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@therlb
Meet Guillermo. @guilletragant
Designer. Entrepreneur. Father. Lover. Traveler.
Guillermo, Principal of Richards Lerma, Creative Director and international businessman documents the mystical moments of his life while balancing the complex yet perfect balance between work and family.
Witness the daily creativity flowing from the trained eyes of an Art Director and explore his portfolio images, personal style and creative philosophy.
Follow Guillermo on Instagram at @guilletragant
St. Jude Night of Hope
We recently had the pleasure of working with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to help develop a theme and advertising campaign for their annual philanthropy gala, the St. Jude Night of Hope/Noche de Esperanza.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has spent more than half a century pushing to find cures with groundbreaking research and treatments against cancer. What makes them an exceptional establishment beyond the statistics is their commitment not only to their children, but to their families as well. St. Jude helps families arrange travel to and from their hospitals, locate accommodations for their trips and even make arrangements with local facilities to continue rehabilitation once they go home. This could drive any family into debt, but these families never receive a bill from St. Jude; everything is covered through philanthropy.
It is easy to see why when we heard that St. Jude needed help revitalizing their annual Night of Hope gala, we were glad to lend a hand. Their goal was to bring new life to the event and attract both their existing support network and new attendees, so we developed a campaign to remind people that this gala is an amazing way to give support for a tremendous cause while enjoying a night out.
The resulting campaign utilized print, out of home, radio and digital ads that featured prominent philanthropists from the Dallas metropolitan area, such as the honoree of the year, former local news anchor and supporter Gloria Campos. The photographs, taken by local heavy-hitter photographer Stuart Cohen, show these philanthropists in their gala attire accompanied by a photo of a real St. Jude patient, a child their donation helped benefit. With the collaboration of the St. Jude team, Richards/Lerma, Clear Channel, TruMedia, Stuart Cohen Studio and many others that donated their time and resources, this became a successful campaign and event!
The Night of Hope was held at the Fashion Industry Gallery in downtown Dallas on Friday, May 15, and we are glad to announce that not only were tickets sold out, but the hospital set a record high for the gala funds raised to date. We encourage you to attend the Night of Hope/Noche de Esperanza next year. Not only will you enjoy a great evening out with food, drinks and dancing, but your contribution will go to an incredible cause.
Nike SB: Skate is
BRIEF
Nike SB Honor Roll Skateboard Club is the first and only skateboarding school for kids in Argentina. The objective was to introduce kids to skateboarding and help their peers and parents consider it a sport that can be taught and practiced like any other sport, generating a mystique around this discipline as Nike does with any discipline. The brand needed to connect with consumers, creating a cool and playful look and feel.
IDEA
We designed a series of posters to launch the concept “Skate is.” Three designs reinterpreted the meaning of skateboarding. A serigraphy process was used to create limited-edition posters based on original artwork.
RESULTS
1,000 posters. 700 kids came to Nike SB School. A fun and an artistic way to keep cool in school.
Credits:
Name: Skate is
Agency: Furia World – Richards/Lerma
Chief Creative Director: Guillermo Bagnato – Guillermo Tragant
Creative Director: Marcelo Seoane
Designer/Illustrator: Federico Fernández
Account Executive: Carla Dupin
The Extra Body Part We Can’t Live Without
It’s been said that you never really miss something until it’s gone. In a similar fashion, you probably don’t realize how much you really use something until you don’t have it. As you can already tell, this isn’t a story about losing a loved one. This is about the four days I lived without my smartphone. Shocking and a little materialistic, huh? But can you imagine going through four dreadful days of not having your main communications device? The way and reason I lost my phone don’t matter – what matter are the many realizations I made when I didn’t have it:
1. Our phones have become like an appendage to our bodies. We take them everywhere we go, and now they even have a prominent place on the lunch and/or dinner tables. Research shows people on average check their smartphones over 100 times a day.
Interesting fact: People check their smartphones most often to check the time and the weather.
2. You don’t really need a smartphone. An average U.S. household has 5.7 Internet-connected devices. So if you lose your smartphone, I’m sure you can still find a way to connect to the online world.
3. Social interactions have completely changed because of our constant use of smartphones. Either it’s checking your email while in the elevator instead of awkward talk with a coworker, or responding to a text in the middle of a meeting. The reality is that it’s changed how humans communicate and interact with one another.
At the end, I want to issue a challenge. Try to use your smartphone ONLY for the reason it was made, phone calls. I dare you. It will feel liberating. Not being chained to something. Like I felt those four days. So if you’re reading this from your phone, put it down and get back to what you were doing.
