Breathe
By Susana Oliva
After more than 15 years working in cultural intelligence and marketing strategy consulting, I realized that many brands face a fundamental problem: they fail to connect authentically with their consumers. In a rapidly changing world, brands that underestimate identity-forming cultural forces are doomed to disappear or lose relevance. That is why I decided to write "How to Build Brand Equity". I felt it was important to convey an approach that we have proven for years, helping brands not only survive, but thrive in this new environment.
I firmly believe that cultural intelligence is a fundamental component of any marketing strategy. It is a perspective that instead of building great brands to generate demand and sales, it is about understanding consumers and how they build and want to grow their own value. Traditional marketing formulas are no longer sufficient for Generation Z. This is the generation of disruption. This is the generation of disruption, immediate glory or cancellation, unmasked authenticity, purpose and mass inclusion. Brands need to tune into their mindset, speak their language and prioritize their values. That is why, throughout the book, I propose a new set of tools to understand, anticipate and lead their culture. Practical tools of cultural intelligence that, together with current marketing strategies, help brands navigate unsurprisingly in these times of change and build value with consistency in mass markets.
The book invites us to rethink the role of culture in branding. As Philip Kotler mentions in the foreword, strong brands not only predetermine cultural shifts, they also choose when to be relevant. In my opinion, branding is not just about business: it is about social impact. Brands can affect and define culture, so they can, and should, contribute to shaping perceptions and creating a radically more inclusive and conscious world.
"How to Build Your Brand Value" offers a methodological approach based on multiple research and success stories. An example of this is the study that monitors our "Mexicanidades 2024-2025" which identifies 12 emerging Mexican identities that are redefining our society and the opportunities for brands in Mexico. My intention is to show how cultural intelligence can be applied to discover and seize new opportunities to grow in relevance and gain the preference of millions of consumers, aligning the brand value proposition with the cultural identities and aspirations of those you want to recruit.
A success story that demonstrates how brands can dramatically increase their cultural relevance is that of Smirnoff Tamarindo. Through a model developed by Big Foot, we managed to get Smirnoff Tamarindo in 2020 to nurture the identities of the segment to be recruited in Generation Z, with a hyper-inclusive message that generated a deep and disruptive connection that led the brand to be recognized worldwide. This success is no coincidence; it is the result of understanding the culture and knowing how to lead it in an authentic way.
The power of cultural intelligence is there to transform brands and, ultimately, society as well. I hope this book inspires others to look beyond the conventional rules of marketing by understanding the great opportunity to responsibly shape culture, grow the value of their brands and achieve greater positive impact for their consumers and the world.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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