Sao Paulo, risotto and anarchism

So I'm here in Sao Paulo for a couple of days doing some social media training for Brazil's PR trade body, Aberje, as mentioned in my previous post and while I'm here I've been catching up my Edel-colleagues.

Yesterday I had a fantasic lunch with our Digital Manager, Thiane Loureiro at a restaurant where you can buy everything in the place. We had a great discussion over risotto and beer about social media, PR, relationship building, sustainable communications and anarchism - but despite having many shared interests I'm sure I keep mis-pronouncing her name! I think it's pro: Tee-ahn-nee. Tee-arn-uh. Thiane - am I right?

And then today I visited Edelman's rapidly expanding Sao Paulo office to meet the rest of the digital team. Our office is on the twentieth floor so you get quite a view from the window:

Anyway, I sat with the team and we talked about monitoring brands online, the difference between digital advertising and digital PR, the added value of relationship building in the online space and they took me through a couple of case studies - all of which were really cool, well thought-out and executed programmes.

I think it is really cool to see that even in another (pretty different) market that the fundamental ideas behind delivering online PR campaigns remain the same  - and more importantly are successful.

The reason for this - I decided today - is that aside from a few cultural differences, people are people throughout the world. They are largely driven by the same desires, needs, likes and dislikes.

By putting them (indeed, us!) at the heart of our work then we can finally start to make meaningful connections with society on a global scale. And that can only be a good thing, can it not?

I'll end this post with a top quality Brazilian tune, Sex-O-Matic by Edu K. The Amazonian natural world video is amazing too. Check it, as they say:

Comments

[Chris Norton]

Simon, you certainly seem to be enjoying yourself globe trotting. Love the video although not to keen on the track.

I found your twitter banter with Drew yesterday rather amusing but I think Mr Murray will be out tomorrow.

Enjoy your trip.

[Thiane]

Thanks for the post! Your visit here was awesome and it was really good to know we are on the same page as you guys in the UK. Stay in touch.
P.S. - It is Tee-ahn-nee hahahahaah

[Clarissa]

Hey Simon, Edu K? Exotic taste, hã? just kidding! nice to meet you in here. We hope we can share ideias and thoughts again. Hugs

[Simon Collister]

Great meeting you all - and apologies on getting your name wrong *again*!!! Jeez.