Entertainment is recognised as a marketing format at La Villa del Mar
The III edition of the Brand Marketing Day analyses new trends in the sector and explores the success story of Andorra Cycling Master and L'Óreal
La Villa del Mar today hosted the 3rd edition of Brand Marketing Day, one of the most eagerly awaited events in the sector, which analysed current trends and the challenges faced by its professionals.
The day began with a key question: how to generate cultural value in an era with so much content. Brands already see cultural relevance as the new marketing ROI. "Entertainment is the format for telling your product’s story. It is the key to new media. Measurement and data are not the only indicators. What also matters is how much you are in the conversation and the community you have created," said Federico Khaski, founder of Canal Barro Tv.
In the talk moderated by Sunde J. Sastre, Miguel Villaruel, director of Publicis Rebellion, added that "you have to understand the purpose of the brand and adapt the content without interrupting or being the main character”! This statement was supported by Sergio Martínez, CEO of the Hispano Suiza car company, who confirmed that "a person always communicates better than a single product".
Álvaro Bermúdez de Castro, Head of Content at BE IZEN, also shared his experience and ideas.
In this same context of immediacy and digital saturation, the debate focused on micro-dramas, a trend that is already emerging as a key tool for brand storytelling in a world of fragmented audiences. Laura Abad, in charge of content research at GECA began by making it clear that "this is more than a fad. There are indicators that point to changes in consumption habits; scrolling is the new zapping”.
For this reason, Alfonso García-Valenzuela, director of Fuse Omnicom Media, pointed out that "we need to talk about conscious and sustainable attention over time to create a truly personal experience that resonates with the audience".
Moises Chiver, executive producer and co-founder of Maquina Vega, and screenwriter Gabriel Patolsky brought their expertise to the round table.
"If you are not entertaining, you do not exist," said philosopher Bin-Kyul Chang. And L'Oreal illustrates how it is possible to elevate conventional advertising impact into memorable experiences, achieving a deeper, more authentic and lasting brand connection.
Gonzalo Fernández Escribano, Media Full Funnel Lead of the Spanish division, revealed the key to his company's success: "Attention cannot be bought. You have to create a role, a way of talking. For example, we must carefully choose the productions in which we take part so that our products appear. For example, with Cerave we joined the Evening of the Year to open up to a new male audience with a fun proposal and young language".
It is about "understanding where you are after having analysed the brand, the audience and the territory", as Andrea Loira, director of innovative content at PUBLICIS, commented in the session, in which Miguel Villarruel also took part.
Last, the experience of the Andorra Cycling Masters, a brand entertainment project that transforms cycling into an audiovisual entertainment format and shows how sport can become a story and an experience, was presented. "It is not just an experience, it is content", explained David Quintana, CEO of WAKAI, the audiovisual production company in charge of the event.
For Betim Budzaku, Andorra's general director of Tourism, this event featuring the four best cyclists in the world "has already become part of the country's identity and positions it as a centre of world cycling".
Adrián Boullosa, head of social media at DAZN Spain, underlined the importance of adaptability in the new channels. Beyond broadcasting on its streaming platform, he highlighted how the creation of a behind-the-scenes documentary and an intensive social media strategy allowed the competition's reach to exceed all expectations.
The vertical format remains at the centre of the debate
During the day, several sessions were also held on one of the formats currently revolutionising narrative and production: vertical microfiction.
Producer Manu Martí analysed this format, focusing mainly on content monetisation models. In addition, Leky Lin, founder of the short-drama production company Golden Infinity, delved into the deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creation of vertical series.
The use of AI was also the focus of Miguel C. Rodríguez's presentation. Through his personal experience, he showed how he has transformed his career, moving away from traditional audiovisual methods to embrace the potential of generative video in the Freepik ecosystem.
To close a day full of learning, Joseph Mustri, manager of Vision Entertainment, analysed the keys to selling ideas in the age of algorithms. In an ecosystem saturated with stories, Mustri offered the tools needed to successfully navigate a system where capturing attention is the greatest challenge", adding that “I believe there are opportunities for growth. That's why there is a boom in independent cinema in the US".
All talks and interviews with experts are available on the YouTube channel Málaga Audiovisual Tech.
La Villa del Mar Auditorium
After a week of learning where culture has converged with the technological avant-garde, La Villa del Mar faces its last day, which will delve into intellectual property and the rise of vertical formats, concluding with a much-needed debate on the future of the industry and the Festival de Málaga in 2030.
The schedule is available on the Festival website.
La Villa del Mar is organised by the Festival de Málaga in collaboration with El Polo Digital and the Ministry of Culture, and is sponsored by Google and Olin.
