Protected Designation of Origin Iberian Ham Arrives in Mexico

Communication and PR

Influencer Marketing

Events and Brand Experiences

The promotion of Iberian ham in Mexico has been a key initiative to position this high-quality product in a market with significant growth potential and significant challenges. Through collaboration with programs funded by the European Union, and in partnership with its strategic partner Tactics, AREA spearheaded the introduction of Iberian ham with Protected Designation of Origin, developing a comprehensive strategy that combined education, public relations, and immersive experiences to reach both industry professionals and end consumers.

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1ª FASE

2nd PHASE

1st Phase Ham Passion Tour 2018-2021

As part of the campaign promoted by the European Union in collaboration with ASICI, AREA spearheaded the arrival of Iberian Ham with Protected Designation of Origin in Mexico, developing a comprehensive strategy to position the product in a market with great potential. For three years, we designed and executed a strategic plan that combined education, immersive experiences, and public relations, consolidating the first phase of this initiative under the name Ham Passion Tour.

The main challenge was communicating the product's distinctive values, such as health certifications, traceability, labeling, and nutritional properties, to key audiences in Mexico. To achieve this, we proposed a multi-channel strategy focused on three fronts: trade, press, and end consumer.

From AREA, we managed various public relations actions in the gastronomy, luxury, and business sectors, creating experiences in which participants could learn about and assess the product's quality firsthand.

This allowed us to generate valuable editorial content and strengthen commercial relationships with importers, restaurants, chefs, and specialized media.

Additionally, as part of our experiential strategy, we organized trips to Spain for journalists and chefs to discover the product's traceability in its original environment. We complemented this action with exclusive gastronomic events, designing complete ham-based menus, from starter to dessert, highlighting the product's versatility.

To reach the end consumer, we carried out activations in restaurants and supermarkets, ensuring that Iberian Ham was present at the most strategic touchpoints. Furthermore, one of the greatest achievements of this campaign was the creation of a network of brand ambassador chefs, consolidating strategic alliances with key figures in the local gastronomy industry.

1st PHASE

2nd PHASE

2nd Phase Campaign: Ambassador World Project 2021-2023

Following the success of the first phase, which resulted in a 75% increase in sales during the first year, we launched the Ambassador World Project, the second phase of the campaign. In this phase, KOLs were appointed to further expand the awareness of Jamón Ibérico, in addition to continuing to work with the trade, press, and end-consumer sectors.

Prominent figures such as Mario Sandoval, a Spanish chef with two Michelin stars, and Carlos Gaytán, a Mexican chef with one Michelin star, collaborated on various specialized cooking workshops, focused on strengthening product education and positioning it in the luxury sector. In addition, interviews were arranged with key media outlets in the sector, using these spokespersons to reinforce the campaign and product storytelling.

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In parallel, digital communication tools were designed and implemented, working in collaboration with bloggers and influencers, generating audiovisual pieces and information kits. Strategic agreements were also established with the Mexican Association of Restaurants and Gourmet Gastronomic Festivals. Official training on Iberian Ham and the art of slicing was also developed through a collaboration with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and the AMR (Mexican Association of Producers and Producers of the Region).

For the target audience, approximately 120 product activations were carried out in restaurants and 180 in supermarkets, complemented by point-of-sale activations through partnerships with El Palacio de Hierro in the final year of the campaign. On a more experiential level, lucrative activities such as the Iberian Route were developed in collaboration with various wine shops in Mexico City, where the product was offered for consumption and promoted by influencers and through digital media advertising. These educational and recreational initiatives aimed to strengthen the connection between Iberian ham and its benefits and promote its consumption, reaching a total of more than 10,000 participants.