Pro Hello: Felipe Franco
Felipe Franco is an award-winning director of commercials and narrative films, as well as a creative director. Born in Brazil, brewed in Germany and seasoned in China, Felipe now lives in Barcelona, keeping his young heart steeped in olive oil and wine.
A global citizen, he has been to over 42 countries, lived in six, and is fluent in four languages. His creative leadership and strategic vision have been instrumental in shaping the narratives and campaigns that brought these groundbreaking vehicles to market, showcasing his ability to merge storytelling with technology and innovation.
After 15 years in advertising, Felipe’s shift towards directing was a natural progression, combining his passion for telling meaningful stories with a strong sense of aesthetics. “Story is king, but the visual is queen.”
He has samba and football in his veins – but not in his feet.
Today, Felipe tells us about his journey so far.
LBB> What do you do, and where are you based?
Felipe> I am the founder of creative consultancy, FF&Co, working as a creative director, consultant and film director. Currently based in Barcelona, I’m primarily active in markets like Germany, China and the USA.
LBB> What recent campaigns might we know you from, and what was your input on these campaigns?
Felipe> It depends on which market we are talking about. If you’re in Asia, you might know some of the campaigns I did with Saatchi & Saatchi China and David Beckham for Sands Resorts (where he speaks Mandarin for the first time), and The Londoner.
Or you might know this beautiful animation project from Final Frontier for the Ritz-Carlton called 'Back to the Stars' which, at the time, guaranteed us one of the few D&AD pencils awarded in China. In both of these, I was not only the creative director but also the writer.
If you’re in the US, you might have seen Spring Studios' campaign below that kicked off the collaboration between TUMI and their brand ambassadors Son Heung-Min, Lando Norris, Gracie Abrams and Anthony Ramos.
Internationally, I think the campaign that became most famous – or infamous – was one called 'St. Pauli Peeback'. Created alongside Publicis, this was an activation in Germany where we used a superhydrophobic coating on the walls of Hamburg’s party district to prevent people from peeing on the streets. The moment they’d pee on these walls, it would bounce back directly onto their legs – hence the name. This became a global phenomenon, with many countries and big events copying the idea. Every year, someone forwards me news that it’s being talked about somewhere.
LBB> How did you first get into the industry, and how did you realise what you wanted to do?
Felipe> I actually started super early, back in my hometown of Fortaleza, Brazil. Even before university, at 17, I was already founding a small agency with one of my older brother’s best friends. Small projects, big dreams. I was always a curious kid, completely hooked on computers and the endless possibilities they opened up. By 14, I was coding e-commerce sites and building complex applications, and that’s when I discovered graphic design programs like Photoshop and Freehand. Turns out, I had some real talent for it.
I loved the idea of diving into something new every day, using my curiosity and creativity to figure people out, solve different problems and create cool things. Growing up with some of the most brilliant Brazilian advertising on TV in the ’90s and 2000s probably just made my choice that much clearer from the start. It was like... of course, this is what I’m meant to do!
LBB> Tell us about your journey so far.
Felipe> How many pages do we have? I will try to be short, promise...
My journey, as I mentioned, started in Brazil. After running my own little shop, I decided to move to Germany to study and started from scratch as an intern. Without speaking German at the time, I quickly got hired and soon received my first offer at an agency in Düsseldorf, where I helped win a pitch for the German Post. One day, early in the morning, I woke up to a call from a lady speaking super-fast English. It was the creative director from LeagasDelaney in Prague, offering me an interview because they had loved my work. The interview? The next day. I obviously couldn’t go due to work, but I ended up going the following weekend. I received an offer and had two days to decide. I went for it. I was supposed to handle a beer brand, but ended up also taking care of Ferrero and Skoda. That’s how my journey with automotive started.
After a few years, some awards and many projects, I asked to be transferred to the German office, where I worked for a few more years until I was offered a senior position at Jung von Matt. Working for brands like Mercedes and Vodafone at the most creative agency in Germany was a literal dream come true. A dream that came at the cost of other dreams – and my sleep.
It was an amazing learning curve, working with really talented people from all around. There, I also met my longest-standing creative partner and friend, with whom I moved to Publicis as one of the youngest creative directors in Germany at the time. Our task was to lead a team responsible, among others, for Renault and to help fuse four agencies under the Publicis Germany umbrella. We needed to create an agency culture and push creative limits. I’m proud to have built an international team with multiple nationalities, with whom we won several awards and pushed creativity forward for our clients.
After a few years there, I decided it was time for a solo journey and began freelancing. That journey didn’t last long... After a few international projects, I was invited to lead a creative division at Saatchi & Saatchi Shanghai. The challenge? Half my team spoke barely any English. Challenge accepted. I was responsible mainly for the global Porsche account, but also for many other premium and luxury clients. It felt like a roller coaster, but on a rocket. In the two years I was there, we renewed all contracts, won awards, internationalised the creative team and built strong client connections.
