This interview features Camila Tomas Verdaguer, an expert in the fragrance industry with a career spanning P&G, Puig, and L'Oréal. She discusses her transition to leading an open innovation project at Puig, focusing on revolutionary developments like Airparfum and WikiParfum. These technologies aim to enhance the fragrance shopping experience by allowing unlimited scent trials without sensory saturation and offering a visual language to understand better and personalize scents. Camila highlights the importance of addressing consumer pain points, the role of uncertainty in innovation, and the potential for widespread industry and societal benefits, including applications in health diagnostics and sustainability.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:13 Camila's Journey

02:29 The Shift to Open Innovation

04:19 Challenges and Insights in Fragrance Development

08:21 Air Purfume and Wikiparfarm Projects

12:43 Understanding Consumer Preferences

16:35 Technological Innovations in Fragrances

30:03 Future Vision and Personalization

37:15 Exploring Broader Applications

Open Innovation Projects

Wikiparfum

Air Parfum

Filiberto Amati interviews Duncan Hoy, a seasoned retail professional with extensive experience in the supermarket industry. They discuss Hoy's career journey from the British Army to leading roles in major retail companies and how the retail landscape has evolved over the past 10-15 years. Key topics include industry consolidation, the rise of discount retailers, shifts from supplier-driven to customer-driven models, and the impact of online shopping and digitization. Additionally, they explore the importance of sustainability and the challenges emerging brands face when breaking into the market. The conversation provides insights into the complexities and strategies involved in modern retail, emphasizing the need for adaptability and customer-centric approaches.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:06 Meet Duncan Hoy: From Military to Retail

03:31 The Evolution of the Supermarket Industry

05:01 Impact of Discounters on Traditional Retailers

11:17 The Rise of Convenience Stores

22:28 Digitalization and Supply Chain Innovations

29:33 Sustainability in Retail

40:09 Advice for Emerging Brands

Lisa Phelan and Filiberto Amati chatted about the innovative application of AI in consumer research, focusing on tools like PersonifAI and synthetic respondents. They discuss how AI-driven personas maintain ongoing consumer insights and make research more dynamic and responsive. They also highlight the importance of AI in enhancing processes, extending insights, and maintaining confidentiality without compromising the human-centric nature of consumer research. The conversation touches on the potential pitfalls of over-reliance on AI, emphasizing the need for strategic rather than tactical use. The episode concludes with practical advice on implementing insights into action.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Exploring AI in Consumer Research

02:38 PersonifAI: AI-Based Personas

11:26 Synthetic Respondents and QuantifAI

27:42 Conclusions

In this episode of the Growth Brands and More podcast, host Filiberto Amati welcomes Lisa Phelan, a former colleague and expert in market research and consumer advocacy. Lisa shares her journey from agency work to founding the strategic insight agency, F’inn, which focuses on human-centric innovation. They discuss the significant role of understanding people's motivations in successful branding and marketing strategies. The conversation also delves into a comprehensive self-initiated study on mental health in the U.S., discussing findings related to financial stress, health care, social media's impact, and the importance of empathy in both personal and professional settings. The episode concludes with actionable insights and the importance of applying learnings to foster growth and meaningful connections.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:11 Meet Lisa Phelan: From Market Researcher to Entrepreneur

03:35 The Birth and Mission of F’inn

06:42 Exploring Mental Health Research

38:19 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Filiberto Amati and Stefano Marangon chat about the specialty food and beverage market in the U.S., focusing on consumer trends toward health, wellness, sustainability, and ethical sourcing. Critical distribution, pricing, profitability, and regulatory compliance challenges are examined. The dialogue underscores the flexibility of food distribution compared to the rigid three-tier system governing alcohol. Strategies for entering large retail chains, utilizing direct shipment, and leveraging dropshipping platforms for increased visibility and ease of stocking are explored. Practical advice on promoting new brands through demos, cross-marketing, and understanding one's vision and mission when selecting distributors is provided.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Exploring the Specialty Food Market