El Lado B- Diana Diaz
Nothing says fun and cheerful like Diana Diaz.
Diana is a Richards/Lerma brand manager born in Chicago but raised in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. After high school, she packed her bags and moved to Austin to study marketing at St. Edwards, although she also considered culinary school.
In 2005, about six months after college graduation, Diana moved to El Paso, where she worked for Mexican food distributor Novamex and Sonno Sleep Center. She then went to Dallas in 2007, working in digital media for Radio Shack. Diana had always worked on the client side of the business, and her dream was to be on the agency side. Her dream came true in 2013 when Richards/Lerma called her name. One of the main reasons she chose Richards/Lerma: She saw a fast-growing agency that would open doors for her.
Diana’s biggest life lesson is appreciation. She believes it is important to appreciate friends and family and to be grateful for everything that we have – for we don’t know how long we’ll have it. Her biggest accomplishment is her career. She has met incredible and talented people who have helped her, motivated her, and pushed her be a better person.
Favorites:
Book: Virgins of Paradise by Barbara Wood
Movie: “Life Is Beautiful”
TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy
Favorite quote: “A dream is a wish your heart makes.”
El Lado B- Victor Garcia-Hoz
Heis a funny, sarcastic, and cheerful copywriter who almost became a lawyer. His name is Victor Garcia-Hoz.
Victor was born and raised in Spain some 30 years ago. After high school, he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to study. His choices included law, philosophy, and journalism. Though he was leaning toward journalism, his father had a different suggestion and – long story short – Victor went to law school for three years.
Victor did not become a lawyer, but he did find his true passion: writing. He ended up studying advertising and public relations in Pamplona, the capital city of Navarre, Spain (where he ran with the bulls – twice). Soon after, he flew more than 4,000 miles to Dallas and joined Richards/Lerma, where he became a Brand Creative-Copywriter in December 2011.
Victor dedicates his spare time to his 15-month-old daughter, from playing and singing to watching “Frozen” for “the millionth time.” He enjoys reading, watching blockbusters, and writing, of course. Michael Bay, if you read this, reach out to Victor; he has a script.
The biggest lesson Victor has learned so far is to learn from your mistakes and move on. Mistakes are the new black (pun intended).
Something he wishes he knew five years ago: that one should never lose the sense of curiosity, because it shrinks as we grow – for we think we know everything, and it’s one of the most important senses we have. The more interested you are, especially about people, the more interesting you are.
Victor’s biggest accomplishment is his career. He has fun and enjoys his job and believes that is the key – to find something you are good at and something you love doing every day. If he could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, they would be Billy Wilder, Scipio the African, and Winston Churchill.
Favorites:
Favorite quote?
“If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.”
W.C. Fields, I believe.
Favorite TV show?
Arrested Development. Hands down.
Favorite movie?
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” was one of the last ones I loved.
Favorite book?
Impossible. I can’t.
Place?
A patio, outside of a bar, on a spring afternoon, in the center of Madrid. Or Barcelona.
The Joy of Failure
Jorge Almeida, Brand Manager
Failure is everywhere. It has such a bad rep.
People fail to launch businesses. People fail to lose weight. It’s so common to hear about failure, and it always has a negative connotation. But I don’t think failure is necessarily a bad thing. Think about it: There are countless stories of people who have endured failure to achieve great things.
Thomas Edison endured thousands of failed experiments on his way to inventing the light bulb and simply said, “I’ve found the 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
Michael Jordan didn’t make his high school’s varsity basketball team the first time he tried out, but look how that propelled him to become one of the best players in history.
The next time you’re confronted with failure, think about the fact that it can only mean you’re closer to your goal. Failure is not a bad thing; failure can mean a new start. It can mean a clean slate to try again in a different way. Learn to find the joy in failure.
We lose ourselves in more than just screens and briefs. R/L went analog and we were all about LESS FACE, MORE BOOKS! #read #books #nextpage #covertocover
Show Them Some Real Good Lovin’ #Customers
By Sydnee Bush, Brand Planning
With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s not too early to talk about love, right? I mean, we probably use the four-letter word every day, both intentionally and unintentionally – professing our love to anything from people to software updates to quinoa in our chicken salad. But how often do we talk about loving our customers? (*crickets*)
In its recent eBook,Vision Critical explored The Four Tenets of Customer Love. Each tenet gives brief insight of practices that companies and brands should commit to in order to make customer-centric business decisions. This idea of loving the consumer goes beyond the “let’s make [them] happy” mindset; it brings light to the benefit of trusting and valuing your customers more than as buyers and outside the realms of ad hoc surveys, social moderation, and Big Data. Here are a few takeaways:
Tenet 1: Customer Love Builds Better Brands
Use customers for more than foundational insight. They’re more powerful than that. In turn, this saves you from the nightmare of uncertainty, because your brand will simultaneously reflect your values and your customers’ expectations.
