PJ Pereira

Loved listening to this Jorge Ruiz. It’s been awesome to watch you continue to produce truly innovative work over the 20+ years we’ve known each other. What I really liked was how, more than once, you called out how important “the team” is to navigating advertising’s complexity to understand effectiveness. You’re such a great leader, collaborator and team builder. Also appreciated your steadfast and pragmatic view on the power of structured learning agendas/experimentation to understand success and uncover growth opportunities.

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Why did WPP and Cannes invite Elon Musk to speak at Cannes? Musk has shown nothing but contempt for the advertising industry, expressed racist views, peddled dangerous conspiracy theories, and allowed hate speech and disinformation to run amok on the website formerly known as Twitter. At the beginning of their discussion, Read lamely said that he “didn’t agree with Elon on everything” which is about as hard-hitting as it got. You can watch the whole painful interview, which consists entirely of Read lobbing softball after softball to Musk, on YouTube. Here's the thing. If you’re going to put a malign figure like Musk on a stage—especially if you lead a company that claims to value diversity—you should hold him to account. So these are 10 questions Read should've asked. 1.       You wrote that “DEI is just another word for racism.” I couldn’t disagree more, and at WPP, we are strong proponents of DEI, and have invested heavily in it. Why do you believe it’s racist? 2.       Regarding DEI programs, you also wrote, “It will take an airplane crashing and killing hundreds of people for them to change this crazy policy of DIE [sic].” What evidence do you have that DEI initiatives make airline travel less safe? 3.       Your post about airline safety was a reply to a post that claimed, without evidence, that Black HBCU graduates have low IQs (“borderline intellectual impairment”). Do you think your amplification of racist views like that is responsible? 4.       Since Tesla is currently being sued both by the US Equal Opportunity Commission and by 200 Black employees for racial discrimination, don’t you think your company would benefit from more diverse representation and perspectives? 5.       You accused the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the world’s most well-regarded organizations committed to fighting hatred—and one we have supported at WPP— of being “the biggest generators of anti-Semitism” on X. What is the evidence that this is true? 6.       You agreed with a post that said Jewish people hold a “dialectical hatred” of white people, writing, “You have said the actual truth.” Why did you agree with that? 7.       You posted a video that promoted "the great replacement" theory, writing "This is actually happening!" Can you explain that? 8.       You often claim you are a “free speech absolutist.” But according to Bloomberg, you ordered a team to search Twitter employees’ Slack and social media postings and fired those who made “snarky comments” about you. How do you square that? 9.       Multiple independent studies, including by the EU, the ADL, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, and Montclair State University have shown that hate speech and disinformation on X have increased dramatically since you bought the company. Why has that happened? 10. Why should brands advertise on X when the CEO amplifies content that almost no brands want to be associated with? #CannesLions2024 #WPP #Advertising #X

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Oh, brilliant advertising, how I miss you so. Part MCCLXXXVIII I can't be the only one who would love to see ABSOLUT revisit/revive this world-famous campaign. The inaugural ad, ABSOLUT RETURN. #whenadvertisingtriedharder #creativitymatters #adsworthsharing #ohbrilliantadvertising

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If you ever struggled with any of these: - How to determine a good idea? - Defining clarity and simplicity in an idea? - What is a good creative brief? - Finding the right projects to work on? - How to find and hire good people? Have a listen.

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The first Creative Director Masterclass is halfway through, time to sign up for the next one. Why do it? Well, it's lonely when you hit that CD chair, you need to get a lot right and navigate a lot of sh#t. Advice helps. I've done all of that and can guide you through it. In 2019 I wrote a post on LinkedIn called - HOW TO BE A CREATIVE DIRECTOR WITHOUT SUCKING AT IT. That post got 800,00+ views, about 10,000 likes and around 600 comments - it struck a nerve. In the post, I shared around 15 things I believe you need to do to be a better and more effective Creative Director/Leader. Then, I started coaching current Creative Directors/Leaders and those who wanted to grow into the role. If you're keen to get this role right, then get in touch. Limited spots are available - I am a one-person operation. Some more details are in the attached carousel. #creativedirector #creativecoach #creativecareers

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Our industry has always been about creativity, innovation, and adaptability, at least for as long as I have been in it. I firmly believe that we must constantly evolve but never change who we are. At Thesis, our vision is to create a world where digital spaces drive us forward together, not further apart. It's important to understand that the people we want to reach are humans. What brings them joy? What do they care about? Why should they care about your brand? What will your brand offer to people? Asking questions to understand audiences is mutually beneficial for people, the work we do, and the brands we support. Thanks for the interview DesignRush it was fun to dig a little deeper.

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Two Great Charts that Go Great Together In this installment, two charts that illustrate the power of standing out. The first is the Von Restorff effect which shows that in a sea of sameness, incongruous elements are the most memorable ones. The second chart, from Peter Field, shows that a rational (i.e. boring) ad campaign costs considerably more than an emotional campaign to drive the same results. Together they make a strong case for creativity. At a time when advertisers are more risk-averse than ever, these two charts are a reminder that being different is actually the best way to play it safe.