In 2019, I left the agency and restarted my journey into independence. Due to Covid, I was locked out of China and needed to find a new home, which brought me close to the sea, in Barcelona. Here, I continue working as a creative director, consultant and film director for clients globally.
LBB> What projects / campaigns that you’ve been involved in have been the most personally satisfying to work on, and why?
Felipe> In advertising, definitely 'St. Pauli Peeback', because it wasn’t just an ad – we were offering a solution that was replicated around the world. We burst the advertising bubble, with popular news outlets covering it and people on the streets talking about it. Nearly everyone in Hamburg knows about it. Seeing it featured from Japan to Russia to the US and hearing regular people discuss it was truly a highlight.
Outside of advertising, my narrative short films, '21 Days' and 'Elected', which I wrote, produced and directed. They’re a different kind of work, where you pour your entire soul into them. I love telling stories, sharing my thoughts about the world, and connecting with audiences. It was incredible to see the Italian premiere of '21 Days', with people applauding it.
Felipe> Awards and remuneration models for creative work. These topics always get me fired up. Awards, as we all know, are great for pushing creativity and recognising talent, but they can sometimes twist the true purpose of what we’re creating – which affects not only our results but also how clients view the entire industry. As for remuneration models, I think the industry still has a long way to go to truly value creative work. We need a system that fairly rewards the impact and innovation that creativity brings to the table and supports it with new industry standards for remuneration, but these are definitely topics that deserve a whole interview on their own.
LBB> What’s been your proudest achievement?
Felipe> I want to believe I’ve achieved a lot over these years, from winning most of the important awards in the industry to shooting with celebrities and working at some of the most creative agencies for some of the most desired clients. These are all great accomplishments, but I don’t believe my proudest achievements are related to these. We’re in a business where the most important thing, for me at least, is the people. So, being able to create extensive and healthy international relationships, working across the most diverse cultures – from Brazil to the US, Germany to the Middle East, all the way to the South Pacific and China – without prejudice or bias, and striving to understand each unique culture and what unites and separates them, is my proudest achievement.
It’s an achievement that doesn’t come by itself. It takes a lot of inner work and self-reflection to understand different cultures and their consumers without bias. I’ve lived in or spent considerable time in each of these cultures, and while it wasn’t always easy, it was definitely rewarding. And it’s a reward that will stay with me forever.
So, to sum up, I think my biggest achievement is having made myself at home around the globe, no matter where I go.
LBB> What do people (clients, agencies etc) come to you for specifically?
Felipe> Trust and excellence. Most clients and agencies come to me not only because they need creative work, but because they need trustworthy creative delivered with excellence on time – even when the deadlines make things seem impossible. Having worked with many of the biggest companies in the world, I’ve learned that delivering unreliable creative work is not an option, and I apply this mantra to every project we take on, regardless of the company's size or the project scope.
Beyond trust, they come because they want us to use our creativity to solve real problems, no matter the medium or industry. Naturally, as I’ve worked extensively in the automotive industry, many of the projects are automotive-related. But I also receive a lot of projects related to mobile brands, technology, luxury, fashion and sports.
LBB> What are your strongest opinions relating to your specific field?
Felipe> Awards and remuneration models for creative work. These topics always get me fired up. Awards, as we all know, are great for pushing creativity and recognising talent, but they can sometimes twist the true purpose of what we’re creating – which affects not only our results but also how clients view the entire industry. As for remuneration models, I think the industry still has a long way to go to truly value creative work. We need a system that fairly rewards the impact and innovation that creativity brings to the table and supports it with new industry standards for remuneration, but these are definitely topics that deserve a whole interview on their own.
LBB> What sort of projects really get you excited at the moment?
Felipe> Projects that merge technology with storytelling. I love using tech, not just as a tool, but as a way to bring stories to life in surprising, memorable ways. Whether it’s through immersive experiences or interactive campaigns, combining these elements lets me connect with audiences on a deeper level and create something that truly resonates.
LBB> Who are your creative heroes, and why?
Felipe> I grew up seeing the amazing visual campaigns from Marcelo Serpa, for me undoubtedly the biggest art director of his generation. But also the perfectly crafted texts from Eugênio Mohallem, one of my all-time favourite copywriters. His headlines could often be mistaken for real mantras and life advice, so deeply rooted in truly understanding people. Internationally, Sir John Hegarty is definitely one of my biggest references. The Xbox campaign 'Champagne' is one of my all-time favorites. Besides, his love for creative work and the power of creativity lasting until today is simply remarkable.
LBB> Outside of the day job, what fuels your creativity?
Felipe> The world itself. Observing people, trying to see through their eyes and think like them. Imagining all the 'what ifs' and 'what’s nexts'. You’d be amazed at how much it opens up creativity. I bring a lot of this not only into my ad work but also into the fiction films I write and direct, capturing those little insights and moments. Beyond that, I try to keep my brain sharp with languages, films, travel, exhibitions and courses – anything that keeps me curious and learning.
