Week 6

This past week I did a lot of traveling. I was in Goiania, Manaus, Curitiba, and Caxias do Sul visiting the different malls and gaining a cultural perspective on the different areas. Goiania was very interesting because the C Class consumer (middle class) makes up 50% of the population. The mall management in this area focused on creating a safe atmosphere for families to come and experience the mall. It is interesting to think about this idea relative to malls in the United States. I don’t think about going to a shopping center and not feeling safe. For the emerging middle class the mall provides a place that a family can enjoy, and at the same time, they do not have to worry about their well being. Also, many shoppers come to malls to get out of the heat. Mall air-conditioning brings in a consumer that may not spend a lot, but they get a chance to see the mall and recognize some of the products and services they provide.

Shopping Amazonas (Manaus, Brazil) was a very interesting experience. The mall management team is focused on improving the infrastructure of the mall. Because of new competitors in the area, Shopping Amazonas is adjusting to these changes. Their plan is to build a new parking structure and create a more modern look inside and out.

Curitiba and Caxias do Sul were two places I visited in the south of Brazil. These regions were culturally different than others I have visited in Brazil. The infrastructure was very European looking and the population looked to be mostly of European decent. In Caxias do Sul, most of the population was Italian. I had the opportunity to eat at an Italian restaurant in Shopping Caxias do Sul and the food was great.

I flew back into Rio de Janeiro today to sum up my project. I have a lot of information that I need to put together. I hope to talk to Tenda, an entry level homebuilder, to get to some more information on the housing market in Brazil. Also, I will be putting together a presentation for the directors at BR Malls to show them what I have learned from my experience here.