Every time we talk about the El Niño phenomenon in Peru, we usually do so from an emergency perspective: rains, landslides, floods, destroyed roads, affected families. And that’s fine. But maybe we are looking at the problem too late.
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Because facing a phenomenon of this magnitude, the question should not only be what the State will do when the water arrives, but what we can all do before it arrives.
And here private brands have a much more important role than we usually recognize.
The El Niño phenomenon is not just a climatic problem. It is a social, economic, and human problem. It affects families, but also companies, farmers, small businesses, distribution chains, and ultimately the entire economy of the country.
That is why prevention cannot be the exclusive responsibility of the Government. We need real collaboration between the State, private companies, social organizations, and citizens.
Brands have something that can be decisive in an emergency: communication capacity. They have platforms, creativity, technology, logistics, consumer knowledge, and above all, a daily relationship with millions of Peruvians.
For example, at the 2026 Cannes Festival, the Grand Prix of Titanium was won by the Australian insurance company Suncorp with its Haven campaign, which consisted of a platform made with data from its own clients to know the specific risks that could affect their property and implement a plan before a natural disaster occurs.
A brand can help turn technical information into information that people understand. It can alert, educate, organize donations, facilitate resources, activate distribution networks, or put its technology at the service of an emergency.
And it can do so long before it happens.
Let’s imagine a telecommunications company uses its network to send preventive alerts. That a bank facilitates channels for donations or emergency transfers. That a supermarket chain turns part of its logistics into a network to transport water, food, and essential products. That a construction company contributes knowledge and materials to reinforce vulnerable homes. That digital platforms help locate people, aid centers, and safe routes.
And not far off, in 2023 to prevent the damages of El Niño, the campaign Always Wearing the Shirt was launched in Peru, an alliance between BCP, Pacífico Seguros, and Mibanco. This action, which will be repeated in 2026, is a great local example of how brands can have a leading role in facing the threats of El Niño.
In 2023, El Niño was not as severe as the one expected now. That is why it is very important to have more initiatives like those of BCP, Pacífico, and Mibanco.
This year El Niño could hit us again. We do not know exactly with what intensity. What we do know is that waiting for it to happen to start acting would be repeating the same mistake.
The State has a huge responsibility, but it cannot work alone.
That is why the big ‘brief’ is: how the public and private sectors united can face the El Niño phenomenon.
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