Ruavieja's Emotional Marketing: A Tale of Brilliant Ideas and Execution Pitfalls

The Spanish brand Ruavieja has consistently tapped into the power of emotions in marketing, especially during the festive season. Known for their grappa-like liquors, a staple in Spanish celebrations like Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Ruavieja has carved out a unique emotional territory in a saturated market. Their positioning as the brand that encapsulates shared special moments with loved ones has deeply resonated with consumers. However, their journey of emotional marketing, while often brilliant in concept, has also encountered execution challenges, as seen in their recent campaigns.

2018 Genius Campaign

Ruavieja’s campaign in 2018 was a stroke of genius. They conducted a social experiment where they asked participants to estimate how many more days they expected to spend with their relatives, based on average life expectancy and their visitation frequency. The revelation that these days were far fewer than anticipated left participants visibly moved, powerfully tying into the campaign’s message: “We need to meet more often.” The campaign brilliantly encapsulated the brand’s ethos of cherishing moments with loved ones, and I admit, it was profoundly touching.

A year into the Covid pandemic, Ruavieja embraced an even more daring approach. Eschewing their traditional campaign format, they redirected their budget in a meaningful way. In a move that truly embodied their core message, they allocated these funds to provide plane tickets for families. This initiative wasn't just about promoting their brand; it was about practicing what they preached - enabling families to come together and cherish each other's company more frequently during those challenging times.

This Year’s Digital Twist: A Missed Opportunity

Building on this emotional foundation, Ruavieja decided to give this year’s campaign a digital twist. The idea was innovative: a personalized digital experience creating a 'movie of your life' from your camera roll photos to share with loved ones. However, the concept, though less impactful than the previous year’s, could have had potential if not for the execution.

The Execution Flaws

The campaign’s execution was a letdown. The mobile app, tasked with creating this emotional journey, required access to the user's camera roll. In my experience, it took an excessive amount of time to process the images, raising expectations of a sophisticated AI at work. Unfortunately, the result was underwhelming. The app indiscriminately mixed irrelevant images like receipts and memes with personal photos, accompanied by emotional music, but lacking any meaningful narrative. This was not something one would eagerly share.

Improving the Execution

There were several ways Ruavieja could have enhanced the experience. Allowing users to select specific people or moments for the app to focus on would have made the final product more personal and relevant. Incorporating videos and crafting a compelling narrative, rather than a random slideshow, could have significantly elevated the emotional impact.

Conclusion: Back to Basics with a Human Touch

Marketing is an arena of trial and error, and while Ruavieja's effort is commendable, this experience underscores the importance of execution. As marketers, we must remember that technology should be a means to an end, not the end itself. For Ruavieja, returning to the basics of storytelling that connects with the audience's hearts seems like the way forward. By aligning technology with storytelling, I am confident Ruavieja can once again create campaigns that genuinely move their audience. Here’s to hoping their next campaign brings back that emotional punch we’ve come to expect.

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