The Use of Cultural and Artistic Events and Contexts in Companies’ Communication Strategies, by Jorge Cerveira Pinto, Managing Director at Agência Inova, at the III Regional Debate EACD Lisbon, 19th may 2009, under the theme "The Art of Cultural Communications"

1. The Use of Cultural and Artistic Events and Contexts in Companies’ Communication Strategies Jorge Cerveira Pinto [email_address]

3. The Oracle of Delphi

4. It’s about individuals. Do countries set trends? Do regions? Do governments? Do brands? Do consumers? The answer is: yes. All of them do. Definition of a consumer trend : “A manifestation of something that has unlocked or newly serviced an existing (and hardly ever changing) consumer need, desire, want, or value” . ‘ unlockers ' being anything from a change in societal norms and values, to a breakthrough in technology, to a rise in prosperity trends can and will emerge all over the place.

5. In the end, it's all about ideas, ideas that translate — to technologies, to revolutions, to products—and ideas that spread. Which brings us to the following: larger entities like countries or cultures or brands that are setting trends are of course all dependent on individuals who set things in motion.

6. Big Trend Themes (source: trendwatching.com )

14. STATUS STORIES: As more brands (have to) go niche and therefore tell stories that aren't known to the masses, and as experiences and non-consumption-related expenditures take over from physical (and more visible) status symbols, consumers will increasingly have to tell each other stories to achieve a status dividend from their purchases. Expect a shift from brands telling a story, to brands helping consumers tell status-yielding stories to other consumers.

15. 4. 5.

24. PERKONOMICS : A new breed of perks and privileges, added to brands' regular offerings, is satisfying consumers’ ever-growing desire for novel forms of status and/or convenience, across all industries. The benefits for brands are equally promising: from escaping commoditization, to showing empathy in turbulent times.

26. To be a greedy pig or a free cone, that’s the question

32. “ In a consumer society dominated by experiences in the (semi) public domain -- often branded, designed, themed and curated to the nines -- INSPERIENCES represent consumers' desire to bring top-level experiences into their domestic domain."

35. Good times or bad times, it’s actually somewhat up to you

38. Q: “What about entertainment in difficult times?” A: People will look for diversions, for (affordable) experiences that will make them temporarily forget any kind of misery that has come their way.