What about Brazilian Brands?

What about Brazilian Brands? Interbrand evaluates Brazilianbrands' opportunities and challenges in a global market

What about Brazilian brands01

Brazil talking to the world

Beautiful by nature

Blessed by God

Fun-loving people

A flair for improvisation and flexibility

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What about Brazilian brands 02

It is hard to say when exactly Brazil first looked at the rest of the world and decided it had to carve out its own brand and personality, but most would say that the seeds were likely planted in 1958, when it won its first World Cup in Sweden. At that moment, Brazil announced to the world (amid widespread envy), its swing, its classy lifestyle, and its soccer stars Garrincha and Pelé.

Perhaps the first Brazilian brand to be truly internationalized—Bossa Nova—was launched in the same year by two brilliant young men, Tom Jobim and Joao Gilberto. Bossa Nova soon evolved beyond a musical trend to become a whole attitude of life. The new and more modern Brazil was knocking on the door: even President Juscelino Kubitschek was dubbed as “bossa nova.” In retrospect, the music, in some ways, was an early indicator of the optimism that America’s

boom years would spread across the world only a few years later.Juscelino Kubitschek (aka JK) was not blind to this flood of opportunity that the U.S.’s prosperity brought with it. Noting the enormous potential that lay in furthering Brazil’s international growth, he opened up the economy to foreign investors and encouraged new industries to relocate to Brazil. For the first time ever, automobiles were manufactured entirely in Brazil; VW Beetles rolled off the lines in 1958, in the ABC region of São Paulo. Amid the euphoria of these boom years, President Kubitschek campaigned on his famous catchphrase “Fifty years in five.” He also asked Oscar Niemeyer, a member of the cultural avant-garde, to design the new vision of the capital of Brasília in a location that had nothing to do with beaches, or with any tropical cliché involving bananas.




Dos and don'ts for global-brand companies

Treat your brands as valuable assets

Have clear notion of how your brands function

Manage the brand cycle efficiently (strategy, identity,

engagement, experience, tracking)

Devise consistent long-term strategy

Inspire strong involvement from your employees

Innovate and create demand

Don’t follow benchmarks (they are the benchmarks)

Be highly resilient and capable of adapting to different

markets, consumers and situations in the economy

Don’t compete in your own category - always think outside

the box - in line with consumer motivations

Brazil’s World Cup win enabled Brazilians to drop their mutt complex. As journalist Joaquim Ferreira dos Santos wrote in his book Happy 1958, The Year That Was Not Supposed to End (Feliz 1958, o ano que não devia terminar), “pride” became a fashionable word.

And now, fifty years after the bossa nova period in Brazil came into fruition, our brand (and bossa nova itself) is once again a rising global star. Brazil is talking to the world, telling people that it is fun loving and highly adaptable, with a flair for improvisation—but always backed by numbers, strategy and lots of hard work.

Looking closer The aim here is to ask what certain Brazilian brands are doing in relation to what is happening in other countries. Which sectors and markets are more promising? What challenges must they tackle? It’s only a matter of time before Brazilian companies make the Best Global Brands ranking—what do we need to do to make this happen?

Best Global Brands earn at least one third of their sales revenues from other countries; their brands play a key role in purchasing decisions, and they are recognized internationally. The potential is there, so now it is just a matter of linking the numbers to the perceptions. Brazil has strong and consistent brands, but ours numbers are not impressive yet. In other cases, the companies are very strong and sell well, but have no brand.

Over the past two years, Interbrand’s Brazilian office has seen a high level of demand from companies that want to adapt their brand strategy and identity to the global scenario. The need for a cross-border outlook is now widely accepted, even while businesses continue to run operations locally. Our time has finally come: Brazil is now playing the international circuit, because yes, we have a global attitude, and also a number of other essentials too (see sidebar).

And we are using the lyrics from a musical portrait of Brazil to present the things we do best, that place us under the spotlight and give us a chance to get some major progress in terms of economics, presence, influence and image. Blessed by God, beautiful by nature, gifted with flair and flexibility for tackling any challenge – this is how we are translating the Brazilian identity when we set about building our brands, not without a certain dose of poetic license, of course. As a nation, we know how to work the positive side of a stereotype. We have acquired technical expertise too, then conquered and refined it. We have learned how to ensure quality, and we surely have the knack of finding quick and creative solutions to any situation. And we have the results that show our approach is right. Bring on the bossa! And keep it coming!

01.Beautiful by nature

4What about Brazilian brands

5 What about Brazilian brands




Being beautiful is our most celebrated stereotype. Having naturally beautiful

flora, fauna and inhabitants, Brazil soon learned to export its charms. If you

take a look around, it would be impossible to portray our national character

without featuring the abundant curves of our women, mountains, beaches

and rivers. Curves are oozing out of bikinis, making waves in the ocean

and poetry in Niemeyer’s architecture. They are paving the Copacabana

promenade, framing picture-postcard views of Corcovado and Guanabara

Bay, and inspiring songs and new trends in behavior.

Beauty comes with the territory, and appreciating beauty is our calling in life.

This is evident in everything from our inarguable expertise in bikinis, to our

way of flaunting our body, and our individual interpretations of the hang of

garments (taking into account the high level of skin exposure required due to

the heat). Beauty lives alongside the colors in Brazil’s sunlight and beaches,

where aesthetic democracy reigns supreme.

In the fashion and beauty industries, brands have evolved all of these

juicy clichés, transforming them into an innovative and contemporary

professionalism. While we can’t boast the world’s unanimous admiration

of French haute couture or its assessment of Italy’s impeccable taste,

which both date back centuries, we have been able to create a language that

can travel the world and incite desire in a short period of time. We are on the

world’s agenda for fashion events, we are exporting models, and now we are

exporting brands too. (Not many of them yet, it is true.) But Brazilian’s have

a lively eye for detecting demands and responding to them. Responses

are alert and refined. Now strategy must also be refined. The behavior of

individual markets has to be understood—and the hearts and minds of new

consumers, won over, to ultimately sell more.

Brazilian fashion isn’t limited to dress (or undress when it comes

to the beach). Dresses, bikinis and sandals define attitudes, inspire

behaviors and create a lifestyle. The Brazilian beach is a brand on

its own. The bikinis get lower, the tops get higher and the low-rise

trousers have hips to hug.


Shoes, a national concern

Brazil’s footwear industry has long catered to the world’s yearning for shoes. Some Brazilians may even admit to seeing local items of the highest quality packaged under recognized brands for export, while they never get a chance to buy these prime products themselves. But the wheel keepson turning, and history is being rewritten. Brazilian shoe brands are now on female feet everywhere from Tokyo to Los Angeles. They’ve earned the privilege of ushering in new styles that highlight this simplicity by way of versatility—an iconic feature of our culture.

Grendene

This is another story that begins with an extremely popular and fashionable product, a good value for money ratio, and a lesson in diversity and sensibility when it comes to understanding what consumers want. Grendene started impacting fashion in 1979 when they launched revolutionary sandals made of injected plastic: the Melissa Aranha. It was the first footwear company to have product placements on TV soap operas—its shoes were worn by Sonia Braga’s character in “Dancing Days.” This broadened the company’s outlook and it began to innovate and hunt for export markets. Grendene expanded its product portfolio and grew into a giant.

From the outset, the company realized it had to think big, and it was selling sandals all over the planet by the mid-80s. In all the key countries, the top stores stocked Grendene’s lines Melissa, Ipanema, Ipanema Gisele Bundchen, Rider, Grendha, Grendene Kids, Ilhabela, and a series of children’s character shoes.

Currently exporting to 90 countries, Grendene shipped 40 million pairs of shoes in 2007 and posted R$ 230 million sales revenues. Of all its brands, the bestsellers are Ipanema Gisele Bündchen and Melissa, which was Grendene’s wager on internationalization, making the brand an example of management and resilience for its global market positioning.

The Melissa brand can be found at thousands of points of sale in 50 countries. It is sold by stores like the charming Colette in Paris, and constantly featured by European and American fashion designers and journalists. The strategy is to sell audacity cast in plastic by inviting designers from all over the world to make shoes that bring out the beauty from unlikely places—at affordable prices too. Special Melissa shoes have been designed by Zaha Hadid, Vivienne Westwood, Campana brothers, Karim Rashid, Thierry Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier, Herchcovitch, and Isabela Capeto, thus confirming the brand’s attitude of creativity and reaching well beyond its product. Consumers are buying into the dream. Can’t afford a Gaultier? So get yourself a Melissa!



A flagship store with a focused brand experience also highlighted Grendene’s place in Brazil’s internationally renowned footwear industry. In 2006, Melissa opened a gallery of the same name in São Paulo as a key brand-building initiative to craft an image fully aligned with its essence. The gallery lends its space for exhibitions of graffiti and interventions by Brazilian artists. It also sells art and design objects, and features the concept expressed by the brand wherever there is space to do so. Innovation and ideas are put into practice in order to shake the scene and add value. The Melissa brand benefits; Grendene grows more celebrated and appreciated.

Havaianas

Havaianas (the most famous Brazilian brand for flip-flops) used to be pitched as “legitimate” but it no longer evokes the original reason for this epithet. While Havaianas straps don’t loosen and its sandals still don’t smell, today, more than ever, Havaianas are described as

legitimate because they taught the world a lesson in innovation, democratization, product strategy and value from brand building. Developed in the late 1950s, based on the sandals worn by Japanese immigrants in Brazil, these sandals were a hit with everyone. They were durable, comfortable and cheap; everyone could have one. They were so popular that they became part of the basket of staple items used to calculate the cost of living in the country. Being cheap but exotic, tourists packed them in their baggage and their fame soon spread all over the world.

In the mid-1990s, after several years of declining sales, the flip-flops were revamped. New colors, an improved style, and advertising campaigns showcasing them on the feet of movers and shakers did the trick.

“Havaianas Democracy” had taken over the show. Hollywood starlets liked their cool appeal and led the way for flip-flops to be worn at restaurants, parties and all kinds of social events. At the 2003 Oscars they were gifted to the nominees. Jean Paul Gaultier’s models wore them on catwalks.

Sales explosion equaled brand explosion. Havaianas now accounts for 60 percent of sales revenues for São Paulo Alpargatas, part of the Camargo Correa group, which has opened two offices to handle the brand, one in the United States and one in Europe. Some 22 million pairs are exported annually to 80 markets. Everyone wears them everywhere—on the beach with a long dress, at a summer lunch, or for a stroll along the street. To hold on to its position as a coveted cult item, the brand cannot afford to drop the ball for a single moment. If demands are not identifiable, the brand has to create desire for its product through innovation. This explains special models like the flip-flops adorned with Swarowski crystals, and other new and unexpected items, like the Havaianas bags that are being sold everywhere. Havaianas provide the benchmark for the segment, although they are not the top-selling sandals of its style—the Ipanema brand reports higher volume sales.

Havianas’ strategy is to create experiences (as with Melissa) and invest in creating a brand that works both globally and locally—and so far it has been working. A street store on São Paulo’s Rua Oscar

Freire, where you can customize your pair is the ultimate experience. This store features Havaianas sandals on feet, on heads, in fact everywhere. The history of the brand is shown on a timeline in a tiny museum inside the store. Havaianas decorate the walls and are displayed at newsstands, and fruit stalls. It is purely conceptual in every way and designed by one of our best architects, Isay Weinfeld. The Havaianas store has become a tourist attraction and is always packed.

The brand’s ability to surprise us seems to be far from exhausted. Havaianas delivers the product and, more importantly, it has spontaneously became a topic—one that rivals a huge celebrity. It has definitely earned the title of our most global fashion brand.

The Brazilian footwear brands that are conquering the world have more than the fashion appeal in common, they create brand experiences through differentiation and a distinct identity.

Melissa Aranha Campana: designers and artists bring fresh air and innovation to the brand

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A flagship store with a focused brand experience also highlighted Grendene’s place in Brazil’s internationally renowned footwear industry. In 2006, Melissa opened a gallery of the same name in São Paulo as a key brand-building initiative to craft an image fully aligned with its essence. The gallery lends its space for exhibitions of graffiti and interventions by Brazilian artists. It also sells art and design objects, and features the concept expressed by the brand wherever there is space to do so. Innovation and ideas are put into practice in order to shake the scene and add value. The Melissa brand benefits; Grendene grows more celebrated and appreciated.