Make use of all channels at your disposal and create ongoing conversation; it’s called dialogue. Don’t mistake ad hoc surveys and social moderation for dialogue.
Tenet 2: Customer Love Humanizes Data
Stop all the lip service and spitballing. Love the customer and place them at the center of the decision-making. It’s OK to be customer-centric, but it takes commitment...like love.
30% of social media users account for 90% of social media updates. (Report: What Social Media Analytics Can’t Tell You About Your Customers) In other words, by using just social media for engagement and analytics, there’s a high risk of misreading your customers.
Tenet 3: Customer Love Drives Results
“Today, innovation is driven by customer expectation.”
It’s all about forming meaningful relationships so that you can anticipate their desires, rather than inferring their preferences from Big Data or being reactionary on social. Answer them before they ask.
Tenet 4: Customer Love Means Collaboration
Consult the consumer. This collaboration is invaluable, and the lack of it can be catastrophic.
Your customers are not your own – they’re your competitors’, too. (Especially if you don’t show them any love.)
“What people buy today reflects who they are, as much as what they need. The crux of that dynamic lays in the why – an understanding of the motivation and inspiration.”
Today we live in an era of The Empowered Consumer. They know more about your products and services than you do, as well your competitors’. This is why now, more than ever, it is essential to value, trust, and LOVE the most influential people of your business – the consumer.
Recap from our Instagram takeover by Salar Ziaie. A look at the world through reflections.
El Lado B- Lina Puentes
Lina Puentes
Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia
Position: Art Director
Year started: 2013
Lina Puentes is a bubbly, comical soul. Being the only Colombian Lermano, she brings a different energy to the office. She’s the art director every one turns to when they need a quick edit, the one to laugh at anyone’s jokes, and she’s always down for a good time (no, the day of the week doesn’t matter).
When she’s not at the office consumed in Adobe Photoshop or InDesign, Lina enjoys watching movies, long walks, and sitting in coffee shops simply absorbing life around her. Lina also plays the ukulele (note: she has never brought it to the office and put on a show for us, so we’re not sure how true this “talent” claim is).
Being an artist of many forms, Lina loves to dabble in old-fashioned pencil-to-paper, so drawing and lettering are also stacked on her list of hobbies. In fact, Lina’s most memorable career moment: her drawings made it into one of The Home Depot’s holiday spots. Lina loves traveling, so if she were immortal for a day, she’d do just that – and by traveling, we mean she would “explore outer space with the hope of running into a black hole.”
Hopefully that never happens, because we love her right here on Earth, at Richards/Lerma.
Favorites
Quote: “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
Place: London
Movie(s): “Chicken with Plums” and “The Science of Sleep”
Music: Indie
Book: Anything by Haruki Murakami
30 Million Mexican Immigrants Disappear
By Chaille Alcorn, Brand Planning
“The U.S. Census lowered previously published Hispanic population projections for 2050 by almost 30 million due to lower than expected Hispanic immigration. While the Hispanic population will continue to grow, U.S. births will be the primary driving force.” (Media Post)
Ahem. EXCUSE ME?
OK, so let’s get past the initial seismic shock of the news and talk some sense.
This is the U.S. Census, y’all. Even they are grappling and flip-flopping over this forecast. And for good reason: It’s complicated. As time goes on and we become even smarter about the mechanics of Mexican immigration, this number will undoubtedly continue to fluctuate. But in the meantime, it’s the latest thinking, and it’s sharp. As multicultural marketers, we need to know it and not stubbornly dismiss it.
Beyond the Census, news and thought leadership are blowing up with this shift in thinking about the U.S. Hispanic population and the future of immigration. Experts are connecting pieces in new ways to forecast the numbers. They’re realizing that many, often surprising variables (like fertility rate among Mexican women) led to the mass immigration boom over the past several decades, and that those same variables are now fading or no longer at play. So, the old assumption that there will always be millions of Mexicans ready to move to the U.S. could be completely wrong. Like I said, it’s sharp, it’s humble, and it’s a seismic realization.
But let me pair that thought with a philosophical muse:
What if what we’re seeing is not a surging trend finally drying out?
What if mass Mexican immigration is just coming down from its first of many similar peaks on the graph?
