The context of Latin American countries has never been the most favorable for our industry, we have always played at a disadvantage in relation to the budgets managed by the countries in the first world. However, to tell the truth, this disadvantage is our strength, this lack of resources is the engine of Latin American creativity and Colombia is no exception. When hard times don’t stop, strategy and creativity cannot let their guard down.

Colombian creativity has gone from strength to strength in the last decade, with more and more campaigns resonating not only at a regional level but also at a global level. These good results directly affect the careers of the professionals who achieve them, triggering a domino effect that is felt throughout the industry. With good results comes the export of talent and this export frees up vacancies that must be filled by someone else, forcing us all to assume greater responsibilities every day. That is one of the most favorable and also weakest points of Colombian creativity, we love the opportunities for professional growth that we experience today and the level of commitment that we all have to take this industry higher and higher. But, on the other hand, we are sometimes falling short in acquiring and discovering new talent.

The challenge that advertisers face today in Colombia is to achieve better results with the same or fewer resources and obviously this challenge falls on the agencies; In that sense, advertisers’ requests do not change drastically, they need to increase their sales, generate awareness, and maintain customers’ love for their brands. What does change greatly is the way in which these objectives are achieved. Today more than ever we must be more strategic, more creative, we must find the value and power in simple ideas with a high level of impact.

The new platforms are no longer as new as we usually think: social networks, gaming, influencer marketing and in general this entire digital world, is something we live with daily, not only on a personal level but also in professional and creative terms. The world changed, consumer behavior changed, and fortunately both brands and the advertising industry were not immune to this process. As a curious fact and to inflate our chests a little with pride, at MullenLowe SSP3 we have been the Best Digital Agency in the country for three consecutive years. But since not everything can be perfect and we always have a lot to learn, we feel that the great debt of the advertising industry in this new era; It’s in content creation. In the time we lost in meetings, in adjustments and in approvals, the kitten video already got a million likes and the trend stopped being a trend. We need to be much more purposeful than reactive, content is something that should feel natural and internal processes are almost always killing naturalness.

Everything that is done in favor of a better society is always welcome, and if a girl with a sign in the middle of a square could and can make a big difference, let’s imagine everything that the big brands with your big financial muscles can achieve. That being the case, the issue is not whether or not brands can build a better society with their advertising, the thing here is whether they are and we are doing it consistently and truly. It is not about entering the world of sustainability, diversity and inclusion simply because it is fashionable to do so. We must be consistent in all areas of the company: production, distribution and internal management of each brand, not only at the communication level.

In addition to what assuming this new role means for my professional career, it is a new Lowe chapter in my life. Lowe’s was my first job, and I worked here for 18 years. I had the privilege of starting, learning and growing alongside incredible professionals who have made history at Lowe, and in the sector, in Colombia and the world. I had the privilege of feeling and seeing the passion they put into everything they did, and the respect for our profession. There are many learnings, I would highlight the passion and love for ideas, the interest in learning and understanding the clients’ business, and contributing to society.

My great motivations were the love I have for Lowe, for what it has meant in my life, after having been my first place of work and having been here for 18 years. The respect and admiration I have for Samper, who has also honored me, entrusting me with this great responsibility. Samper has asked me to work at his side again, to continue growing the agency, maintaining the creative DNA and work culture that has characterized it for more than 20 years, and to work in an integrated manner with the entire group of companies that make up MullenLowe Group Colombia.