Alexandre Okada has joined DLKW Lowe to lead the creative department across the network dedicated to the Unilever detergent mega brand Persil. Unilever is Lowe and Partners’ biggest client globally (representing brands including Magnum, Clear, Signal, Rexona and Knorr) and has been with the network for over 50 years. Alexandre will be lead creative steward on the current, phenomenally successful ‘Dirt is Good’ work for the brand, which Lowe oversees across the world in over 30 markets.
Helen Bell, who is Chief Operations Officer at Lowe for Unilever comments: “Alexandre has the international credentials that are pivotal to a role like this. He understands the brand on a global level which has always been key to its success. We look forward to seeing how he will help us take the brand forward”.
Okada will relocate to London from his homeland Brazil. Alexandre is well known for much of his work but in particular for the “Time to Change Your Ideas” campaign for Fiat, which he directed while at Leo Burnett in Brazil. It was an iconic campaign that helped Fiat to reach the top of automotive sales.
Alexandre Okada adds: - "OMO and Persil are emblematic brands that, despite being global, are perceived as local and are loved as such in every country they are present. Lowe and Unilever have built together a great story of success and it is a great challenge to work for brands with such amazing potential."
Okada has also held the role of ECD at Leo Burnett Portugal. Under his leadership, the small office won several pitches, including McDonald's, and became one of the top creative offices in the network, winning several awards at the most important shows including Cannes Lions, One Show, London International, Eurobest and Fiap.
Alexandre was then appointed Regional Creative Director of Leo Burnett Latin America, based in Miami, responsible for 19 countries. In two years, his work helped the region to improve its creative standards. He also led international teams in different projects as the pitch winner for Cable & Wireless Telecom and the global campaign for Greenpeace.
Okada then returned to Brazil to create and co-direct a film project for Bradesco Foundation, owner of the second biggest bank in Brazil.
He was then invited to be VP and CCO of McCann Brazil. He led an initiative for GM Brazil during the global crisis that was mentioned by the CEO of GM global in Ad Age as an example of best practice in the world during that critical period.
At the end of 2010, he was invited to be part of the lead team for Dilma Rousseff's presidential campaign in Brazil, which was widely recognized as a landmark in political communication history for the country.
In early 2011, he was appointed to the role of General Creative Director at Publicis Spain where he helped to restructure the agency to face the worst recession in Spanish advertising history. The agency went on to win several pitches in a row, for Coca Cola, Renault International, Spain's National Lottery and Movistar Telecom.