2 Minutes With … Diego Wortmann, ACD at David & Goliath

Diego is currently associate creative director at David & Goliath in Los Angeles. He has also worked at Publicis Dubai, Ogilvy Brazil, JWT Brazil and DM9 South (DDB), creating campaigns for clients like Nestlé, Jeep, Kia, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Toyota, Allianz, Kimberly-Clark, Vivo and Pfizer.

We spent two minutes with Diego to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired.

Diego, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I am Brazilian, born in São Paulo, but I lived most of my life in Porto Alegre, located in the south. I returned to São Paulo for a time, but then went to live in Dubai. And now I’m living in Los Angeles.

How you first realized you were creative.

Drawing has always been a passion. My illustrations filled numerous notebooks, and these sheets of paper became the canvas for inventing stories, crafting new worlds and letting my imagination roam free.

A person you idolized creatively early on.

Juan Cabral, former Fallon creative director and current director of MJZ. Sony’s “Color Like No Other” and Cadbury’s “Gorilla” are two of my all-time favorites of his. I also grew up admiring Brazilian team Cesar Finamori and Dulcidio Caldeira.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

When I was in college, I noticed my classmates securing internships at agencies and doing great work. That motivated me to pursue similar experiences.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

My favorite band is the Wu-Tang Clan, the most revolutionary rap group of the ’90s, with a logo that is recognized worldwide. The way they combined rap with kung-fu is amazing. This year, I finally had the opportunity to attend one of their shows.

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

I have Paul Arden’s books on my nightstand. They offer his wisdom on issues such as problem solving, responding to a brief, communication, making mistakes and creativity.

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

“Pet-Commerce” for Petz was fun. It’s an online shopping experience designed specifically for dogs. Using AI combined with visual recognition, the tool analyzes the dogs’ facial expressions and detects when they’re interested in a certain product. When this happens, the item goes straight to the shopping cart, and the owner can proceed with the purchase. In other words, the dogs shop, and the humans pay. A project that started with “Is it possible?” Love that.

A recent project you’re proud of. 

A campaign we did for Nescau/Nestlé as part of their sustainability platform called “Joga Junto.” The spots tell the story that we, humans, have been changing all the time, while the plastic straw remains the same. To show this, we compared a woman and man’s 20-year journey to a plastic straw. The spot highlights the fact that Nescau is switching to 100-percent paper straws.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago. 

Sony Bravia’s “Balls” from Fallon and Juan Cabral. The beauty of the scenes, the music—I watched it hundreds of times to catch the details.

Someone else’s work you admired lately. 

I really like the work Apple is doing, spotlighting everyday situations in a light and fun way to communicate different products and services.

Your main strength as a creative person.

I wasn’t necessarily the most creative person in the room. But I’ve definitely always been one of the hardest workers. There’s always room to do more, and an opportunity to get better. I try to have fun! If we are not having fun, we’re probably doing something wrong.

Your biggest weakness.

I like it when things work perfectly and in an organized way. However, often there are things that are beyond your control.

A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.

I was fortunate to have worked with many inspiring people who played a significant role in my career, like Ricardo John, Felix Del Valle and Marcio Fritzen. These are individuals who not only imparted creative knowledge but also shared insights into the business and how to navigate one’s career. I am now working with Ben Purcell and David Angelo, who will help mentor my chapter in the U.S. with my partner Erick Monero.

How you’re paying it forward with the next generation of creatives.

I try to give attention, as much as possible, to everyone who comes to me because I’ve also needed a lot of help throughout my career. It’s always good to give something in return.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

Working in entertainment or sports. Or trying to be a rap singer and join the Wu-Tang Clan.