Interview with a Diestenite- Carla Eboli
Name: Carla Eboli
Job Title: Chief Marketing Officer
Was getting into advertising always in the plan?
No, never—my background is in journalism, then I went into PR, then advertising happened. I started in 2008 when the U.S. was going through the worst of its financial crisis. Coming from Brazil (which has been dealing with a financial crisis forever), I wasn’t scared at all—I knew how to deal with that. I think that’s the reason I was okay with Dieste and advertising.
How is advertising/marketing different in the U.S. versus in Brazil?
The way we do business is pretty similar. If Brazil is extremely creative, USA is more strategic, and more often we have to align with headquarters global strategies. We have a little bit of extra freedom in Brazil to be more creative with less alignment and honestly, I think that in terms of budgets, we’re catching up. Also, Brazil’s creative aspect has cultural nuances that we don’t see in U.S. (they’re less conservative than American agencies have to be).
What do you love most about New Business versus other areas of the agency?
That there’s no routine in New Business—having a routine is boring to me—so every day is a different day. I wake up in the morning not knowing what I’m going to find in the office: a new RFP, messages from another agency asking about a partnership, etc. The downside is that I’m always the first person to know if we didn’t win an account. You have to be pretty strong to deal with rejection, because sometimes you’re just not the right fit for the client. That part is frustrating, but I like the vibrant, unexpected aspects of New Business.
Describe what you do at Dieste:
Most of what I do for Dieste is PR, which is my strong suit—my background. In this specific case, I’m very happy that Dieste saw that someone with a PR background would be very valuable for them in terms of New Business, because I’d be able to put the agency out there. For you to get new clients you have to be out there, in the news, and have a good relationship with other agencies. ‘Relationship’ is the name of the game, and networking is key.
Advertising used to be a very male-dominated arena. How do you think women have changed the way the game is played today?
I think that even if you go to New York, you’re still going to have agencies packed with testosterone, but other places are less like this; I don’t see a reason to not be diverse, especially culturally. How are you going to show a multicultural consumer that you can do it if you don’t have a diverse team? We (women) complement men; we have skills that men probably aren’t that strong in, like what comes naturally to us.
Do you have any embarrassing client experience stories?
I have one that I’ll never forget: I was in Brazil pitching to two Argentinians. When I met them I tried to use soccer as an ice-breaker and their faces got really serious and they said, “We do not discuss soccer with women, especially with a woman from Brazil.” It was so embarrassing, but I said, “You’re absolutely right, soccer isn’t a good thing to discuss between Brazilians and Argentinians; let’s talk about food,” and it made them laugh so we moved on from there. That was the first time I understood that cultural differences play a big role in business, and we have to be aware 24/7. If you connect, it can be fantastic, but it you miss cultural cues, it can go very bad, very quickly.
What’s your favorite account area that you’ve worked on?
Pharmaceutical companies are my passion. When I started to work in healthcare, I saw that there was a bigger objective, which was to help people. I found that I connected really well with the pharmaceutical companies because although they’re selling a product, they’re also doing something good—letting them know that there’s hope, that they can find treatment, or a better quality of life. I don’t want to die without going back to work for a pharmaceutical company.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
If I could get a ticket right now, I would probably go to Firenze (Florence). Italy is such an important place for me because of my family; my roots are there. My grandparents left during the war and moved to Brazil, so there is a strong connection to the culture in the way I speak, the way I move my hands, and the culture of my family. It’s a place I feel at home in when I’m not at home—it was also one of the first business trips of my career. Also, I’d like to try Budapest and some places in Africa.
What’s your comfort food?
Coming from an Italian family, definitely pasta! I really love to cook; it’s an act of love and caring. There’s a lot of chemistry when you combine ingredients, and different flavors pop. I’m really fascinated by it.
What’s your motto?
“Saying ‘s***’ and ‘f***’ is the best Prozac in the world.”
Describe New Business in 10 words or less:
“We date, we don’t marry—that’s Accounts.”
Do you have any advice for someone just starting out in communications?
Always sell it, never give it away for free. Try to experience different areas of communication as much as you can: digital, advertising, public relations, B2B, etc. When you’re in college, you aren’t getting exposed to how things are in real life. It’s a beautiful career, but some people only go to one area. You can always go from one area to another, so don’t feel like you’re boxed in. Keep up with learning; communications is a vibrant, dynamic and a fast-paced segment of our industry. Keep your mind open to innovation and a fresh approach. The more areas you touch, the more you have to apply.
Interview conducted by Stacia Chavarria, New Business Intern
*Special thank you to Jorge E.