NEWS FROM AROUND BATA WORLD WEEKLY DIGEST. Bata World Digest June 23, 2017 INTERVIEWS. Q & A with Maria Teresa del Campo

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1 WEEKLY INTERVIEWS Q & A with Maria Teresa del Campo Maria Teresa del Campo is collection manager for Bata Chile, having taken on the role in January this year. Bata World News recently spoke to her about her new position, and during the interview she also gave us some of her top style tips. INTERVIEWS CORPORATE BATA IN THE NEWS Q & A with Jeff Wakefield, Creator of Bubblegummers Bata India Hosts Major Fashion Event with Group Execs Bata in the News: Mega Magazine's Five Reasons to Buy Bata Perfect Look: What to Wear to Work This Summer Contest Finds Brightest Insolia Fairies in Florence South Asia Europe Bata Group Bata in the News: India's New Brand Manifesto Video Bata Best Sellers: A With-It Wedge Wins in Italy Summer Trend: Beach Looks for Every Occasion BCP Malaysia Nudges Indigenous Children Back to School

2 INTERVIEWS Q & A with Maria Teresa del Campo Maria Teresa del Campo is collection manager for Bata Chile, having taken on the role in January this year. Bata World News recently spoke to her about her new position, and during the interview she also gave us some of her top style tips. How did you come to be collection manager of Bata Chile? I have been in the shoe business for 15 years, and I arrived at Bata four and a half years ago, where I started as Latam regional women s product manager. What do you most enjoy about your role? I have loved shoes ever since I was little! It is so much fun for me to work in this business. I feel grateful that I can enjoy my job, as not everybody has this good fortune. What does a typical day involve for you? I start early in the morning, taking my two kids to school, then arrive at the office. I check s and work with my team. Half of the time involves problem solving, and the other half I spend creating, looking for new ideas and proposals, trying to find new strategies and refresh the business, as fashion goes so fast! How do you like to express your own style in the outfits and accessories you choose? I always choose simplicity. I don t like prints or bright colors too much. I love black, basic colors, and I often wear jeans. I m tall, so it is strange to see me wearing high heels. I love accessories, and always put a little make up. I don t spend too much money on my wardrobe, as I have lots of basics and I mix them in a fun way. My style is based on what I like to see in the mirror. I don t think too much about other people's opinions. I never compare myself with the rest. What would you say are the most important trends in terms of shoes and clothing in Chile right now? We had a complete revolution with chunky shoes three years ago, which started as a favorite for teenagers, and, strangely, moved to older women, becoming a musthave in your closet. It is the first time in my life, that I have seen a trend become strong in Chile and Argentina before Europe or the U.S. Globalization, ease of travel and technology allow people to have access to the latest trend information. Now you can find very stylish people in Chile. Could you give us some ideas for outfits to match with some of your favorite Bata shoes from the latest collection? (Images are in the gallery) Look one western boots: As you can see, the model is wearing the same boots with two different outfits. We have a nice offer of western boots in Bata Chile. They have a nice height, and you can wear them with many different options. Look two sneakers: You can look very feminine and stylish. You only have to dare to try! Here I suggest outfits for this Bata nude sneaker, and a white sneaker from North Star. Look three curvy: Here are two outfits to pair with this Bata Insolia pump and a Bata boot. I know what you are thinking: OK, but Maria Teresa is thin! Let me tell you that style has nothing to do with your weight, your height, or your skin color. Check out these beautiful girls. What has been the reaction to the launch of Insolia there? Insolia is great technology! It is new, fresh and it works, so the reaction in Chile was very good. None of the competition has anything similar to this, and I think that big brands feel a little envy. Good sale results have shown us that women appreciate comfort and stability in their shoes. What do you think is important in helping women to feel comfortable with themselves? The most important thing in order to feel comfortable with yourself is to be yourself. There s nothing more important. If I had to give you some advice to improve your look, I'd tell you this: start focusing on things that

3 Q & A WITH MARIA TERESA DEL CAMPO you like, and highlight these items. Then, go to the mall and try different outfits. Dare to try different options, but do not buy a single thing. Only take some selfies, and then check them carefully at home, and never forget that "less is more."