Havaianas

Havaianas (the most famous Brazilian brand for flip-flops) used to be pitched as “legitimate” but it no longer evokes the original reason for this epithet. While Havaianas straps don’t loosen and its sandals still don’t smell, today, more than ever, Havaianas are described as

legitimate because they taught the world a lesson in innovation, democratization, product strategy and value from brand building. Developed in the late 1950s, based on the sandals worn by Japanese immigrants in Brazil, these sandals were a hit with everyone. They were durable, comfortable and cheap; everyone could have one. They were so popular that they became part of the basket of staple items used to calculate the cost of living in the country. Being cheap but exotic, tourists packed them in their baggage and their fame soon spread all over the world.

In the mid-1990s, after several years of declining sales, the flip-flops were revamped. New colors, an improved style, and advertising campaigns showcasing them on the feet of movers and shakers did the trick.

“Havaianas Democracy” had taken over the show. Hollywood starlets liked their cool appeal and led the way for flip-flops to be worn at restaurants, parties and all kinds of social events. At the 2003 Oscars they were gifted to the nominees. Jean Paul Gaultier’s models wore them on catwalks.

Sales explosion equaled brand explosion. Havaianas now accounts for 60 percent of sales revenues for São Paulo Alpargatas, part of the Camargo Correa group, which has opened two offices to handle the brand, one in the United States and one in Europe. Some 22 million pairs are exported annually to 80 markets. Everyone wears them everywhere—on the beach with a long dress, at a summer lunch, or for a stroll along the street. To hold on to its position as a coveted cult item, the brand cannot afford to drop the ball for a single moment. If demands are not identifiable, the brand has to create desire for its product through innovation. This explains special models like the flip-flops adorned with Swarowski crystals, and other new and unexpected items, like the Havaianas bags that are being sold everywhere. Havaianas provide the benchmark for the segment, although they are not the top-selling sandals of its style—the Ipanema brand reports higher volume sales.

Havianas’ strategy is to create experiences (as with Melissa) and invest in creating a brand that works both globally and locally—and so far it has been working. A street store on São Paulo’s Rua Oscar

Freire, where you can customize your pair is the ultimate experience. This store features Havaianas sandals on feet, on heads, in fact everywhere. The history of the brand is shown on a timeline in a tiny museum inside the store. Havaianas decorate the walls and are displayed at newsstands, and fruit stalls. It is purely conceptual in every way and designed by one of our best architects, Isay Weinfeld. The Havaianas store has become a tourist attraction and is always packed.

The brand’s ability to surprise us seems to be far from exhausted. Havaianas delivers the product and, more importantly, it has spontaneously became a topic—one that rivals a huge celebrity. It has definitely earned the title of our most global fashion brand.

From a basic product to a fashion brand. Havaianas can go from the beach straight to fancy parties.



Brazilian way of wearing

Whereas we were once plain copycats of imported trends, we’ve since moved on to make clothes that look one hundred percent Brazilian. A combination of factors were involved. With this transition, an opportunity cropped up in the market; the fashion industry in Brazil was maturing; and there was the creativity and willingness needed to express a particular identity.

In any event, all’s well that ends well, and we’re looking pretty good. Brazil is the world’s 8th largest textile maker and our clothing exports brought in US$ 2.4 billion in 2008. Fashion is the second largest industry in terms of employment, second only to the construction industry. This is a business in which a well-built and well-managed brand can boost the price of the product to a level beyond comprehension, and Brazilian fashion is no exception to the tradition. We now have companies whose brands feature global attributes. They are earning significant export revenue or building physical presence in other countries. They are presenting good sales numbers, and/or are building a reputation, and becoming objects of desire.

But this is no fashion version of Brazil’s economic miracle. Enduring evidence of this development is easy to find. Even when we were still working on very basic items, our clothes had an indefinable edge to them—they were sassier, more fun loving, more easygoing and unpretentious. Which is not to say that we are unable to behave elegantly. We do have designer labels and they are highly coveted in many countries. But we also have brands that brilliantly blur the boundary line between work and leisure; between formal and comfortable.

For these reasons, among others, our fashion brands really are talking to the world—or at least to the significant part that is able to make a difference and set new trends.

Rosa Cha

Ever since Girl from Ipanema, the world has been learning the history of Brazil through bikinis, the girls that fill them, and the songs that inspired them. But in terms of brands, it was Rosa Cha that placed Brazil’s “teeny weenie” expertise on the map. Amir Slama, the brand’s creator, started by looking around for new textures and tones that would distinguish his products. So successful was his mission that his bikinis are world-renowned. By 1995, Rosa Cha bikinis embellished storefront displays at Gallerie Lafayette in Paris—a huge feat, although it has to be said that their mannequins were displayed in a way that suggested exoticism. Two years later, it was America’s turn to wear bikinis, and Rosa Cha’s items were on sale at several trendy stores. To crown its achieve-ment, the brand’s premiere on foreign runways happened during New York Fashion Week in September 2000.

What made Rosa Cha such a successful brand abroad was its ability to match is a chic Brazilianness (complete with Carmen Miranda prints) with the right proportions and sizes for foreign markets. This same sharp eye applied to differentials in fabrics, colors and prints, was critical for the brand to get leverage abroad based on adaptations that were just right: A larger bottom for the European market, and a higher leg for Americans. All of this, of course, was done without losing sight of that “down home” Brazilian flavor.

But style does not live in branding alone. In 2006, Slama sold 75 percent of Rosa Cha to Marisol, a textile giant with the clout to catapult the brand to the next level, focusing on production and logistics to boost sales. Rather than just a business, Marisol saw this fashion beach brand as an icon to head its international expansion. In May 2009, the company bought out the rest of Slama’s Rosa Cha stock and is now set to hit more beaches.

Osklen

There is nothing Brazilian about the name Osklen. People in different parts of the world may be surprised to discover the origin of the brand when they come across Osklen stores. There are two in Milan, one in New York, three in Portugal, Tokyo, Rome, and Geneva, not counting a number of showrooms in many countries. And there are another 41 stores in Brazil, of course.

It all started as an unpretentious sportswear brand created by Oskar Metsavath, a doctor who liked sports. For all its lack of pretense, it went on to become a designer label and a distinctive clothing offering sold in stores that fully express the brand identity. Beautiful people and journalists here and abroad were won over. Movers and shakers took a shine to the style. According to the WGSN website, which specializes in trends, Osklen is now one of the world’s ten most influential and inspirational fashion brands.

An Osklen item is easily identifiable because the brand has learned how to sell a coveted lifestyle. As if beaches had been transported to cities, in an uncomplicated and comfortable manner, but suitable at the same time. Looking at brand items, we recognize relaxed informality that does not fall into the laid-back hayseed cliché but has just the right dose of urban and totally contemporary influences. It speaks of nature, works with sustainability for real, and blends hi-tech fabrics with organic materials. Osklen succeeded in building a brand that is packed with attitude. It sells an image of Brazil that everybody finds inviting and attractive.

ROSA CHA


The identity of Brazilian fashion brands reflects our multiplicity and versatility, attributes of a diverse and young country

The brand found the perfect combination for

its style. It paired the relaxed atmosphere of the beach with

an urban look

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Carlos Miele

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Alexandre Herchcovitch

Some Brazilian personalities embody the meaning of the word “style.” This is no easy task, particularly for an industry famed for its short life cycles and ephemeral tastes, in which unanimous approval is increasingly rare. “Made in Brazil” brands are understood, interpreted, appreciated and bought due to sheer style. They have achieved this goal in the most demanding of markets – one that is saturated by variety and fickleness. Carlos Miele and Alexandre Herchcovich have made it internationally as brands, going beyond just commercial success.

Fancy dresses may not be the biggest novelty but Miele’s ability to create a new kind of dream explains the success of his brand in different countries. Some 67 stores in 18 countries are selling Carlos Miele. What the brand does very well, apart from make good quality clothing, is convey Brazilian fashion as something that can make any woman smile simply because she is the prettiest woman at the party. His dresses, which cost from US$ 1,000 to US$ 4,000 on average, feast on cleavages and necklines and feature flowing fabrics and sexy cuts. The concept is that every single thread combines to create the idea of an elegant, Brazilian woman, tempered with a good dose of sensuality.

Alexandre Herchcovitch took a different route for his brand, and surprisingly, for a designer who comes from a country with no tradition of creating fashion trends, he got people talking. Morphing from genial rebel to sophisticated businessman, his brand reflects his creative mind for fashion and his ability to find new forms of expression. Today his designer signature and identity are used on band-aids, kitchenware and even bedding. Highly praised by the international press, Herchcovitch is good at drawing attention. He has showrooms in New York and Paris, but what has really captured people’s attention is his shop in Japan. Designed by architect Arthur Mattos Casas, it generates as much curiosity as his clothes. It also expresses his brand in a way that is fully integrated, with finely elaborated details. To begin with, the interior is not fully revealed even when the store is open. A Formica facade is covered with printed images that rotate for each new collection, and of course they relate directly to the items found on the racks and shelves. The fact that there is no window displaying clothes is no accident. It works toentice consumers into the building, where they can enjoy the full experience of the brand—something that few local brands had the courage, or perhaps the opportunity, to do.

H.Stern

Curiously enough, H. Stern has more prestige abroad than at home, in Brazil. Perhaps it’s the name, with its foreign aura that does not initially advertise the nationality of the company. H. Stern, however, has been selling “Brazilianess” all over the planet for more

CARLOS MIELE

Carlos Miele:This Brazilian brand embodies Braziland has found success through this.

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than 40 years, and on a scale that very few other brands can match. Not many people will know this, but H. Stern has pursued innovation from the beginning. It was a pioneer in creating stylish jewelry from Brazilian stones. In 1983, Stern built its global headquarters in Ipanema; it was the first building in the world to have all the segments involved in jewelry manufacturing under one roof. But this wasn’t enough so Stern created its Noble Gold, a yellow and white gold alloy, and the exclusively Stern Star diamond cut. More recently, it had guest personalities sign collection, which succeeded in lending character and new differentials to the whole universe of desire expressed by the H. Stern brand.

The great paradox is that it became an international brand rather than a Brazilian brand. The natural order of things has been subverted, so to speak. It was the appreciation H. Stern received in other countries that raised the brand to the global position it now occupies so comfortably. In addition to the numbers that confirm this theory—exports account for 54 percent of its revenues—there is the recognition. Actresses such as Angelina Jolie, Eva Longoria and Sandra Bullock wear H. Stern at the Oscars and Emmys and its campaigns feature the world’s top stars. With 80 stores, and points of sale spread across 12 countries, it is a globally renowned brand. In Brazil, however, the jeweler is not treated with the same generosity or recognized to the same extent. In this sense, perhaps we are still paying the price. After years of suffering from an inferiority complex for feeling like a nation unable to make luxury items, we finally have one of our own. Unfortunately, it seems we aren’t in the habit of appreciating our own brands.

The challenge for Brazilian brands selling their concepts abroad is to translate their experiences consistently to other markets, without losing their original identity or their quest to understand local needs.

What about Brazilian brands

02.Blessed by God

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02.Blessed by God


02.Blessed by God

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Brazil's land is lovely and bountiful. It is a landscape of endless generosity and

the geography is as warm and welcoming as the Brazilians, always finding

a way to crack a smile. There are no earthquakes, no tsunamis, and aside from the

occasional drought or torrential downpour, nature is usually in a good mood. Energy flows

as if by magic: plenty of sunlight and endless supplies of water; the Amazon pumping out

oxygen to the world; gems in Minas Gerais. There’s gold deposits, sugarcane, oil, food and drink.

Such copious gifts of nature cannot but favor this nation. Brazil has always been recognized as one of the

world’s greatest source of food supplies and today this image is even stronger. We have moved on from the

field to the table; from mines to auto-parts and fuels. We are creating new and alternative products, and

we have a unique approach to our country’s natural setting and resources. We love analyzing things and

reinventing them, making new products and specializing in any number of other “transformations” to show

people that we are good, indeed very good, at taking the commonplace and improving it. That is how we

make our presence felt here in Brazil and around the world too.

Brazil holds seven percent of the world’s agricultural commodity market

It is the world’s third-biggest exporter of agricultural products

Agriculture is the most globalized sector of the Brazilian economy, accounting

for 25 percent of GDP and 36 percent of exports. The total revenue of the top

400 agriculture companies is US$ 167 billion

Brazil is the world’s leading exporter of: red meat (24 percent of the total),

chicken (39 percent of the total), sugar, alcohol, orange juice, coffee, tobacco

It’s the second biggest exporter of soybeans and derivatives

It’s the third biggest exporter of corn and pork

If God is Brazilian, that’s a secret he keeps, but in these lush lands we learned how to grow

fruit, grain, energy and to produce the most delicious meat. We carry the freshness, the tropical

abundance and a quality second to none in raw materials. “And nature is smiling“, as Cartola sang.

