Art Director InspiredCreative Gonzalo Gallego tells us a bit...

Art Director Inspired

Creative Gonzalo Gallego tells us a bit about his experience in his field, his vast array of projects and the things that keep him inspired each day.

Creative: Gonzalo Gallego

Art Director: Gonzalo Gallego

Present Agency: Young & Rubicam Colombia

Current Clients: Colgate Palmolive (Speed Stick, Axion, Suavitel, Fabuloso, Protex and Palmolive).

With over fifteen years of experience as a creative and a fascinating portfolio of clients including Colombina, Honda, Colgate, Avianca, RCN, Sharp and Banco de Bogota´ among others, Gonzalo began his journey in Bogota working alongside the renowned and successful communicator Diego Aguayo, who made it very clear that creativity comes above all things.

Three years later, Gonzalo returned to his hometown in Cali to work as an art director at Ogilvy & Mather, for accounts such as Bridge, Mint Frost, Chocobreak, BSN, GNC, Staff, El Pais and WWB Women’s Bank. In 2007, he made his move to Young & Rubicam, bringing all of his experience and contributing to companies such as Honda, Goodyear, BonBonBum, Nucita, Millows, La Constancia, Van Camps, Comeva, Calzatodo, Carvajal, Emcali and Deportivo Cali.

Currently, Gonzalo is a passionate Art Director for Colgate Palmolive Personal Care for the Latin American region. Within the same company, he is working for well known global brands such as Speed Stick, Axion, Suavitel, Fabuloso, Protex and Palmolive body soaps.

What keeps you inspired?

Aside from my son, Benjamin, to whom I devote my life right now, it is essential just knowing that through a good idea we can make a brand sell more today than yesterday and more the following day. For any brand, innovation is the key and being part of that keeps me inspired.

Falling in love with the product is a must. Knowing where it comes from, what its purpose is and thinking for hours, days and even months of what it is that makes it different and how we want the shopper to perceive that.

With Protex specifically, it is as if the product has passed through a second laboratory where substances or chemical components became strategies and ideas. The machines are transformed into design software and the product comes to life and ends up with a personality that in some cases becomes a lifestyle.

The shopper has become more demanding and easily differentiates good from bad. This is why it is harder to come up with experiences between consumers/shoppers and brands that are different and engaging enough to make them do that transaction.

Although it sounds strange, it inspires me to know that what I’ve done and still do, serves a purpose and lives in the streets, on tv, radio, network, even supermarkets. And, of course, if God, the idea and the shopper allow me also in their heads.

“Soccerbacillus and Blockoccus” is the result of talent, love, drive and the belief that we can communicate in a different way what brands want to communicate to their shoppers. At the end, what we can’t ever forget is that we should put creativity and innovation above all.