4 INTERVIEWS Q & A with Jeff Wakefield, Creator of Bubblegummers Jeff Wakefield, pictured above with wife Carol and son Seth in a photo from 1992, is the creative mind behind Amy, Tim and The Cat, the three much-loved characters from the Bubblegummers comic strip, and who also feature on Bata's Bubblegummers range of children's shoes. Bata World News recently had... The contents of the interview are being published in two separate articles across two weeks, and this week, Wakefield describes how he got started as a comic strip artist, and how the Bubblegummers characters became a Bata brand. When did you first decide that you wanted to write and draw comics? How did you get started? I don t know if it was a conscious decision. My parents gave my brother and I subscriptions to Walt Disney comic books when we were very young. We were living in Connecticut at the time and on Sundays, my father would go to the news store and come home with all the New York and Philadelphia newspapers, which contained a treasure trove of comics, and I guess it built up from there. My first thought about cartooning as a future came in I did a cartoon about a hippy, and sold it to the once-a-week teen section of the Toronto Telegram newspaper called After Four. They paid me $10, and it was seen by everyone in our school. How did the collaboration with Bata come about? In 1976, my friend Ted Martin opened an art gallery in Toronto, and my wife Carol and I were asked to exhibit in the gallery s opening show. Ted told me a day or so later that one of Carol s sketches had been sold to Bata. One of the motivating factors in the purchase was, according to Ted, that the girl in the picture was wearing North Star shoes. I personally never paid much attention to brands, but I realized that I had been drawing my Bubblegummers characters with running shoes featuring the famous two-stripe logo of North Stars a shoe that was worn by virtually all teenagers in Canada at that time. I asked Ted if I could deliver the drawing to the Bata headquarters. That is when I met Phillip Nutt, who was the International Director of Marketing for Bata at that time. I pitched the idea that my Bubblegummers characters might be mascots for the North Star brand. However, Phillip saw greater opportunities for Bubblegummers on its own, as a global children s footwear brand. It had a name that was easy to understand regardless of local language, had no cultural obstacles, had no secondary meaning and was childfriendly. Phillip Nutt developed the international marketing programs for Bubblegummers, and I provided the artwork. Bubblegummers was an instant success on a global level. How did it make you feel to see your creations on Bata shoes for the first time? Fred Peel, who was the manager at Bata Canada s importing company, Norimco, told me that the Bubblegummers shoes were available at Eaton s, a major Canadian department store. Carol and I went to have a look. It was an inspirational moment. Even more satisfying, though, is when I run into people from other countries now living in my community, who tell me how much they loved their Bubblegummers shoes when they were children. Why do you think these characters continue to appeal to so many young people? I can t really say that the appeal has much to do with me. It s more about the excellent job that Bata did in marketing Bubblegummers on an international level. Some characters sell themselves because of their backstory their popularity in other fields but in the case of Bubblegummers the popularity has been driven by clever marketing by Bata and a good quality product. What do you think makes the Bubblegummers characters fit so well with Bata's shoes? Bata is an international organization, and a lot of international collaboration went into making Bubblegummers a success. There were the annual Bata Shoecons at which future products would be planned, as well as trade shows, trend reports, story books, animated television cartoons and themed local marketing programs to name a few. Everyone worked together not only to make this brand a success, but also to keep it relevant for the past 40+ years. What has been the most satisfying or proudest moment for you in your career? Bata could have used any name or any characters and with their marketing excellence and international collaborations, they could surely have made it a success.

5 Q & A WITH JEFF WAKEFIELD, CREATOR OF BUBBLEGUMMERS However, Bata chose the name and the characters that Carol and I created. It gives us great satisfaction to know we have touched the lives of so many people all over the world who have either worked on making or selling Bubblegummers shoes or have purchased or worn Bubblegummers shoes. Stay tuned to Bata World News next Friday for the second part of the interview, where Jeff Wakefield will reveal where he got the inspiration for Amy, Tim and The Cat, and how the Bubblegummers began.