Our landscape is an extraordinary differential that put us on top of every exportation rankings.


Yes, we have oranges

Five centuries after the first orange trees were planted in its soil, Brazil is growing 170 million trees on an estimated one million hectares of land area. It has become the world’s biggest orange grower, second only to the United States, which has 100 million trees, in Florida mainly, followed by Mexico, China and South Africa.

So there’s no shortage of orange trees, or juice for that matter. The world’s annual production of concentrated orange juice is around 2.4 million tons, of which Brazil accounts for approximately 1.3 million, thus leading the field. It is followed by the United States, which as a nation of voracious consumers, does not have much juice left over for export, enabling Brazilians to grab a good chunk of the American market and supply half the world’s demand.

Brazilian oranges have an obvious competitive advantage in terms of quality and price, so exporters have the all the trump cards when negotiating and dealing with intermittent pressure from the juice industry’s bulk buyers, who will leverage market conditions and give no ground to small growers or less competitive players.

So while Brazil has earned some recognition and translated it into financial returns, the same cannot be said for its brand value. Brazilian oranges are unbranded, despite their presence internationally. While it may be hard to believe thatoranges can be branded, building a product brand for a commodity will potentially have impact throughout the supply chain, from the micro-producer to the major exporter, adding value to the raw material itself, and developing alternative market positioning strategies for the product. The most immediate and obvious effect would be its adding to the trade surplus, which boosts the nation’s economy. Our profile, in the eyes of other countries, would be extended beyond a “competent grower” image to set a strategic example, to be envied and emulated.

Brazilians grow or process 70 percent of the world’s orange juice consumption

In May 2010, Citrosuco and Citrovita, the second and third largest orange juice producers in Brazil, announced the merger of their operations.

The company that resulted from the merger will export its production to 80 countries.

Brazil’s predominance in the sector has earned its players the epithet “OPEC for oranges”


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Citrovita

Cutrale

Citrosuco

The lyrics of an Elis Regina song, which features the street seller’s cry of “Buy my oranges, good sir,” would be the perfect pitch for Brazilian oranges—that is, if they weren’t already so popular. Brazilian oranges are admired, recognized for their quality, and drunk worldwide. While our natural setting, which sustains all of our successful agricultural commodities, is very much responsible for our huge supply, our successful juice-export trade owes as much to our initiative and drive. From the initial planting of tree sprouts to the delivery of the morning’s juice to breakfast tables all over the planet, we’ve built differentials and added value to the production cycle.

We have a tradition in this field: Cutrale, the world’s largest orange juice exporter, has been in the business for over 50 years. The family bought its first plantation in 1952 and in 1967 acquired Suconasa, one of the first orange juice makers. A few months later, Cutrale got a huge boost from soaring prices on the international market after a frost hit Florida. Now it supplies about 30 percent of all juice consumed worldwide and exports to over 20 countries in Europe, China and the USA. Cutrale’s customers include Parmalat, Nestlé and Coca Cola.

The merger of Citrosuco and Citrovita, announced in May 2010 creates another giant. The new company will respond for 40% of the domestic production and a fourth of all the orange juice drank around the globe. Without the Brazilian presence in this activity surely a good part of the of the world’s breakfast would be nutritiously jeopardized.

Despite leading the orange juice category, consumers who appreciate the flavor of Brazil’s orange juice have no idea as to who is ultimately ensuring these winning qualities. That’s why creating a “Made in Brazil” brand for our juice would go a long way to providing an advantage. The opportunity is there – it is not unusual packaging of this type to mention the source of the goodies – but creating a brand takes time, and it does not come cheap.

A good example of a country that has successfully followed through with a similar initiative but for coffee (one of Brazils’ biggest exports) is our next-door neighbor, Colombia. Colombia’s coffee growers’ federation took the initiative and started building a brand for their product back in 1959. The well-known Doyle Dane Bernbach agency, with a leading role locally by Juan Valdez, created the strategy that built recognition and distinction for 100 percent Colombia coffee. The aim was to emphasize coffee’s origins, on the same lines as Bordeaux for wine. It was successful too: Although it only grows about a quarter of Brazil’s coffee harvest, it is Colombia’s coffee that has the reputation for quality. So there is a great opportunity for our oranges here, good sir.

Beef, barbecue and more

Brazil’s orange juice may not be well known, but its beef products–not just barbecue—have garnered fame and won over foreign palates. The quality of cuts and finished products has crossed borders, and Brazil’s chicken and beef is on supermarket shelves in every continent. No wonder: Rising demand for food in emerging countries such as India and China is driving growth in the sector, and Brazil has some of the world’s greatest potential for expansion due to the large area of land still available. We have the know-how, the pasture and the palate. Brazil has every chance of taking over Argentina’s image as the guardian of quality beef and state-of-the-art products, due in particular to a very typical Brazilian seasoning: creativity. We are blessed with low-cost cattle farming areas—the world’s lowest for the industry. As a result, local beef prices are more than competitive and the country is capable of sustaining high-volume exports. Leaving grazing land to urban centers, we find yet more differentials. When a consumer is eyeballing a refrigerator display in a supermarket, what is it that makes a pack of juicy steaks or tender chicken drumsticks something special, a product of choice? There are several possible answers: the most obvious is convenience, a key requirement in mature markets, in light of the busy life we lead in today’s world, clichés not withstanding. But the argument for designating origin is no less important: well-informed, high-purchasing power consumers have a different approach to hygiene


and nutrition, so a supplier’s image becomes a key factor in shopping decisions, since it provides an assurance of reliability and safety. Incidentally, designating the origin of cattle is nothing new. Cattle are often branded on the rear for identification purposes when being sold, for example. So placing our brand name on ready-to-eat meat makes sense in terms of utility and history—not to mention the added value of a brand for this product today, and what this stands for in terms of evolving consumer behavior. Instead of chatting to the local butcher (in any event, now a dying breed in major urban centers), today’s shoppers look at the trustworthiness of a brand or its manufacturer. Brands democratize access to information that was previously confined to the butcher shop counter.

JBS Friboi

Marfrig

In the meat segment, JBS Friboi ranks alongside the world’s giants. The firm has put Brazilian efficiency on the map through its scale, dynamism and presence. JBS has performed outstandingly well and its international acquisitions have helped consolidate the company’s leadership in the world’s beef trade as a global player capable of diversifying geographically to produce and distribute its products. JBS Friboi is now the world’s largest meat processor and exports to over 110 countries on five continents.

However, diversification and globalization are each separate things; and branding is yet another. By chance or by design, JBS has had opportunities to build its brands for some time. It has invested heavily in acquisitions and benefited from these deals to leverage the opportunity represented by incoming “brand equity” to add value to its own brand portfolio.

Some of its initiatives earned a score of 10/10. In September 2005, JBS acquired Swift Argentina to become the owner of the Cabaña Las Lilas brand. Cabaña Las Lilas is recognized internationally as Argentina’s best meat, with the luxury of having its own “flagship” restaurant in Buenos Aires. JBS went for another deal in 2007, but

Brazilian agricultural brands need to reinvent themselves to be seen as a producer of high-quality products


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this time the stakes were higher since it acquired the Swift & Co name, a brand with a global presence. Of course Swift was not a Brazilian brand, but it was the only brand with horizontal presence in several countries in which JBS does business.

The short-term is here now, and plans to invest in branding are now part of the company’s strategy. In practical terms, we are talking about boosting added value for its products through more customization for each market in which their brands are trading, and thus building presence in the minds of consumers by working on brand names for clients or their own trademarks. This means building a great corporate brand for a great company in terms of recognition by the general public.

The world hungers for brands that meet specific needs, and Brazilian players in the meat segment have both the opportunity and the expertise needed to create value in relation to their corporate brands.

In the wake of JBS Friboi’s growth, Marfrig has made progress by wagering on diversification. It has now become the most diversified food company in the meat segment, and the fourth largest producer of beef and beef products, as well as one of the world’s top 10 chicken processors.

Marfrig’s growth strategy is horizontal. Over the past three years, it has made 37 acquisitions, more than half of them outside Brazil, to strengthen its physical presence internationally. Currently, its exports are being shipped to more than 140 countries. However, despite all this robust growth, Marfrig is still living in “brandless” territory, using different brands in each region. In simple terms, its brand strategy is not being combined with growth, which could certainly contribute positively to the corporate brand’s image and firepower.

Apparently there is no ongoing program for Marfrig to ensure its brand through product names. Two planets are orbiting on separate paths: Marfrig’s reputation is one of them, its brand recognition another. A way to bring the two closer together would be to capitalize on the equity of its product brands. Once consolidated, they could take on the scale of more elastic globalized brands, with a more wide-ranging approach to their markets.

They could also approach a corporate brand. This would be a win-win scenario, and could help Marfig start to tap into new segments and needs based on dedication and expertise.

Exports account for 68 percent of JBS Friboi’s sales revenues.

Different products - fresh, chilled or processed meat – bear different brands depending on the country.

Products come from four countries: Brazil, Argentina, Australia and the United States.

On the agenda of Brazilian commodity businesses are diversification, globalization and brand strategy. They have to go beyond the B2B to also establish a relationship with customers.


Exports reach 110 countries through distribution centers in the United Kingdom, Russia, Angola, Congo, Algeria and Poland.

Marfrig is the largest private-sector company in Uruguay, the largest beef company in Argentina and the top chicken processor in the United Kingdom.

BR Foods

In the wake of 2009’s major merger and acquisition deals in the segment, a new company has stirred interest in terms of branding: BR Foods, the product of a merger between Perdigão (68 percent) and Sadia (32 percent). BR Foods now trades on a monumental scale, with horizontality, a legacy of strong brands from its companies of origin, and a strong presence in the global marketplace.

Exporting was nothing new for any of the original companies. On the international scenario, although both firms were concentrating their efforts on building and consolidating brands, they were pursuing different strategies. Perdigão has manufacturing facilities in Romania, Argentina, England and the Netherlands, and offices in 11 countries. It used, however, a different name abroad—Perdix which is easier to pronounce in other languages—while retaining the same visual identity on its packaging. It has several product brands (Sulina, Borella, Unef, Confidence), including one for Muslims: Hallal.

Meanwhile, Sadia has a name that is easier on foreign ears, so it went ahead with its master brand, as well as the brand Qualy to export a thousand different products to 117 countries. The strength of the company, which has become an important competitive advantage, was its careful scrutiny of adjustments required for different markets. Part of this strategy was to ensure that it delivered world-class quality. It went the extra mile to learn regional culture and habits and thoroughly incorporated the changes required. An example of this approach concerns animal slaughter practices required for religious reasons. It is no accident that Sadia is a reference and benchmark in the market for chilled meats, given the pace at which it anticipates demands and creates new products.

The Sadia/Perdigão merge takes their joint offering as companies to a higher level. In terms of the growth of their product brand portfolio, almost everything is possible: Optimization, channeling brands with potential for cannibalization to different markets; investing in product brands; more tightly focused strategies for niche brands; holding onto Sadia and Perdix, or switching to invest in the new BR Foods corporate brand on a new scale - in fact on a global scale right from the start.

BR Foods is the Brazilian’s second biggest food conglomerate and its fifth largest exporter. Furthermore, the world’s biggest chicken processor

Accounts for 52 percent of chicken exported by Brazil (volume sales) and ships 48 percent of pork exports


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A new era for sugar

Not so long ago, nobody could have imagined anything more luxurious for sweetening a cup of coffee than a glamorous sugar cube (made from beet sugar, incidentally), as flaunted in so many 1950s French and Hollywood movies.

In a country where many people are still sweetening their coffee with lumps of dried sugar cane juice, the idea of using anything more “sophisticated” than refined white sugar is still a distant reality. But for the rest of the world, or at least richer economies, organic pesticide-free sugarcane is in high demand. Here in Brazil we hold all the trump cards since we have the ability to make high-quality branded sugar that is truly a niche product: Native organic sugar.

Native

Balbo has been building Native as a brand and setting an example for B2B companies that dream of seeing their brands becoming end-consumer buzzwords. Initially, Balbo took a key food concept, and then made it a guideline. Ultimately, this made a world of difference for product development and diversification, and for pitching to clients and final consumers.

