Creativity works and sticks
You can tell me your name, and it’s almost certain that I will forget it as soon as our introductions are done, yet I still remember the details of a story my great grandmother told me 35 years ago. Why? Because our brains are wired to absorb and interpret stories, and narratives stick more than facts and data. Unexpected information resonates in the human mind in order to survive.
At Brunet-García, we educate our clients to understand that to be effective, their messages should be delivered in a creative way that is relevant to our target’s culture and consumption preferences. The proper dose of creativity varies with each project, but it must be present. We see brands screaming sterile messages that get overlooked and result in silence or inaction. It doesn’t matter how important what you are saying is unless that content is relevant to people’s lives. It’s not about what the brand has to say about itself; it’s about how the brand impacts and relates to the individual.
For me, it’s especially painful when I see a brand with a positive social purpose get lost in a sea of competitive content. These are not times to be fiercely focused on the size of your logo. These are times that demand articulation of fresh content and authenticity at the core of every communication strategy.
Big ideas and visual excellence are the driving forces behind every project and campaign at Brunet-García. We empower and celebrate a culture where creativity is at the top—and everyone is encouraged to contribute. Creative ideas are not risky. It is risky to be too safe, not to take chances, which could result in wasted resources and engaging no one.
Disruption inside the box
Every project has boundaries: budget, objectives, challenges, deadlines, production, the need to be authentic to the brand … the list goes on. In addition to those imperatives, two essential characteristics are common for government brands: the importance of the message to be communicated and the public scrutiny to which it might be subjected. Unfortunately, some clients and creative agencies think that the aforementioned points invariably lead to dry and safe communications—but I couldn’t disagree more. I see opportunities to create powerful work that is disruptive inside the box, just nudging against the boundaries and moving people to action.
Because we need to communicate important and complicated messages, we rely on strategic, engaging, even uncomfortable creative to command attention and increase effectiveness. The reality is that people are not seeking out ads about improving cybersecurity or increasing childhood vaccinations. So, in order to be seen, we need to create narratives that inspire or unnerve in order to educate and affect change.
Our work is intended to change lives for the better, and we take that to heart. That’s why we encourage our clients to go out of their comfort zone and create fresh campaigns that strategically push the limits.
A fluid approach
People reject unauthentic brand messages. It’s easy to perceive when a brand is doing or saying something that it doesn’t really stand for.
That’s why we don’t do visual make-up. We are not interested in staying on the surface. What drives our creative process is a deep desire to understand our clients’ needs and align our strategy with their values and objectives. We spend as much time as budgets and deadlines permit investigating our clients’ brands and vision while leveraging and infusing our creative expertise to ensure we meet their goals.
After the discovery process is completed, our account managers, strategists, media buyers, and creative leaders join forces to define the right strategy, together. It’s a combination of efforts where, for example, media can influence creative and vice versa. It’s a fluid and inclusive approach that urges us to have real discussions that combine our strengths to maximize the potential of the campaign and its effectiveness. During the development of the campaign, we keep communicating internally with regularity, so we make sure we stay aligned with the big picture and don’t get lost in day-to-day needs.
These collaborations are extremely stimulating. They are one of my favorite things about advertising. It’s a privilege to work with passionate and clever individuals to tell stories that will positively impact lives.
The world is changing, so are we
People are obsessed with content, and they consume it all day, every day—mostly through digital screens. They love videos, impactful images, short headlines, and emotional messages that are relevant to them. Our digital spaces are saturated with high-quality visual content. Our collective visual IQ is on the rise and, with it, our expectations and demands.
We are changing. The world is changing without our permission, and it’s happening very fast. Today, because we see the world through our phones, a vaccination campaign is competing against a pizza promotion, a cybersecurity message is competing against a Hollywood movie, so brand categories are, to some extent, irrelevant. The relevance of a brand is directly related to the quality and authenticity of it communications and services, regardless of category, and is critical to audience engagement.
This new environment presents challenges and opportunities. At Brunet García, we accept the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities to build brands that are flexible, distinctive, and inspire meaningful change. We are fiercely passionate about telling stories, stimulating minds, connecting emotionally, and engaging with people to inspire action.