6 CORPORATE Bata India Hosts Major Fashion Event with Group Execs Bata India recently put on a spectacular fashion event to fete 123 years of Bata. CEO Alexis Nasard and CMO Thomas A. Bata were in the country for the high profile affair, during which they presented the global brand manifesto. The event, which included a catwalk show, was held at the iconic Imperial Hotel in New Delhi on May 29. Bata India also introduced its new television commercial, which is in line with the manifesto s inspiration: the modern women of the world. The womencentric commercial gave the Indian public a taste of Bata s transformed image and product line. The high-octane #BataFashionShow was streamed live on Facebook and featured comfy Insolia high heels, PataPata s musthave Masala flip-flop collection, the stylish men s European collection, as well as the latest from Bata Comfit, North Star and Power. A B-boy dance group performed in North Star sneakers, and tap dancers flaunted European collection heels so the audience could see for themselves how easy it is to be comfortable and sexy in the same time with Bata. The visiting Group executives interacted with the audience at the event which included leading editors, writers and influencers from the national fashion community and shared the brand s vision. Talking about the new brand manifesto, Nasard said, "One of the most important things about yourself in life is selfconfidence. Self-confidence and selfesteem allow us to live fuller lives and get much bigger opportunities. Because people with confidence and self-esteem, they dare more! And when you dare more, you get more. You get more opportunities personally, socially and professionally. That is where we at Bata stand. We try and give our consumers, particularly women, the opportunity to have the little bit that they can control, to feel good about themselves. This is our little contribution to society, a little contribution toward women feeling great about themselves and being comfortable in their skin. I'm proud and delighted to share the Bata brand manifesto: Me. And comfortable with it. Rajeev Gopalakrishnan, president for South Asia, also made himself available to the media at the event and gave NDTV Good Times some background about new collections as they were presented on the catwalk. PataPata is a very interesting collection: this is a global brand that we have with strong roots in Africa. What we have taken in India is to promote different art and culture from each of our states. The new collection we are launching now is the Madhubani collection, which draws inspiration from Madhubani art. A host of media outlets later covered Bata India, and the top two Indian business channels, CNBC and BTVi, produced special feature segments. NDTV GoodTimes, India s premium lifestyle TV channel, covered the fashion show and showcased various collections in five different segments. Other prominent outlets that focused on Bata s new image and ambitious targets included Business Standard, ET Panache and NDTV Good Times.

7 BATA IN THE NEWS Bata in the News: Mega Magazine's Five Reasons to Buy Bata On June 1, Mega magazine, the top fashion magazine in the Philippines, published an article entitles 5 Reasons Why Bata Should Be in Your Shoe Collection, in conjunction with a twopage feature on the company, printed in the June issue. In the article, chief editor Suki Salvador lists five rea... The article was written after Salvador spoke with Bata's President of Asia Pacific Roberto Longo at the Bata Fashion Weekend, where the pair discussed some of the company's greatest strengths, as well as its vibrant new direction. Salvador discusses the fact that, since its early days, Bata has always believed in focusing on its employees and the areas in which it is present, and highlights the more than 1,200 initiatives undertaken by the Bata Children's Program since its inception. Among the reasons given by Salvador for buying Bata shoes is that Bata shoes are beautiful and sexy. He writes: When you see soles that say Made in Italy, you know the shoe is going to be sexy because Italian shoes are synonymous with beauty and sexy. Since 1997, Alberto Del Biondi and his eponymous design firm have been designing Bata shoes including the top selling Bata Flexible range. He leads the Bata design team together with the best stylists, pattern makers and last creators from their head quarters in Venice, Italy. Need more convincing? Bata sells over 200 million bootyful shoes a year. The original version of the article can be read on the Mega Style website here. Other advantages given in the article for people to buy Bata focus on elements of Bata's new manifesto Me & Comfortable with it, as Salvador points out that Bata shoes are comfortable and affordable, meaning women do not have to choose between being gorgeous and wearing shoes that allow their feet to feel good as well. He also notes that, as the manifesto states, Bata does not believe all women should conform to society's opinion of how they should look, and believes in celebrating differences. The final reason the article gives as to why everyone should own at least one pair of Bata shoes actually has nothing to do with the shoes themselves, providing instead an excellent example of the company's values. Under the heading Bata Has a Heart,