The Balbo conglomerate is now the world’s largest organic sugar maker. It exports 85 percent of its output to 41 countries, accounting for 20 percent of all organic sugar produced worldwide. The group supplies both food processors and retail chains, which market the product under their own brands. At the same time it is consolidating Native’s presence for final consumers through initiatives like consistent point-of-sale campaigns. Consumers in South Korea, Spain, Portugal and France recognize the Native brand, created in 2000 and now present in 67 countries.

What is behind this success? Paraphrasing a question typically asked by envious peers, what has Native got that the others have not? Its success is due to a combination of conceptual consistency, rapid response to emerging demand, and heightened flexibility. That may sound quite simple, but it is not: Timing is of the essence in this business. Get it wrong and you may drift across the hazy boundary between success and ostracism. Building a product brand from a differentiated commodity essentially means being keenly aware of evolving consumer habits. Ultimately it means being clued in to the way history is developing on a world scale.

The concerns of the general public have turned to wellness and nutrition, so the space for organic products has scaled up and gained new formats. In Brazil this is still an exclusive niche, but it is growing fast in more mature markets with higher purchasing power internationally. Oddly enough, consumers in other countries led the way for Native’s growth.


In relation to brands that flirt with functional and nutritional benefits, it is safe to bet that demand is still growing, and adopters are generally willing to pay premium price. Balbo spotted another window of opportunity and extended its Native brand to organic coffee, juices, chocolate-flavored items, cookies, olive oil and alcohol. Working on the line extension solved a major issue for Native and its organic sugar: visibility on the shelf. Communication between a line of products and ensuing cross-selling opportunities leverage perception of the master brand, add value and broaden end-consumer business opportunities. Ultimately, it gave the brand a killer edge: the option of not being tied to B2B relationships with large, well-supplied and comfortable intermediary players, who theoretically have the prerogative of being able to ignore end-consumer behavior at the other end of the chain.

The fact that Native is building its business based on international markets poses an important lesson, perhaps even a decisive one. In Asian markets, consumers want to know who is producing the goods they purchase in their supermarkets. They want a kind of ID card, and a hotline too: they want to know who will answer their questions, and how. So in the case of the Native, Brazil is like a show room, offering an experience of sales closer to home. And for those willing to take this road, the experience is an intense one. This is a case of the “Intel inside” rationale successfully taken to an extreme, exercising its full potential for replication and dissemination.

Green and generous

When God created the world, he must have been feeling very well disposed to this country, because he took special care here. We’ve got plenty of good land for agriculture, no major landscape issues, and quite mild weather. (All this, in light of global warming and the climate changes that are now worrying everybody else.) The rich diversity of our local biomes is a tourist magnet, and tapping into their commercial and manufacturing potential poses a wide range of opportunities for the pulp and paper industry. Eucalyptus trees grown here reach cutting age sooner than anywhere else, and huge areas are available for planting. For an industry wheresustainability is a mandatory concern (which directly impacts its business strategy), this is an important and distinctive piece of information: One hundred percent of our pulp and paper output comes from planted forests. But much remains to be done in terms of building the industry’s image and right-sizing it to eliminate the historical stigma of its predatory and rather irresponsible image in the past.

We make large quantities and deliver on quality too. Brazil has gained a high profile in foreign markets, and it is home to the world’s largest producer of short-fiber pulp. Production costs are among the lowest in the world and if this scenario is sustained, Brazil will outstrip China’s pulp output in the following years. On the path to internationalization, in a lean market for competitors and clients, the M&A policy is the surest way of gaining competitiveness. Branding, though, is still an abstraction—as it is for the overwhelming majority of commodities. We have the deals, but we lack a face that would make this a big business; we have yet to locate the image and personality that will be able to stand up and speak out, to work for this sector, educate people, and disseminate knowledge. In short “walk the talk.”

Clean energy and a commitment to sustainability are mandatory to the Brazilian commodity industry.


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Fibria

Any discussion of growth in the pulp and paper segment leads directly to the issue of internationalization. Brazil has raised its annual output and jumped from sixth to fourth in the industry’s world ranking. Fibria understands that Brazil is already in the forefront of the global showcase, and tends to develop this position further. It began working on its brand identity from the start and focused in on its goal: World leadership in short-fiber pulp.

As a product of the merge between Aracruz and VCP (of the Votorantim Group), Fibria has some obvious advantages. However, to protect its brand value in the future, it also needed to temper its vast production with responsibility. Its goals are to make itself heard and respected for its best practices, deliver innovation, respond to the industry’s concerns, and take the venture to the next level, in line with new developments globally.

Its companies of origin had very different profiles, so Fibria learned from their stories and struggles to build an identity of its own: One that would be capable of capitalizing on strengths, redeeming weaknesses and building new differentials. It would be a strong brand built separately from product brands.

Right from kick-off, the company tackled the challenge of taking over and consolidating the equity of the Aracruz brand, (renowned on the international scene for its experience, pioneering approach, and leadership). It then had to merge it with what VCP had been able to build in the local market: audacity, agility, and a favorable profile in relation to social and environmental responsibility. It was

an extensive project, particularly given that it lacked a product. Fibria had to stay consistent while also appealing to a diverse, worldwide audience. It also needed to make an effort to focus on sustainability policies–contributions to forestry stewarding practices and planting technology.

So far, a channel of dialogue has opened, although the future has yet to be determined. The Fibria brand is associative and has an “organic” appeal, but it has yet to show its strength. It already has, however, a story to tell and a destiny to fulfill. The question is which key feature will the new company take up and to what extent will it succeed in showing ownership of Brazilian expertise in the business. Will it be able to tap into its competitive advantages, and—crucially—extend its sphere of influence from the political and environmental point of view?

A global leader with annual capacity for over six million tons of pulp and paper.

Seven plants, 15 thousand employees, and five sales offices around the world.

Exports almost all of its pulp.


From the earth

Brazil’s landscape is both beautiful and bountiful, and its undersoil is no exception to this rule. Beneath its surface lies huge vault of ores of different kinds, including gold once used to embellish churches, and raw materials that are converted to build infrastructure, or for the utilities of everyday life—complex and sophisticated applications that respond to an increasingly technological world.

The abundance of oil and biofuels undoubtedly means that energy is one of our strengths, and Brazil’s high status on the international podium is assured, in this respect. With oil pumped from the deep-ocean pre-salt layer, our image has been powered by new developments: We have the cutting-edge technology and the skills to reach resources on land or at sea, and the capability to undertake truly large-scale ventures.

Mining and steel have also been placed on the agenda, because the world is still growing at a startling pace and countries such as China have had to make infrastructure investments. Although the craving for raw materials has partly been stifled by the economic crisis, with sluggish consumption in wealthy countries and an unstable auto industry (which could not get enough steel only a short time ago), demand will always work through and be reallocated. Brazil’s major players, now proactive, well established and enjoying cross-border recognition are at the forefront in the race to cater for these needs and reap more of these harvests from the land.

Petrobras

Founded as a state-owned company during the government of President Getulio Vargas, Petrobras has blended with the history of the nation to become part of our identity. In Brazil, support for the brand is a matter of honoring our culture and taking pride in a job well done. However, it does not always get the same reaction abroad. While it is recognized, admired and sought after, Petrobras is still very much a prodigal youth compared to other global oil giants that have been in business for a century. Despite its reputation as a precocious talent, Petrobras still has to show what it’s made of by tackling a series of obstacles. This was the case in Argentina, where it had a tough time dealing with a protectionist environment in relation to its expansion on the South American continent. Even so, it refused to back down and was one of the first Brazilian companies to make its mark on the streets of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, where its service stations became alternatives to those of veterans such as Shell or Esso. The main international contribution to Petrobras today comes from its exports, and its distribution services.

But what really fills us with pride is the company’s role in creating and improving deep-water drilling technology. Genuine know-how of this caliber is just as sought after and exportable as oil gushing from the ground. For this purpose, our land and our sea are not enough, so Petrobras has carved out a global market share of almost 25 percent in deep-water operations, and it is planning to allocate 12 percent of its exploration investment to international oil fields.


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Petrobras is out there projecting Brazil’s image abroad—almost US$ 16 billion will be invested outside Brazil from 2009 to 2013—and foreign capital is crossing the planet to work with the company in Brazil too, thus attracting investors to our country. Is all this due to favorable business conditions? Of course, but it is also due to recognition of the attractiveness of the Petrobras brand. China has financed part of the exploration Petrobras has been doing in the Tupi field, which is likely to give Brazil some of the largest oil reserves in the world. Brazil has to strengthen the brand and sail on new waters, with a broad perspective for its positioning worldwide. In the words of its own tagline, challenge is our energy. In addition to oil, ethanol promises significant export growth (the projection is 40 percent per year), and Petrobras is investing in biofuels too. There will be no shortage of territory to cover and issues to address for the Petrobras brand.

Petrobras already has a strong brand. It is a source of pride for Brazilians, who have a sense of ownership and actively participate in its history. They raise questions, criticize, praise, and see the company as the workplace of their dreams. The brand is so strong, due to the constant work done on it, that it shows how a brand has the power to create an emotional bond with people. In simple terms, this is essentially a matter of going beyond functional language to become a natural presence in the life of consumers. In the case of Petrobras, even when drivers are filling their tank at a service station.

For a brand that has been working to break away from its image as a state-owned company and capitalize on its Brazilian origins in a modern way, gaining ground around the world will require prioritizing and planning. Like the giant veterans of Big Oil, Petrobras has already achieved a reputation that goes beyond oil itself. It stands for all the history, technology and innovation that lies behind every gallon pumped from its wells. A key issue today is its role in relation to the preservation of the planet and it must not lose sight of the importance of clearly responding to questions raised around this matter, with the utmost transparency and

consistency. Big Oil was once the powerhouse of the industrial boom of the twentieth century, but now companies have been in the awkward position of taking a lot of punches for the last 20 years. As a result, they’ve grown accustomed to being accountable for what they are doing—although not without suffering. For the young Petrobras, perhaps it can gain from the growing pains of others, replicate their learning curve and speak loud and clear to a world that is eager to hear what leaders have to say.

The fourth most respected company in the world in 2008 - ahead of leading names of the stature of FedEx, Google, Microsoft or Honda – according to the ranking from a 32-country survey conducted by New York’s Reputation Institute.

One of the world’s top 10 companies investing in research and development.

The twelfth largest company in the world in terms of capitalization (Bloomberg).


Vale

Think big, speak up. Vale has done that, and done it well, in terms of amplifying its scope, internationalizing, and brand building.

Founded by the Brazilian government in 1942, as Companhia Vale do Rio Doce and privatized only in 1997, Vale defines itself as a mining pioneer whose principal activity is also the key attribute that guides its actions: “transformation” (of mineral resources into ingredients and products that are essential to our everyday lives). In nearly seven decades, it has brought about a far-reaching transformation. Vale is the largest private company in Latin America, the largest iron ore producer and the second largest mining company in the world, as well one of the largest nickel producers.

In Vale’s case, going international was not something that took place by choice, but rather a development that derived from the original nature of the business. In a manner of speaking, it took place naturally.

In November 2007, it dropped its “double-barrel name” (Companhia Vale do Rio Doce), and its dry-as-dust geometrical logo to review its language and stance, and set out to be part of the wider world. This was its big move; an the effort to adapt more fully to foreign markets and start talking directly to end-consumers, and to the general public in Brazil.

By reducing its name down to “Vale,” it was able to reflect a warmer identity and create intimacy. Foreigners’ lives were made easier too, when pronouncing the new name. The new logo has dropped straight lines for lots of curves, and is organic and suggestive, having left behind the engineering footprint associated with its mining business. The logo recalls a valley but also resembles a heart.

On changing a brand, the form of expression changes too, as does commitment to society and sustainability, all newly added to the agenda. After an initial low-profile period, Vale started

to invest heavily in a broad-spectrum corporate campaign to emphasize how its growth path could enhance development for the communities located near its operations. Its communication spotlighted its responsible attitude on environmental issues. This effort would positively influence its brand perception, allowing it to go further than business issues, reaching consumers in Brazil and abroad.

Vale’s move of building a more elastic brand with total capability for presentation globally was inevitable: It had to represent the scale of Brazil abroad and leave no room for doubt. In the last decade, on the international arena, we have seen companies that exploit natural resources try to catch up with the game. They’ve tried out new positionings, and reviewed their business strategies in an attempt to extend their reach. Vale spent about R$ 50 million on its rebranding project. Its success clearly shows that a well-crafted branding job adds value.

