In an industry where change is constant, staying up-to-date entails much more than following trends.
Héctor Rueda, Google’s Regional Brand, Product and Solutions Lead for Spanish Speaking LATAM, says the real competitive advantage lies in curiosity, and the ability to learn, adapt and transform new ideas into impactful solutions.
In a conversation with Tomilli, Rueda shared his vision for the future of marketing, the role of Artificial Intelligence, brand building and the principles that will remain essential in an increasingly competitive environment.
The Marketing Revolution Started with Data
While Artificial Intelligence dominates the conversation, Hector Rueda believes that the industry’s most profound change began before AI. In his opinion, real transformation came when marketing stopped targeting large audiences and began to understand their consumers as individuals.
“I think that we are not living the [industry’s] most revolutionary moment yet. Artificial Intelligence has not yet reached its maturity, nor has it shown us everything it will be able to do. But before that, the real revolution we have already been experiencing is [in regards to] data: we have moved from mass marketing to much more personalized [marketing], where we stop looking at averages and start understanding people.”
Brand, talent and trust: pillars that do not change in the age of artificial intelligence
Rueda says that building brand relevancy still depends on the same principles as before. Today, more than ever, people value consistency and genuine connection with organizations. The congruence between what a brand promises and what it actually does has become one of the pillars for building trust and developing lasting relationships with consumers.
“Today, the challenge is no longer for a brand is seen, but remembered. The difference lies in making a genuine connection with people, telling them why you are different and demonstrating it with facts, because congruence between what a brand says and does has never been so important.”
Although he works with artificial intelligence on a daily basis, Rueda believes that this technology does not replace human capabilities. On the contrary, he believes that it forces you to develop skills that will be increasingly valuable in the workforce. The ability to learn, adapt to change, and connect with what’s happening will continue to make a difference in an environment where technology evolves at a rapid pace.
Rueda says that one of the biggest challenges for any organization is to build relationships of trust. It is an asset that cannot be bought or developed overnight, but that is strengthened by consistent actions.
“Trust is built by being consistent, keeping your word, doing what you say, and displaying your real values.”
In Rueda’s experience, few organizations manage to consistently deliver on the value proposition they promise. However, he says, that maintaining the trust of those who have already chosen the brand is more important than securing new customers.
“A company’s success lies in keeping the customers they already have, because getting new ones is usually much more expensive.”
Innovating also means adapting what already exists
Rueda believes the term innovation has been misinterpreted. After so many years, adapting something that already exists to a new context, a different market, or a current need is also innovating.
Rather than chasing absolute novelty, he believes that true value lies in finding new ways to use existing tools to solve problems more effectively. He highlights that observing more developed markets can also become a source of innovation. Identifying trends, understanding how they work, and adapting them to the local context allows us to develop solutions with impact without having to start from scratch. For him, innovation is also about knowing how to read the environment, experiment with new uses and find the balance between what already works and what is worth exploring.
The future of marketing will continue to be people-centered
When imagining what the industry could look like ten years from now, Rueda says that he hopes that it will continue to be people-centered, even in an AI-world.
“I would like the consumer to remain at the center of decisions in ten years’ time. Artificial intelligence can help us in many ways, but people must remain the most important. Marketing will always have to start by understanding people’s needs and connecting with them.”
Although artificial intelligence will continue to transform the way brands work, Héctor Rueda believes that the fundamental principles of marketing will remain intact. Understanding people, building trust and adapting to change will continue to be the factors that differentiate organizations capable of building strong and relevant relationships with their consumers.