The Work That Made Me: Lorenzo Picchiotti
Lorenzo is the chief creative officer and partner at DUDE, an independent advertising agency and production company based in Milan and London.
After experiences in agencies like M&C Saatchi, WundermanThompson, and McCann Worldgroup, in 2014, he, with three other partners, embarked on a new project, transforming DUDE - a small production company at the time - into an integrated creative and production agency. Today, DUDE boasts approximately 90 employees, with offices in Milan and London. The agency has expanded its focus beyond advertising and now engages in various areas, including design, the creation of original content, hosting a festival, and establishing its own foundation.
Apart from his work at DUDE, he embraces the role of lecturer and academic coordinator at the Institute of European Design - IED.
LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…
Lorenzo> I grew up immersed in the golden era of music videos, and MTV was always on in the background. I was captivated by the amazing works of Jonathan Glazer, Spike Jonze, Mark Romanek and Michael Gondry.
One video, in particular, that fascinated me a lot is 'Coffee and TV' by Blur, directed by Garth Jennings. I think I could sketch its storyboard from memory.
Another standout for me is 'Just' by Radiohead. I still find it incredibly brilliant to this day.
LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…
Lorenzo> Rather than a single ad sparking my interest, I must say it was a Taschen book gathering the most creative print campaigns of those years. It was filled with fake ads when viewed through today's lens, but it was instrumental in realising that this profession existed and could be a lot of fun. It also made me see that it was something I might be good at. It was a refreshing jolt for a bored psychology student.
Then as I was embarking on my journey as an art director, a couple of campaigns came out that made me say, 'Okay, yes, I really want to do this!' One of them would be Diesel's 'Be Stupid,' and another is the Super Bowl commercial by CareerBuilder. An amazing piece of comedy.
LBB> The creative work (film/album/game/ad/album/book/poem etc) that I keep revisiting…
Lorenzo> I often find myself revisiting things I enjoy. Staying on the topic of ads and music videos, I can tell you that Canal+'s 'The Bear' for its incredible craft and storytelling and Dove's 'Camera Shy' for the strong insight are perhaps among the campaigns I've watched the most. Among the very recent ones, Apple's 'Fuzzy Feelings' is something I've watched several times. As for music videos, 'Pass This On' by The Knife, directed by Johan Renck, is probably one of the videos I've watched the most. It's truly hypnotic.
LBB> My first professional project…
Lorenzo> The truth is, I undertook my very first internship at a small agency in Florence, where my role largely involved assisting the agency's art director. During that time, if I recall correctly, my first substantial project was the layout design for a financial report of a service company. Concurrently, I collaborated with a tiny art gallery in my hometown, creating posters for their exhibitions. Perhaps, that was my first genuine professional satisfaction.
LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…
Lorenzo> I generally tend to be very forgiving when it comes to other people's works. I understand the challenges involved in creating a quality campaign. That being said, I have a particular aversion to anything that sounds too rhetorical and clichéd.
LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that still makes me jealous…
Lorenzo> There are a couple of brands working with a very interesting approach to communication. The first ones that come to mind are not even used to work with agencies, which is a significant signal. I'm talking about Liquid Death, Surreal cereals, and Oatly.
Well, Oatly's recent campaign in Paris featuring murals has one of the most intelligent and effective media approaches I've seen in recent years. And this makes me quite jealous.
LBB> The creative project that changed my career…
Lorenzo> The film that my partner Livio and I created, winning the Cannes Young Lions in 2012, undoubtedly marked a significant turning point. It wasn't just about the job opportunities it brought (which, to be honest, weren't many), but also about starting to believe more in our abilities. It was another moment to fall in love with this profession all over again.
LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…
Lorenzo> Probably “Vendesi Esino Lario” was quite a wild project for Eolo, a small (at the time) Italian internet company. We put up for sale a small village in northern Italy with the aim of creating a strong provocation that would generate PR buzz and initiate a debate on the issue of depopulation in small communities. This initiative closely aligned with the values of the brand, as their mission was to bring the internet to the most remote places, far from large cities, and bridge the digital divide. The results were impressive, and I remember it as a beautiful demonstration of how courage, ideas, and experimentation can be rewarding.
And, of course, there's “Black Future Club”, more of a social experiment than a simple campaign, for the launch of the fourth season of Black Mirror, which earned us two Cannes Lions.
LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…
Lorenzo> One that comes to mind is among the very first projects done at DUDE, for a skin moisturizer. It was a rather embarrassing commercial that didn't bode well for DUDE's future. Fortunately, there was time to course-correct. And no, I won't share the link; some things are best left buried within the depths of the internet.
LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…
Lorenzo> The commercial for Ceres' 60th anniversary, a beloved beer brand in Italy, is a project I'm particularly attached to. It was the first time I shot a commercial entirely on film. It was a crucial project for them and creativity was daring for the Italian market, with a unique and raw treatment of the product. So much so that some scenes were censored just a few days after going on air.