Vale has significant presence on five continents, with offices in Canada, Australia, China, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Switzerland.

In 2007, for the second consecutive year, Vale earned the John T. Ryan award: its Copper Cliff North mine was rated the year’s safest in Canada.

Also in 2007, the World Education & Development Fund honored the Brazilian company’s commitment to education in Latin America.


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Gerdau

Gerdau is another big commodity player making a huge effort to build its brands through communication and engagement. Ever since it was founded, achieving an international presence was a business goal. Now the leading long steel maker in the Americas and one of the biggest suppliers of specialty steel worldwide, Gerdau has operations in 14 countries, including the monster markets of the United States and India, and sells products on five continents.

Its approach to placing its products and explaining its activity has helped the company establish itself as an exception in the field. Gerdau does not talk about steel purely and simply, but poses it as something present in people’s everyday lives. Like tube manufacturer Tigre, it has been able to create a huge sense of value through a presence that is not immediately visible in everyday life. Gerdau took the trouble to introduce itself and communicate the benefits of its products, which are used in the structures of buildings, bridges, power plants and other major constructions, and as raw materials for the automotive and agriculture industries. In a direct and easily understandable way, it sells quality and other emotional benefits that are so dear to consumers: safety and commitment. The steelmaker was able to connect practical applicability (important to engineers and architects) and tangible gain (economy and quality of building work, essential to the end consumers).

Like a proud artist signing his paintings, Gerdau started putting its own name on its products, directly taking responsibility for them. This might seem off the wall to the untrained eye: after all, we are talking about a segment in which the product is totally lacking in sex appeal. So how could a box of nails or rebar create desire?

It did so because it created a conversation with consumers, who were previously neglected on the other side of the counter. Gerdau did even more to expand this effort—it talked to distributors and builders too. It talked about its nails and fencing’s savings, safety, speedy execution and quality assurance. With the GG 50 brand, the company went further: It started to sell customization, through a service that enabled clients to specify exact dimensions and quantities according to need. It added services to products, created demand and added value to the brand. In 2003, the GG 50 was featured in a TV campaign, and Gerdau benefited from a significant image gain.

But is this lesson applicable to its strategy for internationalizing the brand? And how desirable it is for Gerdau to have an international brand? A simple replication of the model would not necessarily respond to the needs of consumers in other countries, which will require re-orientating, with the company investing more, and seeing this investment as a medium to long-term project in financial terms.

Gerdau has already opened a window onto the world. Its business is now a standout for its exports from manufacturing bases in Brazil, confirming the success of the strategy of conquering new

markets, which it has consolidated over the last 30 years. Gerdau feels that the maxim governing its industrial and basic commodities business - steel cement, pulp, petrochemicals, metals and mining - have been proved. Business is internationalizing irrespective of brand. But the extent to which internationalization adds brand value globally raises a different type of discussion, one in which consumer items and the arduous path to successful branding have much to contribute. To be on the safe side, Gerdau, despite its Gaucho origin, acts with the proverbial prudence of a native of Minas Gerais: It is keeping the corporate brand as part of its acquisition policy, strengthening the century-old Brazilian Gerdau brand, while exporting its attributes.

Capacity for over 20 million tons of steel.

Revenues of R$ 47.6 billion in 2008, with a 36.7 percent increase from the previous year.

The biggest recycling operation in Latin America and the world, making about 16 million tons of scrap into steel every year.

Braskem

Braskem aims to be among of the world’s five largest petrochemicals in a not so distant future. Not bad: All the more so in light of its precociousness. The petrochemical company was founded in 2002, and its trajectory as a business prodigy exudes pride in numbers and ideas. Controlled by the giant Odebrecht conglomerate, Braskem was born from a combination of several companies, and set its course for growth through access to raw material and internationalization.

Here in Brazil, it acquired Politeno (a polyethylene maker) in 2006. In 2007 it acquired the petrochemical assets of the Ipiranga group of companies. Early in 2009, it made waves by taking over the assets of Quattor and also the purchase of a polypropylene plan from the north-American Sunoco Chemicals, with the annual capacity for the production of 950 thousand tons. The operation with Quattor made Braskem, controlled by Odebrecht and Petrobras, the eighth largest manufacturer of plastic resins of the world, and America’s number one. And the acquisition of Sunoco’s operations, apart from an important step towards its growth abroad, took Braskem to the seventh place among the largest global petrochemicals.

If until a short time ago, Braskem was busy with commodities and not much concerned about its brand, its recent history has triggered a change in its behavior. Besides the new acquisitions, that bring new brands to the group’s portfolio, the company is involved in the production of green polyethylene, a product made from renewable raw material.


More than an alternative with commercial impact, green polyethylene presents an option to the transformation industry and for an expressive share of end users, for whom the environmental and sustainable matters weigh in the purchase decision. The Braskem brand can gain visibility in a broad way and also establish a closer relationship with the end user.

The search for renewable raw materials and the commitment to sustainability policies speaks directly to the plastics industry’s new cycle, which is focused on investing in R&D. Braskem has established its role as a pioneer in this field. Its green polyethylene plant is due to be on-stream by late 2010.

What Braskem attains with this initiative is a channel to talk to the world and create interest and buzz about green polyethylene, which is still a novelty. The F1 trophy, designed with the new material, is a good example. When would you see an ordinary plastic trophy become a topic—and when would you see an ordinary plastic trophy hoisted in the air by a Formula 1 winner?

Leader by the scale of its business, in tune with the market trends and moves, Braskem can enjoy the advantages of a strong brand with huge visibility and a much higher relevance. The maintenance of this image and the effort for its improvement and growth, however, demands strategic work, integrated with the company. This involves looking closely at brands that have arrived from its acquisitions and investments—quite a challenge for such a young company that grows and gets stronger before the market’s eyes.

Brazil’s top petrochemical company by gross operating revenue.

Largest petrochemical company in the Americas.

One of Brazil’s top exporters, with a presence in 60 countries.

First to make low density polyethylene based on sugarcane.

Ambev – ABInbev

The brand has always been a fundamental issue for Ambev, which in 1999 was already the fifth biggest beverages manufacturer of the world. Then there was the global alliance with Interbrew when Inbev was created and finally the merger with the American Anheuser Bush originating AB-Inbev, with the dream of becoming the best beer maker of the world.

AMBEV has always been known as a company that invests in its products portfolio. It makes brands using human values: they are spontaneous, original, or funny, simply warm, like people we consider really nice and quickly become friends with. This is how they introduced the most present Brazilian brand worldwide: Brahma. Launched to the world in 2003 with the Ginga concept, the Brazilian philosophy to live life with creativity and spontaneity, Brahma used the slogan “Improvise: Brahma, the beer from Brazil”. And there were images of capoeira, selling our rhythm as pure poetry.

Aligned with the consumption industry activities, AB-Inbev also bet in building up their corporate brand and adopted in their logo the eagle of the centenary beer maker – in a clear demonstration of their intention to preserve the origin and pride that had been built, which created the image of a company with a vibrant future for local consumers and communities.

On the other hand, out of the 13 members of their executive committee, 9 are Brazilian, which helps to carry the Brazilian DNA and management style to international operations.

AB-Inbev is currently facing an inversion of paradigms which might be the focus for many Brazilian brands that face different and very strong cultures. The mission to implement their management style and philosophy in Belgium and in Saint Louis, the American headquarters of Anheuser Bush, has been demanding much more than the “ginga” or resilience of their executives. It is known, for instance, that in the USA there is still a certain unreliability feeling towards “foreigners” who have arrived and, in a certain way, interfere in what was considered to be a synonym of national heritage. Besides the usual challenges faced during a merger, the difficulty to transform the culture of such a company [and of a community] have clear impacts on the performance of a brand and, in the case of Anheuser Bush, might also be responsible for transforming some loyal Budweiser consumers into great appreciators of Schlafly, Miller or Coors.

03.Fun-loving people




In the business world, Brazil’s fun-loving approach to life has crossed oceans and landed on catwalks in many countries.

It is the seasoning that spices up our brands, both their concepts and the way we manage them. We pitch the image

of a fun-loving, vibrant and colorful country, which gives us a great edge, particularly in entertainment. In music,

painting, design, film, and literature, we can show that we are able to have fun and be very professional at the same

time. However, at the same time, we have to be careful not to be perceived negatively for these same traits,

immortalized by the expression “this is not a serious country.”

In Brazil, brands are people who are helping to transform the country’s reputation worldwide, through their

contributions to the cultural repertoire. These people have grasped the fact that building their image is a top priority

for their business, locally and internationally, right from the start. They have important lessons to impart on how

to structure a career without forgetting the important details—this involves commercial and communication

strategies, media relations and marketing. It even involves artistic partnerships: who to build them with, how to do

it, and when. Being global brands themselves, they want to ensure they are treated as valuable assets; so they learn

to read different situations and adapt to different markets and audiences, setting examples to be emulated. Most

particularly, they are innovating and they are thinking long-term. Let’s look at some Brazilian personalities with a

global branding attitude. These leaders of the creative economy are the people to keep an eye on.

Our image consists of smiling, mellow people that enjoy life’s pleasures—a unique and captivating mix,

the heat of the tambourine, a thrill you can touch. Brazilians spread the joy of our brand around the

world with discipline, poise and, or course, talent.


Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho is the world’s bestselling Brazilian author and enjoys global celebrity status. He was there alongside President Lula and Pelé, another unanimously admired Brazilian, when Rio de Janeiro won the dispute to host the 2016 Olympics.

He has been working on changing his image from “magician” to “writer,” by involving himself in the literary community and mentioning his peers in interviews. He wrote Zahir, the first book in Portuguese to be launched worldwide. He has been translated into 56 languages, published in 150 countries and sold over 65 million books.

Unlike other bestselling authors, Paulo personally manages his own career and does not work with a big agency. For his book launches, he gets prior approval on local publishers’ marketing campaigns and has an exclusive agent to deal with them. There are no autograph sessions. Each book launch is crafted as a unique experience, with an eye to publishing in different countries with local circumstances.

Olodum

Olodum started to go international and appear alongside the great pop music idols back in the 1990s. The band was involved with the recording of Paul Simon’s track The Obvious Child. A video clip they filmed in Pelourinho, the old quarter of the city of Salvador, was screened in over a hundred countries.

Their sound was heard in Pelourinho again in a video for Michael Jackson’s They Don’t Care About Us.

They have played in over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, and opened Paul Simon’s Central Park show for an audience of 500,000.

Seu Jorge

Seu Jorge was a member of the band Farofa Carioca, which played at the Free Jazz Festival in 1998, and released the album Moro no Brasil [I live in Brazil] in Brazil, Portugal and Japan.

His first solo album, Samba Esporte Fino, was produced by Beastie Boys producer Mario Caldato Jr. He then went on to play the role of Mane Galinha in City of God, directed by Fernando Meirelles. The movie was nominated for an Oscar.

In 2004, director Wes Anderson casted him for Life Aquatic, shot in Italy with Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Cate Blanchett. Seu Jorge also wrote the soundtrack.

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Brazilian artists are building themselves as brands, devoting special attention to the launch and communication of their work abroad.

The singer Céu: attracting more and more foreign listeners trough careful distribution of her CDs

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Cru, his second CD, came out in France first and was only released in Brazil a year later. A clip for one of the tracks was filmed in Italy with contributions from Willem Dafoe and Bill Murray.

Seu Jorge produces his own video clips and CDs, and is more successful in Europe and Japan than in his own country.

Céu

The singer Céu is focusing on distributing her work. Her first CD was released in 2005 in Brazil and Warner Music handled Latin American distribution.

Two years later she reached the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and Japan.

Céu was the first foreign artist to have an album chosen for the Starbucks Hear Music Debut series, sold at the chain’s cafés and traditional stores too.

She has been nominated for a Grammy award (best contemporary world music).

Bebel Gilberto

Bebel Gilberto built her singing career internationally after moving to New York in 1991.

She’s worked with internationally renowned musicians like Arto Lindsay, David Byrne, and Towa Tey of Dee Lite.

Her first solo album, Tanto Tempo was released on the Ziriguiboom label by the Belgian recording studio Crammed. The album was remixed by famous DJs such as Derrick Carter, Layo & Buschwacka and 4hero. Over a million copies were sold, between original and remix.

Her songs can be heard on the television series Nip/Tuck and Entourage, and in the movie Closer—featuring Samba da Benção, Tanto Tempo and Mais Feliz.

