angle is what I came to reinforce, which is the ability to develop communication platforms.”


Guillermo Giménez y Brotons, returned to Coca-Cola Mexico in November 2018 to assume the position of Director of Integrated Marketing Communications from Buenos Aires - where he held the same position for the Southern Cone. “The reason I came back to Mexico is to reinforce the development of quality communications that work for Mexico and that are also exportable,” explains the lead executive.


Going deeper into the communicational aspect of the company, Giménez y Brotons highlights the efforts that the company is carrying out to generate a communication that is locally relevant and that is also relevant abroad. “We also work on several platforms where our campaigns are also implemented in many other business units. That communication responsibility has to live up to what Mexico is in terms of business and our portfolio”


As an example of communication that is culturally relevant, Giménez y Brotons cites the case of the Mexican version of "We are closer" on which the Director of Marketing states: “Juntos is a version of a campaign that was originally developed in Argentina that empathizes with the issue of the political division focusing on a very positive message.” Guillermo details how the Mexican version was developed: “In Mexico there is also a context of much polarization. To shine a brighter light, we worked on the statistics of an international study that states that Mexico is the best country to make friends according to foreigners who visit the nation. From that piece of information we created a message that speaks of the Mexican people being very united".

 

The campaign has collected many positive comments, which Giménez y Brotons attributes to its connection with local insights, “If the communication is relevant it is because the issue is on the street. Not only do we have a strong responsibility in terms of communication but to ensure that this communication is raising values and points of view that contribute to a better society, ”he says.


The brand values presented by the latest Coke campaigns not only touch on politics but also on gender issues, same sex couples and other hot topics. Giménez y Brotons says: “Coca-Cola has an ethic and an aesthetic. The ethics of the brand do not change. The aesthetics however change because society is different and the brand portrays these changes ”.
In greater detail, Guillermo expands: “The brand has an ethic with very internalized values: it represents union, optimism, happiness, family, friendship, Olympic values, being with sport, having optimistic views . All those Coca-Cola come by inheritance and we work to continue to build them day by day. ” But he emphasizes: "Coca-Cola's point of view remains but aesthetics, the way we show happiness and these issues is different because society has changed."


There are also newer brands, such as Powerade that focus on other values such as "The power is within you", "you can generate change", "you can overcome adversity", and a democratic / inclusive about sport. “That brand-ethic is new. We have been working approximately in the last year on creating this communication for Mexico but that is totally exportable worldwide”.


Guillermo concludes: "It is completely noble that brands touch on values that make sense with the brand and at the same time make sense with the current times."