8 BATA IN THE NEWS Bata in the News: India's New Brand Manifesto Video On June 2, prominent Indian news website Best Media Info published an article about Bata India's latest video campaign, produced in collaboration with top advertising and marketing agency Ogilvy & Mather. The video examines the new Bata manifesto theme of Me & Comfortable with it, and what tha... The 45-second video focuses on celebrating women's unique strengths, and looks at both serious and light-hearted elements of what being female means today. It opens with a voiceover asking the question: Aren't you glad you were born a woman? speaking directly to female viewers, and continues by highlighting some of the benefits and challenges that this brings. The commercial refers to women as the better half, and points out that a woman's strength does not only come from physical ability but from from a place way deeper than that. It mentions a number of day-today advantages of being a woman, such as being able to wear heels and makeup, as well as the fact that, when all of these things fail to cheer us up, there is always retail therapy as a solution. Ajay Gahlaut, executive creative director at Ogilvy & Mather, Delhi, stated: When we saw Bata s fantastic women s range, we were stunned! Because what we saw had no resemblance to the imagery of Bata we had in our minds. It s then we realised that what we had to do was replace the old Bata imagery in our minds and the minds of our consumers with one that reflected the Bata of today! And to do that we also thought of using the women of today the ones who were comfortable in their own shoes. Speaking about the video, Rajeev Gopalakrishnan, Bata president for South Asia, commented: Celebrating 123 years of iconic status, we are thrilled to share the new outlook of brand Bata, which is a reflection of the modern Indian woman. The latest Indian TVC campaign of Bata Me & Comfortable with it, highlights the brand s admiration for women in a very special way. Being one of the most recognized brands in India, we feel that it is important for us to have a point of view. The original article can be read here.

9 PRODUCT Bata Best Sellers: A With-It Wedge Wins in Italy A trendy wedge sandal seen on the feet of celebrity Melissa Satta for Bata Italy s Spring/Summer campaign has been flying off shelves. The new style, known as Brigitte, is exceeding women s expectations with an extraordinary mix of fashion, comfort and affordability. The sandal has a high 12-centimeter multitone tan wedge heel and a rubber outsole. The fabric upper has a black, white and tan tribal-inspired pattern. Finally, a fun multistranded ankle strap sports a dangling pom-pom, and women have various options for how to lace them up. This versatile summer shoe can be worn with a long dress, a maxi shirt, shorts or pants during the day or at night. The heel is as tall as many a vertigo-inducing stiletto, but the wedge offers stability and comfort. With all of those features, the target customer is a woman who wants to look trendy while indulging in comfort. And who doesn t? This shoe is for sale in all Bata Italy stores, where several hundred are being snapped up every week. Women s collection manager Pamela La Torre commented, Great sales results for this very comfortable wedge with a fresh and summery young look. It could be worn for special occasions but also all day long. Brigitte is proof that icon articles deserve their name.

10 MARKET TRENDS Summer Trend: Beach Looks for Every Occasion As the weather heats up and the days grow longer, our thoughts turn to sand, sea and summer fashion, looking for the perfect outfit to go from beach to bar, while still remaining rigorously on trend. Of course, a cute bikini or onepiece swimsuit is a great place to start, but a real stand-out look... As recently covered in Bata World News, denim is trending in a big way this year, and the beach is no exception. For a simpleyet-sexy look, throw on a pair of denim shorts over your favorite bikini, add a flowy, halterneck top, coral bracelets and retro sunglasses and you are good to go. A pair of beaded sandals will put the finishing touch to this outfit, perhaps with tassels too, in a nod to another of this season's big trends. For a more sophisticated look that can be worn at even the poshest beach resorts, pair an elegant linen dress with a simple, classy bikini, and finish it off with a pair of woven sandals or espadrilles. A braided tote bag works wonderfully with this look, and also makes the perfect beach bag to store your book, sun cream and other belongings while catching some rays. Another great beach look can be achieved by wearing a brightly colored kaftan, perhaps in this season's yellow or green, with a string bikini and flat sandals, or why not try a classic, white summer sundress, straw hat and oversized sunglasses for a timeless beach outfit that works in almost any context. For men, summer 2017 sees a return to floral prints, both for shorts and shirts, as well as linen, which is light and cool, making it perfect for the hot weather. Boat shoes, espadrilles and sandals are the best options for men's footwear, striking a balance between comfort, practicality and style. Whatever beach outfit suits your own particular personality, you can be sure that Bata has the shoes and accessories to add the finishing touch. Browse the gallery for some of this summer's top offerings from Bata, and start thinking about that summer beach holiday.