DJ Marky

Marky was the forerunner of jungle and drum’n bass in Brazil and launched Innerground Records, the first Brazilian rhythm label. He built his fame while regularly performing at clubs internationally.

DJ Dolores

DJ Dolores fundiu musica eletrônica e ritmos regionais do Nordeste, criando uma assinatura única para o seu trabalho, que ganhou repercussão internacional. Tem faixas remixadas por nomes como Gilberto Gil, Fernanda Porto e Tribalistas. Participou do projeto ‘Rip, Mash, Sample, Share’ a convite da revista americana Wired.

DJ Mau Mau

Mau Mau is seen as key to the dissemination of electronic music in Brazil. Triple Vision released his remix album, Cidade São Paulo, from the City of God soundtrack, worldwide on vinyl.

He’s taken part in some of the global electronic music scene’s most influential events, including the Open House itinerant party in France, and the Techno Parade in Paris, where he played for an audience of 200,000.

Mauricio de Souza

Mauricio gained a global presence through his comic books and characters and consolidated his brands in several markets through publications and product licensing.

His stories have been translated into 50 languages in 126 countries, with some 3,000 licensed products in 120 countries.

In 2007, Mauricio de Souza Produções, his agreement with Panini Comics, made him visible to foreign markets.

In China, he was hired for a pre-literacy project involving 180 million children.



Fernando Meirelles

The 2002 film City of God was a milestone in Brazilian cinema for a number of reasons: It casted local favela dwellers as actors; it highlighted the local color of life in Brazil (which is not always so fun-loving); and it was nominated for an Oscar in 2004, and was an international box-office success.

The director’s international productions include The Constant Gardener and Blindness, which was selected for opening the Cannes Film Festival.

Rio de Janeiro submitted a video that he created to back its campaign to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Walter Salles

The movie Central Station took the Golden Bear in Berlin and garnered Fernanda Montenegro a best actress award. Fernanda was the first Brazilian actress nominated for an Oscar, also for Central Station.

The Guardian named Salles one of the world’s 40 best filmmakers in 2003.

Behind the Sun was nominated for a Golden Globe in “Best Foreign Picture.” His films are distributed internationally, which make them accessible to a huge audience and help to attract a talented cast—for example, Motorcycle Diaries star Gael García Bernal.

Grupo Corpo

Founded in Belo Horizonte in 1975, this Brazilian dance group has performed in over 14 countries.

From 1996 to 1999, they were residents at Maison de La Danse in Lyon, France, which led to a busy international agenda.

Grupo Corpo now has 34 choreographed dances and has performed more than 2,200 times; the current repertoire comprises of 10 ballets and they have an average of 80 performances every year all over the world—from Iceland to Singapore.

Deborah Colker

The company has performed in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Chile, Colombia, Portugal, Argentina, Canada, United States, the Netherlands, Singapore, New Zealand, Macau, Ireland, Japan and Uruguay.

The company was one of eleven choreographers and directors from various countries that were selected for Bite, a major avant-garde event held at London’s Barbican Centre.

In 2008, it designed the Ovo show for Cirque Du Soleil.

Os Gêmeos

Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, identical twins from São Paulo, pioneered the transformation of street art and works by Brazilian graffiti artists into objects of desire.

Their graffiti can be seen on walls all over the world - USA (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco), Australia, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain, China, Japan, Cuba, Chile and Argentina.

Their work includes curatorial design for projects in which they were commercially involved.

Their visibility and importance abroad are impressive—they received invitations to create graffiti for the facade of the Tate Modern in London, and Kelburn Castle in Scotland.

Campana Brothers

The Campana Brothers revitalized Brazil’s exportable design work. They made their name by reviving craftwork in the face of industrialization.

Using materials easily found on streets in São Paulo, or working with Brazil’s diversified flora, they turn forgotten or discarded objects into pieces for design.

In 1994, they were discovered internationally when they showed work at MoMA’s Project 66 exhibition in New York.

They produce limited editions out of just two factories and the Campana studio in São Paulo. This exclusivity secures their high prices and ensures that their pieces continue to be viewed as “objects of desire.”


A free pass to the Oscar’s red carpet. Os Gêmeos went from from São Paulo’s walls to the Tate Modern, in London.

Graffiti, comic books, dance and cinema: Brazilian culture expands its identity and exports personalities, style and brands.

Pho

tos:

Fer

nan

do M

eire

lles

- Jo

ão V

ain

er, O

sGêm

eos

- Au

tum

n Sw

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r



Fernando Meirelles

The 2002 film City of God was a milestone in Brazilian cinema for a number of reasons: It casted local favela dwellers as actors; it highlighted the local color of life in Brazil (which is not always so fun-loving); and it was nominated for an Oscar in 2004, and was an international box-office success.

The director’s international productions include The Constant Gardener and Blindness, which was selected to open the Cannes Film Festival.

Rio de Janeiro submitted a video that he created to back its campaign to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Walter Salles

The movie Central Station took the Golden Bear in Berlin and garnered Fernanda Montenegro a best actress award. Fernanda was the first Brazilian actress nominated for an Oscar, also for Central Station.

The Guardian named Salles one of the world’s 40 best filmmakers in 2003.

Behind the Sun was nominated for a Golden Globe in “Best Foreign Picture.” His films are distributed internationally, which make them accessible to a huge audience and help to attract a talented cast—for example, Motorcycle Diaries star Gael García Bernal.

Grupo Corpo

Founded in Belo Horizonte in 1975, this Brazilian dance group has performed in over 14 countries.

From 1996 to 1999, they were residents at Maison de La Danse in Lyon, France, which led to a busy international agenda.

Grupo Corpo now has 34 choreographed dances and has performed more than 2,200 times; the current repertoire comprises of 10 ballets and they have an average of 80 performances every year all over the world—from Iceland to Singapore.

Deborah Colker

The company has performed in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Chile, Colombia, Portugal, Argentina, Canada, United States, the Netherlands, Singapore, New Zealand, Macau, Ireland, Japan and Uruguay.

The company was one of eleven choreographers and directors from various countries that were selected for Bite, a major avant-garde event held at London’s Barbican Centre.

In 2008, it designed the Ovo show for Cirque Du Soleil.

Os Gêmeos

Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, identical twins from São Paulo, pioneered the transformation of street art and works by Brazilian graffiti artists into objects of desire.

Their graffiti can be seen on walls all over the world - USA (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco), Australia, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain, China, Japan, Cuba, Chile and Argentina.

Their work includes curatorial design for projects in which they were commercially involved.

Their visibility and importance abroad are impressive—they received invitations to create graffiti for the facade of the Tate Modern in London, and Kelburn Castle in Scotland.

Campana Brothers

The Campana Brothers revitalized Brazil’s exportable design work. They made their name by reviving craftwork in the face of industrialization.

Using materials easily found on streets in São Paulo, or working with Brazil’s diversified flora, they turn forgotten or discarded objects into pieces for design.

In 1994, they were discovered internationally when they showed work at MoMA’s Project 66 exhibition in New York.

They produce limited editions out of just two factories and the Campana studio in São Paulo. This exclusivity secures their high prices and ensures that their pieces continue to be viewed as “objects of desire.”


A free pass to the Oscar’s red carpet. Os Gêmeos went from from São Paulo’s walls to the Tate Modern, in London.

Graffiti, comic books, dance and cinema: Brazilian culture expands its identity and exports personalities, style and brands.

Pho

tos:

Fer

nan

do M

eire

lles

- Jo

ão V

ain

er, O

sGêm

eos

- Au

tum

n Sw

eate

r

04.A flair for improvisation and flexibility



04.A flair for improvisation

and flexibility



A flair for improvising and adapting is one of Brazil’s best traits. It isn’t just obvious in the flexibility of our soccer

players, but in our approach to life in general. We’re good at adjusting pace, learning new steps, and tweaking forms

to create spaces: Watering down a bean stew if unexpected guests turn up; dancing samba, inching tighter on an

overcrowded bus to make room for one more, getting an extra glass to share in a bar, or squeezing an extra person

under a parasol shade on the beach.

All this adaptability obviously works in our favor in the literal sense, but even more so in the figurative sense. When

the need arises, we can change course to deal with the unforeseen, adapt to the unexpected, or reinvent a solution.

This is seen in our resilience, in people’s ability to cope with things, and get over life’s troubles. In business, resilience

is certainly crucial in a crisis - it means quickly and flexibly getting back into shape after a tumble, and adapting to a

new economic scenario.

What does Brazil gain from its flair for improvising and flexibility? In the services sector, in particular, the great

differential is a mixture of inventiveness, an eager attitude, warmth, empathy, and caring concern. Brazil’s financial

services, construction, and aviation industries have garnered so much recognition that our brands in these segments

have built a unique signature and a relevant way of delivering their services to the rest of the world. These are good

examples of how much we have learned from years of successfully lifting ourselves up, dusting ourselves off, and

starting over. In Brazil’s history there have been many scenarios of volatility as tropical as our climate.

As our geography, the swaying of girls’ hips and Niemeyer’s architecture demonstrate, we’ve got a innate

flair for improvisation, flexibility and adaptation. Finding a way is a Brazilian talent –which we applied

well to dodge crisis, predict future desires and form unlikely solutions


Money, money, money

Brazil’s banking sector is extremely consolidated, in order to function as a strong protector for people’s savings in financial meltdown scenarios. Due to their resilience and sound fundamentals, our financial institutions have made major brand image gains in tricky situations, such as the recent world economic crisis. They have are capable of delivering confidence and stability to their clients. After all, in the banking segment, to paraphrase a credit card tagline, a strong brand is priceless.

Itaú Unibanco S.A.

In November 2008, the Itaú-Unibanco merger shook the banking industry. The largest in Brazilian history, the two banks’ assets totaled R$ 575 billion. The new institution not only grew in terms of numbers, but also gained stature internationally and made the list of the world’s top 20 banks by market capital.

Their assets were also joined in terms of image and brand. Itaú’s consistent image as a hi-tech bank is just right for clients requiring multiple services; Unibanco introduced what it calls “30-hour banking,” and adds a modern but more humanized profile. The result is a very flexible brand that can support different and complementary cultures, host new segments and activities, and lend them strength, efficiency, and flexibility. The bank recently demonstrated its ability to extend as a brand; its association with Porto Seguro improved its value and image. All these achievements have been taken up a notch, while the global financial crisis has almost sunk some big transatlantic liners—some of them (Citigroup, UPS, Merrill Lynch) with a history going back over a hundred years. Brazilian banks have come through this tidal wave relatively unscathed. Itaú Unibanco S.A., now one of the leading private banks and the biggest bank in the Southern Hemisphere, has strengthened its image as a solid bank and caught the eye of the international community.

Its business reputation has been solidified. But what about the brand? How will it travel? What is the road forward, and what is its potential for gaining ground and relevance worldwide?

The Itaú brand has unique characteristics to favor cross-border potential. Its strong name is short, easy to say and remember, and distinctive in the category. Itaú is a Tupi Guarani word meaning “black rock.” Its orange-colored visual identity is distinctive too; it is unique among Brazilian banks and rare in the rest of the world, where everybody uses red (Bradesco, HSBC, Santander, Bank of America) or shades of blue (Credit Suisse, Citibank, and so many others).

This orange bank is leading the pack by integrating offers, expanding its activities and services portfolio, and looking beyond Brazil, or the Atlantic Ocean. Another advantage is that its flexibility enables it to adapt the internationalization strategy to different countries. It can enter the country as a retail bank or a boutique operation. In light of the window of opportunity factor, and weighing in what Itaú now has in terms of international presence, starting out in a foreign country with a more premium offer would appear to be more consistent. History shows this is a feasible strategy—UBS, for example, is a full service bank in Switzerland but operates as an investment bank in some countries.

On the other hand, building a reputation and a brand in international retail banking, in addition to the effort of having to retell the whole Itaú story and contextualize it for foreign audiences poses a challenge. The HSBCs, Santanders, Citibanks, and hundreds of other red and blue banks have a significant advantage.



It is important to note that the acquisitions road is still open though–an attractive way of getting a foothold in a new territory. Santander did this by buying Banco Real in Brazil. An acquisition helps with capillarity and physical presence through the branches’ network. But the primary factor in this situation is that the Itaú brand must not lose its essence or consistency.

