Smashing Success: How Alvaro Luque Turned a Commodity into the #1 Preferred Brand in the Country
Alvaro Luque, the President and CEO of Avocados From Mexico, is credited with transforming a brandless commodity into a cultural icon and the leading avocado brand in the U.S. The discussion delves into Alvaro's journey and the innovative strategies he employed, such as taking a CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) approach to marketing fresh produce and making Avocados From Mexico the first fresh brand to advertise in the Super Bowl. He explores the critical role of cultural intelligence and inclusive marketing in today's diverse and often polarized consumer landscape, and he emphasizes the importance of a brand understanding its unique role and purpose – for Avocados From Mexico, it's about making people "healthy and happy" regardless of their background.
The conversation also touches upon how to achieve cultural relevance authentically by ensuring it's grounded in the company's core strategy, rather than chasing fleeting trends. Alvaro shares insights into the decision-making process behind their groundbreaking Super Bowl campaigns, which were pivotal in building brand narrative and digital presence, ultimately racking up over 62 billion impressions. Furthermore, he discusses the evolving impact of AI in marketing and insights, and he provides examples of how Avocados From Mexico is leveraging AI for pretesting marketing assets and creating unique, personalized brand experiences. The dialogue also offers a glimpse into Alvaro's personal inspirations and advice for aspiring professionals.
Takeaways:
- Integrate Cultural Events in Marketing: Use significant cultural events like the Super Bowl, Cinco de Mayo, and New Year's Eve to align your brand with moments of high cultural importance and inclusivity.
- Adopt a CPG Mentality: Implement Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) strategies even for non-CPG products. Hiring talent from the CPG industry can help foster a branding mindset that can transform a commodity into a recognizable brand.
- Use Bold, Unconventional Strategies: Don't be afraid to take big risks, such as running ads in the Super Bowl. These bold moves can significantly amplify brand awareness and set your brand apart from competitors.
- Strategic Use of AI: Employ AI tools to enhance different facets of business, such as pretesting marketing messages for both brand connection and purchase intention, as well as creating engaging customer experiences.
- Create Authentically Cultural Content: Ensure your marketing campaigns are relevant to both your brand's identity and the cultural narratives of your target audience. Authenticity can significantly boost cultural relevance and brand loyalty.
- Understand the Role of Your Brand: Clearly define your brand’s reason for existing and its role in consumers' lives. This helps in determining whether your brand should take social or political stands, and how it can contribute positively to your audience.
- Leverage Insights and Data: Constantly use data and insights to drive marketing strategies. Data-driven decisions can unlock new market opportunities and significantly improve marketing effectiveness.
Quote of the Show:
- "We are the brand police. Everything has to be branded. If it’s not branded, it doesn’t go out. We’re not just selling avocados; we’re building a brand, and that’s a big difference."
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvaro-luque-9512031a/
- Website: https://avocadosfrommexico.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6zWYQ3jHAH2t7Fp1IGKnex
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/cultural-fluency-makers-unlocking-business-growth-through-cultural-intelligence/19aa6ec3-7bd8-47d2-92f3-dd77a6296383/episodes
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1940eb19-acfb-45c1-bd1e-a4620ca9256e
- Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/cultural-fluency-makers-unlock-5790367
- Transistor: https://culturalfluencymakers.com/
- YouTube: https://youtu.be/eiJClamSnx0
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