Category: News

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.

Actress and entrepreneur Flávia Alessandra attended the Balneário Shopping on Tuesday, 28th, to participate in the Elas event, which focuses on female empowerment and was held in celebration of Mother’s Day. During her talk, Flávia shared her experiences on the various facets of a woman’s life, from motherhood and career to marriage and the unimaginable challenges women face daily.

Known for her talent and charisma, Flávia brought inspiring stories and heartfelt reflections on the life of the modern woman. She spoke about her professional journey and her life choices as a mother. “The greatest challenges of motherhood are many and eternal because children are forever. But balancing everything is the real challenge. We all have to coordinate family life, careers, and juggle everything, giving up what we would like to do and not always prioritizing ourselves once we become mothers. But at the same time, we know all the delights of being a mother, and that is priceless.”

In addition to her successful career as an actress, Flávia is a lawyer and entrepreneur. With a strong and determined personality, she runs businesses in beauty, wellness, and, along with her husband Otaviano Costa, they co-own Agência Family. “I like to get 100% involved in everything I do. It’s so good to be an entrepreneur; I find fulfillment in it.” Flávia mentioned that she is a partner with her husband in most of their ventures and spoke about married life. “To maintain and renew a relationship, we need to want it. We’ll be together for 18 years, and in our relationship, we have lightness, admiration, and we are life companions.”

To wrap up, Flávia spoke about what Elas represents. “This event is a wonderful initiative. It’s so important to talk, share our pains and fears, and see change. The exchange we’re having here is essential. We need to support, praise, and strengthen each other more and more. And my message is: ‘Look at each one of us.’”

With an audience largely made up of influential women, the event took place at the Central Events Square at Balneário Shopping. The lecture started at 7 PM and was moderated by journalist Camille Reis. This special edition of Elas included the Fashion Talk Docs segment, dedicated to showing how mothers and expectant mothers can adopt stylish and creative looks. With styling advice from Carol Ramos, three influencers—Kelly Gisch, Dai Hank, and Luciana Coutinho—were invited to share their experiences and tips in a relaxed and informal discussion about fashion and style.

For Elizângela Cardoso, superintendent of Balneário Shopping, the Elas event, held annually in honor of Mother’s Day, is an opportunity for women to celebrate their strength and resilience.

“Balneário Shopping is always presenting trends and receiving new items of national and international relevance, becoming a meeting point for fashionable, constantly updated women. Elas is an event that stands out for attracting influential personalities, with the purpose of spreading knowledge, connecting stories, and inspiring. This year, we chose a remarkable woman, who became even more special when she took the initiative to help with our SOS campaign for the state of Rio Grande do Sul. This shows who Flávia Alessandra is—a woman with a strong personality who, beyond being an actress, entrepreneur, wife, and mother, is also compassionate.”

Urubici is the perfect destination for those seeking a charming, romantic setting immersed in nature. The goal of the Valentine’s Day promotion, launched on Wednesday (22nd) at all Almeida Junior shopping centers and valid until June 13th, is to provide an unforgettable experience for couples.

Participants will compete for a raffle of accommodation packages in the stunning Serra Catarinense (Catarinense Highlands). The campaign is valid at the six shopping centers of the group: Balneário Shopping, Continente Shopping, Garten Shopping, Nações Shopping, Norte Shopping, and Neumarkt Shopping.

To celebrate the customer and commemorate Valentine’s Day, the prize will include a total of 60 accommodation packages for Serra Catarinense, 10 per shopping center, with two-night stays for two people, including accommodations with a hot tub, views of the Serra Catarinense, meals, and tours of parks and wineries.

To participate, simply register the purchase receipts in the AJFans superapp by 8 PM on June 13th. For every R$ 300 spent at participating stores, customers will receive lucky numbers to compete. The drawing will be held in accordance with the results of the Federal Lottery on June 17th.

“Through this promotion, we want to create special and unforgettable moments for couples. In addition to offering a wide range of gifts for the celebration, our mission is always to provide memorable experiences and strengthen genuine bonds, ensuring the best for our customers,” says Rafael Fiedler, Marketing and Relationship Director at Almeida Junior.