Victorinox Travel Gear, world-renowned maker of quality Swiss bags and luggage, and Salt and Light Ventures, Inc. teamed up recently to bring legendary marketing guru Al Ries to Manila. Ries took the stage to talk about the importance of positioning and focus in building super brands in the well-attended “Al Ries Brand Strategy Forum” held Oct. 1, at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati.
Local marketing and branding experts Jos Ortega, Vicente “Enteng” Romano, Willy Arcilla, and Karen de Asis joined Ries in imparting valuable marketing lessons in this once-in-a-lifetime event. About 600 marketeers across several industries were present to hear the master talk about time-tested branding strategies.
In his talk, Ries debunked traditional marketing concepts and stressed the supremacy of category over brand, and the importance of consistency in brand building. He also said that Manila has a great potential to be a magnificent city because it is the gateway to Southeast Asia and that many of its people speak English very well.
“Just like Al Ries, Victorinox Travel Gear believes in consistency and constant innovation,” Randy Torrecampo, Victorinox Travel Gear marketing communications manager, said. “We also believe in the potential of the country, not just of Manila, to become a great nation someday. That is why Victorinox continues to equip modern men with the best bags and luggage that will help propel them to greater heights.”
Ries, a marketing professional and author, is the co-founder and chairman of the Atlanta-based consulting firm Ries & Ries with his partner and daughter, Laura Ries. Along with Jack Trout, Ries coined the term “positioning”, as related to the field of marketing, and authored Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind, an industry standard on the subject.
Ries was selected as one of the most influential people in the field of public relations in the 20th century by PR Week magazine in 1999. Ries has also written a number of books that have made the BusinessWeek bestseller list.
Victorinox Travel Gear is located at the second floor of The Podium in Ortigas.