We're living in a unique moment in communication: it's no longer about interrupting the consumer's journey by offering your product in an attempt to convert them. Today it's about gaining their attention, being part of their conversation and their consumer journey. With this challenge in mind, today I'm talking to Tiago Lessa, CMO of Globoplay, and one of the pillars of Globo's digital transformation - one of the world's largest broadcasters, which has understood that consumers are multiplatform, their consumer journey is fluid and that entertainment is the key to success.
Thiego Goularte: Tiago, what are you currently working on?
Tiago Lessa: In many ways, lol. We're investing in building the largest streaming platform in Brazil, which speaks directly to the desires and habits of the Brazilian public. Our strategy is to create a premium content marketplace, with partnerships in different formats. As well as subscribers having the option of consuming all the Globo channels on the platform through the Globoplay + live channels package, Globoplay is also a podcast hub with programs from Globo, CBN and the O Globo newspaper and content produced by the independent audio market.
Listening to and understanding the consumer, we brought in partners to add to our offer and subscribers now have the possibility of subscribing to a single package of Globoplay and Disney+ content, as well as a year's free Deezer Premium linked to their Globoplay subscription. New partnerships will be announced by the end of the year. We are also always looking to maintain a robust and attractive portfolio, with the best national content, whether with strong originals, such as Verdades Secretas II, the project to rescue Globo's collection with drama classics loved by the public, powerful original documentaries, such as O Caso Evandro and O Caso Celso Daniel, which will be released soon, as well as the acquisition of international content that is a success all over the world. All this combined with convenience and ease of consumption for the public.
In addition to our major monthly launches and partnerships, we are currently focusing on the BBB phenomenon. Because we have 24-hour coverage of the program, we focus on major campaigns and work hard with the public to stay up to date and in the conversation. Gone are the days when the show was limited to what happened inside the house, but now the entire social media ecosystem has repercussions, creating new narratives capitalized on by both Globoplay and GShow. Our initiatives always seek innovation, which for BBB is also accompanied by podcast projects and other digital products from the house, such as Recipes. We are very confident that we will make a lot of noise and generate a lot of engagement with our audience.
Thiego Goularte: You've worked for some huge brands, how did that influence you to become the professional you are today?
Tiago Lessa: We are made up of the sum of our experiences and each of my experiences, with brands of all sizes that had different objectives, purposes and budgets, made me learn a lot. Over time, I've built up my vision as a brand manager and it's certainly made up of the path I've taken so far. I remember all those times very fondly and I always strive to be a better professional every day, combining the human and the technical.
Thiego Goularte: You are in a very competitive market for acquiring users and, above all, for capturing their attention. What has this digital transformation been like?
Tiago Lessa: We have three aspects to consider: the evolution of technology, the organization of business models and changing consumer behavior. On the technology side, we will have the so-called Over The Top distribution reaching near ubiquity in 10 years, with ever higher speeds, ever smarter devices and full connectivity, which will certainly influence the media industry. We also believe in the evolution of what we call hybrid TV, which will allow a much smoother transition between broadcast and broadband.
On the business model side, we're betting on increasingly intense competition for consumers, who will have more freedom and flexibility to combine services. In fact, multiple services, organized for an ever-increasing variety of tastes and budgets: generalist streams, specialized streams and pay-TV channels distributed both by the operators' infrastructure and by OTTs. We also believe that free-to-air TV will continue to fulfill its role of reaching millions of Brazilians, including those in the most remote areas of the country, helping us to be present in the lives of all Brazilians.
In parallel with the two points above, we are observing the change in consumer behavior and using communication and acquisition channels that can engage more directly with audiences, as in the case of influencers. We are increasingly betting on short, vertical videos, using live marketing and contextual hooks from what is happening at the moment to try to increase interaction rates with our communications.
Thiego Goularte: In a super atypical year, due to the pandemic, has the role of the CMO also changed?
Tiago Lessa: The role of a CMO has changed a lot over time, driven mainly by the increasingly clear understanding that the brand is a very important business asset and that it needs to give back more and more of its earnings to society in a clear and truthful way. I see the CMO as a highly influential executive in business-related decision-making, mobilizing not only the consumer, whose behaviour has changed radically, but also the internal public and society in general with various new demands and an enormous power of dialogue amplified by social media.
In this context, he now takes into account various new points of contact and relationship channels, which have also changed and continue to change with the nuances of the pandemic. And to cope with so much, technology is a great ally. The beauty of all this is not simply generating the best data, but combining analytical skills with intuition and sensitivity.
Thiego Goularte: Are you working with the remote team? If so, how has the exchange with the team been?
Tiago Lessa: We are currently working with the hybrid model. This was one of the great lessons learned from the pandemic and I'm happy to see that we've managed to adapt to stay increasingly connected. During the home office period we've carried out major projects and launches, revisited events and have a number of successful examples of offering experiences through the virtual world. We have definitely discovered a new way of working, based on trust and agility, while always respecting our employees and their quality of life. It's a very difficult equation to balance, but we're relentlessly pursuing it.
Thiego Goularte: After the pandemic, do you think marketers will change their concepts about the market, consumers and the like?
Tiago Lessa: As has happened with the work model, brands have also had to adapt and think of new ways to impact and mobilize the end audience. It was interesting to see how many new possibilities have emerged and how it is possible to engage the user with your brand, whether through new consumer and entertainment experiences.
We know that our market is dynamic and concepts change all the time. At the moment, we are seeing brand initiatives that point to the metaverse, games, NFT offerings, real-time decision-making and individualized messages for their consumers and, above all, the search for purpose. We all want to speak to the new generations who are highly motivated by authentic, human brands that generate social impact and are capable of improving the world.
Thiego Goularte: Do you currently work with agencies? If so, how has the relationship been since you are also a part of the ecosystem that has undergone many transformations?
Tiago Lessa: Much of our communication and marketing strategy takes place in-house with a highly talented team, but we do have specialized agencies and partners who add to and support us in certain projects, which I believe is the ideal model, since this external view adds a lot to our deliveries and broadens our outlook.
Thiego Goularte: What skills will be essential for marketing professionals from now on?
Tiago Lessa: This period showed us that adaptability and resilience are fundamental skills. But I believe that curiosity and a passion for people and behavior are the protagonists of any marketing professional's story. And, of course, a large dose of creativity combined with the ability to listen to what the data has to tell us.
Thiego Goularte: You are a leader and have a C-Level position in a huge company. What's the bravest thing you've ever done that you're proud of?
Tiago Lessa: We're at a time of profound transformation, both in the market and in the company, and it requires us to be brave enough to make decisions every day. And this courage is also closely related to the mindset of experimentation, which is so necessary when managing a digital product. Here we reinforce this concept all the time, because I'm the one who encourages experimentation and it has to inspire the whole team, which always responds brilliantly.
Thiego Goularte: What advice would you give to the younger Tiago Lessa?
Tiago Lessa: Be curious, observe, listen to all the stories and understand that everything around you can become a beautiful reference. We shouldn't limit ourselves to our tastes and markets. A great idea can come from a totally different market to the one you work in. That's the beauty of communication, making associations, adaptations and learning from different messages, languages and possibilities.
But most importantly of all. Be happy and balance the three pillars that will always be present in your life: family, work and personal life. You won't be completely happy if you're only fulfilled in one of these pillars. It's very important to look at everything around you.
