At the Movies in Portugal

A few weeks ago, I read an article in one of the national papers, that fewer people were going to movie theaters and the numbers were dropping significantly.

Then the other morning while listening to the radio, the subject of going to the movies came up again, this time, it was a radio personality out on the street asking passers by “what would make your movie going experience better?” Hummm…..coincidence?

at the moviesSome of the responses were as expected - “healthier food options”, “less people chatting”, “personal headsets, to block out those people chatting” and so on…

Personally, food is my big thing…but I’ve now adapted myself to the mix of sweet/salty popcorn and those tangy long strips of candy…guilty. However, if there were healthy and delicious options like a mini portable sushi, fruit cup or salad I would choose those just as easily, especially on movie nights that start at dinnertime.

But the question remains…what is the problem with the movies these days? Are more people downloading movies, buying DVD’s, watching them on home systems, or are there too many competing entertainment options? A friend of mine and new mom in Canada, tells me movie cinemas introduced Mom & Me programs a few years ago, promoting mom and kid times during slower times of the day. This allows moms and fussy little ones a break, plus entertainment that would normally be difficult to come by. Would this help here in Portugal?

Could it be movies aren’t the problem, but rather lifestyle changes are impacting our ability or need to go to the movies…?

An Alien Has Landed in London

No not an ET-like Alien, but rather something equally as rare: The NFL (National Football League) otherwise known as American Football - that other football from across the pond, you know with the melon shaped ball.

In an effort to extend its reach and become a global sport, the NFL will host its first-ever game in Europe on Sunday, October 28th.

When I saw this picture on the cover of Nytimes.com today, it looked as if an Alien had landed in London. Just look at the public in awe over the huge animated figure of Miami’s Jason Taylor.

NFL in London

In terms of creativity, AMV BBDO did a superb job by placing a Giant Figure in Trafalgar Square and getting people talking with this bold move – spot on for creating buzz.

Now, comes the questions of who will rule over the name game of “football” and how will American football be received in London and across Europe.

This might turn out to be a classic brand identity conflict, then again maybe not. It’s doubtful; Europeans will ever confuse their beloved football with any other game professing the same name. Maybe this is answered in the simple question, of how many internationally recognized football stars come to mind? I can think of Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Christiano, Zidan, Beckham, Figo…and the list goes on….now how many American football players come to mind…Joe Green, OJ Simpson…well at least one is still a star. All I can say, let the battle of classic football (soccer) vs. American football begin …

What’s Missing?

click to enlargeTo your left is a print ad that appears weekly on the “The News Portugal” paper. The ad belongs to Algrafica, the web design service arm of the paper.

See if you can spot what’s missing from the ad.

Welcome Post

Chama Inc Now Open in PortugalToday is a special day for us - marking our first day here in Portugal as a creative marketing and advertising company. We’re also, launching our new blog and website so lots to be excited about.

Although we’re new here in Portugal, we’ve actually been in business since 2002 and have been working with clients from around the globe. But we recently decided to relocate and chose to make Portugal our new home. The weather definitely helped galvanize our decision. So Chama is now officially registered as a Portuguese company under “ChamaInc. Lda.”

We’re excited and looking forward to working with local and national companies here in Portugal, as well as our foreign clients.

Why Portugal? Well there are many reasons such as lifestyle, weather, great food and the fact that Eddie was born in Algarve. But just as importantly, we believe our experience working with foreign companies and multinationals in advanced online marketing can contribute positively to the countless Portuguese business and products that exist here.

Regardless of the quality products that Portugal has to offer, it hasn’t taken the leap from bricks and mortar to the new global economy, heavily powered and influenced by the Internet. Competitive economies are well into web 2.0, while most of Portugal is still grasping the concept of the net. So this is where we see the opportunity to contribute our expertise, help local brands and businesses harness innovative solutions, get better ROI for their marketing dollars, create better customer experiences and ultimately work to bring the quality of Portuguese products to the forefront. Theres a lot of work to do!

So let the adventure begin : )