My Biggest Lesson: Alberto Triana Wannoni

With a 15-year career in advertising, Triana has worked in three different markets: Colombia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. This has allowed him to gain truly extensive experience in the global industry. His creative leadership has helped clients and agencies establish themselves in the market and achieve international recognition.  

Triana currently serves as the creative director in New York City, leading global and North American campaigns for clients such as Coca-Cola, Mondelez, General Mills, Wendy’s, and John Deere, among others.  

He has been awarded at the most renowned festivals worldwide, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, One Show, and New York Festival, just to name a few.

LBB> What’s your biggest lesson and when did you learn it?

Alberto> Join forces, combine talents, and create together. An award-wining campaign is never born in isolation – it takes a collective effort.

Flashback to about 15 years ago, at the beginning of my career. I was young, with all the excitement of working at a major-league agency. I thought I could be a one-person show, juggling copywriting, art direction, photography, film production – heck, I'd even act if needed.

But then reality kicked in. I failed many times, especially with ideas involving disciplines that weren’t familiar to me at the time – tech, digital stuff, and all those newfangled media gadgets. I was frustrated, but my boss at the time came to me and said, “No one has accomplished anything alone. No one. So, start joining forces with other talents and you’ll see your campaigns flying high.” 

Soon I realized that being selfish with work was not going to protect it, but rather affect it, and I needed to put my ego aside. A very valuable lesson in an industry full of egos, I would say. 

LBB> What chain of events led you to learn that?

Alberto> It's pretty common in this biz to run into folks who like to keep their projects close to the chest, so they can be the lone stars. They guard those juicy briefs like they're top-secret files. Back in the day, that was the norm, and you could say it still happens today. I used to think that's just how things roll!

This was during the digital explosion when social media was making waves across the web. Everybody was preaching about how important it was to whip up ideas and campaigns for this new space, but only a handful of folks actually knew the nitty-gritty, like coding, digital banners, and the ins and outs of social media features. I realized I had to team up with the experts in this area. So, I started hanging out a lot in their department, sometimes just to shoot the breeze and build connections with those creatives. It was a foot in the door to understand the possibilities and collaborate on projects that landed on their plate or mine. We needed each other, and that really drove the lesson home for me.

LBB> Why do you think it struck such a chord? 

Alberto> The lesson was a real game-changer. When I began to include others, share more openly the ideas within the agency, and listen to different inputs, that’s when those campaigns started to show a lot more promise. Plus, I noticed that more of my ideas were actually seeing the light. 

LBB> How did it change you as a person and in your career? 

Alberto> Luckily, I learned it early on, because it has kept me humble. I don't go into a meeting thinking I know everything, but instead I try to find the skills or strengths of others to lean on, especially if they are my weaknesses. I also think it has taught me how to work as a team and collaborate. But above all, it has helped me not be an a**hole. 

And personally, I think building relationships is key. I have always preferred to work with friends and not just colleagues. You work way better with someone you fully know and understand. 

LBB> And as you’ve progressed in your career, how have you re-evaluated this lesson? 

Alberto> I must admit, sometimes I've got to give myself a little nudge to remember this. You know, as time goes by and we climb the ladder in this industry, it can be tough to stick to these lessons. This job, full of passion and fierce competition, often makes us want to be right at the top of those credits.

But just the other day, Manuel Bordé, our agency's global CCO, gave me a friendly reminder while we were chatting about a campaign. It was like a time machine that zapped me back to those early days when I was just starting out. He drove home how crucial it is to bring fresh talent into our projects, no matter how long those credits get.

LBB> Is this collaboration mindset something you now share with others? 

Alberto> I'm a firm believer that we're a product of the teamwork we've been part of. Honestly, none of the campaigns I've had the pleasure of working on would've looked the same without the fantastic folks who've been in the trenches with me. So, yes, I've always tried to drum that into my team. 

You see, when it comes to a successful campaign, it's like a three-part play.  First, there's the idea stage, then the pitch, and finally, the actual execution. You don’t necessarily need to be in all three. You can be the star of any of these acts and still bring massive value to the project. Crafting that killer concept is crucial, but the idea also needs to be sold to our internal crew and the client. And then, there's the whole journey to make it come alive just right. So, if someone jumps in to supercharge the execution, that's just as vital – it's all about making the magic happen.

So, park your ego aside – join forces, combine talents, and create together. Trust me, it's a whole lot more fun that way!