Ricky Ramos Lazcano, works in New York as a Brand Consultant & Strategy Director, his career in the world of marketing and communication includes experience in the areas of food & beverage, hospitality, and wine-lifestyle. Recognized and awarded by MarCom, Hermes Creative, Summit Creative and Creativity International Awards for his global brand strategy work alongside creative agency partners. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business Communication and a Master’s Degree in Brand Management; as well as a few diplomas in product management, graphic design, and insights for innovation. From Mexico City to Milan to New York he has led culturally diverse teams to success. With global experience, his roles have ranged from strategy to design to client management.
Recently, he won this Outstanding Leadership Award For Marketing that will be presented at the Marketing 2 Conference and he also is a speaker on panel called Going Hand in Hand With Sales and Marketing: The Inseparable Duo on April 8th.
FMM: Tell us about your background and what led you to a career in marketing and communications.
From an early age, I’ve had a creativity itch and an eye for leadership. I dabbled in a wide range of extracurricular activities; from creative writing and oil painting to event-planning and even a twice elected student-council presidency. I was the kid that noticed the design in the packaging of candy, the slightest design-change of the mascot in cereals, the typographic difference in stores way finding… I’ve always been the super shopper I now target my strategies to.
Today, I recognize that these events were the reason I sought a career and profession that would allow me to apply my love of design and creativity into a business-driven world. I left Mexico City (home) to study my career in Milan, Italy in Business Communication and a Masters in Brand Management which then catapulted me to NYC where I’ve have grown into the professional Brand Consultant I am today, known to have an eclectic background and true Global Mindset.
FMM: Please give examples where you have demonstrated decisive and creative leadership skills.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked alongside global brands as a Strategist, Copywriter, Creative Director, and Client Manager in different markets, from Food & Beverage, Hospitality to Wine & Spirits. My work experience ranges from global to local to start-up brands, which has shaped me into becoming a successful Strategy Director.
As leader of a team and instrumental liaison to client and agency, decisive and innovative decisions are needed in order to move all pieces forward and accomplish the project’s strategic goals. It was easy to pick the top 2 examples to give where I demonstrated decisive and creative leadership skills on multi-market and global scenarios.
1. Client: Global Diversity & Inclusion – ABInbev
Project Name: LGBTQ Pride educational GHQ office execution and global corporate communication.
What was the project?
To create the first LGBTQ+ Pride education corporate communication effort, set to be celebrated and executed across all global HeadQuarters for the next 5 years. A crucial project that would subsequently support the ABInbev Global Diversity and Inclusion team growth and highlight one of the many new initiatives of the brewer giant.
How was I distinguished as a leader?
My pursuit of always adding an element of education to any project became a motivator to work with resent Global D&I team within ABInbev global. In my role I coordinated the creativity, content and implementation of the project alongside global stakeholders. I always allow my passion to push the boundaries of the deliverables and make sure that everyone is aligned at the task at hand.
What was the impact/result?
During this project I not only inspired creatives to design beautiful graphics but you also educated my client as well as the employees of the agency. I’m please to continuously hear of the campaigns successful implementation that has changes the lives of many employees with the company who live in countries where they are not openly accepted.
2. Client: ABInbev Global Brands – Corona Extra Global
Project Name: Portal to Paradise retail innovation launch.
What was the project?
The coordination, production, planning and execution of the global launch for a Corona Global Trade Marketing innovation. Corona’s Paradise Portal was an immersive display with the capacity to attract shoppers within a high foot-trafficked retailer zone. A 2-ton mass display constructed almost at its entirety with the brand signature Beechwood, the portal was an interactive installation that used skeleton tracking technology to give users an immersive experience by creating a doorway into a sculpted 3D world, bridging the gap between the physical and digital world.
How was I distinguished as a leader?
Together with my team and partners we managed the successful launch of the global execution for the “Corona Paradise Portal” the first retail (on-trade) virtual face-recognition display which registered record sales. It has definitely been the leadership challenge of my career; It required traveling to multiple countries, speaking in 3 languages and remotely coordinating the strategy and ground execution for all teams in EU, NA and LATAM.
As leader of the project I was responsible for the correct execution and implementation of the entire project of a global launch for an innovation within the Trade marketing for Corona Global. A challenge both mental and physical.
What was the impact/result?
During its execution we broke all mental barriers of what my team could accomplish as well as the client’s expectation to brake shopper’s predictability within its journey by creating and delivering something new and compelling not just for them, but for the retailer as well.
The Corona Paradise Portal display structure and digital elements allowed shoppers to become fully immersed within the brand’s lifestyle, built an awareness of the Corona Cooler and ultimately drove sales as well as word of mouth. Its execution drove a +60% sales uplift vs the prior year during the same 2-week activation period. In total 10.102 bottles of Corona were sold and 86 Corona Coolers.
FMM: You will receive the Marketing 2.0- Outstanding Leadership Award at the Marketing 2.0 Conference. What does it take to receive this prestigious award?
From a preliminary pool of 500 chosen marketing leaders, 30 where chosen in their respective business markets. I am one of those chosen honorees for the category Marketing 2.0 – Outstanding Leadership Award. All nominees were adjudged on 5 parameters, namely: Leader’s Reputation, Educational Background, Professional Experience, Creative Thinking and Decisive Leadership. My career and work demonstrated a history of exhibiting exceptional creativity when confronted with challenges that drove innovations in my field of work. To get any type of recognition for your work is grand yet this one hits particularly close to my heart as I’m receiving this his award for me, not with a team or agency. I have received other awards for the projects, however this is the first award I receive that recognizes 100% Ricky Ramos work. With great optimist I expect this will be the first of many.
Richard Ramos was awarded the Outstanding leadership Award for Marketing and will be presented an award at the conference Marketing 2 Conference in Las Vegas and will be on the panel discussion on April 8th. https://www.marketing2conf.com/
