5 Minutes with… Pedro Prado

Adobe Firefly is a proud supporter of LBB. As part of the sponsorship of the ‘5 Minutes with…’ channel, we spend time with some of the most innovative and creative minds in the industry.

Today, that’s Pedro Prado, the executive creative director responsible for Canada, LATAM, and the US Hispanic market for TBWA\Media Arts Lab (MAL), the agency purpose-built to work with Apple.

After more than 20 years working at the likes of McCann, F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, and Leo Burnett in his native Brazil, Pedro joined MAL around four years ago. He was initially tasked with bringing together the Miami, Brazil, and Mexico offices – a total of around 50 staff members – into a cohesive creative hub.

Working with a smaller creative team than at his previous agency positions, he says the opportunity was exciting and felt like running a start-up, but with the backing of a global network. Today, the hub he oversees has nearly 100 people, including two creative teams in Miami, 15 team members split between Toronto and Montreal, and around 60 people spread across Brazil and Mexico.

Pedro has retained that start-up energy, carefully aligning the best combination of talent and flexibly shaping projects for different markets, all while being supported by an “amazing network of 700 of the world’s most talented advertising people.” This means collaborating not just with TBWA\Media Arts Lab LA but also with teams in Tokyo, Singapore, and elsewhere. “The learnings from one place help what you do in another… It feels like a network, like one big thing.”

In the last couple of years, Pedro has guided the agency to award-winning work, including LATAM’s first-ever Film Lion at Cannes for ‘Huracán Ramírez vs. La Piñata Enchilada’. Other successful projects include Apple TV’s ‘Pink GOAT’ MLS campaign with Lionel Messi and work on Apple’s flagship series such as Shot on iPhone.

LBB’s Ben Conway caught up with Pedro to discuss the unique dynamic of working exclusively with Apple, the keys to cultural authenticity across diverse markets, and some of the work he’s proudest of so far.

LBB> What are the differences between working with multiple clients versus now working solely alongside Apple?

Pedro> The main difference is that we all have the same agenda: to create amazing work that impacts culture throughout the world. Period. With other clients, people have different agendas – they want to grow politically, do their own thing, or make one office stand out over another. At MAL and Apple, everybody wants the same thing. That changes the game completely.

The other big difference is that I don’t have to walk into every meeting and convince the client that craft is important – that it’s going to make a difference in the final product. Apple knows this like no other brand in the world because that’s how they do everything, not just in their communications but in their packaging, their stores, and every aspect of their business. Craft is embedded in their DNA.

That combination – people having the same North Star and a shared love for craft – means that, for the first time in my 25-year career, the ideas actually get better after they’re approved.

Every other time in my career, you would sell something at an eight, and by the time it went through the process, the world would see it at a six. You’d have the creative ambition, but then bureaucracy, different agendas, or a lack of passion for craft and detail would take over. You’d still be happy with a six, because honestly, it could have easily turned into a three!

But here, you sell things at a seven, and they end up at a nine. You sell an idea that you love, Apple is fully on board, you build it together, and it actually gets better. Across the board at MAL, we sell work at a very high level, but then seeing it go out into the world even better than you envisioned – that’s pretty amazing.

LBB> Apple has its own in-house creative teams as well. Is there much crossover?

Pedro> There’s not a lot of crossover. But there’s a feeling of joint responsibility and a shared ambition to do the best work for Apple.

Above: 'Pooched' - TBWA\Media Arts Lab Canada

LBB> With MAL being a separate entity from Apple’s in-house team – albeit one built specifically for Apple – is there a flexibility or unique structure that assists creativity?

Pedro: The beauty of being ‘outside' is precisely that – it allows us to offer a different perspective. There are a lot of smart people on both sides, and everyone listens to each other because there’s mutual respect and an understanding that everyone brings something valuable to the table.

LBB> Apple has these great brand platforms and flagship series throughout the year – ‘Shot on iPhone’ and so on. How does that mix with smaller, quick-turn activations?

Pedro> We believe in the power of big platforms, but we also try to stay two steps ahead of cultural moments. For example, as soon as we found out Messi was going to sign with Miami, we put a campaign together and waited for the perfect moment to launch it.

LBB> Your recent work, like ‘Huracán Ramírez vs. La Piñata Enchilada’ in Mexico and the iPad work with the NHL in Canada, feels deeply authentic to their respective regions. As ECD across such diverse markets, how do you ensure you’re capturing local nuances?

Pedro> Even though our creative hub is in Miami, we have teams on the ground in Mexico, Brazil and Canada. We believe that having people embedded in the culture is the best way to stay connected to it and to specific cultural moments.

LBB> What are some of the projects you’re particularly proud of?

Pedro> We’re proud of everything… but the Shot on iPhone project ‘Suerte’ felt like a significant milestone. It was a hybrid of film and music video, telling the story of a young musician overcoming creative block using a culturally relevant Mexican element — Lotería cards.

The game is well-known not just in Mexico but also across the US Hispanic community.

It was probably one of the most powerful times Apple has created something with a dual-market intent, resonating deeply with both Mexico and the US Hispanic audience. It’s a challenge because the experiences of a Mexican living in California versus one in Oaxaca are very different. And the US Hispanic market isn’t just Mexican, it includes Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Argentinians, and many others with distinct cultures – even if they share a language.

We were very careful in crafting it. We brought in elements from Mexico but had it directed by an LA-born-and-raised duo. We also included musicians from the broader Latin music world, like The Marías.

It was amazing to see something that touched Mexican hearts as deeply as it did US Hispanic audiences.

LBB> Is the US Hispanic market becoming more of a focus for you moving forward?

Pedro> As a population, it’s about as big as the UK – around 60 million people. It’s a massive and established market, and a hugely important one culturally.

The beauty of this job is that it’s filled with opportunities. I count myself lucky – MAL is an agency that renews your conviction in the industry, where creativity and investment come together beautifully, especially in terms of craft and culture. It’s a great place to be!