Ciro Sarmiento

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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Coachella: a cautionary tale for brands. Despite its star-studded lineups and passionate attendees (we see you, Taylor Swift!), the festival recently hit a sour note with a record-breaking lack of interest. Over the years, Coachella went from music fest to brand extravaganza. Brands, eager to be 'cool,' splurged on everything from art installations to VIP parties, reaping short-term benefits and boosting Coachella's visibility as a marketing benchmark. But nothing lasts forever, and now they're facing the music. What does Coachella stand for today? What legacy has it created? Without clear guidelines for partnerships, space usage, and participation - letting people use it the way they saw fit - Coachella's brand has been diluted away. Brands, take note: protecting your equity goes beyond logos. Comprehensive guidelines should cover employee conduct, decor, and partnership strategies, ensuring a cohesive brand experience. Coachella can bounce back, but it will take deep reflection before next year's lineup announcement to reclaim the essence that made it special to begin with. #Coachella #Brand #BrandExperience

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Failure is a part of the game in advertising. Whether it stems from a partner's decisions or campaign outcomes, taking risks means sometimes falling short. I love this article's insight into how to approach and leverage failure. As a leader I have always tried to make room for failure—it's essential for our growth as creatives. #creativity #agencylife #leadership #creativedirector

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I got that feeling, because Im at Target, Sipping a latte, Shopping for nothing, but buying everything. Isn't this Yargets overall strategy? They want us to stroll, roam, browse, and enjoy being in their store. This ad is absolutely hilarious and brilliant. It highlights the thing about Target that we all love and evokes emotion. While watching this commercial I saw myself in a few of these characters (cough, cough, the latte drinker, and plant enthusiast). 🎵 Perfect song choice. When it feels like a no-brainer that this ad worked.... that means its a real gem and a marketing win. Watch the Ad 👉 https://lnkd.in/gSQ2e9nY #Target #TargetStores #targetCommercial #FunnyCommercial #Marketing #MarketingWin #MarketingSuccess #MarketingInsights

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Media excitement over generational changes, is often misleading or even wrong. Evidence and data matter. In our latest generations report we adopted an international lens, while also showing why we need to stay close to local, cultural and historical contexts. 👇 https://lnkd.in/gNGr4zq7 Anyone looking at trends and generational change needs to ask some hard questions – as we do here. As you'll see, the report underscores why you'll want to tailor communications, product development and service delivery to the values and expectations of different age cohorts, in your country.

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Understand your audience, know where to find them, and make content that they like.

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Great copywriting is the ability to say so much in so few words. Being able to do it in two words and say something so well, with a smile, is a real skill. Here is a prime example. Bravo to the creators of this. #copywriting #creativity #advertising

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Burn bright. Blaze your trail. Be like Ben. Born in Oregon and educated in Charlotte, Benjamin Johnson’s student portfolio was brilliant: design, motion graphics, and a six-minute animation that gripped attention for all 364 seconds. Also, he runs 7 miles a day. He didn’t know it, but he was hired before his interview. It was the best portfolio ever submitted to Tattoo Projects. During the interview, his soft-spoken nature allowed his work to speak volumes. His presentation style was the opposite of main-character-energy, but overflowed with an indomitable spirit. One thing was off, he was playing coy. He knew more about the inner workings of ad agencies than the common applicant. We didn’t know what, but a thread needed to be pulled. It took a half dozen questions, but what unraveled makes him a legend. We should’ve put two and two together sooner, but it turns out Ben comes from marketing royalty. Nike pedigree, Johnson & Johnson size opportunities, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity quality connections, this young man’s family name could have placed him directly on advertising’s fast track. He needn’t interview, nor pay his dues at a rebuilding challenger agency with a problematic reputation in a second-tier city. When asked, "Why he wasn’t leaning into his advantages?" He responded, “Gotta make my own path.” You can take the boy out of Oregon, but the man still found a way to blaze his own trail. Earlier this month he told us that he accepted a position as a Motion Designer for the New Orleans Saints / New Orleans Pelicans. It was the perfect ending to a sports movie, but just the beginning of his career. A soft-spoken runner who only sits still long enough to make pixels move. He takes the long route to get to the starting line of a career in sports marketing. We don’t know the finish line, but every stage of his career will be brighter because of him. And he’s only 23 years old. While he was with us, he contributed to one of my personal favorite higher ed campaigns for Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, one of my personal favorite intern projects for Native , and built this commercial for SENIX Tools in BLENDER, After-Effects, and Eleven Labs. Do your network a favor, follow Benjamin Johnson, check out his portfolio www.benjaminjohnsonart.com, keep an eye on his work, and help out his career if you can. Special shoutout to his mentors: Christopher Bazata, MBA, Anna Rissanen, Kenneth Duncan, and William Boyér. Mystery shoutout to his parents for raising such a humble young man. You know who you are. #GenZ #Success #PaidInterns #Advertising #Outcomes #Design #motiongraphics #NewOrleansPelicans #NewOrleansHornets #Hardwork #blender #adobecreativesuite #Mentorship #Career

