5 Minutes with… Estefanio Holtz

From being a child diligently annotating adverts from magazines with scissors, glue and coloured pencils, to becoming ECD of BBH USA, Estefanio Holtz’s career is one that represents big moves, bold decisions, and always putting creativity first.

Growing up in a small city in Brazil, Estefanio’s pursuit of creativity saw him move first to São Paulo, before landing in New York’s dynamic, globally-facing advertising scene. Getting to grips with the US market, Estefanio achieved success as creative director at Pereira O’Dell SF/NY, and as a VP creative director at McCann NY before he joined BBH USA as group creative director, where he became the most awarded GCD globally at the 2022 One Show Awards.

Now ECD at BBH USA, Estefanio has been an instrumental creative force behind the agency’s work for global brands such as Samsung, where he led the charge on culture-disrupting projects such as ‘Former Genius’ and ‘Uncrush’.

Speaking with LBB’s Abi Lightfoot, Estefanio discusses the type of leader he strives to be, and the value of creating a “culture of continuous learning”. He reflects on the anxieties felt by the industry at the moment, the importance of meeting challenges “head-on, with creativity,” and the pride he feels in being part of the flock.

LBB> You’ve now spent over 15 years in advertising but, looking back, when did you realise that it was an industry you wanted to work in?

Estefanio> Well, that happened before I understood what advertising is. As the son of an elementary school teacher who always gave me something to read, including general interest news magazines, some of the ads captured my attention. Some were really good, and some stood out for being terrible. Then, for no specific reason, I started collecting these ads until I found myself editing them with my very professional toolkit: a kid’s scissors, a glue stick, and a few coloured pencils.

LBB> Are there any defining moments that you feel have shaped your career and led you to where you are today?

Estefanio> I believe that growing up in a small city in Brazil and living in an environment far from the industry was the starting point of the defining moments that brought me here. A craving for something new has always been a catalyst for significant decisions in my career – from making a very impulsive move to big cities like São Paulo and then New York, to pursuing opportunities to work with talented people I admire.

LBB> Your experience spans agencies based in both the US and Brazil. What was it like to step into and adapt to working as a creative within a new market?

Estefanio> I’ve been in the US for a decade, and I can say it has been a constant process of learning and sharing. It’s a permanent cultural exchange, and that’s the beauty of it. I’ve been lucky to work in places with amazing diversity, like BBH USA. For me, this is key to adapting to a new market and finding an open environment in which to share my own cultural experiences.

LBB> Were there any differences or similarities between the US and Brazilian markets that you were surprised to discover? If so, what were they?

Estefanio> Tons of good differences and similarities. I wasn’t just surprised – I was genuinely impressed by how the strategic perspective shapes the creative process. It feels like a real breakthrough, especially in a market like the US, not only because of the complexity of the internal market, but also because we very often have to approach things from a global perspective.

On the other hand, coming from a place where you need to be creative in every single step of the process due to the restrictions of all kinds of resources, I was surprised by how easy it is to overthink or overcomplicate things.

LBB> You’ve been at BBH since 2021, and in that time, your work with Samsung stands out in particular. Can you speak more about your work with the brand – what was it like to be the lead creative on campaigns like ‘Former Genius’ and ‘Uncrush’, and did you anticipate the kind of success the work has gone on to achieve?

Estefanio> Working on big and relevant brands that allow you to contribute to culture creatively is such a rewarding and inspiring experience. Every single project becomes an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. After experiencing this with Google in projects like BlackOwnedFriday, leading some of the disruptive work for Samsung North America has been an incredible journey of finding the right dialogue with consumers about where technology is taking us. ‘Uncrush’, our viral response ad to one of Samsung’s biggest competitors, was a very good and, to be quite honest, unexpected example of how celebrating humanity and creativity can spark a huge positive conversation.

LBB> How would you describe your approach to creativity, and to leadership more generally?

Estefanio> First, I value being myself and working in places that allow me to be myself. I’m led by the creative, and I truly believe that the best ideas come from diverse perspectives working together. Creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences makes our work resonate way more deeply. I remember how valuable a culture of continuous learning was for me, and I strive to be that kind of leader for my team.

LBB> Where do you go to find inspiration outside of advertising, and how do you infuse this inspiration into your work?

Estefanio> I pretty much don’t try to define where I go to find inspiration, but doing very simple things in life is very inspirational for me. As an observer, I love to be inspired by mundane and real things out there. A photographer who has no camera.

LBB> In your opinion, what are the main challenges that the industry is facing at the moment, and how can it work to tackle them?

Estefanio> Our industry is becoming more anxious. Which likely stems from the uncertainty created by the current economic shifts and pressures we’re all experiencing. But the truth is, we can’t reverse or change anything with anxiety. We’ll continue to meet challenges head-on with creativity, adapting as we go, and staying grounded in the reason we started this journey in the first place: to have fun.

LBB> Looking ahead, what are your biggest hopes for the industry, for BBH, and for the kind of work you’d like to create in the future?

Estefanio> I hope our industry continues to place people at the centre of everything we do because they are the driving force behind the brilliant solutions we create. I hope we continue blending creativity and technology to forge deeper, more meaningful connections with consumers. I’m positive that BBH, with its current impressive growth and a brighter future ahead, will continue to ZAG in culture. Looking ahead, as a proud black sheep, I couldn’t be more excited to be part of a flock that will continue to allow me to create work that connects with people in meaningful ways. Bah!