Here are some articles I wrote for one of Latin America's biggest advertising blogs.
Simple sample.
What do you know about frustration, if you have never bought a gift for a nephew? What do you know about rejection, if after three days of shopping anxiety, it turns out that your nephew does prefer the plastic magnifying glass? One thing is clear it's not the child's fault for choosing a toy that he actually likes.
This story, apart from being true, makes me think about the different occasions where we over-think ideas. It reminds me of the times when we forget to empathize with our costumers and let our creative visions sit on top of what they actually need. Today, more than ever, it's good to remember David Ogilvy's words, if your ad doesn't sell, it's not creative.
What is mentioned above is not for us to lose the motivation to achieve great ideas, but to recover the lost art of common sense. To take advantage of the tools that exist today, and to spend as much time investigating the people who buy from us, as we do trying to come up with new gimmicks.
If zapping was last century's devil, swapping between brands is our new martyrdom. It is time to dust off our empathy and, to think, feel, and act as a consumer. Moreover, it is time to embrace and marvel at simplicity, so that we can reconnect with our audiences.
Maybe the answer we are looking for is inside the flawless execution and not in the creative stunt. For example, what Krispy Kreme did to launch their introduction campaign in Guatemala:
Contrary to what's written in the introduction campaigns bible, Krispy Kreme dismissed using mass media and instead went for random samplings in different parts of the city. Bingo. Everyone went crazy, both where they gave out the donuts as well as on social media. You could see how successful the campaign was by the line of people waiting to enter the premises.
Their strength was focusing on the logistics and turning a deaf ear to the ones who told them that the idea always beats execution. In this case, without overthinking their campaign, they managed to hit the consumer's sweet spot. And as it usually happens, other brands have already begun to copy the strategy.
In conclusion, let's make ideas that are as effective as they are creative. Enough of doing things that only "ad people" appreciate. Let's stay up late at night researching the consumer, and remember that the right idea can also be the simplest and least glamorous one. Listen to your common sense, even when it says that all your consumer wants is a few free donuts.
https://www.roastbrief.com.mx/2018/02/donas-gratis/
The faith of a Latin American mom
"One day, it might be useful!". Those were my mother's words whenever I intended to throw a tacky ornament into the bin, and that was her response, several years ago, when I told her I wanted to stop going to public speaking and literature lessons. Although I have not found any use for any of our living room ornaments, I have seen how those lessons help me, every time I go inside a meeting room or sit down to write at my computer.
Working in the advertising industry gives us an invaluable gift - the opportunity to learn a little bit about everything. Either because we have to so that we can understand our client's business, or because we choose to, so that we can escape from the creative block. We make a living out of thinking, and for that reason, there's no greater fuel than to be fascinated by the unknown.
2018 has no mercy, and it's going fast. In a few days, we'll be in April. I don't know how many of your purposes you fulfilled during 2017, but if you could talk to your last year's self, wouldn't you like to be able to motivate yourself to learn one more thing? Broadening your creative spectrum means signing a promissory note to be charged by you in the future. The secret is to learn from others and yourself.
Think about your career. The industry changes so much that it is not enough to say "I am a writer, and I don't do design" or "I design, but I don't do motion graphics". Nowadays, with so many online courses, these excuses are a thing of the past. Invest in yourself and develop in other areas. There are courses for every budget and interest. Perhaps it's hard for you to learn online, but don't be afraid to ask others. Whether they recommend other methods or help you themselves, the worst that can happen is that you stay as someone who wants to be better.
"The agency life will teach you" is a common saying. And even though you can learn lots inside an agency, the real school is waiting for you outside, where you can learn from those around you. Push yourself to go out of what you already know; learn how to dance, sew, take philosophy lessons, or just do something that scares you. Because even if you don't become an expert, you will gain new skills or strengthen the ones you already have. Allow yourself to explore different realities, and notice that within your mind, there is more depth than you thought.
Finally, learn from yourself! Introspection will set you free. 365 days is enough time to learn how to listen to your voice, to discover what moves you, what do you dislike, what makes you envious, and what makes you burn inside. Discover your inner fire and you will see how easy it is to learn with the right motivation. Learn how to fail and to forgive yourself, an invaluable process that brings growth.
What I said above, someone else has said before. Here it is, from one of the most creative men of our times:
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Think, we only have nine months left to fulfill the trite phrase: I will nail this year. Make it happen! Let it not be another year that you go without growing. Have the faith of a Latin American mother, throw yourself into learning with no restrictions, and know that, when the time comes, the knowledge is going to be useful
https://www.roastbrief.com.mx/2018/03/la-fe-de-una-mama-latina/
