Get to know of some of the GCC’s best creative leaders through this specially tailored ASKED & ANSWERED questionnaire designed to learn what are top agencies’ creative kitchen made of. They come from diverse horizons. They trace their professional trajectory— where they grew up and how they landed in the GCC. Frederico Roberto, ECD at TBWA\RAAD Dubai speaks of Dubai’s charm, as he shares his pertinent take on multi-culturalism in agencies and the real meaning of collaboration in a diverse environment. He also discusses the importance of awards, which he likes to refer to as “the perfect storms”, while he reveals what in his opinion is the dream award for creatives to get their hands on.
YOU X DUBAI
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Lisbon, where I studied and worked for my first 12 years on the Portuguese, Turkish, and Brazilian markets. I then relocated to London, where I’ve spent the last 10 years of my career, working across several global markets.
What made you pick Dubai and how did you get your job?
I’ve been visiting Dubai for several years, for work (productions, opening offices, hirings, delivering projects) and on holidays. I’ve also had the honour of judging the Dubai Lynx Awards twice. On one of those occasions, I met Walid Kanaan, our Chief Creative Officer and we often discussed the possibility of a career transition. It happened finally last year, when I got his call in April.
How would you explain your job to a taxi driver?
I sell stuff. I try to convince people to do things, buy things, engage in certain behaviours that should – ultimately – improve their lives, through the products and services my clients and their brands provide.
What makes Dubai so attractive for creative talents?
The can-do attitude. I tell this to everybody: the competitive nature of the Middle East – wanting to be bigger, better, first in everything – puts us in a state of perpetual creativity and pushes us to the limits of what we think we can do. And that’s when magic happens…
What do you love most about Dubai?
Honestly, everything. It’s a very easy place to live in, get things done. It’s a relatively small city compared to London, so it’s easy to do four or five things on a weekend for instance: you go for morning coffee somewhere, hit the beach, got to the mall, get ready, go for dinner and maybe even a night out. That’s quality of life.
“The competitive nature of the Middle East – wanting to be bigger, better, first in everything – puts us in a state of perpetual creativity.”
ON CULTURE AND DIVERSITY
How do so many cultures work together to create successful campaigns that speak their own language and fit so many cultures at the same time?
Collaboration in a diverse environment isn’t just about the different nationalities or genders or backgrounds. It’s mostly about how these diverse perspectives inform the contributions each individual brings to the table. Creativity isn’t really rocket science: it’s about connecting dots in new and refreshing ways. If we only have dot A and B, we’ll always get the same connection, the same idea, the same output. But if we have dots A B C D E F all the way up to Z, then you can have poetry. And that’s what diversity is all about. It’s not just about pairing a Portuguese with an Australian. That’s hardly the point. It’s those people’s experiences and unique POVs that matters.
Do you find it easy to work on campaigns that flex a cultural nuance truly distinct to the region, delivering the kind of hyper relevance that you may struggled to land in a western homogenized culture?
Like it or not, the problem with London is that it is “too global” for its own good. Work that gets done there ends up being a tad bland that may or may not resonate across other markets. Obviously if it’s a brand piece of work that’s a universal truth (let’s say “Real Beauty” from Dove), then it has all the merit. But the problem with the western culture is that its problems aren’t really basic human problems. They’re problems created by our own social and economical systems. I believe that real purposeful work happens at the market level. Although our region here has taken huge strides towards progress, there are things that can still be improved. And brands and companies that put their money where their mouth is to make that happen are the ones who will conquer people’s hearts and minds.
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF AWARDS
Why do you think advertising awards matter so much?
Advertising awards matter because they’re a barometer of what an agency can do-- its understanding of the market, of people’s problems, its ability to uncover real insights and identify cultural opportunities. And then it has the best talent to do so, the best processes to make it happen and ultimately, the charm to not let their egos get the best of them. Clients like to be part of these perfect storms.
The one award every creative or agency wants to win?
I have a sweet spot for the D&AD Pencils. The Black One is the hardest to get. Above the Lions. Every creative will win a Lion or so in their lifetime. Perhaps even a GP if the right conditions happen. That’s not the case for the Black Pencil.
Your top three awards show..
Cannes Lions, D&AD and the Lynx. I do love the work that’s done here. Creativity for greater good.
