Enhancing consumer experiences through emerging technologies

13 Nov 2023 Europe and TurkeyDigitalInnovation
Miguel Olarte

From extended reality platforms, to the web3 space and the artificial intelligence revolution, our Digital Breakthrough Innovation team are at the forefront of the rapid evolution of technology.

The global team experiment with and embrace disruptive ideas that are shaping new and more personalised ways in which consumers can experience our brands.

Hear from Breakthrough Innovation Lead, Miguel Olarte, on his diverse team, their current projects, and what he’s most excited about in terms of future trends for our industry in the innovation space.

Q. Tell us about your current role at Diageo, what do you enjoy most about it?

I’m part of the Global Digital Breakthrough Innovation team, where we use the transformative power of technology to address the challenges and needs of our consumers, our business and Society.

In my role, I advocate for open innovation as an effective strategy to achieve successful partnerships between start-ups and corporates that accelerate innovation and creates a positive impact on both business and society.

What I enjoy most about my work is the ability to breathe life into new ideas and ensure they become tangible realities that create value. There's nothing more rewarding than witnessing how the innovative solutions we foster make a positive impact on the brands, the business, and the consumers.

Q. How did your career path evolve at Diageo and lead to your current role?

My journey at Diageo has been a remarkable and fulfilling one. Over three years ago, I joined the company as part of the digital transformation team in Colombia, where we embarked on disruptive projects, even amidst the challenges of the pandemic.

From the moment I became a part of Diageo, I knew I wanted to work with a global team and be involved in projects that span across different countries where the company has a presence. I was determined to contribute on a larger scale and collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and expertise.

Diageo has been incredibly supportive of my career aspirations. They recognised my passion for cross-border projects and provided opportunities for me to explore and contribute on a global level. This support has not only allowed me to take on more significant responsibilities but has also opened doors for relocation opportunities, including relocating to the NAM region earlier this year.

Q. Tell us about your team?

The breakthrough innovation team's background, cultural diversity and geographic dispersion are significant assets that foster a strategic and creative environment. We are a truly global team from various cultural backgrounds, hailing from different regions across the world, including the UK, Australia, Europe, US, Latin-America, and Asia. This diversity of experiences allows us to approach projects and challenges from multiple angles, enhancing our ability to find innovative and effective solutions. We thrive on our results-driven approach, our ability to test and learn rapidly, and our commitment to scaling innovations that make a positive difference in the business.

Microsoft team

Q. What has your team been working on recently?

Recently we’ve been actively working on an innovative portfolio of projects that demonstrate our commitment to create transformative value to the future of Diageo and our consumers.

Our team is at the forefront of Fusion, an open innovation program designed to co-create with emerging technology start-ups in growth stage and accelerate innovation for Diageo, aligning with our strategic vision and purpose. We just launched the first edition of the programme focused on shaping the future of at-home celebration. I invite you to visit www.fusionpartnershiplab.com, follow us on LinkedIn, and encourage any relevant start-up you may know to apply to the programme.

I also look after initiatives that aim to facilitate how consumers discover, engage and interact with our products, enabled by digital emerging technologies. Let me give you a couple of examples of what we've been up to.

First, BartendAR, is an augmented reality web-app that empowers consumers to explore and create personalised cocktails. This innovative technology helps to attract and engage new consumers, while aiming to deliver a higher rate of sales, frequency of purchase and beat the competition thanks to the technology attached to the physical product on the shelf. With BartendAR, the art of mixology gets an interactive twist, elevating the way consumers can create their own unique cocktails - using the power of object recognition to scan any glassware, bottle or ingredient and get inspiring personalised recommendations. Imagine every single Diageo portfolio product enhanced with this utility to help people create cocktails in a better way, consume more of our brands and drive preference for our category.

Now, imagine being able to understand consumers better than anyone else and deliver high personalized relevant content in a conversational experience. Recognising the increasing importance of AI-powered solutions, we are crafting an AI conversational experience with a cocktail concierge, that will provide personalised and real-time interactions with our consumers, being able to answer any question and chat about related topics, enhancing their shopping experience while helping us to achieve a higher sales conversion lift, cross sell and up-sale size in digital platforms.

Seedlip

Q. Why is this work important you?

On a personal level, being part of this team has been a tremendous journey of learning and development. The possibility to experiment and embrace disruptive ideas has fostered my growth as an individual and as a professional. Working with diverse talents from different regions of the world has broadened my horizons and enriched my perspectives.

This work is incredibly important to me on multiple levels, and it fills me with excitement and thankfulness every day. From a business perspective, we aim to bring direct impact to our brands and business, and to transform the way consumers experience and delight with our brands.

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