A quick interview with AdFest 2010 Grand Jury President Washington Olivetto from W/Brazil

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Washington Camiseta da W_sml.jpgWashingtonOlivetto is famous in Brazil for creating some of the country’s mostpopular and memorable advertising campaigns, and he’s traveling to Asianext year as Grand Jury President at ADFEST 2010. In this interview, Olivetto tells us what he thinks of advertising in Asia:

 

Why did you agree to be Grand Jury President at ADFEST 2010?

WashingtonOlivetto: Accepting this invitation allows me to analyze and reviewAsian advertising. Many of the really new and inspiring things inglobal advertising have sprung up in Asia in the last few years. It isadvertising that always surprises us – and very favorably.

Why has W/Brazil created so many award-winning campaigns?

Washington: W/Brasil’sstrength is making campaigns with strong ties to Brazilian pop culture.Our agency is the title theme of a song by the world-famoussinger-composer-songwriter Jorge Ben Jor. He composed the song”W/Brasil” in homage to our agency in 1990 – it has already soldmillions of copies and is still being sung by all Brazilians.

 

When did you realize you have a talent for advertising?

Washington: It was in my adolescence. My father was a salesman, and Igreatly admired his work. I learned how to read and write when I wasfive years old. Due to these two factors, in my adolescence I dreamedof becoming either a writer or a salesman, like my father. One day, Irealized that the activity that joined the act of writing to the art ofselling was creative advertising. Thus, as I reached 18 years of age Ientered the world of advertising as a trainee in a small agency.

 

What is the proudest achievement of your career?

Washington: More than the Golden Lions I won at Cannes or the ClioGrand Prix awarded to me, my greatest professional pride is the factthat I create many advertising campaigns that, in addition to sellingproducts and building brands, have accomplished one of my noblestambitions: become a part of the popular culture of my country.

 

I also prize myself that, owing to that work, I have become one of thebest-known and most respected persons in Brazil, with a status verysimilar to that of a pop hero.

 

Which person has played the biggest influence on your career?

Washington: The large majority of Brazilian admen were tremendouslyinfluenced by the excellent American advertising of the ’60s (the DDBgeneration) and the fantastic British advertising of the ’70s. Thoseinfluences, added to the inbred features of the Brazilian people (aresult mostly of the phenomenon of miscegenation), have generated thepeculiar personality of Brazilian advertising.

 

If I were to cite the name of only one American and one Englishman that influenced me, I would cite Ed McCabe and John Webster.

 

In 2001, you were famously kidnapped for two months. What did you learn from the experience?

Washington: It was a very difficult experience that I decided toovercome as soon as it ended. What changed in my daily life from thenon was that I began to live with a security system that was totally newto my life. It is not nice, but it has become something necessary. Thisexperience taught me that I had hidden somewhere deep inside of me acapacity to overcome hardships that I myself ignored I had.

 

When do you come up with your best ideas?

Washington: I get my ideas from life itself. I transform them into advertising and I return them to the mainstream.

 

In Brazil, are you considered a celebrity?

Washington: Brazilian people are very sensitive, sensual, musical andwell humored. Thanks to all these characteristics, Brazilian people arequite receptive to good advertising and, consequently, admen are widelyacknowledged and acclaimed by all.

 

I cannot deny that I am a celebrity in Brazil, and that is because thisexposure of admen to public notice was set off by me many years ago,and since I am still very much in activity, my own visibility andcelebrity have grown with time.

 

What is the biggest challenge facing W/Brasil in 2010?

Washington: Your question is very interesting because it isforetelling. You do not know, but I am preparing a big and lovelysurprise for W/Brasil in 2010. However, I cannot tell anything about ituntil the beginning of next year.

 

How would you define ‘success’?

Washington: The best thing about success is that it gives you the opportunity to be friends with your idols.

 

Washington Olivetto is President and Creative Director of W/ Brazil.He will be Grand Jury President at ADFEST 2010, which takes place inThailand on 18-20 March. Adfest is the only Asian-based award show that accepts entries from Australia and New Zealand. www.adfest.com