Here’s the thing: We have no precedent for predicting how this will turn out. What if 1970-2008 was “Wave 1” of mass Mexican immigration, and after a 30- to 50-year lull, we’ll see “Wave 2.” We’re so used to having historical data on trends and cycles dating back 100-plus years that we might be too quick to call a trend dead or dying when we’re faced with a lack of precedent. In 200 years, I can only wonder what that trend line will look like. And I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if the sharp, most able-minded demographers of our time get it wrong. But you know what, they’re probably right. (Confused? Good. So is the Census.)
So people, what are we seeing? Will 1970-2008 go down in U.S. history as a surge of unparalleled proportions? Or did Mexican immigration just draw its first of many similar peaks on the graph?
What's up with Miami's #ArtBasel?
By: Alfredo Piña, Brand Management
Here we are, at the end of another year in the midst of a shopping frenzy. The holidays dominate, but something else happened in December that is growing with cultural significance: Miami Art Basel.
If you have not heard of Miami Art Basel, now would be a good time to open a second search window and Google it, because it’s kind of a big deal. There are only three locations (one in the U.S.) for this exhibition every year: Basel, Switzerland; Hong Kong; and Miami. Hundreds of art galleries take over Miami for a week, and thousands of artists, collectors, and spectators fly in from around the world.
Miami Art Basel has become a phenomenon. It has helped catapult “street” artists into the global gallery scene, giving them rock-star fame to sell their art at rock-star prices. Ron English, Shepard Fairey, RETNA, KAWS – the list of contemporary artists in attendance goes on. It ranges from the legendary to the nearly talentless, me-too’s. It’s amazing to watch.
This is where things get interesting.
Every year, the Miami event gets a little bigger, a little more famous/infamous, a little more extravagant, a little more DiCaprio’d, and a little more Diddy’d (Google that situation too). History has gone full circle here, and artists have become the new celebrities, à la Andy Warhol (keep him in mind at all times).
The spectators are endless, because we are a me-too culture. It’s the place to be seen. It’s the place to catch a celebrity sighting, check-in on social media, and brag about attendance. It is the means to an end, fame, and as Warhol always said of the future, where “everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”
You can watch it all on social media. People line up at beach shows and take photos next to art, or in Wynwood next to murals, and hope to steal a little thunder and raise their followers or likes.
Yes, there is art, but I doubt that is the mindset of most attendees. I imagine something different.
“More importantly, I am importantly here.
There is a painting to the left by some artist; I don’t know her name. I think she knows Banksy. Did you see that documentary? There’s a party at “X” hotel later, open bar. That sculpture over there is pretty cool. I saw Diddy earlier; my cousin owns this bar he goes to. There’s a mural over here. Take my photo next to it. Wait till it looks like I’m not paying attention. Do you like this filter?”
That said, it’s hard to condemn or condone the scene. It’s comical and amazing. I doubt many attendees have any passion for art or care to collect anything more than followers. But then again, what’s an artist without spectators? What’s an artist without fans? What’s a show without a crowd?
In the process, some great things are happening for a number of artists. We may be on our way back to the Andy days, the Silver Factory days. In the process, perhaps people will learn to appreciate art more – and even if only for that reason, it’s all worth it. See you at Miami Art Basel next year.
Is it possible to have a productive weekend?
By: Jorge Almeida, Brand Management
Satiric “news outlet” The Onion recently posted a sarcastic article titled: “Scientists Discover Theoretical ‘Productive Weekend.’” What does it say?
Supposedly, “leading” scientists at MIT say that under rare and specific conditions, a so-called “productive weekend” is theoretically possible. How can you make it happen?
Well, you need a Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso, of course! And where can I get more info? Well, I can click a link embedded in the article and be redirected to the Starbucks YouTube channel for more. The channel actually has a one-minute commercial for the new Doubleshot Espresso that’s both hilarious and popular (1,579,894 views currently). This, ladies and gentlemen, is the beauty of content marketing.
As a marketer, these organic opportunities to interact with your brand feel so natural, it’s scary! It’s unforced, yet brings the brand to mind. Putting my consumer hat on, I definitely felt curiosity about the product while reading the article, which prompted me to click the YouTube link. Now, I honestly can say I’ll likely consider buying the product next time I’m in a Starbucks.
We need to steward our brands to find these situations and become part of our consumers’ lives in a non-traditional way through content marketing.
To learn more about Richards/Lerma and content marketing, visit us here, here, or here.
