One of the biggest challenges in working with advertising agencies today is ensuring they understand the business as thoroughly as the client. Ana Gabriela Lopes, marketing director at iFood, a platform that generates R$6 billion monthly from over 96 million orders, shares this insight.
“The key is to engage the agency’s senior leadership so they remain aligned with our needs and strategic shifts. We’ve encountered situations where explaining rapid changes in briefings becomes complex,” Ms. Lopes explains. She adds that another hurdle for agencies lies in the ever-changing dynamics of social media. “Conversations unfold in real-time, new platforms emerge and vanish swiftly, and the way communities organize themselves is always evolving. The challenge for agencies is to anticipate these shifts and grasp the behavior of this constantly evolving consumer,” says Ms. Lopes, who joined iFood in 2019 after stints at Whirlpool, Avon, and Ipsos.
Below are highlights from the interview:
Valor: IFood has invested heavily in hiring data analysts to guide its business strategies. How has this vast volume of information redefined the company’s marketing approach?
Ana Gabriela Lopes: Currently, we have 2,700 people working with data and technology at iFood. Our platform has become an ecosystem with various touchpoints—restaurants, delivery drivers, consumers, markets, pet shops, and pharmacies—and our mission is to keep this network increasingly connected. The challenge for any marketing professional, especially in digital companies with abundant data, is knowing the goal, understanding where you want to go, and having a clear vision of the brand’s positioning and target audience. Today, in addition to internal databases and surveys, social media provides the most significant indicators of what’s happening in real time.
Valor: On social media, the data is less structured, right?
Ms. Lopes: Yes, that’s true. However, you can still detect emerging conversations. I refer to this as the early warning space. From there, we can develop hypotheses, dive deeper into the data, and test new scenarios, emerging consumer habits, and trends.
Valor: In the case of social media, do you have a specific strategy?
Ms. Lopes: Daily monitoring is key. It helps us detect potential crises, opportunities, and trends in advance. For example, iFood sponsors Big Brother 2025; even those who don’t watch the show learn what’s happening through social media. That’s why we created a team entirely dedicated to monitoring conversations about BBB 2025 on social platforms. From this, we generate new content to interact with users.
Valor: Can you give an example of this interaction?
Ms. Lopes: Last week, we ran an egg promotion—20 eggs for R$4.99—because one of the contestants, Gracyanne Barbosa, has an egg-based diet. This became a trending topic on social media.
Valor: How do you see the future of marketing?
Ms. Lopes: Artificial intelligence will profoundly shape the future of marketing, enhancing productivity and effectiveness, particularly in digital content creation. The key challenge will be using AI not only for automation but also to gain deeper insights into consumer behavior. The information is available to everyone; what sets companies apart is how they leverage it to personalize their offers.
Valor: What is the biggest challenge in working with advertising agencies?
Ms. Lopes: The biggest challenge is ensuring that agencies understand our business as deeply as we do. Even though they are involved in the processes and rituals, the pace at which companies operate today requires constant adaptation. The key is to engage the agency’s senior leadership so they remain aligned with our needs and strategic shifts. We’ve encountered situations where explaining rapid changes in briefings becomes complex, but when this barrier is overcome and the agency integrates seamlessly into the company’s rhythm, the results are significant. The ability of agencies to adapt is crucial.
Valor: Do you think they have adapted?
Ms. Lopes: Agencies still have a way to go, particularly when it comes to adopting technologies like artificial intelligence. At iFood, we’ve been discussing AI since 2018, but of course, we’re a technology-driven company. Agencies have only recently started addressing this, and while some are already developing products and campaigns using AI, there is still significant room for growth.
Another hurdle for agencies lies in the ever-changing dynamics of social media. Conversations unfold in real time, new platforms emerge and vanish swiftly, and how communities organize themselves constantly evolves.
Valor: Part of the target audience of new technology companies has practically grown up with the brand. Do you study these profiles and make specific cuts to better understand this audience?
Ms. Lopes: Yes, we study these profiles and closely monitor the relationship between young people and brands, particularly Generation Z. iFood has a strong connection with this group, and we are always looking for ways to strengthen that bond. A great example is our Carnival activation in partnership with TikTok, which really underscores this connection. This year, iFood sponsored the Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo and supported 17 blocks across the three capitals. As a relatively young brand with just 13 years of existence, iFood has revolutionized the habit of ordering food, shifting from phone calls to a digital experience. This naturally brings us closer to a younger audience. However, the pandemic has also brought significant changes, allowing us to reach new consumer profiles. Moreover, many restaurants that had never worked with delivery have now embraced the model.
Valor: How is your relationship with delivery workers? Do you offer training for them?
Ms. Lopes: Delivery workers are a vital part of our ecosystem, and managing our relationship with them involves a number of challenges. Our role is to minimize conflicts, which unfortunately do exist and are often publicized, including cases of violence and discrimination. We are aware of the structural prejudice in society, and we actively work to combat it.
Beyond providing education, we also focus on protecting delivery workers. We have legal support programs, including a partnership with Leg Sisters in Law, a group of female lawyers who assist in cases of discrimination and violence. We aim to mediate this relationship and ensure delivery workers have the necessary support and security to work effectively.
Translation: Todd Harkin
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