A David and Goliath Story

Having just spent billions to launch a new commercial aircraft, Embraer needed to find a way to carve out a position in a category dominated by behemoths like Airbus and Boeing. And they needed to do it fast. The brand lacked the clout on a global scale needed to challenge its heavyweight adversaries.  

The question became, how does a lesser known challenger gain the fame and admiration needed to succeed in a market where buying cycles can be measured in decades, decision makers are varied and difficult to engage, and where purchase choices are traditionally based on product features, performance and price? By seeking distinctiveness befitting its cultural origins.  

We knew we could be bold. Having developed Embraer’s corporate brand on the theme ‘We live for the challenge’, when we chose to do something which broke all category conventions, we were confident the client would rise to the challenge too.

As always, finding a lasting solution starts with uncovering an ingenious insight. Through our own proprietary research we were able to uncover a truth in which both Embraer’s customers and the world’s airlines shared common ground. The ongoing issue of making and maintaining profit. The complexity of that daily challenge, was where opportunity was to be found.  

Thus, The Profit Hunter was born. Using the biggest canvas available - the product itself - Embraer was able to create a distinctive name and personality that competitors couldn’t rival. Enabling Embraer to emerge as David, in a marketplace previously dominated by Goliaths. 

From an initial concern that sales would never take off, Embraer have credited The Profit Hunter program as delivering an opportunity of $15.1 billion. Fuelling Embraer’s defiant rise from an underestimated challenger, to the world’s most loved brand in their market.

Now in its 6th year, the “Profit Hunter” campaign for Embraer is the world’s most awarded B2B campaign. Winning over 400 awards across B2B, integrated and commercial effectiveness, the campaign is also recognized for individual excellence awards in strategy, video, creative, content, social, and event categories, and many more.