On doing business in an unknown territory, a brand may be subjected to the threat of fragmentation and consequent weakening. In more exclusive segments (such as asset management, corporate, investment banking, private bank), Itaú could forge ahead with internationalization. An example: since Itaú’s acquisition of BBA in 2002, it has a larger corporate business presence, which was also the case when Oi acquired Brazil Telecom, or when Anglo American bought out Eike Batista’s MMX mining operation. Itaú did the coordinating for Gerdau’s IPO, and Vale’s too. Itaú BBA has an international mindset, starting with its hand-picked team, many who come from the world’s best investment banks, including Credit Suisse, UBS, and Deutsche Bank. These professionals personify improvisation and flexibility. They are recognized for their ability to find creative solutions, cope with crises, and learn enduring lessons from these crises. In the game of numbers and earnings, Brazilian financial sector brands paradoxically build their difference through one intangible asset: the talent of people who express the Brazilian approach and do so in a serious and professional manner.

4,911 branches and points of service.

Present in 12 countries with 210 overseas branches and 15 regional offices.

The only Brazilian bank among the world’s top 20 by market capitalization.

Banco do Brasil

Banco do Brasil blends with the history of Brazil. After 200 years in business, it has over 4,000 branches and 13,000 points of service. The bank does business literally all over Brazil and it is Latin America’s most profitable bank with assets worth US$ 306.8 billion according to consultancy Economática. True to its attitude and its mission of contributing to Brazil’s development, it is present in 142 countries and has 14 international branches.

But presence and internationalization are not a synonym. The BB brand’s current attitude in the international sphere seems to be more one of supporting the institution’s mission, and adding value to the bank’s image by providing support for Brazilian investors, along with services for Brazilians residing abroad. It is not really working for brand perception internationally, or translating and consolidating the equity it has already built up on the domestic front.

But ideas may change, and strategies ought be revised to respond to paths of the global and globalized scenario. If it aims to really reach out and build an international brand, BB has to deal with

certain challenges already being posed, starting with its name. Although Brazil is the star of the BRICs, its image is still tarnished by liabilities in terms of political and economic instability. So BB has to do its homework by working on a name that already has an established meaning, which requires offsetting possible interferences such as lack of solidity and seriousness. It has to boost whatever the brand has in terms of differentials, then export them and fill in gaps that markets in other countries may have in relation to their perceptions of Brazilian banks. There is also the matter of Banco do Brasil being a public-sector bank; people may question the independence of its management strategies.

As an international brand, Banco do Brasil has a number of advantages. It is the leader in financial transactions involving exports (31.4 percent market share) and imports (24.5 percent) and in agribusiness, which is one of the bank’s propellers. This leadership position has added weight when you consider the strategic advantages that BB may gain by tracking agribusiness brands that are being built in international markets.

4,958 branches and over 12,000 points of service.

Present in 142 countries, with 14 branches, 31 offices and subsidiaries and more than 1,000 correspondent banks.

Latin America’s most profitable bank, with assets totaling US$ 306.8 billion (Economática consultants). It is one of three banks shortlisted by the Financial Times for Financial Sustainability 2009.

Bradesco

Another financial sector brand that has the potential for going international is Bradesco. In Brazil, this institution is highly recognized for capillarity and solidity. It is present in every city in Brazil. In terms of financial performance, it has everything to celebrate - like Itaú Unibanco S.A., it did very well and even got stronger during the crisis.

However, the brand’s visibility in other countries does not seem to be high on the agenda for the bank’s growth strategy. Growing its domestic market still stands out as its main goal. The Bradesco brand contributes decisively to the feasibility of this growth, for the ability to deliver on promises and add value to an image that has been built through smart communication initiatives and innovative services of different kinds, such as postal banks, an initiative that dates back to 2001.

Despite the potential for internationalization anchored Brazil’s excellent performance, the bank decided to focus on its domestic-market brand strategy. Foreign market focus was regulated to the business of monitoring foreign trade transactions through its branches and subsidiaries. In light of the tradition and equity it has built locally, it does not seem inclined to work on an internationalization strategy based on any specialized offer.


In the capital market segment, which theoretically would involve more dialogue with foreign investors, the BBI brand, which Bradesco created three years ago, has yet to show the world what it is made of. If specialized offerings are posed as a road to growth internationally, one worthwhile alternative would be to strengthen BBI first and show that Bradesco, in addition to being a large retail bank in Brazil, has the capability of leveraging its history and expertise to provide competitive and relevant deliverables in different segments internationally.

In either scenario, as in the case of Banco do Brasil, Bradesco will have to tackle the issue of its name, the main problem being pronunciation. Its predominantly red visual identity, a common feature in the banking segment, does not help to boost presence and obtain differentiation from players such as Santander and HSBC.

4,613 branches and points of banking services. Totaling over 34,000 points of service [including correspondent banks].

Present in 6 countries, 11 branches and subsidiaries abroad.

Latin America’s second most profitable bank (Economática consultancy).



An eye in the sky

The recent history of Brazil’s aviation industry honors the tradition of Alberto Santos Dumont, the nation’s founding father in this field, without wishing to argue the merits of whether he or the Wright Brothers were the first to fly. The Brazilian brands now crossing the planet’s skies are renowned for quality, technology and expertise. This is helping to build the “Made in Brazil” label in the category of private jets and certain military aircraft. Over verve and flair are noted in out ability to adapt to client requirements, and our competence squares up to many of the bigger players that have logged in many more flight hours.)

Embraer

The starlet of our aviation industry has 40 years experience in design, manufacturing, marketing and after sales. Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has made nearly 5,000 aircrafts that are now flying over 88 countries on the five continents. A Brazilian company right down to its name, it was originally state-owned but was privatized in 1994. It was Brazil’s top exporter from 1999 to 2001, and second biggest exporter in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

The most interesting aspect of the Embraer brand is precisely the fact that it is respected and well known despite having little contact with end consumers—airline passengers, in this case. Embraer does not have its name painted in big letters on fuselages of fleets shuttling passengers to and from everyday. Compared with the investment made by many similar sized companies in other sectors, and their aspiration for visibility, Embraer’s investment in its brand is modest. Its client base is predominantly international. But it has gained presence and posts strong and compelling results in commercial aviation (regional jets), military aviation, and business jets. In addition to its product line, Embraer stands out for its meticulous customer support service. This is an essential differential for a brand that built its reputation internationally and geared to consolidate its image by positioning itself close to the clients. Once again, we see the human factor adding value to the brand’s tangible deliverables and extending this promise.

As a source of pride for locals and a reference for foreigners, Embraer is already an international brand in terms of its behavior and its physical presence. To service a global customer base, it has built alliances with world-class partners. It sells, distributes and produces abroad, with regional offices in the United States, Europe, China and Singapore. It is driven by innovation throughout the chain, and invests heavily in edge technology. Recently it presented a plane that promises to revolutionize the market for military defense aircraft: the Super Tucano, the only turboprop aircraft made in the world, which stands out for its low operating costs. In the light and ultralight aircraft categories, orders reached record levels shortly after models were launched in 2008 and 2009.

Technology and accuracy in a warm and human way. It s the competitive advantage that put Brazilian brands and services in the global spotlight.


Although it has a low-profile attitude in terms of communication, the Embraer brand has been built through consistent positioning, synergy with the business strategy, and its eminently international call.

The world’s third-largest aircraft manufacturer.

Exports account for 96 percent of net revenue.

It has units in France, Singapore, the United States, China and Portugal.

North America takes 43 percent of its sales.

Customers include Alitalia, JetBlue Airways, US Airways, and Saudi Arabian.

TAM

Using the same reasoning, if good customer service, high quality professionals and fine services were decisive in building and strengthening Embraer’s brand identity, commercial aviation offers us another success story - TAM, the Brazilian brand that has conquered spaces on the road to its internationalization.

In the 1960s, TAM started with ten pilots and single-engine aircraft flying passengers and cargo between the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso. The TAM brand was rising by 1976 and grew fast as the 1980s started. By 1981 it had flown one million passengers.From the beginning its key achievement and greatest differential was that it beat many other competitors to detect an issue that seems obvious today: you cannot treat passengers and cargo in the same way. Passengers had to be the target, and required close and constant contact—a business philosophy that helped TAM build its differentials. It ultimately changed the way we view flying and got a head start in service customization. And its red carpets have been emblematically rolled out for every flight since 1989.

The business strategy has changed over time. TAM stewarded its brand with enough flexibility to continue communicating its values and attributes as its offer expanded. As its operations extended



to fly to more states, the passenger volume soared. By the mid-1990s, it was flying to every major airport in the country. By 1998 it was offering direct flights to Miami, and to Paris in 1999.

TAM’s brand has been developed in total alignment with the company’s growth, communicating innovation, technology, flexibility and resilience. Proof of this resilience is in the way TAM’s brand emerged practically unscathed after two of the worst crashes in the history of Brazilian aviation (1996 and 2007). In addition to these events, the last decade has seen a downturn in the industry in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, then the economy picked up with higher demand over the last five years. TAM not only grew in terms of numbers and results, but also geared up to serve new needs and demands, while remaining poised to take action in the globalized context and compete with international brands boasting longer traditions and higher levels of awareness. TAM became a quality option for passengers from other continents. More frequent flights, new international routes, strategic partnerships with companies such as Portugal’s TAP, touth America’s LAN, United Airlines in the States, and Germany’s Lufthansa. In 2007, TAM’s market share reached 64.3 percent in the category of international routes flown by Brazilian airlines.

The coming years will provide even more opportunities for TAM to gain exposure and build its image as tourists flood into Brazil for the World Cup and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. As well as opportunities, new challenges are looming on the brand’s horizon in the shape of real-time media attention, with all eyes on Brazil, and booming demand. TAM will have to maintain its consistent delivery, keep its promises and gain flexibility to serve a new and varied audience and their high level of expectations in relation to Brazil’s industry leader.

Domestic market leader for over four years.

Now flying to 42 airports in Brazil. Reaches 79 different destinations nationwide through commercial agreements with regional airlines.

Ended 2008 with shares of 49.1 percent and 85.5 percent(record for the brand) in the domestic and international markets respectively .


Under construction

Housing is a very suitable ground for brand building. While internationalization does not involve placing signs in front of buildings in different countries, it does mean gaining recognition and improving a brand’s image among foreign investors, as well as consolidating a brand on the upside potential of its assets. A respectable amount of investment is coming into the sector. Consultants Cushman & Wakefield report that in 2007, Brazil was eleventh in the world for foreign investment in real estate, with about US$ 14 billion. Volume was up 143 percent on the previous year. Among the emerging countries, only China outperformed us with US$ 15 billion.

Brazil’s real estate market is booming. Investors and banks have their eye on this growth and for the first time are ready for large-scale ventures here. I am not talking about purely and simply lending money, which is the most traditional form of participation in this activity. Other possibilities include real estate securities, investment funds, and construction industry stocks.

After the global financial chaos of 2008, foreign investors once again turned to shares in the Brazilian construction companies that started to go public and launch IPOs in 2005. In line with this trend, many large construction companies have been building their brands to communicate effectively in other countries, thus attracting larger volumes of funds to the local market. In this respect, a strong brand may be a key factor when crucial decisions are made.

An increase in purchase capability and a booming economy create numerous opportunities for aviation and construction brands in Brazil.



Gafisa

Cyrela

The Rio-based company Gafisa has been in business for over 50 years, and has worked on its brand and envisaged courses of action capable of supporting new business strategies. It was founded by Gomes de Almeida Fernandes, became Gafisa Imobiliária in the 1980s and then Gafisa S.A. in 1997, on joining with GP Investimentos. Today, it is one of Brazil’s leading builders in housing and real estate development. Its brand conveys quality, solidity, and commitment to customers.

Changes in Gafisa’s business goals, internal organization and share ownership have been efficiently integrated with its brand strategy to boost its relevance and ability to deal with new offers appropriately. There was the investment of Equity International Properties, the international arm of Sam Zell (the American mega investor), that now has a 32 percent stake in Gafisa. In 2006 the company held an IPO on Bovespa and a year alter was also traded on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming the first Brazilian residential developer to be listed on the NYSE.

The Gafisa brand has been built internationally without physical presence of its product, which may sound contradictory. But there is a lesson here as to how to gain value to the extent investors require on the basis of solidity and financial and business performance.

