Project Overview

 

When TECNO and Infinix prepared to enter Latin America, Mexico represented a true 0→1 market: low brand awareness, no transferable playbook, and a highly localized consumer and channel ecosystem.

The challenge was not how to scale fast—but how to identify what this market would actually respond to.

 

The Default Path

Replicate strategies proven in other emerging markets—price-led messaging, broad influencer seeding, and rapid exposure-driven growth.

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Typical moves

• Lead with price and specs to drive mass awareness

• Seed influencers broadly for quick visibility

• Optimize for reach before understanding local resonance

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Why this fails in Mexico

• Undifferentiated positioning in a culturally expressive market

• Visibility without clarity on why the brand matters

• Spend that generates noise, not a defensible entry point

 

The Decision

We didn’t start with scale. We started by identifying what this market would actually respond to—before committing to mass exposure.

 

What we chose instead

• Lead with first-hand market research and local insight

• Treat Mexico as an interest-driven market, not a generic price-sensitive one

• Identify a single, culturally resonant entry wedge

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The entry point

• Mobile gaming culture as the first wedge—not mass coverage

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In short: we didn’t enter everywhere—we entered where belief could form first.

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Key decisions included:

• Entering through the gaming niche, not mass coverage

• Shifting messaging from specs and price to performance, immersion, and gamer identity

• Building partnerships with gaming creators, IPs, and customized product concepts

• Positioning TikTok as a cultural and community platform—not just a media channel

 

What Changed

Once the entry point was clear, execution shifted from being seen to being understood.

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With a clear entry point, execution focused on being understood—not just seen.

• The brand established gaming as its core point of entry in Mexico

• Influencer strategy shifted from reach-driven to vertical relevance and community resonance

• IP collaborations and product customization accelerated brand recognition

 

To sustain growth, I further led the decision to build a local TikTok content production hub in Latin America, rather than relying on remote content replication.

 

This resulted in:

• +150% increase in TikTok video views

• +138% growth in followers with consistently low CPM

• Higher engagement quality and repeatable content performance

 

 

My Role

LATAM Brand & Content Strategy Lead

Owned Mexico 0→1 market entry decisions—from entry wedge identification and niche audience strategy to cross-cultural brand narrative and regional content system design.