A 26 year’s old start-up

We talked to Garbine Abasolo about how Thinketers connects brands with people through experiences and content that entertain, generate conversation, and mobilize, and this is what she had to say about it.

First of all, how are you doing in these COVID-19 times?

Garbine Abasolo: Covid-19 has put us to the test at all levels, but I would stay with the positive: to be grateful every day for everything we have and not take anything for granted. In my other big family in the professional field, all the team’s effort has been focused on accompanying our clients and reorienting their marketing and communication strategies. We have been very agile to adapt as the events related to covid-19 evolved, to continue meeting the planned objectives despite the limitations. And we have achieved this with big clients, demonstrating the power of the digital channel when it comes to spreading relevant content and generating experiences that users want to live and want to share.

Tell us about you, your career, how you founded Thinketers?

Garbine Abasolo: I started working as a model and won the 1983 Miss Spain pageant. Since then, my life has been a continuous journey of breaking down stereotypes about women. Twenty-six years ago, I founded what is now Thinketers, a company dedicated to fashion that has evolved from talent management to be a marketing agency that connects brands with people. My knowledge of fashion and the media acquired in my professional career allowed me to work with Personal Brands highly recognized in the Spanish market, prominent national and international commercial brands, and content platforms.

My inquiring mind makes me look for challenges every day to anticipate the fast-paced world of talent management, marketing, and communication. Because we know that it is a sector that evolves very quickly following people’s behavior and that what works today may or may not work tomorrow. Therefore, the spirit of a start-up and continuously starting from scratch is critical to evolve as people and companies. I keep reinventing myself without fear, believing in people and their values.

How does Thinketers innovate?

Garbine Abasolo: From Thinketers, we develop “Menos de lo Mismo” (Less of the same) projects producing Content formats, digital transmedia strategies, and organizing experiential events. At Thinketers, we understand innovation as the new way of connecting brands with people, effectively and creatively, and through relevant content and experiences. We want to sneak into people’s lives in a natural, humane, and useful way. In the end, the engine of innovation lies in the passion and talent of the team, always attentive to the latest trends, and a non-conformist attitude that makes us continually rethink things. Because only with that attitude can excellence be achieved.

How the coronavirus pandemic affects your business, and how are you coping?

Garbine Abasolo: The marketing industry, like many other industries, has been hit hard by the pandemic. Reference sources in the advertising sector estimate investment in the first nine months of 2020 at a 27% drop. In the case of Thinketers, our digital expertise has allowed us to propose strategies to our clients to continue connecting with their audiences in a relevant way. We are fortunate to say that even in this uncertain scenario, at Thinketers, we have grown compared to last year (although less than initially expected) and with excellent prospects for 2021. 

How do you deal with stress and anxiety?

Garbine Abasolo: You have to look at life with a positive and constructive attitude. My personality makes me constantly look for solutions where people usually see problems. It is essential to surround yourself with people and professionals with the same attitude towards life and come together in the most challenging moments.

Who are your competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the game?

Garbine Abasolo: In marketing and communication, the sector we have many competitors and from very different fronts. From large multinationals to independent companies specializing in different fields. The big ones did dominate the market, but more and more brands value smaller agencies capable of providing a better service at a lower cost. Agility, Efficiency, and involvement are our weapons to compete in the market. The agility of thoughts, action, and movements to respond to advertisers’ expectations and adapt the services to what people demand. On the other hand, Efficiency in processes, in relations between teams, and costs, derived from the new ingredient that enters the equation: transparency. Finally, the Implication that it takes you to always be out of your comfort zone because each account is not won in an office but rather the result of talent. These three values, together with that intangible “I don’t know what it is, but how comfortable I work with the agency,” at Thinketers, we call it “Menos de lo Mismo,” and we believe that it is the Mismo of success.

Your final thoughts?

Garbine Abasolo: Both the world and the way we communicate are constantly evolving. For this reason, we must also evolve and adapt to the different scenarios that arise to continue being at the forefront and innovating.

Your website?

www.thinketers.com