Today we’d like to introduce you to Guilherme Possobon.

Hi Guilherme, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

Beginning in my hometown, Porto Alegre, Brazil. It’s a beautiful sun-kissed region known for chimarrão, world-class BBQ, and a passion for soccer. My childhood was fun and humble, much like most Brazilians. Back then, at 13, motivated by an idea to build a tribute website for my favorite band, Guns N’ Roses, I set out to buy my first computer. I mean, I paid for it myself, working here and there. I learned by myself how to build it and, to my surprise, the site gained unexpected popularity. Little did I know, I was an Art Director before my trajectory even began.

Fast forward to the beginning of my career in advertising, I kicked things off at a small in-house agency for a local shopping center, working as an art intern for six months. Then, I moved to a slightly larger agency as a Junior Art Director for three years. What’s underrated about small agencies, is that you are not just an Art Director, but you are also client-facing, taking charge of the project scope from start to final file delivery.

Feeling the itch to create more exciting work, I took a creative course and ended up winning Best Portfolio and Best Art Director awards on that. Those landed me a week-long internship at Escala, the top agency in the Porto Alegre state, eventually turning into a full-time opportunity. Within a year, I was promoted to Art Director there.

After three years, I got hired by DCS, and had my first taste of big awards when we submitted an ad about an iPad game to the Cannes Lions Festival. We later on created a campaign that really stood out within our state. It played with our unique way of speaking, culture, and daily life, earning us a Grand Prix at our state’s festival. Insanely enough, this campaign later turned into a theatrical play and televised series! I gained local popularity, awards, and soon after, my network growth landed me at my biggest career move yet, Ogilvy in São Paulo.

2012 was a turning point for me. Working at the most awarded agency of Latin America at the time, Ogilvy allowed me to work with top Brazilian talents and global clients like Coca-Cola and Dove. What an honorary moment that was for me. In that year, Ogilvy got elected the Agency of The Year in Cannes. This time changed everything I thought I knew about advertising.

It wasn’t long before I then spent four years at LewLara/TBWA, this time, snagging my first Cannes Lion—a Bronze for the “Gay Frequency” campaign. I also proudly participated in a magnitude of projects, pitches and big productions, focusing most on Nissan and Gatorade.

Moving forward as Senior Art Director at BETC/HAVAS, I had the pleasure to work with Peugeot, Citroen and other global well-known brands, winning more awards for the years to come. What I loved more at my job was not only being a team leader, but a mentor to my peers. I love inspiring others as much as I was inspired by my own environment. Discovering a new passion for teaching, what soon I started as an official teacher for new Brazilian creatives at Cuca.

In 2019, I made my first international move to Dubai with FCB, working on projects for Coca-Cola, Oreo, and Budweiser. This period in my life was eye-opening culturally as well as professionally. Such an unforgettable experience!

Then came Covid. I returned to Brazil to be close to family and took on freelance projects with major agencies until I eventually joined VML (formerly Young and Rubicam) in São Paulo. That’s when I won my first Gold Lion at Cannes with “The Commitment” for CCWD, helping to put VML on the map for being the most awarded agency in the Good track at Cannes and the second most awarded in Brazil. Before moving on, we also secured another Bronze for the “The Real Problem” campaign.

As a Creative Director at VML New York, the largest advertising agency in the world, I’ve had the privilege of working on groundbreaking campaigns for Coca-Cola. We brought “Coke Studio” to life, featuring Jon Batiste in a project that left a lasting impression. Another standout campaign, “We Agree On,” earned a Bronze Lion in Print, pushing creative boundaries for the brand and setting the stage for even greater accomplishments.

In 2024, we created “Thanks for Coke-Creating,” a campaign that became the most awarded in Coca-Cola’s history. The campaign earned Coca-Cola a nomination for Client of the Year at the Cannes Lions Festival and claimed 3 Gold Lions, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze, and a total of 31 shortlists. Beyond Cannes, the campaign garnered recognition from some of the world’s most prestigious awards, including the London International Awards, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, New York Festivals, and others.

In summary:
Since 2004, I’ve journeyed from a small agency in Porto Alegre to leading creative efforts for global brands in New York City. Along the way, I’ve collected awards, worked with incredible talented people, and learned from diverse cultural experiences. And through it all, my enthusiasm and curiosity for what’s next to come, remain unshaken as the first day.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

The road has been far from smooth. Growing up in a humble community in southern Brazil, the world felt much further out of reach. While my life wasn’t as difficult as that of many Brazilians can be, I didn’t have the privileges afforded to those from middle-class families, let alone the opportunities of people in first-world countries. This meant I had to work twice as hard to bridge the gap in knowledge, education, and life experiences. Things like traveling, learning English, or even realizing that I, too, could aspire to more. These opportunities weren’t just for others, they could be for me too.

I started working at 13 and only landed a intern position at a big agency at 25. To make that possible, I had to find other ways to earn money so I could afford to work almost for free as I built my experience. Even that, however, is a privilege not everyone can afford but I had to find a way.

On top of that, advertising in Brazil is a very strong market, but also can be a tough and toxic industry. Endless work hours and difficult bosses can make it feel unbearable, and many talented individuals end up leaving the field because of it more than any other reason. Having a support system was essential to navigate these challenges.

Another pivotal moment in my career was living and working in Dubai. The cultural differences, combined with the physical distance from friends and family, created a sense of loneliness. Adding to that, the challenges of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic made this period especially difficult. Ultimately, I decided to return to Brazil without a concrete plan, seeking a fresh start. But again, at the end, everything gone well and it was the best decision to me.

On the brighter side, I’ve been fortunate to meet incredible people along the way who believed in me and pushed me to keep going. One person who stands out is Gabriel Jardim, an extraordinary talent and one of my closest friends. He opened doors for me that changed everything, and I’ll always be deeply grateful for his support.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

I’m a Creative Director with a background in Art Direction. My role is to collaborate with my team to develop impactful ideas for our clients and find the best ways to connect with their audiences while delivering the message they want to share.

What I believe sets creatives apart is the constant pursuit of a unique perspective. An approach that hasn’t been done before or feels fresh for the brand and its consumers. One aspect I truly enjoy bringing into my work is authenticity, real life. I love observing what’s happening around me, drawing inspiration from reality, rather than just following current creative trends. This mindset often leads to meaningful results, from increasing sales and creating memorable campaigns to gaining recognition at creative festivals worldwide.

Of course, it’s not just about awards. I take pride in projects that genuinely resonate with people, becoming both impactful and culturally relevant, even if they don’t receive formal acknowledgment. For me, the true measure of success lies in how well the work connects with audiences and delivers tangible results.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?

If anyone is interested in joining our team at VML, feel free to reach out to me at guilherme.possobon@vml.com or connect with me on LinkedIn. Let’s chat, and if there’s an open position, I’ll guide you on how to apply. Also I love to be in contact with possible partners for future projects, as illustrators, photographers, etc.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://guipossobon.com
• Instagram: gui_possobon / theworldbehindblueeyes
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guipossobon