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After more than a decade immersed in the vibrant world of marketing, I stand before you today with a thrilling announcement - the birth of Talk & Target. This is a milestone in my career as well as testament of my creativity, determination, and unwavering pursuit of perfection. As Chief Creative Officer, having the privilege of shaping countless campaigns, weaving narratives, and breathing life into brands. Nonetheless, as the founder, I'm thrilled to embark on a new journey, one defined by innovation, collaboration, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. Creativity isn't just a buzzword; it's our lifeblood. Every idea, every strategy, and every campaign is infused with passion, authenticity, and a touch of magic. As founder and chief creative officer, I'm committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible, crafting experiences that captivate, inspire, and resonate with audiences far and wide. But beyond the titles and the accolades lies something far more profound - a deep-rooted belief in the transformative power of storytelling, the importance of connection, and the indomitable spirit of creativity. So here's to new beginnings, to bold endeavors, and to the exciting journey ahead. I invite you to join me as we redefine the landscape of marketing, one innovative idea at a time. Welcome to Talk & Target - where creativity knows no bounds, and every client is a partner in our quest for greatness. Let's write the next chapter together Somya Garg Aryan Gupta

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I think the secret to creative genius may be those who create an "edge effect." In ecology, edge effects are changes in population or community that occur at the boundary of two or more habitats. Randy Hunt, our new Head of Design at Notion, lives at the boundary of design and language. Under his leadership, I expect our experience of Notion to change as he brings these two habitats together—in wonderful ways. "Design is a visual medium," he says, "but I'm as language-obsessed as I am image-fixated." That's what I'd call a "writer's designer." It's a great Venn. Read this abcderium profile for more 🔥🔥🔥

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Here's the latest digital campaign of four :15s from Crew Marketing Partners for Earth's Own Food Company working with the talented fashion photographer, Nick Merzetti at Merzetti Studios. It's creamy, it's steamy and oh so dreamy. Fresh out of the gate and the results already look great. Amazing team effort from Naeem Walji, Brahm Finkelstein, Teresa Maria De Paz, Cameron Tomsett, Nick Merzetti, Jennifer Sidoriak, Jessica McCullough, Chelsea Prest #digitalmarketing #marketing #socialmediamarketing #socialmedia #business #seo #branding #marketingdigital #onlinemarketing #entrepreneur #instagram #advertising #contentmarketing #marketingstrategy #digitalmarketingagency #digital #marketingtips #smallbusiness #webdesign #graphicdesign #design #digitalmarketingtips #website #marketingagency #startup #motivation #success #ecommerce #bhfyp #onlinebusiness

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"The one thing that will never fade away is the ability of brands to have powerful ideas and identities that intersect with the culture. That is the superpower for brands, that is the ultimate hack, and it will stand the test of time." Check out my conversation with Rebecca Harris from the National Post, Inc. about the importance of intersecting brands with culture to stay relevant today. https://lnkd.in/gnDxd7zd Courage Inc

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At 9Rooftops, creativity is the driving force behind all we do. Creativity is key for breaking free of existing patterns and creating new solutions in all fields, including media, branding, advertising, martech, and more.

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Hawk... you know... Should brands follow trends? As tempting it maybe on the virality of said trend... 1. Only if it fits the brand image and values. 2. Only if it is relevant and also has some value for the target audience. 3. Only if you are not following all trends all the time. 4. Only if you have some clever idea that is different from what other brands are doing in following such trend. Of course the nature of the trend is that we get on and stay as close to it without infringing copyright or open ourselves for lawsuits - but a lazy copy paste is not a good way. Put some effort, come up with a clever idea that taps into the trend. And no, for this particular trend, it's not a good fit for most of the brands. Sure some brands could - I can see a condoms (you know with extra lube), cough medicine (or dry mouth medicine if there is any) or .. I can't think of more, but I'd keep my brand away from this trend - unless we have a clever idea!!! ADWEEK attempts to answer. Check it out.

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Published an in-depth breakdown of the leading #GenAI image tool strengths and weaknesses. I'll apologize in advance for Adobe Firefly 🤣 https://lnkd.in/eQR7E42H

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HBR has gotten it right : No art, no edge. And when creative minds get involved, your business gets better for it. But beware the transition is not for the faint of heart, especially for the artist. #BusinessCreativity #ThereIsAPlaceForArt #NationalCreativityDay

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