07:35 Challenges of Launching a Food Product in the US

16:20 Navigating Distributor Partnerships

19:50 Direct Shipment Strategies

22:15 Leveraging FAIRE.com for Market Entry

The episode covers a comprehensive discussion on navigating and succeeding in the US market for small and medium-sized alcohol and beverage producers. It includes insights from experts like Stefano Marangon on the three-tier alcohol distribution system, highlighting its historical background, structure, and impact on market entry. The importance of selecting the right importers and distributors is emphasized, considering factors such as cultural fit, trust, and financial stability. The discussion also focuses on strategic considerations like federal and state regulations, the potential benefits of direct-to-consumer models, and effective marketing strategies such as using wine clubs for product testing and omnichannel marketing to build brand awareness. Real-world examples and case studies from the industry illustrate the key points discussed.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Meet Stefano Marangon: Career Journey

04:24 Understanding the U.S. Three-Tier System

24:55 Choosing the Right Importer or Distributor

29:29 Understanding Market Dynamics and Logistics

45:58 Direct-to-Consumer Strategies and Final Thoughts

Filiberto Amati and guest Oliver Kümin explore the dynamics of the Swiss retail and food sectors. The discussions feature the dominance of Coop and Migros in the food market, the influence of German discounters, and the rise of urban and specialist stores. They highlight the shift towards urban shopping, cross-border shopping influences, and the relatively low impact of digital commerce in the Swiss food market. Insights include the low product innovation in Switzerland compared to neighboring countries and specific strategies like direct-to-consumer models and social media marketing for new brands. Premium brand Läckerli Huus's omnichannel distribution is detailed, emphasizing the importance of KPIs in product management and market readiness. The narrative also covers the transition from corporate environments to entrepreneurship, stressing the value of patience, customer feedback, and practical innovation.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Meet Oliver Kümin: From Corporate to Family Business

02:35 The Swiss Retail Landscape: Challenges and Changes

26:15 Navigating Product Launches and Investments

27:08 Omni-Channel Distribution Strategy

36:18 Portfolios: Balancing Innovation and Market Reality

Quick experiment instead of your usual podcast, which comes back with the typical programming next week.

The takeaways from the last episodes (S02E14-S02E24) are brought to you by NotebookLM:

NotebookLM is an AI-powered research assistant that lets people in your organization interact with trusted source content to get grounded insights

The app, which Google powers, has an interesting feature: it summarizes the content you analyze in a two-person podcast episode. You can listen to this summary episode today.

In this episode of 'Growth, Brands and More,' host Filiberto Amati discusses with Giuseppe Cavallo the importance of conscientious branding and the evolving role of brands in the marketplace. The conversation includes insights into how brands create meaning and identity, the necessity of a moral compass for businesses, and the shift from profit-centric strategies to more holistic approaches that consider stakeholder ecosystems. The discussion also touches on the principles of compelling storytelling and the emotional connections brands must establish with consumers. Additionally, Amati and Cavallo explore the challenges and nuances of modern marketing, the importance of company culture, and the impact of external and internal conflicts on decision-making. The episode concludes with a reflection on the changes in market dynamics and the need for brands to be meaningful participants in a broader system.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:01 The Power of Brand Platforms

01:56 Embracing Conscientious Marketing

23:45 The Dark Side of Storytelling

24:37 Principles of Great Storytelling

27:49 Connecting with Your Audience

In this episode, Filiberto chats with Giuseppe Cavallo, a former corporate communications expert who has become a consultant and professor. The discussion covers Cavallo's professional journey from marketing director roles at Colgate and Nissan to his current brand strategy and personal branding work. They delve into the essence of good brand strategy, emphasizing avoiding direct competition and focusing on customer relationships. Cavallo highlights the importance of creating value for customers by deeply understanding their needs and simple, coherent strategies. He also discusses his book, 'The Marketing of Happiness,' which aims to bring conscientiousness into branding and marketing. The conversation touches on the significance of relationship levels in marketing strategy, using examples like Patagonia's value-based approach and Red Bull's media-centric model.

In this Episode:

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Meet Giuseppe Cavallo: From Corporate to Consultant

05:16 Defining Good Brand Strategy

07:48 Transforming Product-Centric Companies

20:46 The Marketing of Happiness

32:08 Levels of Customer Relationships