New Talent: Lewis Aramayo
Growing up in Switzerland with little grasp of the language, Australian Lewis Aramayo spent a lot of time at school daydreaming out the window. While that might not sound like the most productive form of studying, he believes that it led to the ideas that eventually took him to a career in advertising. He’s currently working s a copywriter at Ogilvy Australia but will be heading to Ireland soon for the Kinsale Sharks festival as one of the winners of its Young Sharks competition.
Find out more about Lewis, KFC Bucketheads and his love of Burger King marketing below.
LBB> Where are you from – where did you grow up? And what role did creativity play in your childhood?
Lewis> I’m originally from Sydney, Australia but I spent a couple of years living in Switzerland when I was younger. I didn’t understand the language too well over there so my default was to daydream. Nothing much changed in high school. For instance, one time my English teacher left a comment on my report card saying – ‘Lewis likes to look out the window a lot.’ Thankfully, on the other side of that window were some interesting ideas. Ideas that eventually scored me a job in advertising.
LBB> How did you first get in the industry? What was your very first job?
Lewis> After uni, I completed a 10-week course called ADMA Creative School. At the end of the course, the head tutor, who was also the creative director at Ogilvy, offered me a job. Almost four years on and I’m still there.
LBB> What was your first creative milestone in the industry – the project you worked on that you were super proud of?
Lewis> The KFC Buckethead Army campaign. It was a cricket campaign that ran at a historic time, when Australia and England were at a 37-all Ashes deadlock. KFC wanted an idea that would galvanise the nation and help the Aussies win the Ashes urn. England had their formidable Barmy Army and we needed something that would rival them, or even better – out-do them. We uncovered an insight that fans had been wearing KFC buckets on their heads at the cricket for years, so we decided to create the Buckethead Army. We recruited over 10,000 Aussies, sold loads of chicken and ending up winning the Ashes. It felt like a campaign that really permeated Australian sporting culture, which is why it’s a stand out for me. It also won a Bronze APAC Effie, which was an added bonus.
LBB> And what recent projects are you proudest of and why?
Lewis> A charity idea we’re currently working on. I can’t say too much because it hasn’t gone live yet, but it’s an initiative to help underprivileged youth and is something I’m very proud of.
LBB> Within the industry, who are your creative heroes? And what work makes you jealous?
Lewis> The CMO of Burger King, Fernando Machado. The belief he shows in big, ballsy ideas is really inspiring. A lot of the Burger King ideas make me jealous. But any idea that seems ridiculously simple and makes you think ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ For example, I heard an idea the other day where a brand put small toys inside bars of soap to encourage kids to wash their hands more often. So simple!
LBB> Outside of work, what are you passionate about?
Lewis> Stand-up comedy. Surfing. Music. Psychology.
LBB> What would be your dream brand to work on and why?
Lewis> Burger king. It’s a fun brand that’s willing to take risks and push the envelope.
LBB> What’s exciting you about the industry right now – and frustrating you?
Lewis> I find the push for more diversity in advertising exciting. It will be great to see not just more ethnicities and a more even mix of men and women in the industry, but also more diversity in age. I’m also excited by emerging technologies and the growing potential creativity has to be a utility for people that can help improve their lives. In terms of frustrations, I find some of the comments people leave online criticising other people’s work pretty toxic. Especially when you consider how many countless rounds of feedback some ideas have to get through these days to survive.
LBB> How did you hear about Kinsale Sharks and the Young Sharks competition?
Lewis> One of the creative directors from Ogilvy told me about it. He knew people who had been to the Kinsale Sharks Festival and kept raving on about how much fun they’d had!
LBB> How did you approach the entry and what was the creative process like?
Lewis> The brief asked for a social idea, so I scoured social media for a while thinking of any buttons or functions I could leverage for the execution. That’s when I thought of the notification that pops up when someone starts following you on Instagram. I also tried to make as many shark associations in my head as I could. Then, at some point, I made the link between a shark following its prey and someone following you on Instagram. From there, the idea was born.
LBB> What are you most looking forward to about Kinsale?
Lewis> The talented creatives, the friendly atmosphere, the word class speakers and, of course, the Guinness!