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🏆Case in Point: Gifting Lives with ‘Hayat’🏆 Find out what it takes to create an award-winning campaign with one of our top winners from the 2023 MEPRA Awards! Join Weber Shandwick MENAT’s Associate Director of Digital, Noor Kalouti, and Head of Digital, David Willett, as they present a case study on the “Gifting Lives with Hayat” campaign. This campaign was the 2023 MEPRA Awards Gold winner for Best Healthcare Campaign and Best Launch/Live Event/Stunt. This session will talk through the campaign’s objectives, strategy, challenges and how they evaluated its success. FREE & Exclusive to MEPRA Members! About the campaign: Talking about what comes after death can appear morbid, and as such the topic of donating your organs doesn’t come up often. The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi launched the ‘Hayat’ organ donation program in Abu Dhabi to showcase how donation can save the lives of transplant patients across the UAE. Together with Weber Shandwick, the Department of Health aimed to ignite engagement, inspire conversation and shape a healthier, more compassionate society. “Hayat” became more than a campaign – it evolved into a movement. Besides an uptake in registrations, the subject of organ donation broke stereotypical taboos and has since enjoyed substantial visibility across both social and traditional media platforms. One year post-launch, the number of registered organ donors have tripled and 617 life-saving organs have been transplanted. Wednesday 10th July, 12:30pm - 1:30pm GST This session is worth 5 CPD points. Registration is essential. Register today 👉 mepra.org/events #training #learningforlife #knowledgeispower #mepraacademy #cpd #career #morewithmepra #communications #UAE #publicrelations #MiddleEastPR #الإمارات #الاتصالات #العلاقات_العامة #دبي #أبو_ظبي

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While we are in the middle of awards season, it’s a good time to remember that the quality of the work that gets in front of the most consumers is what matters most for the future of our industry.

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The importance of putting brand and consumer relationship on perspective.

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I always cringe a little when anyone refers to brands as 'people.' Brands can have a personality, of course. They can also claim to have and to abide by a defined set of values. But brands most definitely aren't people - they're businesses, maybe institutions, always a means to an end. Acknowledging this is a crucial first step to opening up meaningful conversations about value. What is a brand actually doing for you? What does it mean to be part of a brand's community? How can a brand be held accountable, and what are the limits to your leverage in these interactions? All of us are consumers. That doesn't mean we have as much power or enjoy as much affection from our brands as we've been led to believe. I've expanded on these ideas* in my article in for MediaCat Magazine's May edition. Let me know what you think. Natasha Randhawa Mike Piggott Note: There will be K-Pop ;) #consumer #consumerism #brand #brands #corporatebrands #peoplepower #culture #consumerculture #consumptionculture

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Yikes. Proof that AI will not save us from mediocrity. The quality of AI's output hinges on two major factors, just like any tool used for making things: 1. The quality of the human input at the onset. 2. The quality of human control over the output.

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Unlock the secrets of successful brand partnerships with Legacy Co and Chief Wild. This video showcases how strategic collaboration and creative synergy can lead to remarkable brand transformations. See how they combine their expertise to deliver exceptional results. Don't miss out on this behind-the-scenes look at their process and the outcomes that drive their success. Connect with us online at https://chiefwild.express for everything your brand needs in less than a week, guaranteed, or it's FREE! *Includes full brand guidelines and assets plus a full functioning and optimized website. Check out the finished project at https://rogerjaeger.com #BrandStrategy #CreativePartnership #LegacyCo #ChiefWild #Marketing #BrandDesign #Innovation #BusinessGrowth

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AARON ADAMSON & ALEX POLAMERO: 🌟The Power of Brand Reinvention in a Post-Pandemic World🌟 The seismic shifts induced by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced businesses to rethink, realign, and reinvent their brands. Here’s the real kicker: adapting isn’t a choice—it’s a necessity. Adapting to Market Changes: The market we once knew has evolved. Your brand must follow suit. Take a hard look at your current positioning. Does it resonate in this new landscape? Listening to the Market: Your audience has changed. Engage with them. Dive deep into their needs, preferences, and pain points. Their voices are louder than any data chart. Identifying Voids in the Market: Go back to your roots. Why did you start your business? Those original voids might have shifted. Realign your brand to meet these new gaps. Leveraging Qualitative Data: Quantitative stats only tell half the story. Customer surveys, feedback—these are gold. They capture the heart and soul of your brand. Maintaining Constant Engagement: Don’t just set and forget. Keep your finger on the pulse of your community. Continually gather intel and evolve. Your brand’s relevance depends on it. Connecting Data Points to Human Decisions: Numbers aren’t just numbers. They represent human choices, feelings, and actions. In conclusion, adaptability, customer-centricity, and a data-driven approach are not just buzzwords; they’re the pillars of sustained success in a world turned upside down. #BrandDevelopment #CustomerEngagement

