Gonzalo Pazos of Fahrenheit DDB on the Beauty of Advertising

Creativity allows you to explore different worlds

With over eight years of industry experience, Gonzalo is currently a creative director at Fahrenheit DDB. 

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

Gonzalo, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I was born in Lima, Peru, and I’m still living here. Although I have plans to work in larger markets, this city has something that is hard to leave behind. It has so many good things and so many horrible things—it feels addictive.

How you first realized you were creative.

I was never the best student nor the worst. But I always did things in a unique way—always my own way. In writing exercises, I created stories that left the teacher completely shocked. The same happened when it came to singing songs. There was no way I wouldn’t change the lyrics to all of them. I always knew I was a creative person.

A person you idolized creatively early on.

My parents. My dad was a visual artist who had a unique way of seeing life. He had muscular dystrophy, which made him progressively lose strength. I always saw him inventing tools and machines to solve his physical problems. And my mother is very creative. There’s no one funnier than her. She also writes and sings. My habit of changing lyrics came from her. I’m almost an exact copy of the two of them mixed together.

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

Once, in school, I got into big trouble. When YouTube was something new, we recorded a very stupid video with some friends, mocking some classmates. We uploaded the video, and soon everyone was sharing the link. The parents of the kids complained, and we were given a very harsh punishment. Despite not saying anything in the video, I was complicit, even sharing a laugh. It was the first time I felt I had caused harm to someone. That experience prompted deep reflection.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez. He grew up as a musician during the time of the Cuban Revolution, so his songs are very political, but also very sentimental. One of my favorites is called “Testamento,” in which he sings about all the topics he hadn’t dedicated a song to before. It’s like a mea culpa for not composing enough songs. That song always touches my heart.

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

Recently, I watched a Chilean documentary called The Eternal Memory, which portrays the life of an important journalist who dedicated part of his life to promoting collective memory in Chile, so the people here wouldn’t forget the dictatorship. However, now he is losing his memory due to Alzheimer’s. It’s a deeply emotional film that draws a parallel which I found brilliant.

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

AWA: “The Soap That Cleans the Rivers” is one of the projects that makes me feel the most proud. This idea had to be postponed due to the pandemic. It was a huge effort, which makes it even more deserving. It won the first Innovation Lion in the history of Peru.

A recent project you’re proud of.

I’m working on a B2B idea for Corona. We are at the filming stage. The idea is called “Rent Your Sunset.” It’s an initiative where different businesses with a sunset view rent their windows to Corona. Doing so creates a new space for communication, inviting people to enjoy nature.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago. 

The work done by Del Campo Saatchi & Saatchi was the first to inspire me. When I began in advertising, the case study from “The Fairest Night” blew my mind.

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Someone else’s work you admired lately.

For the past few years, I’ve admired Mihnea Gheorghiu. I love everything he’s done for Diesel, with a lot of consistency, boldness and brilliance.

Your main strength as a creative person.

Obsessiveness. I know many people with exceptional talent, but I doubt there are as many people with the level of obsession that I have.

Your biggest weakness.

My tendency to take on more than I can handle at times. I struggle with the notion that it’s sometimes necessary to let go.

A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.

Today, my biggest mentor is my boss, Sergio Franco. The trust he has placed in me to lead projects and teams has made me feel capable of doing so. He possesses a very strategic and profound view of creativity. It’s something I strive to learn from each day.

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

Being a creativity teacher in different schools is something that gives me immense satisfaction. I think the greatest thing anyone can do is to share what they know without selfishness or pettiness.

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

Any other profession that involves creativity or art. Interior design, culinary arts, filmmaking, literature. The beauty of advertising is that it often enables you to explore different worlds.