Successful branding remains the holy grail of every enterprise. Every corporation and organization, regardless of size, is on a journey to win the heart of its target market. A strong brand will offer its potential customers the chance to be part of an irresistible story, centered around the product or service. A company that can brand itself successfully is a winner.
An organization that can then rebrand itself to adapt to cultural and market changes – particularly after already having built an established brand – is truly a masterpiece.
CONMEBOL, Latin America's largest football association, is one such organization.
The CONMEBOL brand was established over a century ago, and has been respected ever since by adoring fans of Latin America's favorite sport. The South American association was presided over by 12 presidents, and earned the prestige only a winning brand can draw from its market.
However, in recent years, it became evident that CONMEBOL's fan base had stagnated, with followers being largely from older generations. CONMEBOL had spent nearly a century marketing through traditional media, such as print and television, but in the 21st century social media reign supreme. In 2017, CONMEBOL made the tough decision to do a complete branding overhaul in order to connect with younger audiences, particularly millennials.
CONMEBOL breathed new life into its brand by fashioning a new identity, encapsulated by the slogan, “Cree en grande”, Spanish for “Believe Big”. The association tapped into the deep, visceral connection to the football sport felt by many South Americans, and respected the titanic space football occupies in Latin American culture. Even the CONMEBOL logo was reformed, which now reflects a shield and fingerprint-stylized map of South America. The organization took to social media and online networking and began communicating its values of uniqueness, competitive spirit and resilience to South American millennials. The younger generation responded, and CONMEBOL now has a growing millennial fan base.
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PayRetailers Director of Communications & Public Relations Renato Cassinelli says about the CONMEBOL brand: “The media impact generated by CONMEBOL is worldwide, but it’s not just about the immediate economic return, but also about adding value to the brand and imbuing it with attributes to take it into the future.”
PayRetailers prides itself on sharing a kindred spirit with CONMEBOL, which is why the Barcelona-based payment processor entered a two-year partnership with the football association to sponsor the 2021 and 2022 seasons of Sudamericana. Aside from sharing deep values, both organizations are also branding mavens who understand how to connect to a target market and remain relevant.
In fact, PayRetailers began building its brand in the same year that CONMEBOL was building its rebrand, and the payment service provider immediately established offices in Mexico and Brazil. Ever since, PayRetailers used its brand to successfully offer merchant solutions and payment services to the continent, thus bringing South American merchants and consumers into the fold of international commerce.
The overwhelming response from PayRetailers' target market has allowed the provider to grow 500% yearly since its inception, and it now operates in 12 countries in the region.
Cassinelli explains the company's perspective: “The growth of PayRetailers in recent years has been phenomenal and we have taken advantage of strategic opportunities as they have arisen along the way. One being the official sponsors of CONMEBOL Sudamericana, one of the most prestigious sports institutions in the world. The partnership is the next step to positioning ourselves as a global brand and communicating our identity on the international stage. The visibility and exposure gained through this sponsorship will be enhanced by various communication actions planned for this new collaboration”.
Now any merchant looking to enter Latin American emerging markets can find a welcome home with PayRetailers, which provides its clients with streamlined next-generation payment solutions. Businesses who want to take advantage of this opportunity for growth are encouraged to visit PayRetailers here to learn more.