Marketing to the Hispanic Community: My Unforgettable Experience Working at Richards/Lerma
By: Sasha Monik Moreno, Brand Management Intern
Original Post: http://themodernlatina.com
For the past few months, I had the pleasure of working at Richards/Lerma, a Hispanic marketing and advertising agency working alongside with The Richards Group – the largest privately owned marketing and advertising agency in the country. The amount of knowledge and lessons I learned during my time there is unmeasurable. I learned so much about the advertising industry, my fellow Hispanic community, and myself.
For the past ten years, I’ve been the token “Latina” in the office. Whether it was at a law firm, corporate movie studio, or any of the other work environments I’ve worked in, I was the go-to person when people wanted Hispanic insight or needed someone to translate or speak to clients/people in Spanish. I’ve never been bothered by the informal designation and consider it as an asset rather than an issue.
Working at Richards/Lerma was a completely new experience for me. Most of the office was Latino and/or spoke Spanish fluently. The representation at the agency ranges from Latino countries around the world: Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Colombia, and Peru to name a few. There were even several co-workers from El Paso, my hometown! I didn’t feel like the token Latina for once and it was a welcome change. Not only did I feel at home, I also felt like I was learning more about my culture and the culture of other Latinos.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am fluent in Spanglish. Yes, Spanglish. Growing up on the border, formal Spanish is not used as often as slang and Spanglish. While trying to speak Spanish with my colleagues, I realized quickly I needed to brush up on my formal Spanish. At times, I was slightly scared and embarrassed to communicate in Spanish with my peers but I found it pushed me to learn the language better. I am happy to say it’s improved!
My favorite aspect of the job was when I was able to relate to our Hispanic consumer and could speak from personal experience on how to best approach our marketing strategy. For brands, it is imperative to start reaching out to Hispanic consumers if you want to be successful moving forward. Hispanics will be the majority in this country by 2060 and playing on stereotypes is not the best way to reach out to us. The fact that brands wanted to know more about the Hispanic consumer (which includes me) was empowering. It made me feel valued and appreciated in the vast marketplace. And I was helping my fellow Latinos feel the same!
Not only was I learning from my peers about the industry and our community, I was also able to contribute in many ways. For instance, as a Latina blogger, I’ve been approached by brands to assist them with various campaigns and promotions over the past year. At Richards/Lerma, I was now working on the flip side – I was looking for Latino(a) influencers and bloggers to assist us with our client’s campaigns. Coming from a blogger mindset, I was able to provide insight to what influencers/bloggers look for when working with brands. The best part of the process was that I was helping my Latino(a) influencers/bloggers gain exposure. Junto podemos!
The biggest takeaway for me was the opportunity to work with a diverse and talented pool of Hispanic individuals. Every day I left work inspired by my colleagues and the work we were doing. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such a talented group of Latinos and I hope one day we will work together in some capacity.
Sadly, my time at Richards/Lerma had to come to an end. I recently started a new job with another marketing agency in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. While it is not Hispanic-focused, I am excited to move forward with this new chapter in life. However, the lessons I learned from my experience at Richards/Lerma are ones I will never forget. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Hispanic marketing and advertising. Who knows…maybe I will be a part of it :)
To learn more about Sasha and her experience working at Richards/Lerma follow her here, here or here.
Mexico’s Next Top Model
By: Guillermo Tragant, Principal/Creative Director
For the ones who know me, there is no secret that I enjoy fashion – and beautiful things in general. So it was a pleasure and no surprise when Sony from México invited me to join the new season of Mexico’s Next Top Model as a guest judge.
As with any day at a television shoot, it started with a long wait and makeup time.
We were then taken to the set to shoot the program. The six judges were paired off, and then we interviewed the participating models.
There were a dozen of Mexico’s most beautiful and sexy girls stopping by my station for a quick chitchat, speed-dating style. Based on their looks and ability to sell themselves to potential clients (like us), we awarded the best ones to the next round. (Man, I love my job!)
I have to admit that it was a fun experience. Despite the long hours, it made me want to have my own TV show in the future. Watch out, Tyra Banks! :)
GT Unplugged
By: Guillermo Tragant, Principal/Creative Director
When I was invited to speak at the R/L Sessions, I decided to review some of my work from the last few years, but in an intimate, more behind-the-curtains way – and share some of my experiences about different clients and projects.
I wanted to share my vision as a creative and businessman, and my philosophy as a designer.
I believe that being authentic is important, and this is applicable both to brands and people. I enjoy simple and strong ideas.
I am a hard worker and believe in a hard-work ethic; it takes talent, but it also takes time and effort to put things together. And you are only as good as your team.
Having fun in the process is equally important. Great ideas come from playing around and exploring new boundaries.
As I read on Instagram the other day: There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.
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