Largest Shopping Center Group in Santa Catarina is Finalist in Four Categories of the Abrasce 2024 Award
The Almeida Junior group is a finalist for the Abrasce 2024 Award with four cases, in four of the six categories available in the shopping center sector award. Organized by the Brazilian Shopping Centers Association (Abrasce), the award aims to recognize innovative projects developed by Brazilian shopping centers in the areas of social, environmental, and economic transformation. The awards ceremony will be held in São Paulo on June 26.
The four finalist cases chosen by the award judging panel are in the categories of ‘People Management’, ‘Events and Promotions’, ‘Christmas Campaigns’, and ‘Institutional Campaigns’. In the ‘People Management’ category, the selected case was ‘The Internship Program as a Path to Succession Through Leadership Development’. This project aims to prepare future leaders at Almeida Junior to take on leadership roles competently. During a period of six to nine months, participants undergo an intensive development journey where they are encouraged to improve their technical and behavioral skills essential for their success as leaders.
In the ‘Events and Promotions’ category, the case ‘Oktober Kids, the first German festival aimed at children’ was shortlisted. This pioneering project in the Blumenau region identified the gap in the traditional Oktoberfest, which is predominantly adult-oriented, and established a children-specific celebration at Norte Shopping during the Sundays of October 2023. The initiative included activities such as folk dances, traditional games, and child-friendly culinary options. Oktober Kids was created to provide a safe space for families and engage children with the cultural practices of Oktoberfest.
In the ‘Institutional Campaigns’ category, the case ‘AJ Encanta: Anticipating the Future of Customer Relations’ was a finalist. This project was developed to strengthen customer service, for both consumers and retailers, through an approach that initially values employees. The project’s premise is to exceed customer expectations by surprising them with exceptional experiences. The program starts with active listening and the analysis of interaction points with customers, involving surveys, interviews, and assessments. AJ Encanta defines six service pillars – knowledge, courtesy, attention, alternatives, agility, and efficiency – which guide employees in providing a memorable experience. This service model generates “WOW Moments!”, service situations that surprise and delight customers, and has become the service standard at Almeida Junior.
In the ‘Christmas Campaigns’ category, the case ‘The Nutcracker Comes to Life at the Garten Shopping Christmas with the Bolshoi Theatre School of Brazil’ was a finalist. In Joinville, Christmas was celebrated in an unprecedented way through the collaboration between Garten Shopping and the Bolshoi Theatre School of Brazil to present “The Nutcracker.” The choice of this traditional, Christmas-themed ballet strengthened Joinville’s cultural identity as the “City of Dance.” This collaboration, with the only extension of the famous theatre outside of Russia, highlighted the commitment to artistic excellence and cultural education. The Bolshoi Theatre School’s performance was a pioneering event in a shopping center, attracting a diverse and engaged audience.
For Rafael Fiedler, Marketing and Relationship Director at Almeida Junior, being among the finalists for the Abrasce award is an honor. “Four cases from our group were shortlisted, proving the value of the experiences we provide. This recognition motivates us to continue promoting meaningful actions and events in our shopping centers, such as creating immersive and interactive experiences for customers and developing cultural and educational events that enrich the community,” he points out.
