World Creativity Day: Insights from Beatriz Salmeron, Creative Director at Ogilvy

Apr. 29, 2025

To celebrate World Creativity Day, Ads of Brands sat down with Beatriz Salmerón, Creative Director at Ogilvy, to talk about the power of creativity, innovation in advertising, and the challenges and opportunities brands face today. In this exclusive interview, Beatriz shares her insights, inspirations, and vision for the future of creative work.

You’ve spoken about how diversity enriches creativity. How do you actively bring that philosophy into your creative process for brand campaigns?

“Recognizing that my perspective isn't the only one that matters, it's crucial to thoroughly research, investigate, and understand the realities and circumstances of our target audience. Furthermore, we must flip the script by giving visibility and empowering those who have historically been overlooked.”

 

What’s the secret to making emotionally resonant ads—like Christmas commercials— that really connect with audiences?

“As always, read the room. Listen intently and share a relevant truth that resonates with your audience. We don't need to explicitly talk about our brand; instead, we should focus on how it organically integrates into their lives, surprising, assisting, or accompanying them along the way. Remember, the audience is the protagonist, not us.”

 

Can you share an example of a recent campaign where diversity directly impacted the strength or originality of the idea?

“A prime example of this is Coca-Cola's "Thanks for Coke-Creating" campaign. By observing local culture and how people were creatively reinterpreting their logo, they found the perfect way to reinforce the brand's iconic status. Rather than focusing on product attributes or benefits, they actively listened to what people were actually doing with the brand and empowered them to feel like a part of what Coca-Cola represents. It's a brilliant example of making other realities the protagonists.”

 

In your view, how is the role of emotion evolving in advertising today, especially with younger audiences?

“I believe that emotion will always be the driving force behind truly effective advertising. However, we need to move beyond the traditional, simplistic view that an ad must solely make you laugh or cry. While that can still work, new realities demand a broader emotional palette. For this generation, it's also about sparking interest, igniting passion (or even anger), generating joy, or provoking surprise. We can't rely on basic emotions in the face of such a complex world.”

 

What advice would you give to young creatives who want to tell inclusive stories while still delivering strong brand messages?

“Dare to be bold. Too often, we play it safe, assuming the client won't want to take risks, and end up presenting messages, stories, or concepts that are decaf from the start. It's true that it's challenging to get truly daring ideas approved, navigate the layers of approvals, and prevent the essence from being diluted along the way. But sometimes it happens, and we have to keep trying. Remember, decaf doesn't wake anyone up.”

 

About Beatriz Salmeron

Beatriz Salmerón is a Creative Director at Ogilvy Barcelona. For over seven years, she has worked for brands such as Cervezas Alhambra, Cheetos, FC Barcelona, Wilson, Cortefiel, MINI, and Reebok, among others. Born in Madrid and adopted by Catalonia, she is passionate about creativity, stories, people, and cats.