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| WHO IS JUAN VALDEZ ? |
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In 1959, the National Federation of Coffee
Growers of Colombia selected the advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach
to launch a campaign for Colombian Coffee. The agency then created
the fictitious character Juan Valdez, to symbolize and personify
the more than 560,000 hardworking and dedicated Colombian "cafeteros"
(coffee farmers) that depend on coffee for their livelihood, and are part of the Federation.
In 1969, Carlos Sánchez of Medellín, Colombia,
was chosen to replace José F. Duval, a New York based actor,
who had until then portrayed Juan Valdez. Mr. Sánchez has
been Juan ever since.
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A coffee farmer himself, Carlos Sánchez was born in Fredonia,
a small town which lies in the largest coffee producing region of
Colombia, Antioquia. He currently resides in Medellín, where,
when not portraying Juan Valdez, he makes silkscreens in his Graphic
design studio. A longtime enthusiast of
the arts, he presently dedicates himself to painting watercolor
land and city scapes.
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| Juan Valdez is truly an international symbol. Ask Carlos Sánchez and he'll begin to rattle off an impressive and extensive list of all the places he has traveled to as Juan Valdez: Japan, the US, Canada, Korea, Norway, France and Spain, just to name a few. Juan Valdez's travels include promoting Café de Colombia's latest sports sponsorships, where his presence always draws a crowd and enhances media coverage. For instance Juan has been at the US Open, where he became a true tennis connoisseur watching the most exciting matches; in March, He also fitted on some skis at the Café de Colombia Alpine Ski World Cup Finals in Lillehammer, Norway; he was also present at the Montreal and Toronto for Canada's international women's and men's tennis championships, where he supplied the spectators with free 100% Colombian Coffee throughout the tournament.
For more information see Café
de Colombia's Sports Sponsorships
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| Why is Juan Valdez so known? Show up anywhere with him and the majority of the people are bound to point, yell out a greeting or come up and ask for his autograph. Maybe it's due to the fact that Juan's likeness has been an integral part of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia's and truly represents the values and dedication of Colombia's coffee growers. Juan's amicable figure trassends because many people identify themselves with the endurance, honesty, authenticity and perseverence of this character.
Juan's just a multitalented, omnipresent kind of cafetero. No
matter what he's engaged in, he never stops being Juan: the pleasant
and affable spokesperson, who lets the coffee speak for itself.
Maybe that's why everyone is drawn to Juan.
Juan Valdez. Juan in a million.
For more information see "logo, Advertising
Campaign"
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