Marketing At Its BEST


You know when you see a really good movie it stays with you for days? For really good movies, you may find yourself thinking about it often or quoting directly from it. Well this is pretty much the effect that the “We All Grow” Summit had on me this past week. Which is a pretty cool thing given that it was a conference and not a movie.  Who thought conferences could be so engaging and so much fun?! 

This conference made an incredibly strong impact on me.  It spoke to me not just as a professional, but as a woman, as a mom, and as a Latina. I had the opportunity to learn many new things, to connect with like-minded women, and to get my creative ideas flowing. Just like the name implies, I grew at this conference…

I grew my thinking, I grew my network, I grew my ideas, and I grew my confidence.

As great as it was, I was very impressed with the brands that sponsored this conference, especially Neutrogena and Dove, who took the conference experience to a whole different level. Their sessions were short of spectacular. They made it personal, they made it inspiring, they made it raw, never once pushing their products on us. As a marketing strategic planner, it is my job to connect brands and consumers, and I saw first hand how powerfully they managed to do so. In the creative briefs I develop, I strive to make an authentic connection because people buy for emotional reasons, not logical ones. Great brands aim for their customers’ heart, not their money, and these two brands accomplished exactly that.

Dove’s #SpeakBeautiful resonated with me because I understand that words hold power. Think about how prevalent negative words are in the digital world? Knowing how to use positive words is a great tool for achieving success, improving your life, and helping others.  I have many memories of positive things my parents told me throughout life that have always stayed with me. I aim to do the same with my kids.

I connected with Neutrogena’s #VerasQueEsPosible messaging because it was empowering and inspirational, encouraging us to go after what we want. That anything is possible if the determination, the perseverance, and the desire is there. When I look in the mirror, I don’t only see myself, I see my mom, I see my sisters, I see my kids, and I know that if I put my mind to it, anything is possible.

You had to be there to feel the magic.  Just looking at my fellow Latinas, I could see by the look on their faces, their tears and laughter, how these moments were eliciting a strong emotion and transforming something inside. What a great way to leave a mark on people and thus build brand affinity!

I rarely get to see the emotional connections many brands aim to create with their consumers because when and if it happens, it’s usually at home, behind a screen, or at the store.  What I got to see and experience was marketing at its best and I’m glad I was at the receiving end of it.


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