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Very nice to be included in this gallery of most excellent strategic rogues.  And as I’m celebrating a decade of training people on all things creative briefing, mostly for D&AD, but also for the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising), APG, and SXSW (aiming to collect the alphabet here, do get in touch if you have more letters), I think there’s a point worth adding to the collection. Edward describes strategy’s “key product and artifact, "The Creative Brief" Respectfully, that’s not how I see it. Strategy’s product is… the strategy. What’s the (actual) problem. What are we going to do to solve it. How might we go about it. Why will it work. Etc. (You could of course argue strategy’s ultimate product is brilliant creative work but let’s leave that one for another day.) I think that treating The Brief as the key product and artefact of strategy is a massive mistake. And sadly it's the industry norm. It encourages strategists to see all their worth in the brief and spend ages polishing a template instead of thinking and talking to the team.  It encourages the filling in of boxes instead of the gestation of creative leaps.  It says “this document may never be changed”.  It demands that the brief’s creation is a solo process - Because This is MY Contribution As The Strat! MY toy! But collaborating on briefs, especially with creatives, is by far the better approach.  It preserves the pretty-but-unhelpful fiction that commercial creativity is a linear process. It discourages flexibility - so when ideas come back that are slightly-off-brief-but-brilliant they get rejected because The Almighty Brief Is All And Ten People Have Signed It Off Now Nigel For God’s Sake. Don’t get me wrong. A sensational brief is one of the best things our industry has to offer. Seeing creatives excited about a brief of mine is only one joy rung below watching Labradors leap into crunchy piles of autumn leaves. But. The product of strategists is the strategy. The brief is just one of the things we create to help make that strategy happen. (Other things include The Thinking; The Briefing; The Shaping; The Selling, etc.)  Ultimately, the process that goes around it is much more important than the document. The thinking, the questions, the conversations, and often the confidence to adapt or even bin the bloody thing, once we’re on our way to something creatively exciting. When I train people on briefs, that’s what I’m teaching. #sxsw #advertising #marketing #planning #strategy #creativebriefs

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Why do I continue to defend the #jaguar work? Good question. I continue to look for the "why" behind the rebrand. I'm considerably more circumspect than apparently everybody else about it. The people involved in this aren't stupid - they're some of the best in the #advertising world at this. So, if this was their call, I have to give them the benefit of the doubt and at least say, "ok, so what was the idea here?" The fact that everyone is so "up in arms" about it makes me think there's one of two possible outcomes: 1) This is "New Coke," a complete cluster. If it is, they could destroy their brand value, and everyone will get fired. I held this out as a possibility from the outset, not knowing their objectives. 2) This is "Nike," a complete paradigm shift to a new market. If it is - then they brilliantly executed a new idea, and the reality is all the old white men pissed that Jaguar isn't their cultural icon anymore of James Bond need to just get over it. James Bond ain't who he used to be either. If I understand the franchise, Lashana Lynch is going to be "Jane Bond." Can't wait to see how that one plays out. Change is inevitable. Great advertising is forged by understanding two things very well - what's the "shared truth" and what's the "trigger." Great agencies call these ideas different things, and we possibly have different ways to arrive at these conclusions, but in the end, we're interested in understanding what consumers believe to be important, and we're interested in what ultimately makes them say yes to one idea versus another. Once we understand those two concepts, we can construct a framework (a set of cues, which is what the advertising is ultimately about) to build the journey to "yes." If I take what I see right now from Jaguar Land Rover UK, what I imagine their research tells them is that there is a market for a luxury electric car for people who embrace iconoclastic vs. traditionalism and creativity vs. limited and structuralism. I mean, God knows the luxury market has enough cars with "buy this—get laid" or "buy this—pretend you're rich" marketing in it. I mean, how many ads do we need of a German or Japanese luxury car driving through the countryside with a beautiful woman or Matthew McConaughey staring out the goddamned window? So here comes Jaguar, with this utterly bonkers ad, attempting to cut through the noise. And boy, did they ever. It's "Think Small" on crack. My late friend, and ad legend, George Lois, said, "Good advertising is like poison gas; it should take your breath away and knock you on your ass." Well, this campaign sure did that for almost everyone. So how can we say it didn't do its job? So the question becomes whether or not this ad served its business end or just completely jumped the shark. We'll know when they finally release the cars. Until then, I'm going to hold my criticism. As I normally say, "I'd like to see the ideas that were rejected in favor of this one."

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Meet Izzy (aka Izzy Stardust, known for modeling while drinking vodka in a spaceship), one of the synthetic models in the infinite key visuals generated on kvyourway.com. The beta demo showcases how effortlessly users can customize a key visual for a hypothetical vodka brand campaign. The platform leverages OpenAI and Midjourney APIs, and it can be adapted for the hyper-personalization of any brand's key visuals, maintaining the previously established look, feel, and guidelines. Key visuals can also be automatically generated based on personalized data. Learn more about AI for creativity and branding here: ai4creativeagencies.it

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Speak out on topics that truly matter and authentically align with your brand's values. And do not play the short game of acquiescing to the usual mob of purpose-haters. #SocialJustice #BrandValues #TakeAction

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