11 MARKET TRENDS Perfect Look: What to Wear to Work This Summer The alarm clock has rung, several times. You have coffee in hand, are focused on your morning meeting, and stop in front of your wardrobe. Now, what to wear? The question is all the more difficult to answer when temperatures are soaring outside. It s enough to make anyone break a sweat. mean you have to look like everyone else. Follow dress codes, but let your shoes and earrings show who you are. Let your personality shine through! Experts know to put in the time to plan your outfits it will work wonders. Knowing on Sunday what you will wear for the rest of the week will give you an edge every morning as you re rushing to get out the door, and ensure you re putting your best foot forward. So what are the real essentials for a working woman s summer shoe closet? Good style planning also means taking a step back from your wardrobe every season to consider how you can add in at least a few key pieces to stay up to date. One way to sneak the latest trends into your weekday outfits without breaking the bank is to tweak your weekend wardrobe. It can be as simple as throwing on a light blazer! And if you re new to the world of work, start with basic items in neutral colors. They will last longer, and you can always spice things up with accessories. Look for clothes that can be layered and make the transition to another season as well. Stylists agree: have fun with your shoes and accessories, even at work. They re a great way to work this season s key trends into your office outfits. Add a piece in the breakout colors of summer. Incorporate a hip mule into your rotation. A new handbag, a new laptop bag, a new pair of shoes, a new necklace: accessories are so versatile and will give your current wardrobe a fresh spin. Accessories are also the secret to expressing your individuality at work. Just because you re a professional doesn t A mid heel is the gold standard for formal office wear. But there are plenty of flat options that will look chic at the office, whether loafers, mules, brogues or the endless variety of ballet flats. Choosing sleek styles in black is how anyone can get away with wearing the season's it shoe trend to work. Unless your office has a very strict dress code, peep-toe shoes, and even sandals, are great options for the summer. Just make sure before you put your feet on display you look after them with a pedicure. The only hard rules are, first, sorry, no flipflops. And make sure you can walk comfortably in your shoes no one looks good teetering and tottering across the room. Psst, try out Bata Insolia for stylish heels proven to allow women to walk comfortably for longer!

12 STORE Contest Finds Brightest Insolia Fairies in Florence Bata Italy held a special store contest to coincide with its launch of the global Insolia collection. Ten stores participated by designating staff members fairies and decking them out with Insolia wings. The select stores ran the length of the Italian peninsula, from Bergamo to Palermo. These stores chose at least one sales assistant to be an Insolia ambassador. She wore a branded T-shirt, skinny jeans, Insolia heels of her choice and, on her shoulders, a set of wings in the shape of the Insolia butterfly logo. Naturally, the fairies used training materials to become experts on the benefits of Insolia technology. They could thus offer customers individual attention and explanations as they considered their purchases. The contest took place the first week of April, right after Insolia officially rolled out in Italy. The participating store that sold the most pairs of Insolia shoes that week was judged the winner. That Bata store was the one located in Florence s elegant and historic Via dei Calzaiuoli, which links the city s two central piazzas and translates as shoemakers street. The entire store team was rewarded with a dinner out, and the fairies received a 90 percent discount voucher. The efforts of the fairies in the other nine participating stores were also recognized with a 50 percent voucher. "Congratulations to the whole Florence Calzaiuoli team, and congratulations to our fairies, who enthusiastically threw themselves 'heart and soul into this project, said omnichannel retail director Marco Farnetani. We have achieved, and are continuing to achieve, great sales results. That is the outcome of teamwork and perfect coordination of the marketing, visual and sales departments, which also led to excellent product exposure, effective training through storytelling and distinctive customer service thanks to our fairies and all sales staff involved."

13 Powered by TCPDF ( BCP BCP Malaysia Nudges Indigenous Children Back to School The Bata Children s Program (BCP) Malaysia is supporting the education of indigenous children in a village outside Kuala Lumpur through a multipronged approach. The BCP team is collaborating to offer Saturday morning tuition to young children, with the goal of preparing them for integration in state school. Only 30 percent of 100 school-age children in the Kampung Sungai Rasau village go to school. Three BCP volunteers are part of a team of teachers offering English and math lessons to around 30 youngsters. To encourage the children and engage their families, BCP Malaysia will reward with a pair of Bata shoes those who attend 12 classes and make presentations on what they learned to their teachers and parents. BCP has also donated textbooks, school supplies, a white board and healthy snacks. BCP volunteers will join teachers in monthly visits to households with very poor attendance to better understand the factors such as caretaking of elderly relatives keeping the children from coming to Saturday classes. With the support of the village head, they will work toward a solution. During a visit on May 13, some BCP volunteers assisted the teacher while others prepared lunch. Early childhood education is an investment in the future of the country, but also in the improvement of complex social issues, commented BCP coordinator Wilsen Isuwaran.