The Bravo Groups Adds To The Team.

The Bravo Group announced the appointments of Luis Cabrera as Managing Director of Bravo Uno-a-Uno and Manuel Wernicky as Managing Director of Bravo Promotions and Retail Marketing.

“This move articulates our belief that the differential in Hispanic marketing is going to come from outside of traditional advertising,” said Gary Bassell, Chairman & CEO of The Bravo Group. “It will increasingly come from integrated marketing practices that more meaningfully shape the brand experience, rather than simply deliver a brand message. Luis is an extraordinary hybrid: a digital technology strategist and a strong creative talent with real business sense.”

Cabrera will be one of two managing directors responsible for managing the business unit combining direct, interactive and CRM marketing with entertainment and other new media disciplines; developing strategies and implementing programs for DM, Interactive and CRM for existing and prospective clients; developing and maintaining Bravo’s state-of-the-art position in its use of emerging technology, software and practices; and developing self-promotion strategies and platforms for the unit and the agency at large, including a new Bravo website and a dedicated site area for Bravo Uno a Uno.

“We’re taking a very different approach to this than most Hispanic agencies,” notes Bassell. “And that’s fitting, since Bravo was the pioneer in introducing most one-to-one marketing practices in the Hispanic market. Whereas most agencies are building an Internet media competency with their interactive staff, we’re going well beyond that to expand our digital technology and strategy competency to better leverage those platforms for client marketing opportunities.”

“Success in our market is increasingly being defined by more experiential marketing practices, and this move is indicative of Bravo’s continuing leadership in that area,” said Gary Bassell, Chairman and CEO of The Bravo Group. “Bravo’s been pioneering in this market for 25 years, being the first to define many marketing practices, and promotions and event marketing have not been an exception to that. Now we’re raising the bar, elevating promotions and event marketing to a branded business unit level, with its own P&L. Manuel is a star-in-the-making kind of talent. He comes uncommonly equipped with a background marked by accomplishments in agency, client, promotional marketing and public relations companies. But most notably he comes with the ability to provide real thought leadership in this field.”

Wernicky will be responsible for managing the business unit covering promotional, event, sponsorship and retail marketing; developing strategies and implementing programs leveraging those marketing practices for existing and prospective clients; enhancing Bravo’s integration of marketing practices, especially with those in the newly-expanded Bravo Uno-a-Uno unit, as well as developing more master program alliances between client companies and retailers.

“Bravo’s uniquely positioned to provide best-of-class marketing promotions tailored not only to the consumer, but to our client’s client — the retailer,” noted Wernicky. “Promotions often tend to be designed for the consumer, but without much strategic consideration of each retail channel with clear distinctive objectives for each. Whether you’re a bottler or a distributor, the only way to win with the consumer, is to first win at retail.”