“Some of the Best Ideas Often Come from the Client Themselves”
According to creativity researchers, there are four sides to creativity. Person (personality, habits, thoughts), product (the thing that results from creative activity), process (how you work), and press (environment factors, education and other external factors) all play a part. So, we figured, let’s follow the science to understand your art. Creativity Squared is a feature that aims to build a more well-rounded profile of creative people.
Ron Villacarillo, who we are speaking to for the series today, recently joined Richmond, Virginia agency Dotted Line as its head of creative. His career prior has seen him spend time as executive creative director at fellow Richmond agency Yebo, as TBWA\Chiat\Day, The Martin Agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, DDB, Saatchi & Saatchi, and McCann.
“Ron is a collaborative leader and a highly conceptual creative who sets a high bar for the work. His passion for creativity and craft is contagious,” said Dotted Line founder and CEO Lauren Sweeney in a press release announcing his hire. “Ron has already made significant contributions to the team, and he’s only just started. I have no doubt he will take our approach as a strategically inspired creative agency to new heights.”
To find out more about how that works in practice and more generally how Ron approaches his craft, read on!
Person
I’ve always been the excitable type, naturally energised when faced with challenges. My father’s immigrant work ethic instilled a sense of drive and appreciation for opportunity, while my mother’s unwavering optimism taught me to look for the good in every situation.
While I have an art background and studied graphic design, I’ve never seen myself as an ‘artist’ or believed that creativity is a gift. To me, creativity is a muscle, something that grows stronger through practice and repetition. Even after 20-plus years as a creative in advertising, I’m still learning and evolving. This journey has been one of continual growth and discovery.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is not to take things too seriously. I've had the privilege of coming up with ideas and collaborating with some incredible people, and the ones I admire most are those who bring levity to their work, uncovering the humour and humanity in everyday truths. It’s something I’ve always admired about comedians—their ability to distil the simplicity of a situation and turn it into laughter and insight.
For me, every project is an opportunity to share a part of myself and connect with others in a genuine, relatable way. It’s that thrill of inspiration and the joy of seeing where it leads that keeps me going.
Product
When I evaluate the creativity of any piece, whether it's a commercial project or fine art, the one thing that always stands out for me is its ability to evoke strong emotion. To me, creativity is all about connecting seemingly unrelated ideas and creating a bit of tension—something that sparks conversation. That emotional connection is what makes a piece truly creative. If it doesn’t make you think, laugh, question, or feel something, then it’s missed the mark.
I’ve always found the way we use the term ‘creative’ a little off. We talk about the ‘creative department’, the ‘creative team’, and then present ‘the creative’. But what we’re really doing most of the time is creative problem-solving. Whether we’re executing a campaign or coming up with ideas, at the heart of it, we’re solving problems. The first thing I ask when I look at any idea is: Why does this matter?
My approach to creativity has shifted over the years. Early on, I was laser-focused on putting my own style and taste into everything. I was obsessed with execution. But today, my perspective is more strategic. I’m more attuned to the brand’s identity and how it should behave. I still bring my personal touch to the work, but now I’m focused on what serves the brand’s unique voice and character.
It’s easy to talk about the campaigns I’ve worked on for national brands, but honestly, some of the most rewarding projects have been the smaller, local ones. I’ll never forget one particular client’s reaction during a creative presentation. They got emotional and said, “You just get us.” It wasn’t about the size of the campaign—it was about creating something authentic to the brand, something that resonated with both the client and their audience. For me, that’s what creativity is really all about.
Process
I’ve worked on everything from national Fortune 100 brands to local non-profits, and my approach is always the same—I bring the same level of effort and attention to each project. It’s like lifting weights in the gym: whether you’re lifting 30 pounds or 300 pounds, your form and technique should stay consistent. That same principle applies to the creative process. Whether it’s a global campaign or a small local ad, the steps to creating meaningful, impactful work never change. There are no shortcuts. It’s all about dedication and putting in the time, no matter the size of the project.
In our industry, there’s this idea that ‘ideas can come from anywhere’. While that’s true to a degree, I believe some of the best ideas often come from the client themselves. That’s right—the client. We might be the ones who bring those ideas to life in creative, artful ways, but no one knows their business better than they do. Even more crucially, the strongest ideas are rooted in the brand itself. When a brand truly understands its identity, purpose, and how it wants to show up in the world, the creative process becomes much easier. The real magic happens when the brand’s essence aligns seamlessly with a creative idea. That’s when everything clicks.
People are everything. The power of a great team can’t be overstated. When I say ‘team’, I’m not talking about the typical mix of roles and departments you find in agency settings. Some of my best experiences have come from working with people who don’t feel confined by rigid processes. There are no strict agendas, no set roles—just a shared curiosity about the problem at hand and a collective drive to find the best solution. That’s where the best work comes from.
Press
As a kid, I was always drawn to art. Growing up in the ‘MTV Generation’, my days were spent working at the mall, collecting skateboard stickers, analysing album covers, and plastering my walls with posters. That blend of pop culture and self-expression shaped who I am as a creative today and ignited my passion for a career in design.
When I think about how I honed my craft, it all comes down to the people I’ve worked with—partners, collaborators, and mentors. Those late nights brainstorming with teammates or working under tough creative directors and professors pushed me in ways I can’t fully explain. That pressure to go further, to dig deeper, is what sharpens your skills and pushes you to create your best work.
For me, creativity thrives under certain conditions. Give me an audience and a deadline, and I’m ready to fly. It’s like being a musician about to play in front of 10,000 people—the mix of excitement, pressure, and anticipation drives me. I operate best on a blend of self-doubt and confidence.
People often say, “love the process,” but for me, it’s all about envisioning the finish line. I constantly think about the ‘what ifs’—how the final product will look, how it will feel, and the impact it will create. While I immerse myself in the process, it’s that vision of the end result that keeps me moving forward.
Over time, I’ve learned that I thrive with a constant flow of work. Too much downtime gives me too much space to overthink and lose momentum. Deadlines keep me sharp—they help me focus, fuel my creativity, and push me to deliver. I’ve realised that creativity isn’t just about having endless freedom to explore; it’s about the structure and pressure that turn ideas into reality.
