The new brand image for the IT sector stresses the competencies of the Brazilian software and IT services industry, centralizing the promotion of IT exports and the international expansion of organizations in the sector.

The Brazilian software and information technology (IT) services industry now has a new brand image to represent its communications actions abroad in a unified manner. The brand Brasil IT+ (read as: Brasil IT plus) aims to create a single visual language based on a common positioning strategy, giving Brazilian IT companies and associations a recognizable identity around the world that will drive the sector?s exports and its international expansion.

Given the intense internationalization of the markets and the need to create homogenous communications to promote the Brazilian IT industry, and as a response by the sector to one of the targets set by the Federal Government?s Production Development Policy (PDP), launched in May 2008, associations and bodies in the IT sector, in tandem with the governmental organizations responsible for the promotion of the sector, got together to produce an alternative that consolidates and strengthens promotional initiatives.

The Brasil IT+ brand, then, is an evolution of the Brazil IT brand, which has since 2004 been part of the positioning effort made by Integrated IT Sector Projects at Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) in partnership with the sector. The brand strategy is based on four pillars: Being Brazilian; Being a Major Player; Building Great Partnerhips, and Being a Strategic Player in IT. It communicates the unison in the sector focused on the development of a common agenda of internationalization and exports promotion, and it will be used by governmental and private sector organizations in commercial promotion campaigns.

The new brand represents a group of institutions and companies that believe in the Brazilian IT sector?s capacity to do business inside and outside of Brazil, contributing to the development of the country and the consolidation of the industry. It certifies the competency and quality found in Brazilian IT, and guarantees the delivery of practical, efficient, and innovative solutions through a unique combination of attributes Brazil has to offer: business expertise, creativity, flexibility, diversity, infrastructure and excellent conditions to create solid partnerships.

Starting with a discussion that went beyond just the creation of a new commercial logo, a project was developed that focused on the drawing up of a new strategy to position Brazil on the global market, which served as a base for the creation of a brand for the IT sector which will centralize export promotion initiatives and the internationalization of the organizations in the sector. The work is expected to build an image of credibility, knowledge, quality, security, and commitment, helping to make Brazil a global IT powerhouse.

The initiative was conceived in one of the Integrated Sector Projects (PSI, in Portuguese) developed by Apex-Brasil in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Information Technology and Communication Companies (BRASSCOM). A communications agency was hired to design the new brand and draw up the proposal for its positioning. This involved interviewing executives from IT companies to get a better understanding of the business, as well as managers of the leading associations in the sector, to understand the sector?s precise communications needs on the global market. The initiative also involved the Association for Promoting the Brazilian Software Excellence (SOFTEX), the Brazilian Association of Science Parks and Business Incubators (ANPROTEC), the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC), the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES), the Brazilian Industrial Development Agency (ABDI), the Brazilian Association of Software Companies (ABES), the Brazilian Association of Information Technology, Software and Internet Companies (ASSESSPRO), the Association of IT users and Telecommunications (SUCESU) and the National Federation of IT Companies (FENAINFO). The involvement and commitment of the leading agents in the sector made the initiative unique in terms of representation, demonstrating the potential of leveraging results in the years to come, aligned with the opportunities that have arisen in the international IT scenario.

BRAZIL GROWS AS AN OFFSHORE DESTINATION

According to the survey ?Next steps in the Strategic Agenda for the ?IT Offshore Outsourcing? sector,? prepared by consultancy A.T. Kearney for BRASSCOM, Brazil has become more competitive on the IT market, moving up from tenth to fifth place in the ranking of offshore destinations from 2005 to 2007. North America and Europe account for 77% of the demand for these services, which last year turned over US$ 70 billion. The survey also revealed that Brazil will compete with other emerging nations, such as China, Argentina, Mexico and Chile, for the US$ 101 billion that will be turned over by the offshore sector by 2010.

Brazil?s growth as an offshore destination is also underscored by the study ?The Impact of the Global Economic Downturn on Outsourcing and Offshoring,? carried out for SOFTEX by the Everest Institute. One of the main conclusions highlights the fact that Brazil could be an important alternative to India with the intensification of globalization leading to risk diversification. The survey stresses the strong reputation enjoyed by Brazilian IT in banking and telecommunications, and forecasts new opportunities for Brazil in mobile banking, a niche in which India does not have the same international standing.

THE BRAZILIAN SOFTWARE AND IT SERVICES MARKET

The Brazilian software and IT services industry is considered to be strategic by the Federal Government?s Productive Development Policy (PDP), launched in May 2008. The market turned over US$ 29.4 billion in 2008, making it the eighth largest in the world. The software sector that same year generated US$ 3.2 billion, according to data from consultancy IDC. The services market was estimated at US$ 10 billion, and the hardware market, US$ 16.2 billion. When compared to the Latin American market, estimated at US$ 61 billion, Brazil has a 48% share.

SOFTWARE AND IT SERVICE EXPORT DATA

Yearly totals

--------------------------------------------------
2006 US$ 604 million
2007 US$ 800 million
2008 US$ 2.2 billion
2009e US$ 3.0 billion
2010e US$ 3.5 billion

Sources: 2006: Banco Central do Brasil. 2007 and 2008: IDC and BRASSCOM ? Brazilian Association of Information Technology and Communication Companies. 2009 and 2010 ? forecasts.

For more information:

www.apexbrasil.com.br/brasilit

brasilit@apexbrasil.com.br

BRASSCOM: Burson-Marsteller - +1 212-614-4417 - Elizabeth (Betsy) Warnock - elizabeth.warnock@bm.com

Photos: Marcel Takeshita