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Welcome, readers!
If this is your first time seeing this, The Force is a bi-monthly newsletter for our MMK+ network and P&G clients. Each edition will keep the community informed about the latest updates, initiatives, work, and new joiners across the P&G network, as well as updates on how MMK+ are working with P&G to be a force for good and a force for growth.
For those avid readers already familiar with The Force, welcome back! We will continue to bring you exciting updates on everything P&G, in a fresh, new format.
We hope you enjoy this new edition, and we look forward to bringing you many more.
FOREWORD
Rob Bernstein, Chief Innovation Officer, NA, Ketchum
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On November 30, 2020, Open AI released its first public version of ChatGPT to demonstrate its large language model’s remarkable capacity to generate content, answer complex queries, complete repetitive tasks, interpret data, conduct research, translate text, and summarize information via bone-simple conversational prompts.
The software application drew 100 million users in only two months, making it the fastest in history to achieve such mainstream adoption. By comparison, it took Facebook, Spotify, and Netflix 4.5 years, 11 years, and 18 years respectively to achieve the same feat.
With an adoption curve that steep, it’s no surprise our heads are spinning. And the news cycle isn’t helping, with stories heralding the tech’s life-altering potential on the one hand and cautionary tales filled with existential dread on the other. Is ChatGPT hallucinating or are we?
Hysteria created by technological disruption is nothing new. For example, when automobiles rolled off the assembly line, the anxious wondered, “will they scare the horses?” It was the wrong question, of course, and a sardonically funny one in retrospect.
Yet some days I find myself wondering about generative A.I.… “will it scare the humans?” Already, I’ve seen colleagues -- working as storyboard artists -- see their careers replaced by generative automation. I’ve witnessing the ways A.I. is permitting fake news and bias to proliferate. And then there’s Anthropic Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei’s doomsday testimony to the United States Congress, in which he warns of unregulated A.I one day training bad actors on how to engineer bioweapons of mass destruction in basements.
In light of all this, it’s easy to get riled up. But I’m a corny optimist at heart and I believe in the power of human ingenuity to deliver largely on positive change - in small tactical ways, in big humankind-altering ways.
Small way: I’ve experienced hours of effort saved by leveraging ChatGPT to write personal “thank you” notes (please no judgment, and no, I did not use ChatGPT to write this piece).
Big way: I’ve viewed Jason Rugolo’s viral Ted Talk on “audio computers” like 50 times, and it never fails to give me goosebumps, with its glimpse into the positively transformational power of A.I.. For the uninitiated, Rugolo is the CEO of a “moonshot start-up” innovating a device straight out of Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a real-life babel fish that aims to eliminate communication barriers.
Really, really big way: A.I. could deliver the breakthroughs in science and medicine that have alluded us for centuries. Gosh, I hope so.
Whatever your perspective on A.I., it’s bringing change and fast. No horse blinders for me. I want to see what’s coming, maybe even help shape it.
And if you don’t share a perspective on A.I. yet? I invite you to join me in embracing the ambiguity. Here a few resources to start you on your journey:
The Neuron (Newsletter & Podcast)
Future Perfect (Newsletter)
The Rundown (Newsletter)
TLDR (Newsletter)
THE WORK
THE WORK
Olay’s Superpowered Skin Event
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Olay was launching its new Super Serum and premium glass jar range at the same time in the UK and needed a stand-out ‘Beauty Insiders’ event that drove content capture and media coverage.
Ketchum London hosted an Olay Superpowered Skin event – a content first, sumptuous science-led event that segued from Super Serum into premium seamlessly. From a giant Super Serum bottle to a ‘Your Skin is the Proof’ digital wall, biscuit pops to engraved jars, this event was content plus.52 media & influencer attendees
62 pieces of event social coverage
10.4MM total social reach
...and counting!
Fearless Forever with Secret Coconut
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For the launch of Secret Coconut in LADMAR (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama), Porter Novelli Mexico worked with strategic influencers from Central America who brought a great understanding of the product by making very creative contents in Instagram and TikTok with excellent audience engagement (6%) and great consumer satisfaction, achieving a positive sentiment and receiving almost half a million interactions.
One of our selected influencers' reel went viral with over 4.5 million views, + 200k interactions, and a 14% ER, greatly amplifying the campaign's impact.
Buzz to Menstrual Dignity
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To raise awareness about Always’ mission, around Menstrual Hygiene Month, Ketchum Brazil crafted a strategic communication plan in collaboration with a gender equity-focused NGO.
As part of this initiative, we hosted an artistic event at Paulista Avenue, one of Brazil and Latin America's most iconic locations. Teaming up with Girl Up Brazil, the event featured a live painting conveying the message “To occupy spaces, we need to be free to menstruate,” highlighting the importance of women and girls in various roles and locations.
During the event, Girl Up Brazil representatives engaged with passersby, sparking conversations and spreading awareness supported by Always.
As a result, our initiative sparked 118 social media posts and reached over 2 million people, with social media interactions exceeding 4,500. The inauguration event took place in June and received exclusive coverage from one of Brazil’s most widely circulated and prestigious newspapers, O Globo. This newspaper boasts a media reach of 2.4 million readers, 40.8 million website visitors, and a combined 15.7 million followers on social media platforms. The coverage underscores the significance of P&G’s contributions to the region.
TALENT
TALENT
Céline Geurts
Account Executive
Celine.Geurts@ketchum.com
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1.What’s your favourite / most used P&G product and why?
Lenor Unstoppables is my ultimate favourite product! The long lasting freshness uplifts my spirit throughout the entire day. It makes me feel ‘together’ and ‘fresh’, even after spending time in hot meeting rooms and on the smelly public transportation!
