Patricia Medeiros of Ogilvy Madrid on Stepping Outside Her Comfort Zone

Hopping countries pushed her to explore new worlds and perspectives

With nearly two decades of experience at global agencies, Patricia is currently creative director at Ogilvy Madrid, where she leads the Uber mobility and delivery accounts. Across many agencies and geographies, she spearheaded campaigns for Coca-Cola in Europe and also developed work for clients such as Netflix, Spotify and McDonald’s.

We spent two minutes with Patricia to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired. 

Patricia, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now. 

My story began in Rio de Janeiro, a city that vibrates with warmth and incredible energy. I went to New York to pursue career development. I moved back to Brazil—in São Paulo—for six-and-a-half years. Today, I live in Madrid, and next year I will celebrate 10 years in this beautiful city.

How you first realized you were creative. 

I remember when I was 12 in the ’90s, having a computer at home was quite rare. My mother, however, was one of the few who owned one in my building, and my favorite pastime was spending the day in Paintbrush creating birthday cards. It never crossed my mind that I would pursue a career as an art director; it was just a game. True clarity came at university. Initially, I intended to become a journalist. I realized I was a terrible writer and that my expression flowed more through visuals than words.

Your most important creative inspirations, and some recent stuff you love.

What truly captures my attention at the moment are musical artists and their live presentations. The scenography, their connection with the audience and the lyrics—all of it fascinates me. Scenography, in particular, has always drawn me in. Since childhood, the samba school parades at Sapucaí in Rio de Janeiro were an impressive cultural reference. Their ability to bring stories to life with exemplary art direction and incredible craftsmanship deeply impacts your life. Recently, I was impressed by Kendrick Lamar’s show with SZA. It was simple yet extremely powerful. The show featured spectacular visuals, including cinematic graphics, a central role for a Buick GNX and innovative use of lighting and videos.

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.

Spain’s main professional football competition, LaLiga, announces its official ball. For this launch, we developed a special unboxing experience that would be sent to key influencers worldwide. The big idea was this: If football is played with your feet, why do an unboxing with your hands? So, we created a spherical packaging that taught the best way to open it … with your feet!  It was an intense project spanning six months, focused on pure craft. The team was involved in every stage, from selecting materials, shapes, 3D modeling and the functionality of this “packaging,” all the way to the final design and communication.

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A recent project you’re proud of.

The Uber Eats campaign with Antonio Banderas. The main goal was to convey the idea that Uber Eats is no longer just for food delivery. With the concept “Get Almost Almost Anything,” we had to generate a strong impact on the Spanish audience and connect on an emotional and cultural level. Through Antonios’ charisma, we explored the hilarious consequences of being able to order practically anything. We managed to create a narrative full of stories and clever references to Spanish popular culture. The commercial kicks off with Banderas in front of a shelf full of awards, noticing an empty space. When he searches for “Goya” on the app, instead of receiving the cinematic award, he gets a self-portrait by Francisco Goya. Accidentally spilling wine on the painting, he tries to restore it at home—creating a new infamous Ecce Homo. We sprinkled the commercial with Easter Eggs that pay homage to Goya’s paintings. We created something that will not only make people laugh but also make them think about Uber Eats in a completely new way.

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Someone else’s work you admired lately.

Burberry. It stands out for having an incredible creative strategy and top-tier productions, while repositioning itself in luxury fashion. A clear example is “It’s Always Burberry Weather: London in Love.” This film series celebrates love and romance amidst unpredictable weather, with aesthetics inspired by ’90s and 2000s British romantic comedies. The impeccably executed previous communications, such as collaborations with MegaForce, are also a masterpiece of art direction and execution.

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Your main strength as a creative person.

The ability to step out of my comfort zone and adapt to new challenges. Moving to a new country, for example, and having to practically start from scratch, with distinct cultural differences, was a catalyst. This experience pushed me to dedicate myself to understanding new behaviors and ideas, while exploring worlds and perspectives that were previously unknown to me.

Your biggest weakness.

Impulsiveness and anxiety. I often wish for an idea to materialize quickly and exactly as I conceived it. However, I’ve come to realize that this haste often prevents me from seeing how time can be a valuable ally in the creative evolution process, allowing ideas to mature and refine themselves.

What you ‘d be doing if you weren ‘t in advertising.

Fashion or theater. Fashion has always fascinated me with its ability to dictate behaviors, express identities, and reflect the spirit of an era. It’s a field where creativity manifests itself in a very visual and impactful way, something that deeply attracts me. And theater, I absolutely love it! I adore how stories are told and emotions are conveyed live, with sets, costumes, and performances that manage to create entire worlds.