Brand Summit 2025

While the rain pounded Metro Manila last Wednesday, July 23, 2025, I sat alone in my room and attended Mansmith and Fielders, Inc.'s Brand Summit via Zoom. All the speakers gave meaningful insights which I can apply when I deal with my clients. However, I was extremely impressed with Adi Timbol-Hernandez of McDonald's and Gretchen King of Nutriasia. Both have proven their mettle in their respective job responsibilities.

Nutriasia's Gretchen King

Nutriasia’s talk was short and easy to understand. This Journalism graduate with marketing experience learned that UFC’s Tomato Sauce, Sweet Chili, and Tomato Sauce were considered brand extensions, while Ready Recipes, Soups, and Funchow, to name a few, were sub-brands. Golden Fiesta and Hapi Fiesta are endorsed brands from when Nutriasia decided to enter the cooking oil race. It is amazing how one brand, UFC, can enter new segments and be successful.

Nutriasia also introduced me to VUCA, which stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous business environment. Understanding VUCA is essential for marketers because it provides a framework for navigating the unpredictable and rapidly changing business landscape. King topped off her talk by stating that brands need to stay relevant (culturally, functionally, emotionally, and experientially), evolve without losing their core, maximize brand equity but be open to invest and grow in new territories, and finally, “In a VUCA world, brands need to connect with consumers through new mediums. Focus on building communities beyond consumers.”

McDonald's Adi Timbol-Hernandez

I like it when speakers break down or enumerate their points. I am able to grasp them quickly, and it reduces the overwhelming feeling of being introduced to a new topic. This is how Adi Hernandez of McDonald's structured her talk.

The first lesson is something close to my heart – Your people are your best brand advocates. Before you start showing your target market how good you are, you need to show your internal team first how good you truly are. I have encountered food servers with high energy levels, and I deduce it as these servers enjoy their jobs. Enjoying their jobs means loving your employer. Loving your employer will make you share positive and rave reviews outside the workplace. This is how a healthy work environment should be.

I also learned that we should ‘get into our customers’ interests and passions and offer experiences, not just products.’ Hernandez shared their "Ride the Arches" program, which encourages cyclists to pedal from one McDonald's branch to another with the benefit of enjoying scenic routes along the way. It is a cool concept. It targets a new segment. It also positions McDonald's in the ‘healthy lifestyle’ arena. The talk made me look at McDonald's in a different light and gave me hunger pangs for a Big Mac.

As expected in a Mansmith and Fielders, Inc. conference, we started on time and ended on time. I may have missed the opportunity of learning from these greats in the comfort of Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati because of the weather (and miss all the goodies), but it was still a great conference where I learned something new and reinforced concepts that I have been practicing. 'Til the next learning experience! 😊."