Jessica Apellaniz’s ingenuity and delight in solving problems first led her to try out a career as a producer at MTV. That is until she was asked to try changing the format of the show she was working on. Her script convinced the director that her true calling lay in copywriting.
LBB’s Addison Capper spoke to Jess about her aim to create markets like Bolivia, Honduras and others on the world stage, the “creative bubble” she’s focused on next and having to write 100 lines about an idea in her first job in advertising. .
LBB> It was a good year in Cannes for Ogilvy LATAM, so let’s start there. Tell me about some of the successes you’ve had. Did you expect the work to resonate?
Jess> I was expecting a good year, but not that good. It was a surprise. When they announced the best of the region for North America, Europe, etc., I did not expect that we would be the best in Latin America. I screamed and almost pushed the guy in front of me – sorry to that guy. It was even better than I expected.
For me, the difference is that we had countries like Brazil, Colombia and Mexico that shined, but this year I wanted more operations there. Smaller countries can all contribute to Ogilvy’s creative reputation. Two years ago, my goal was to have countries like Bolivia or Honduras participate in this. I tried to build a close group with all CCOs across the region. We meet every Friday and try to help each other.
I think sometimes you have a creative bubble. You have the right team with the right brief, the right context, the problem is relevant to the rest of the world. This happened in Honduras; a creative bubble with stars aligned, a brave client and a fantastic creative team. This was a bright star this year.
Ogilvy Honduras – Morning After Island
LBB> Sorry if this sounds a little weird, but I guess your hope is to feed these creative bubbles and then they burst and become their own positive thing?
Jess> Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel – start with one and go from there. It was the first Lion for Honduras and it was also the first for Bolivia. It helps the rest of the team and the rest of the agency to believe because it shows that it’s not hard work with no fruit in the end. All of this helps build momentum and makes more people want it.
LBB> On top of internal morale, are such prices relevant to customers across LATAM?
Jess> Oh, yeah. In Latin America they control the ranking of Cannes, Effies and maybe local festivals. I think it’s important and the most accurate creative KPI we have because we don’t have many – it’s all subjective.
LBB> Latin America is often lumped into a single entity, but it is an incredibly diverse region with so many different cultures and characteristics. As a regional CMO, how do you keep on top of what’s happening within each market within the region, both from an agency perspective and within the culture?
Jess> I guess it’s like having a creative department in your local operation. You have different teams, so in the same way that you can give feedback in different ways, you also push in a different way because everyone needs something different to actually achieve what we need. I don’t think the team in Honduras or the team in Bolivia or Argentina are the same, and I treat them differently. I try to adapt to what they need or how I can help them shine.
LBB> The war for talent is a problem across the advertising industry, with agencies struggling to hire and retain great creatives. How do you see this game in Latin America?
Jess> I think we are all affected by this – we have changed several CCOs in the past year. I think they were also good changes because you can bring a new vibe and energy to the agency and people start thinking differently. Guatemala, for example, changed CCOs and took a different approach – instead of having a CCO, it’s more like an ECD. They’ve worked amazingly well and it’s an area I’m focused on right now.
LBB> You just mentioned Guatemala as a point of focus for you – or your ‘next bubble’ – but what about the bigger and more established markets like Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Colombia? How are you interacting with those markets now?
Jess> They never stop. It’s a mechanism that’s already working and that’s what I’m trying to build into the rest of the operations. It’s not something you do for Kana, it’s an ongoing operation. At Ogilvy we call it ‘divine discontent’ – you’ve arrived, but you’re never quite there. I want everyone in all operations throughout Latin America to feel that divine displeasure.
LBB> Let’s talk a little about you, how did you get into advertising? A planned thing or more of a happy accident?
Jess> It was an accident. I love solving problems, so my natural thought was to become a producer. I did some infomercials and then ended up at MTV, doing top 20 and top 10 shows. It was the same TV show for a long time and the director asked me to try to change the format and do something different. So I wrote a script. When I submitted the script, they said, ‘you’re not a producer, you’re a writer’. He seemed so confident in that statement, so I tried writing copy at a cool agency at a cool account, ‘El Palacio de Hierro’, which is like The Economist in Mexico. It was famous for big titles, so it was a good start as an author.
LBB> Does your background as a producer help you in your role as a creator? And does your regional MCO role still offer multiple problem-solving opportunities that appeal to you?
Jess> I think versatility is one of my most useful assets. I remember one day people said that a project we were working on was dead. But I knew we just had to try something different and I confidently said we could do it.
And yes, you just solve bigger problems. Sometimes the most stressful, but also the most rewarding!
LBB> As CCO, I imagine part of your responsibilities include cultivating talent and listening to your teams to ensure they are able to work to the best of their abilities. What is your approach to this side of the job, especially considering the lack of opportunities for in-person meetings and the stressful environments that the past year has provided?
Jess> Many of the team I met in real life for the first time at Cannes. Some of them look shorter, some look longer, it was an amazing moment! My approach is that I want them to have what they need to achieve what we need. You have to have the right talent, the right client – and the right account, so I make myself available for pitches as well. You have to keep building the business to get more talent. It’s not just creative, it’s also about business. This is an important part of what I do.
LBB> What lessons did you learn during your first advertising/writing role?
Jess> I’m not sure I’d do that with our new talent right now, but I’d have to write 100 ideas for a title. This may sound crazy to some, but this was my job most of the time. I was used to it and it was a good start.
It was also a must to have a mirror, which is another thing they hammered into my brain in the first couple of years. We are used to seeing craft in design or art direction because of how many hours are spent on it. Some people believe that writing doesn’t need that amount of hours, but it does. It must be processed.
LBB> We’ve talked about your leadership responsibilities and the need to nurture talent, but is there anyone in the industry you look up to or someone who’s been a great mentor?
Jesse > Horace [Genolet, Ogilvy Latina CEO] is someone who helps me manage how important it is to get CCOs involved and he’s helped me grow a lot with a lot of management stuff. And on the other hand, creatively, Joe [Sciarrotta, deputy CCO, worldwide] and Liz [Taylor, CCO, worldwide] it keeps me inspired, I could work 24 hours a day if asked.
LBB> Outside of work, what keeps you happy?
Jess> My two daughters, that’s easy. I try to balance. Sometimes I’m a great CCO and sometimes I’m a great mom. I just try to make that equation feel balanced by the end of the month.