2. How I apply Force For Good
I am deeply committed to diversity. It resonates with me personally, and I try to continually learn about it, embody its principles, and inspire others to embrace it as well.
3. Describe your Role
As a trilingual Account Executive, I coordinate projects and primarily act as a support within the team to help clients achieve their goals and meet their business needs.
Mariana Paula Ruiz
Business & Client VP
for P&G Brazil & Latam
mariana.ruiz@ketchum.com.br
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1. What’s your favourite / most used P&G product and why?
I love Pantene since my early years; my mom used to buy it for us. Since I started working at Ketchum, I´ve been using Volume Multiplier and it´s been a lovely discovery.
2. How I apply Force For Good
I truly believe in the proactive intentions to apply Force For Good, so I actively seek opportunities to make a positive impact in both my personal and professional life. Whether it's volunteering in my community, advocating for sustainable practices at work, or supporting causes that promote equality and education, I strive to contribute meaningfully to the well-being of others and the environment around me.
3. Describe your Role
I lead the Brazilian team that works directly with P&G brands in Brazil and Latam, supporting clients during their business challenges, constantly looking to elevate our work to bring real value to their day-to-day. Using my previous professional experiences at L´Oréal, Meta and Nestlé, to bring different perspectives to inspire the 360o Comms Plans we are building to impact positively their day-to-day work.
Carlos Eduardo Kotolak
Creative Director
Carloseduardo.Kotolak@ketchum.com.br
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1. What’s your favourite / most used P&G product and why?
I love Old Spice not only because of their amazing fragrances, but also, as a creative, I'm addicted to all their campaigns. Simply the best! :)
2. How I apply Force For Good
In all relationships, whether personal or professional, I always try to identify as much as possible with the other person or team: to feel what they feel and understand their emotions, so that together we can find a solution that works for both of us. Empathy, that's the word.
3. Describe your Role
Working as a Copywriter and Creative Director, my goal is to lead and boost the creative potential of our team, using the pillars of Earned First and Culture Oriented as fundamental thoughts to deliver projects with a relevant, true and impactful bias.
Mariana Whitehead
Influencer Marketing Manager P&G
Mariana.whitehead@ketchum.com.br
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1. What’s your favourite / most used P&G product and why?
Among products like fabric softeners, shampoos, and deodorants that I love within P&G, I emphasize that Gillette Venus is my favorite product that I cannot do without in my daily routine. For someone allergic to most other razors on the market, Venus is the only one that offers high technology that does not irritate my skin and provides comfort, making life easier for a clumsy woman. I must also mention Secret deodorant. For those like me who seek an aluminum-free, more sustainable, and non-irritating alternative for the skin, it is excellent! It doesn’t transfer to clothes and has a wonderful scent.
2. How I apply Force For Good
I believe I can implement the concept of "force for good" within the corporate environment by being an altruistic leader who positively influences those around me, always positioning myself as a good influence within the team, motivating good actions, and respecting each person's process and identity. In my personal life, as a true Aquarius, I always think collectively, being sensitive to environmental issues and how they can affect my life and society. Thus, I always rethink: using products that do not impact the environment, practicing recycling, and consuming fewer animal-based products. For example, not eating meat every Monday makes me reflect on small changes in my world that reflect on the world as a whole.
3. Describe your Role
I am the Influencer Marketing Manager at P&G here at Ketchum Brazil. Basically, I am responsible for creating and implementing marketing strategies focused on the use of digital influencers within the brands we manage. This means identifying and hiring suitable influencers for each brand/territory/audience, establishing long- and short-term partnerships depending on the objective of each campaign, as well as monitoring the performance and effectiveness of the actions, ensuring that the brand image is conveyed positively.
Olivia Swarbrick
Account Director
Olivia.Swarbrick@ketchum.com
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1. What’s your favourite / most used P&G product and why?
I love Herbal Essences Rose Shampoo – it makes my hair feel so soft! Then because I’m a cleaning freak Ariel and Fairy are my weekly essentials.
2. How I apply Force For Good
Being a reliable support to those that need a helping hand – I’m happy to get stuck in no matter the ask.
3. Describe your Role
Day to day earned lead across Herbal UK & Pantene UK, activating comms plans to deliver best in class work for our P&G clients.
Lotti Swanwick
PR Consultant
Lotti.Swanwick@ketchum.com
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1. What’s your favourite / most used P&G product and why?
The Head & Shoulders DERMAXPRO Leave on Moisture Treatment! I'm all about scalp care now and the new product is going to make EVERYONE a scalp care expert.
2. How I apply Force For Good
Being ready to jump in and support our fantastic team and clients at a moment's notice, no matter what we can solve it.
3. Describe your Role
Day to day client lead on Head & Shoulders UK, support across the H&S RBU and day-to-day client lead on P&G UK Corporate Olympics work.
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1. What’s your favourite / most used P&G product and why?
Ariel Pods - I used to overload my washing machine with too much soap, so it’s nice to not measuring anything and slap a pod in.
2. How I apply Force For Good
Happy to help with anyone who needs advice, my expertise, or just needs to hear a really bad dad joke. .
3. Describe your Role
I’m a creative that specialises all things social media across a range of P&G products.
READ, WATCH, LISTEN
READ, WATCH, LISTEN
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Autistic and Black
"It's time we bring forward Black autistic pain points and celebrate the triumphs of ourselves, family members, and organisations that care for these individuals. Through following the real stories of others from around the world, I hope fellow Black and autistic individuals will be empowered to realise that being Black and autistic is enough." -
Oslo - Is it even a city?
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The Tortured Poets Department
Taylor Swift is one of the world's best-selling artists, with 200 million records sold worldwide. She is the second most-streamed artist on Spotify, the highest-grossing female touring act, and the first billionaire with music as the main source of income.