The Work That Made Me: Cristina Roa
Colombian born in Panama, lover of good coffee, soccer and cooking, passionate about new places, cultures, and learning, but above all a fan of good ideas. Industrial Designer with more than 16 years of experience working in local and multinational companies, she has held positions as creative director and planner, director of experiences until becoming general creative director.
Her great strength is the creation of strategies focused on experiential marketing, customer experience, brand management, digital experience and trade marketing; strategies that will always be aimed at meeting objectives and achieving results.
She strongly believes in teamwork, for more than 13 years she has led and motivated multidisciplinary work teams focused on building emotional bonds between brands and their consumers.
The ad that stays with me...
Christina> One of the ads that stayed in my memory was 'Think Different' by Apple, narrated by Steve Jobs; it shows us that madness can change the world.
The ad/Music video/web platform that made me want to get into the industry...
Cristina> The commercials by Nike, Coca-Cola, and Burger King have always captivated me, as they aim to forge emotional connections with people through unique experiences. However, one that etched itself into my memory was Coca Cola's 'Happiness Factory' ad, where a fantastical world is crafted within a vending machine to deliver joy to people. This exemplifies that creativity knows no bounds and this industry is all about shattering paradigms
The creative work that I keep revisiting...
Cristina> My approach has always been experiential, which is what I am passionate about. To create great experiences, one must immerse oneself in that world: traveling and seeing new things, art, design, architecture, advertising, music, fairs, events, museums, street art, new technologies, new cultures, etc. To achieve this, I always need to stay updated by exploring new trends, what the competition is doing, what works, and what doesn't. I look up to various experiential artists and installers like Rafael Lozano Hemmer, Yayoi Kusama, and architects like Zaha Hadid.
In addition, the stage designs and narrative of events like Tomorrowland are awe-inspiring and magical. One of the most influential and recognised stage designers in the world is Baz Halpin. His creativity and ability to create memorable stage designs and visual experiences are simply astonishing! He's always a reference for me.
My first campaign...
Cristina> One of the first campaigns I had the opportunity to work on, alongside Juan Manuel Cely, Agustín Franco, and an incredible team, was in 2011 for Coca-Cola, commemorating their 125th anniversary, with Imagen y Marca agency. It was a truly spectacular project that toured various cities in the country, bringing joy to Colombians and celebrating the story of this brand. This campaign earned me my first awards.
This campaign received awards at the Ibero-American Festival of Promotions and Events (FIP) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, achieving a Grand Jury Prize, a Grand Prix, three Golds, two Silvers, and a Bronze.
The campaign another person did that made me jealous
Cristina> It didn't make me feel jealous, but rather proud. One of the campaigns that marked my career and made me want to grow in this field, where the percentage of men is much higher than women’s, was 'Like a Girl' by Always from P&G, created by Leo Burnett Chicago. This campaign seeks to support women worldwide in their struggle to empower themselves and have confidence throughout their lives. 'Like a Girl' connects with women on a deeper level and is evidence that we can have a cultural impact and a positive change with our work.
I love this campaign not only for what it achieved, but also because one of the creators of this campaign is one of my best friends from my entire life, María Elisa Vélez."
The campaign that taught me some painful but useful lessons...
Cristina> Wow, there are many stories like these, and we should always learn from failures to discover new opportunities and strengthen weaknesses. For me, advertising is only for the brave. We must fall 10 times and get up 11, always stronger than ever. We should understand that this profession can be frustrating when we lose bids, when ideas don't get approved, or when a project isn't bought. But at the same time, it challenges us to keep doing it with more passion and better than ever. I've learned that ideas shouldn't stop at the first NO. On the contrary, if you believe in something, you have to work on it until you achieve the goal, which is to sell it."
The creative project that changed my career...
Cristina> One of the projects where I learned the most during my career was the launching of HarmonyCa by Allergan Aesthetics in Chile, Argentina, and Colombia. It was an event platform to launch the most significant hybrid injectable in the market, each event with approximately 1000 guests. The level of detail for these events had to be extraordinary, creating sublime experiences for a very specific and demanding target audience. It also required educational content that matched the brand, product, and, of course, the audience. This project was possible thanks to an incredible team of diverse talents.
The work that I'm proudest of...
Cristina> The launching of HarmonyCa by Allergan Aesthetics in Chile, Argentina, and Colombia
125 years of Coca Cola
I was involved in this and it makes me cringe...
Cristina> Fortunately, I still haven't done anything to be ashamed of
The recent project that I'm involved in that excites me the most...
Cristina> I am currently working on the relaunching of one of the most important brands in Colombia. It's a project that will be spectacular, and I am proud to be a part of it.
