Prevent sudden infant death, emotionally support families affected by it and promote optimism and life in the present in our society. These are the three objectives pursued by Ritmia, the solidarity project promoted by Javier López-Valcárcel, Senior Marketing Manager at Heineken for Amstel, Ladrón de Manzanas and Desperados, after the sudden loss of his daughter, Iria, due to heart disease.
Ritmia supports projects for the early detection of channelopathies
Despite the tragedy, Javier and his family and friends have been able to find a formula to transform pain into commitment and action: the drive of a non-profit organization that not only works on the early detection of channelopathies, a type of heart disease that is difficult to identify in boys and girls; but also in promoting what they call “intelligent optimism.”
“It is the ability to see life objectively, without ignoring the things that do not work, but rather acting on them and trying to solve the problems. And not ignoring the things that do work, but appreciating them, thanking them, and celebrating them.“, explains Javier regarding the approach, which he considers “critical” when addressing a world full of uncertainty, anxiety, unpredictable changes and fragility.
He explained it in a special episode of the Nova Marketing Leaders podcast, from the Nova Talent talent network and hosted by marketing consultant Jesús Cubero. In the conversation he shared his experience with the project, launched at the beginning of 2024 with the intention of keeping Iria’s energy and love alive, even though she is no longer here.
Ritmia, a project to appreciate life
His work focuses on three areas. In the field of prevention, Ritmia is promoting training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in schools and educational centers, as it is a maneuver that can make the difference between life and death, and considers it a basic skill for society. In terms of support, they are working to identify families who are victims of sudden infant death and offering emotional, professional and specialized support, as well as contact with other families.
Regarding the promotion of a mentality that celebrates life in the present, they have packaged their learning in an inspiration session, precisely titled “Intelligent Optimism”, and which they teach among associations and companies. They pursue a double purpose: on the one hand, to inject that philosophy into society, and, on the other, to raise funds to promote Ritmia’s activity.
“We talk about starting with the basics, and the basic thing is to be aware that the only thing that is under our control is what we think and how we interpret reality.“, explained Javier López-Valcárcel during his conversation with Jesús Cubero. “This reality must be interpreted without ignoring the bad, but also without ignoring the good, and creating habits in our daily lives to remember it.”.
“Thank you is the most important word for any person and any business leader”
Giving thanks, and being aware of the transformative power of gratitude, is one of the issues that the manager considers key to embracing that vision and that, taking advantage of his participation in the first episode of the year, he offers as advice for this 2026 that has begun. “Thank you is the most important word in the dictionary for any person and for any leader in any company.“, he said. “Life and work are going to hurt us, but we cannot afford not to appreciate what we have and not celebrate it.”.
A career in marketing with a solidarity application
In addition to paying tribute to his daughter, the manager assures that Ritmia offers him the possibility of putting his experience and knowledge in marketing into practice to generate a positive impact on society. Thus, he shares that, as happens in the company, the first thing is to listen, understand the problem very well and identify the capabilities of the company and the environment in which it operates. Applied to his initiative, he points out that after a year analyzing the ecosystem and talking with health professionals and families, Ritmia now knows where it can act and contribute.
Javier López-Valcárcel began his professional career in the Consumer Research area at L’Óreal, where he says he learned a lot about the value of consumer analysis and insights; and then he was part of the Kellogg’s team for 8 years in the areas of branding and digital marketing. There he understood the importance of consumer orientation and the need to mobilize the entire organization to offer a good experience and for the consumer to perceive the added value.
From his current stage at Heineken, he highlights the importance of a brand being part of the culture and being relevant. He points this out following the success of the “Feta de germanor” campaign, with which Amstel accompanied the reconstruction of the Valencian towns affected by dana in 2024 and with which it created a solidarity song that paid tribute to the victims, the volunteers and the character of the land.
“When a brand that is part of the culture changes the game completely and the impact and possibilities are multiplied“, comments the manager during the podcast. “Amstel had been an integral part of Valencia for 50 years, and when the tragedy hit, that history and that legacy allowed us to help, not only materially, but also emotionally, and have a real impact.”.
All this knowledge is now put at the service of Ritmia, a project with the purpose of saving lives and promoting a more conscious and empathetic society.
You can listen to the full podcast here:
More info: Rhythm
