Pablo del Campo is CEO and executive creative director of award-winning Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He’s the first of a number of distinguished columnists joining moreaboutadvertising and here he describes why creativity is blossoming in the region, as much because of the resonance it has with consumers as clients and fellow agencies.
It is often said that in Argentina there isn’t really a market. Or that the high standards of advertising creativity are out of proportion compared to a small market. However, unlike the majority of markets, in Argentina the general public sees advertising as a worthwhile activity.
People ask advertising and brands to entertain and move them as much (or more) as TV programmes do. At home people are very demanding when it comes to advertising. Even at times of crisis, people think brands shouldn’t drop the impact or the quality of their message. And in the same way they want a washing powder to take all the stains away perfectly, they also want the advert for that washing powder to be perfect too.
I have travelled the world widely and have noticed that people from different countries are not usually as concerned about advertising. The washing powder market, initially, was driven by popular advertising but maybe not so much today.
But if we take another product category, like banks, you can see them starting to consider how much better it would be to have outstanding communications. These things matter. People at home in Argentina think of advertising as something entertaining and moving that relates to their lives, customs and culture. People here value advertising almost as much as football. And good footballers reflect the character and culture of the people. As should good advertising copywriters and art directors.
Your vocation in life starts in the kindergarten. Around the world many creative people, thinkers and inventors throw themselves into other types of companies but in Argentina they feel that the best place to throw their ideas is into advertising agencies. Today this means that advertising networks or global advertisers consider Argentina a place where they can develop first class campaigns.
Moreover, in a country where we are always afraid of what is going to happen next because of recurrent instability, we rarely say no to any opportunity. For this reason we happily work 24/7, which makes us more competitive than agencies in more developed markets.
This could all be the product of coincidence of course. But, coincidence or not, is has placed agencies from Argentina that really aspire to be creative in a strong, even privileged position.
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