Experience, experiment, explore - these are the key words for Desperados, a brand that appreciates the idea of the PYD contest. What does Desperados expect of the competition? Check out our interview with Anna Wood, Senior Group Brand Manager International Brands in the Żywiec Group, which manages Desperados on the Polish market.
We are overjoyed that you decided to join us for this edition of the contest. What made you come along?
Anna Wood: Most of all, we feel that we have a lot in common. The world of Desperados is a world of great stories - ones that you, the creators of PYD, look for during the contest.
There is an old native American saying: "Those who tell stories rule the world". I think that nowadays it is more real than ever before. Contemporary advertising is not about showcasing the benefits of a product, but telling a gripping emotional story.
The world is becoming louder and louder. New technologies have given us the opportunity to communicate in real time and our smartphones, computers and TV sets make it virtually impossible to find a moment of silence. How can we reach people, in this overflow of advertisements and commercial messages? Only a brilliantly told story will attract their attention.
During the Papaya Young Directors competition, we will be looking for such stories. We support the idea of the contest because we believe that it is the breeding ground for a new generation of authors of high-quality storytelling.
You are handing your brand to young filmmakers. What are your expectations and your fears when it comes to the ideas and the films?
AW: The world of our responders is constantly changing. Desperados not only follows the needs of its consumers, it also has to also surprise them and offer them new opportunities. A new narrative is essential to preserve the freshness and unique quality of the brand.
There are times when we do make the mistake of relying only on numbers and research, which makes us overlook the emotional aspect of advertising. As a brand, Desperados is not afraid to be transgressive. Much like our consumers, we experiment, keep changing and are hungry for new stories - this kind of approach is in our DNA!
Nowadays, it is difficult to stay relevant without taking risks and having a certain amount of faith. We are hoping that the young artists who take part in the PYD contest will make use of their talent and experience to tell our story.
We are convinced that the experience will give us the opportunity to see our brand from a new perspective. We are waiting impatiently for what young talented filmmakers are going to offer us during the contest.
Young creatives are an important group for numerous brands? What do they mean to you?
AW: Like I said in the beginning, contemporary advertising is not only about the product and its attributes, although many brands still follow this path. However, young consumers are not interested in this kind of advertising and distance themselves from brands which talk only about themselves.
If we want to get noticed, we have to put more energy into creative, engaging advertising - which is why the answer to your question is: young creatives mean everything to us. They are our future.
What is the most important message of your brand? What inspires you and what draws your attention?
AW: We know that nowadays, our day-to-day reality is full of new opportunities, but also full of restraints. If you want something really huge to happen, you have to step out of your routine. Desperados emboldens you to experience something exciting. It inspires and encourages you to experiment, to a deeper level of experiencing life and to keep discovering new things.
The so-called "tasting the world through a window", being a viewer rather than the performer participator prevents us from enjoying who we are and what we are doing. If we surpass our personal boundaries, we feel more alive.
What inspires Desperados? The energy and creativity of the young generation. Young people are active, ready to act and they have a lot to say. They lead fast and intense lives, always searching for new ways to express themselves.
A brand that wants to actively take part in life, not only watch it happen, has to constantly evolve and change their game. We are inspired by people, their experiences and emotions. These are the stories we want to tell. We want to tell stories that are real, moving and unforgettable. Because their story is our story.
