AlmapBBDO Is Putting People at the Centre of Big Things

Earlier this month, BBDO exclusively told LBB about its new global repositioning, ‘Do Big Things’. 

Nancy Reyes, global CEO, and Chris Beresford-Hill, global CCO, revealed that the network’s mantra ‘The Work. The Work. The Work.’ would be evolving for the first time in 30 years, recognising the ‘big’ successes that BBDO agencies are achieving all over the world.

This, of course, includes the work of Brazilian agency AlmapBBDO, which itself has had a ‘big’ last few years with myriad new business and award wins. This includes new accounts like Amstel, Amazon, Bradesco, Burger King and Yamaha, as well as campaigns like VW’s 70th anniversary campaign. The film won five Cannes Lions last year, not to mention the two Grand Prix-winning projects in ‘Eart4’ for the UN Global Compact and B3, and ‘Errata at 88’ for Johnnie Walker, in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

“I believe this positioning speaks to the scale of our ambition here at Almap and across the network: we want to do ‘big things’ for our clients, no matter their size, budget or business challenge,” says AlmapBBDO’s CCO, Marco Gianelli, (known as ‘Pernil’).

Above: Still from VW’s 70th anniversary campaign

“Finding a way to touch people's hearts and minds is the greatest achievement we can deliver for our clients… BBDO is a globally recognised giant – a network with history and legacy. In this sense, our mindset at AlmapBBDO, of creating long-lasting dopamine rather than quick clicks and fleeting results, deeply connects with the concept.”

The fresh positioning emphasises BBDO’s built-in ‘creative soul’ – a creativity that is not just zoned off downstream, but which permeates throughout the process, in strategy, leadership, ideation and beyond. With more tools than ever to assist with this at every stage, Pernil reiterates that creativity has always been the core of both BBDO and Almap. “Today, more than ever, creativity combined with results is essential for both agencies and our clients' businesses.”

AlmapBBDO’s president and CEO, Filipe Bartholomeu, agrees, describing the “disciplined creative approach” they apply across their entire ecosystem. “Moreover, our culture puts people at the centre of every conversation, whether they are our clients, consumers or internal talent,” he says. “We prioritise collaboration, active listening and diverse perspectives to craft powerful and meaningful narratives. It’s a fusion of strategy, innovation and a human-centric vision.”

Almap’s big advantage, however, is that in Brazil, they combine creative and media in the same place. “That’s one of the reasons why Brazil can think ‘big’ from the beginning to the end of the process,” he adds.

Exploring how regional nuances influence the new positioning, Pernil calls Brazil “practically a continent in its own right” – a massive market known for its creativity and for achieving big things on fewer resources. “And I believe the same applies to Latin America,” he says, “which consistently finds big ideas despite regional limitations.”

Following this philosophy, Filipe adds that ‘Do Big Things’ isn’t beholden to the size of a client or budget, saying Brazil’s creative output as of late is proof of that. “We are the ninth largest economy in the world and we were the second most creative country at Cannes Lions last year. ‘Do Big Things’ is about bringing the size of your ambition through in your ideas.”

He continues, “Latin American creativity has a strong and unique connection to great ideas, brands and people, as it is rooted in cultural diversity, resilience, and the ability to transform challenges into innovation. Moreover, creativity in Brazil and Latin America is fuelled by globally renowned talent.”

As a result, Filipe believes that Almap has “an obligation to take great care” of the agency’s talent - helping them grow into the ‘biggest’ and best versions of themselves.

“Advertising plays a crucial role in shaping society’s understanding of key topics – it captures a snapshot of collective perception,” he says. “Our industry has a significant influence on shaping biases, which makes our responsibility even greater. Talent has always been and always will be rare… nurturing talent is crucial. That’s why we have so many initiatives aimed at diversity and discovering new talent to bring into the agency.”

Above: Still from 'Guarded Bus Stop' for Eletromidia

These initiatives include Eleva Elas [Elevate Women], a mentoring programme created by and for women that connects young professionals with agency executives, helping them to develop the soft skills and experience they need to jump-start their careers. And for the last three years, Almap has also supported the Women to Watch platform, in its efforts to encourage gender equity in the industry.

“Almap’s recruiting process has become more deliberate in this sense, and the results have been huge,” shares Filipe. “In 2020, 43% of our leadership positions were held by women. In 2021, that rose to 50%, and today, 57% of our leadership positions are held by women. At our entry point for developing new talent, we also have an internship programme that is 100% diverse and inclusive, with 71% of the spots filled by women.”

Mentoria Mesa Preta is another programme, created by AlmapBBDO and Goma, which helps to elevate Black talent to leadership positions. The 10 monthly encounters help participants to refine skills they couldn’t acquire at college and reach their full potential. Through initiatives like these, Filipe also reports that 30% of Almap’s talent now self-declares as LGBTQIAP+.

“Effective advertising relies on its ability to engage with diverse audiences,” he says. “Without a strong commitment to diversity, campaigns risk failing to represent the full spectrum of society, ultimately weakening consumers’ connection to the brand.”

The agency itself has developed many strong relationships with a variety of brands – some of which lasting several decades. So while there is a focus under this new philosophy of ‘big’ wins – creating ‘big’ work and winning ‘big’ new accounts – there is also a conscious effort to celebrate and show an equal amount of love for BBDO’s long-tenured partners.

Perhaps most notably for AlmapBBDO, the agency has one of the country’s longest-running partnerships with – 69 years with VW. Other long-standing clients include O Boticário (21 years), Bradesco Seguros (17 years), MAN (32 years) and Gol Linhas Aéreas (23 years). Recent projects for these brands, like ‘The Storm’ for O Boticário and ‘Black Lights’ for Bradesco Seguros, not only help draw in new business wins, says Filipe, but are powerful enough to ‘make their clients increasingly invest in creativity’. 

Above: Still from ‘The Storm’ for O Boticário

“The key to maintaining Almap’s long-standing client relationships rests on three fundamental pillars: Creativity focused on business results, consistency in delivery, and the trust we have built over time. Our commitment goes beyond creating memorable campaigns – we strive to deliver strategic creativity that drives brand growth and relevance. The consistency of our work, combined with an innovative mindset, strengthens our credibility and showcases our ability to evolve alongside our clients.”

As the AlmapBBDO team looks ahead to ‘doing big things’ with new and old clients alike, it’s clear that the agency is dedicated to keeping up with modern creativity, and to bringing innovative perspectives that not only produce memorable, effective work for brands, but which also reflect the people of Brazil and, more widely, Latin America today.

“I believe everything is a continuous process,” says Pernil. “The challenge is to keep raising the bar (or to keep it as high as possible). And there is only one way to do that: by being bold and fostering strong partnerships with our clients – those who use technology, of course, but above all, those who believe in and invest in creativity.”