A similar path was taken by Cyrela Brazil Realty, another industry giant that now leads the housing construction sector in São Paulo’s urban center and accounts for 15 percent of the Brazilian real estate development market. The initiatives taken by the company—and its brand—consistently catered to its aspirations for geographic expansion and consolidated Cyrela’s presence in every region in Brazil. It enlarged its ability to generate business and reach more audiences through joint ventures with other builders. A division

was also created to handle transactions related to corporate buildings, logistics centers and shopping malls. Additionally, its Living brand was conceived to cater to low-cost and very-low-cost developments. On top of all the above, IPOs placed the brand in touch with a different kind of audience: investors.

As the company’s value rose, image gains accrued too. For three consecutive years, Cyrela has been listed as one of Carta Capital magazine’s Most Admired Companies in Brazil. It has garnered awards for its performance in the category and won Top Marketing in 2007. The near future suggests many business opportunities for the brand as well. For example, the Rio de Janeiro’s hosting of the 2016 Olympics, poses a perfect scenario to consolidate these gains, and add even more value to the brand through contact with new audiences.

Major developments

One of the first sectors that established Brazil’s competence and potential for global growth was the construction engineering industry, which tackled major projects such as bridges, dams, and reservoirs. Having plenty of manpower available locally, Brazilian contractors carried out huge projects domestically, developed their expertise and with know-how to spare and their own particular approach to the business, they ventured out into the world.

Trained by adverse situations typical of developing countries, Brazilian contractors expanded to Africa and the Middle East, working in difficult regions and countries scourged by civil war, where established builders took no interest at the time, probably because they were not willing to take the risk of being first. A unique feature for companies in this sector is that brand building took place organically through relationships in and around government—the government helped dictate the main target audience and the decision makers in the vast

majority of cases. This relationship between contractors and government was a source of controversy. Because it was such a target for attacks, it is totally inhospitable territory for brand building. This explains the industry majors’ low profile in the past, with a low-key approach to their achievements and brand communication.

However, time has passed and the situation has improved in the sense of allowing government contractor dialogue to take place more openly, and be monitored by the general public. In addition, transparency and accountability are now mandatory for any major company providing services in whatever segment. In the current situation, contractors must not be indifferent: The importance of nurturing their image and building a brand that impacts the entire community is now beginning to loom large. Gone are the days of total focus on the governmental level.

It is important to note that a strong brand may be the best way to bullet proof a business in the face of setbacks, both locally and internationally; TAM is a good example of brand that maintained a good reputation, even after its plane crashes. This is especially essential to construction brands, as a major construction project could come under heavy fire if a disaster were to occur: the collapse of the subway tunnel site in São Paulo, for example, or delayed delivery of the city’s new ring road. Now that the issue of construction projects is really set to catch fire, amid the euphoria of the upcoming World Cup and the Olympics, everybody wants to know who will be held accountable for materializing wonderful ideas such as the Rio-São Paulo high-speed train. However, the challenges here are monumental as the brand must be internationally friendly, as well as accident-proof.

Odebrecht

Odebrecht was founded in 1944. During Brazil’s boom period, it grew by tackling public-works projects. Odebrecht S.A. is now a holding company. In addition to the construction and engineering segments, it operates in oil and gas, environmental engineering, real estate, sugar and ethanol, chemicals and petrochemicals, insurance and warranties, and private pensions.

In construction and engineering specifically, Odebrecht drew international visibility for emblematic projects here in Brazil, such as the Tom Jobim International Airport and the Angra I thermonuclear plant in Rio de Janeiro. It took on its first international projects in the 1970s: a hydroelectric dam in Peru and the Rio Maule diversion dam in Chile. These experiences were successful. The company’s reputation was consolidated and its appetite grew. Large-scale construction projects of this magnitude are not built everyday (even though the country needs infrastructure), so an international presence in this industry is a non-negotiable and mandatory pillar of the business: A construction company has to go wherever there is the need and enough cash to pay for its services. So, Odebrecht, like its competitors, decided to expand, and the path it chose was to integrate foreign companies and open subsidiaries in strategic regions. Acquisitions included José Bento Pedroso e Filho, a Portuguese civil engineering company and public work builder, which ensured Odebrecht’s entry in the European market, and SLP Engineering, a British offshore builder serving North Sea oil and gas companies.

Its international presence and large-scale-project expertise won the company contracts in 35 countries (in the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East), and made it Latin America’s largest construction company and one of the world ‘s top 25.



An Odebrecht sign at a construction site is a reassuring symbol of tradition, recognition and extensive experience. The company’s brand was comfortably approaching another relationship audience: major corporations. Increasingly internationalized and global giants from a wide range of sectors were looking for specialized, reputable partners whose attributes of seriousness and reliability would be crucial at the time of signing a contract because they are practically a “shield” against possible headaches. Almost anything can happen in the course of a project that takes years to conclude. Odebrecht is now running projects for clients such as Arcelor Mittal (the leading steel maker), laying over 240 km of railroads in Liberia], and Vale in Brazil, building a processing plant for the Moatize coal mine.

Camargo Corrêa

Like Odebrecht, Camargo Corrêa has been in business since 1939 and is now one of Brazil’s largest private business conglomerates. It has diversified its business: engineering and construction; cements; footwear, textiles and steel; utility concessions; real estate development, environment and corporate. It also operates in 20 countries and employs 57,000 people. In the construction segment, its main presence is in infrastructure, shipbuilding, oil and gas and engineering services.

Despite a history of growth very similar to Odebrecht’s, the pace of events and was very different, as was its internationalization strategy. The first international experience for Camargo Correa was also in the 1970s: a project to upgrade the capacity of the Guri plant in Venezuela. But it was only in 2007 that the company decided to forcefully penetrate new markets in other countries by setting up a business unit specifically for this purpose. In its first year in business, the initiative was already getting good results:

R$ 417 million net revenue, accounting for 13 percent of Camargo Corrêa’s E & C division’s revenue.

A feature common to the mega contractors is that major projects for the Brazilian government were used as showcases and this certainly weighed in the balance when international clients signed with Camargo Correa. Its portfolio contained large hydroelectric dams, the Rio-Niteroi bridge, the São Paulo subway, the Brazil-Bolivia oil pipeline, and Guarulhos International Airport. Abroad, Camargo Corrêa projects included the inter-oceanic route (giving Bolivia access to the Pacific coastline), redevelopment of the city of Luanda in Angola, and the Matachica-Huancayo bridge in Colombia—a 56-kilometer stretch at 3,200 meters altitude in the Andes.

The company went on to expand its operational territory without acquisitions of local contractors—a strategy adopted by Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez. In the case of Camargo Corrêa, its physical presence increasingly consolidated in different countries, most notably in South America and Africa, running projects such the Panama Canal widening or the Mphanda Nkuwa hydroelectric dam in Mozambique.


Andrade Gutierrez

Founded in 1948, Andrade Gutierrez features in the pantheon of Brazil’s biggest contractors. It tackled major projects including the Itaipu hydroelectric dam, São Paulo subway’s North-South line, and Confins International Airport in Belo Horizonte.

Taking a different route than its main competitors, it started running major international projects in the 1980s, following in the footsteps of its former customer—the Brazilian government. At the time, for political and economic reasons, Brazil was investing in the Congo, and Andrade Gutierrez was commissioned to build a highway there.

Some years later, in 1988, it opened up a gateway to the European market through the acquisition of the Portuguese construction company Zagope. With Zagope, Andrade built the Lisbon subway and Funchal International Airport on the Island of Madeira. Interestingly, Andrade Gutierrez uses two different brands for its international operations: in Latin America, it uses the Andrade Gutierrez brand; in Europe, Africa and Asia, it has the Zagope logo with an endorsement from the Andrade Gutierrez group. This approach preserves each company’s equity and recognition in the different regions, which certainly are intrinsic to each brand. At the same time it consolidates its reputation as a group, and refines a more flexible brand strategy for the near future.

Andrade Gutierrez is present in 11 countries and has delivered projects in Africa, Mexico, the United States and the Caribbean, among others. In 2008, the contractor’s construction sector posted R$ 4.34 million gross revenue, 25 percent of it from outside Brazil. Through this brand, Brazil is becoming builder to the world.

A laid-back way of thinking does not negatively impact the quality of Brazil’s services. On the contrary, itit is a breath of fresh air that fosters innovation.

credits


analysis and copy

Equipe Interbrand Brasil

research

Priscila Tutida

copy editing

Cristina Ramalho

graphic project

Eduardo Hirama

art assistance

Marília Bertolucci

illustration

Abiuro

references

internet

http://designmuseum.org

http://casa.abril.com.br

http://revistacasaejardim.globo.com

http://modanpv.blogspot.com

http://movimentonatura.wordpress.com

http://natura.comunique-se.com.br

www.abest.com.br

www.abihpec.org.br

www.abit.org.br

www.acobrasil.org.br

www.andradegutierrez.com.br

www.bradesco.com.br

www.bb.com.br

www.braskem.com.br

www.cafedecolombia.com

www.ciadeborahcolker.com.br

www.citrosuco.com.br

www.citrovita.com.br

www.cyrela.com.br

www.diversaoearte.com

www.e-architect.co.uk

www.embraer.com.br

www.epoca.com.br

www.estadao.com.br

www.fecomercio-rj.org.br

www.fibria.com.br

www.french-music.org

www.myspace.com

www.gerdau.com.br

www.giselebundchen.com.br

www.global21.com.br

www.globo.com

www.grendene.com.br

www.grupocorpo.com.br

www.hstern.com.br

www.innergroundmusic.com

www.itau.com.br

www.jbs.com.br

www.marfrig.com.br

www.marisolsa.com.br

www.mdic.gov.br

www.meionorte.com

www.meucinemabrasileiro.com

www.modarevenda.com

www.mossonline.com

www.mundohq.com.br

www.nativealimentos.com.br

www.natura.net

www.nytimes.com

www.odebrechtcom.br

www.camargocorrea.com.br

www.gafisa.com.br

www.tamexpress.com.br

www.palavraeditoraearte.com.br

www.paulocoelho.com

www.petrobras.com.br

www.pressdisplay.com

www.radarcultura.com.br

www.sadia.com.br

www.santamoda.com.br

www.suafranquia.com

www.tate.org.uk

www.terra.com.br

www.uol.com.br

www.vale.com

www.wikipedia.org

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publications and corporate materials

Apresentação para APIMEC

Agência Estado

Euromonitor

Jornal do Commercio do Amazonas

Natura Prospecto Definitivo V7

O Estado de S. Paulo

Ranking das Transnacionais Brasileiras Fundação Dom Cabral

Relatórios Anuais das empresas citadas

Revista Rural

Revista TAM Nas Nuvens

Revista Veja

Revista Exame 500 +

Revista Exame

Infoinvest Exame

Revista Isto É

Revista Isto É Dinheiro

Revista Você SA / 150 Melhores empresas para você trabalhar

Valor Econômico

16 Best Brazilian Brands

Activity areas

Brand Strategy

Strategy is the fine art of keeping every activity and factor in place.

By working closely with our clients, our Brand Strategy team defines and puts in place the actions needed to deliver an agreed result. This will be in line with the overall business strategy behind the brand creation, and ensure the long-term, consistent implementation and management of the brand.

Corporate Design

Visually, a brand must do more than just capture attention, it must capture your brand strategy and bring it to life.

Our Corporate Design teams create identity systems that give a visual language to analytical knowledge and strategic thinking. That way, we understand how the brand will be seen and interacted with, as well as the business context in which it must function. We identify and utilize every brand touchpoint – from print to environments – so that we can create a lasting and coherent brand identity system.

Brand Valuation

We pioneered brand valuation in 1984, understanding the importance of an accurate measure of a brand’s worth in business strategy.

As the first company to publicly put a value on a brand, we have seen the worth of the brand itself, far outstrip its physical assets. This makes our valuation process a uniquely valuable strategy and validation tool – recognized by businesses, academic and regulatory bodies, and accountancy and legal practices. For our clients, it is essential for any form of investment and marketing decisions.

To date we’ve conducted several thousand valuations, giving us unrivaled breadth and depth of sector knowledge. So, an Interbrand valuation carries ultimate market credibility.

About Interbrand Interbrand began in 1974 when the world still thought of brands as just another word for logo. We have changed the dialogue, redefined the meaning of brand management, and continue to lead the debate on understanding brands as valuable business assets.

We now have nearly 40 offices and are the world’s largest brand consultancy. Our practice brings together a diverse range of insightful right-and left-brain thinkers making our business both rigorously analytical and highly creative. Our work creates and manages brand value for clients by making the brand central to the business’s strategic goals.

We’re not interested in simply being the world’s biggest brand consultancy. We want to be the most valued.

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What about Brazilian Brands?

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