How Born became the ‘right’ agency for Sagres
How Born became the ‘right’ agency for Sagres
"A natural result of our journey." This is how Duarte Vilaça describes Born’s selection to work on the relaunch of Sagres in Angola, a brand that, despite maintaining "great notoriety," had felt the impact of new players entering the market. Boosting "goodwill" and positioning the brand as the most consumed international beer in the country are among the objectives presented to the agency, which claims to be the "right agency for this challenge.”
Potenciar o "goodwill" e posicionar a marca como a cerveja internacional mais consumida no país estão entre os objetivos apresentados àquela que se afirma como a "agência certa para este desafio”.
Briefing | What does it mean for Born to have been chosen to develop a project of this scale?
Duarte Vilaça (DV) | We view this selection as the natural result of our journey. We started in Portugal and made our mark with high-impact projects like the Mega PicNic Continente. At the same time, we have invested in the Angolan market since 2008, where we have become a benchmark. Given the current context, we were the right agency for this challenge.
Briefing | What are the challenges of relaunching a brand in a market that has changed?
DV | Market studies indicated that while the Sagres brand still had strong recognition, it had been affected by economic issues in Angola. Local brands made headway, and new players entered the market, well aligned with the local reality. It was necessary to define a strategy and a communication concept that, considering this reality, would make the brand relevant again.
Briefing | What are the challenges of relaunching a brand in a market that has changed?
DV | Market studies indicated that while the Sagres brand still had strong recognition, it had been affected by economic issues in Angola. Local brands made headway, and new players entered the market, well aligned with the local reality. It was necessary to define a strategy and a communication concept that, considering this reality, would make the brand relevant again.
Briefing | But what are the specific characteristics of the market? And the Angolan consumer?
DV | The Angolan market is highly contested by a large number of brands, and both tangible and intangible attributes are highly relevant to consumers. Consumption occasions have very different codes and rituals, with more opportunities and threats to consider. The distribution challenge is more complex, as formal and informal channels coexist and hold significant weight. In this sense, the entire brand management process is more demanding.
Briefing | How do you maintain the brand's identity in a new market?
DV | We sought to identify what was most relevant in Sagres' heritage and what needed to be tactically added for this relaunch in Angola, all while staying true to the brand. The most interesting part is that the inspiration for the campaign came from Sagres' core identity: openness to the world and the desire to always go further. That’s how the slogan “The World is Yours” was born.
Briefing | What is the goal of the campaign? What levels are you aiming for?
DV | The campaign aims to communicate the relaunch of Sagres in Angola, to boost the brand's goodwill, and to position Sagres as the most consumed international beer in the country.
Briefing | Why the decision to include Angolan celebrities? Is it a strategy to generate engagement?
DV | The relaunch of Sagres in Angola takes place at a time of significant international exposure for Angolan talent. Sharam Diniz, C4 Pedro, and Carlos Morais are Angolan celebrities whose journeys, like Sagres’, have crossed borders. They are, therefore, ambassadors of the "The World is Yours" concept. The campaign is thus a tribute to today's Angolan talent and an encouragement for the talent of tomorrow. The participation of these endorsers aims to bring these values to life and serve as a call to action for the brand’s platform in Angola, which is built around the idea of contributing to the expansion of Angolan talent worldwide.
Briefing | What part of Born's DNA is reflected in this work?
DV | First of all, the strategic approach and the ability to generate a transmedia concept that can establish itself as Sagres' platform for Angola over the coming years, in areas like advertising, brand content, digital, activations, or point of sale. The relaunch campaign is just part of everything that is yet to come. Then, there’s the deep integration of commercial content with entertainment content (fashion, music, and sports) as a response to the global communication industry framework.
Briefing | How has the agency performed in this market?
DV | We’ve been working in the Angolan market since 2008 and opened an office in Luanda in 2013. We’ve built a local team of about 30 professionals, and I believe we’ve been an agent of innovation in the market across multiple areas. We’ve continued to strengthen our relationships with key clients, who entrust us with significant challenges—everything an agency could wish for to thrive, no matter where in the world.
Briefing | What does it mean for Born to have been chosen to develop a project of this scale?
Duarte Vilaça (DV) | We view this selection as the natural result of our journey. We started in Portugal and made our mark with high-impact projects like the Mega PicNic Continente. At the same time, we have invested in the Angolan market since 2008, where we have become a benchmark. Given the current context, we were the right agency for this challenge.
Briefing | What are the challenges of relaunching a brand in a market that has changed?
DV | Market studies indicated that while the Sagres brand still had strong recognition, it had been affected by economic issues in Angola. Local brands made headway, and new players entered the market, well aligned with the local reality. It was necessary to define a strategy and a communication concept that, considering this reality, would make the brand relevant again.
Briefing | What are the challenges of relaunching a brand in a market that has changed?
DV | Market studies indicated that while the Sagres brand still had strong recognition, it had been affected by economic issues in Angola. Local brands made headway, and new players entered the market, well aligned with the local reality. It was necessary to define a strategy and a communication concept that, considering this reality, would make the brand relevant again.
Briefing | But what are the specific characteristics of the market? And the Angolan consumer?
DV | The Angolan market is highly contested by a large number of brands, and both tangible and intangible attributes are highly relevant to consumers. Consumption occasions have very different codes and rituals, with more opportunities and threats to consider. The distribution challenge is more complex, as formal and informal channels coexist and hold significant weight. In this sense, the entire brand management process is more demanding.
Briefing | How do you maintain the brand's identity in a new market?
DV | We sought to identify what was most relevant in Sagres' heritage and what needed to be tactically added for this relaunch in Angola, all while staying true to the brand. The most interesting part is that the inspiration for the campaign came from Sagres' core identity: openness to the world and the desire to always go further. That’s how the slogan “The World is Yours” was born.
Briefing | What is the goal of the campaign? What levels are you aiming for?
DV | The campaign aims to communicate the relaunch of Sagres in Angola, to boost the brand's goodwill, and to position Sagres as the most consumed international beer in the country.
Briefing | Why the decision to include Angolan celebrities? Is it a strategy to generate engagement?
DV | The relaunch of Sagres in Angola takes place at a time of significant international exposure for Angolan talent. Sharam Diniz, C4 Pedro, and Carlos Morais are Angolan celebrities whose journeys, like Sagres’, have crossed borders. They are, therefore, ambassadors of the "The World is Yours" concept. The campaign is thus a tribute to today's Angolan talent and an encouragement for the talent of tomorrow. The participation of these endorsers aims to bring these values to life and serve as a call to action for the brand’s platform in Angola, which is built around the idea of contributing to the expansion of Angolan talent worldwide.
Briefing | What part of Born's DNA is reflected in this work?
DV | First of all, the strategic approach and the ability to generate a transmedia concept that can establish itself as Sagres' platform for Angola over the coming years, in areas like advertising, brand content, digital, activations, or point of sale. The relaunch campaign is just part of everything that is yet to come. Then, there’s the deep integration of commercial content with entertainment content (fashion, music, and sports) as a response to the global communication industry framework.
Briefing | How has the agency performed in this market?
DV | We’ve been working in the Angolan market since 2008 and opened an office in Luanda in 2013. We’ve built a local team of about 30 professionals, and I believe we’ve been an agent of innovation in the market across multiple areas. We’ve continued to strengthen our relationships with key clients, who entrust us with significant challenges—everything an agency could wish for to thrive, no matter where in the world.