Today’s podcast guest, Piera Valentina Toniolo, tells us about the ultimate old-school influencer: Estée Lauder. Piera is the regional communications and social media manager for the EMEA region at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In this interview she dives into the world of social media influencers and the roles they play in modern marketing. She also highlights her favorite career moments over the years, gives practical advice for working with influencers, and shares the innovative ways her brand has connected with audiences in 2020.

Carlota Pico chats with Enrique Moreno Deckler, a true expert in the world of marketing and branding. Over the past 23 years, Enrique has worked with iconic companies like LaLiga, Telefónica and Sanitas, helping them to totally transform their brand value and communication environments. In this interview he emphasizes the importance of evolving and growing, without losing the authentic essence that sets you apart from the rest. Enrique also discusses some of his main achievements and challenges in past roles, giving us a glimpse into his illustrious career. He explains why constant learning and adaptation are essential for success in the marketing industry—especially in today’s constantly changing business world—and shares some of his greatest sources of personal and professional inspiration.

Paris-based Patrick Neyret speaks with Carlota Pico about his role as Danone’s global director of Purposeful Brands and Marketing Transformation. Danone is a 25-billion-dollar company with a portfolio of over 100 brands consumed around the world, including essential dairy and plant-based goods, waters and specialized nutrition. Patrick discusses the company’s vision, “One Planet. One Health,” and touches on its idea of “Entreprise à Mission”—the need to focus not only on shareholders, but also on other stakeholders. He also talks about the importance of a compelling brand purpose, plus why leadership, openness and empathy are fundamental aspects of success.

Jaime Lee speaks with Carlota Pico about her career path and her current role as head of content strategy at AdRoll, a one-stop digital marketing and growth marketing platform. Jaime shares her tips on digging into customer data in order to better understand a given audience’s needs, pain points and desired solutions. She stresses that it’s imperative to understand what value you can offer consumers—especially those who have lost interest and who you want to return. From utilizing Google Analytics and surveys to partnering with other entities that have valuable data and resources, Jaime offers several effective strategies for obtaining customer data.

Carlota Pico interviews Victoria Yasinetskaya, chief marketing officer at PagoFX, an international money transfer app. Victoria explains the challenges of launching a new product during lockdown this past spring, and how her company pivoted to digital press conferences and creative content solutions. She also discusses the intricacies of marketing a money transfer app in several countries with different currencies, customer needs and data protection rules, and provides valuable advice for fintech marketing in general. In addition, Victoria discusses her book Alphas & Omegas: The Power of Feminine Traits in Business, which she co-wrote with Mercè Brey. Published in both English and Spanish, the book is based on nearly 100 interviews about how feminine traits are a vital attribute for both women and men. It explores the concept of inclusive leadership in the modern world.

Carlota Pico speaks with South-Africa based Keshia Solomons to discuss her former role as social media manager at Treger Brands, plus her latest project: Madi Mei Communications. Keshia offers tips for engagement on social media, touching on the importance of creating conversations that go both ways; the conversion of loyal customers into brand ambassadors; and the necessity of developing fresh and relevant content. Keshia also voices her support for the recent phenomenon of brands speaking out on social issues, and proclaims her admiration for those that have taken bold stances. She offers inspiring words about 2020, suggesting we embrace the silver linings and find time to reflect on what matters, reevaluate our goals and work toward them with the time we have now.

Carlota Pico speaks with Teodora Takacs, EMEA marketing director at Emerson Professional Tools, a global manufacturing company that’s part of Emerson. Teodora talks about how identifying potential leads, knowing your customer and understanding human behavior can improve your brand’s marketing. She stresses the fact that despite cultural and linguistic differences, we’re all much more alike than we think. She also emphasizes the importance of focusing on what really matters and creating solutions that serve audiences’ needs, instead of just following the trends.

Anna Kadric speaks with Carlota Pico about her role as global head of Content, Channels & Media, the in-house agency at Nordea, a Nordic financial services company. Anna explains why social media is a valuable tool for making customers feel understood, and how authentic communication can help guide brands through uncertain times. Anna also describes how Nordea addressed customers’ pain points when the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact their financial situations, and how she encouraged her own team to switch gears overnight. Lastly, she tells us why marketing is such a rewarding career path and emphasizes the importance of having fun with your campaigns!