Adrián Flores: ‘Art Always Has Been and Always Will Be a Place to Find Inspiring Attempts to Push the Envelope’
Adrián Flores has worked within the industry for over 15 years, developing a wealth of global knowledge and experience that have made him a genuine creative force to be reckoned with.
Despite a love of the written word, advertising wasn’t originally on his radar. It wasn’t until returning from a shoot in Afghanistan did he find the industry that would soon become his career.
With a stellar career that has taken him from Sydney to London and New York, 2024, sees Adrián’s surprise return to Sydney joining Clemenger BBDO as their new CCO.
He spoke with LBB’s Casey Martin about his extraordinary career and the importance of a culture that pushes itself to be better.
LBB> Can you tell us a bit about your background? What got you into the world of advertising and sparked that initial interest?
Adrián> I came into advertising late. I started my career by dropping out of a Masters in International Relations at UNSW to make war docos with some uni buddies. Advertising wasn’t on my radar till I came back from a shoot in Afghanistan and our failings as young business moguls meant I needed a more regular paycheck.
I’d been writing for Gawker, Vice, and some music magazines on the side, and used that writing background to start picking up some freelance copywriting work, especially long form web and SEO stuff at digital agencies. Through that I got exposure to the more creative campaign driven side of the business which immediately appealed to me.
At that point it clicked that people made a living making the ads on TV (I’m a bit slow on the uptake) and I jumped into it.
Seeing how interesting and cool the people in agencies were was a real eye opener. I’d never imagined that workplaces like that really existed.
It just seemed really fun compared to what I’d been exposed to and that was undoubtedly the thing that made me want to pursue it full time.
LBB> Your last role saw you working for LeBron James’ Robot agency. In the US the intersection between entertainment and commercial creativity is much more profound. What do you think both disciplines learn from each other?
Adrián> That you need to grab people’s attention before they’ll listen to what you have to say. And once you have that attention, you’d better deliver something worth their time. Everyone is busy and has way too much stuff to read and watch. Show people you value them by giving them a good experience and they’ll want to talk about it.
LBB> As someone returning to Australia with a wealth of international experience, how do you envisage maintaining a global perspective while also honouring and incorporating local Australian culture into your work?
Adrián> I was fortunately raised with a very global perspective – by virtue of having parents from two very different cultures who’d both lived on the other side of the planet from their families. So I’m struggling to formulate an answer here beyond just staying curious and engaging with the stuff that matters to the people you’re trying to reach.
I’m a third culture kid who has lived in five countries which means I’ve been an outsider my entire life. That forces you to be a quick study of those around you if you want to connect with your community in a meaningful way. At this point it’s just second nature to me. Life is more interesting if you force yourself out of your comfort zone and look to expose yourself to new experiences and outlooks as much as possible.
LBB> How are the AUNZ creative industries viewed in the rest of the world, and the US particularly? Is the admiration and respect mutual?
Adrián> We’re held in high regard, without a doubt. There’s a long history of Aussies and Kiwis killing it over here in NYC and you’d be hard pressed to find an agency that doesn’t have at least one floating around, especially in New York.
That said, no one is really paying attention to the work coming out of Australia and NZ, unless it really pops off. It’s like anywhere in the world, your primary focus is your own backyard. And there’s more than enough stuff to hold your attention in the US.
But there’s an understanding that the talent level is high down under. If you show up having worked at a big name shop, you’ll get interviews.
LBB> Why did you deduce to come home now, and what particularly informed your move to Clemenger BBDO?
Adrián> It’s no secret that the US is in a lot of turmoil right now. It’s a real grind mentally, and it was getting tougher and tougher to justify staying.
I’d been looking at going back to Europe for a stint, so was in a ready-to-move mindset when this opportunity came up.
But frankly I came back to Australia ‘cause it was Clems that called. I’ve been fortunate enough to mainly work on a lot of very large-scale, high-profile clients in the US. After meeting with Dani and Si, it was obvious that our ambitions and outlook match, and the amazing client list we have, plus the team they’ve been building made it a no-brainer for me.
LBB> Collaboration is often key in the creative process. How have you found the collaborative dynamic within the Australian creative community compared to your experiences in the U.S.?
Adrián> It’s too early to tell; hit me up next year for a proper answer on the industry at large, but the Clems’ team has been very collaborative and dynamically minded thus far!
LBB> What particular opportunities do you see emerging in the Australian market that you’re excited to explore?
Adrián> In the US your agency partner is embedded very deeply with the marketing teams, and contributes to business transformation, internal comms, and CX workstreams, not just the ads. I’m really excited to be helping Si bring his vision of design as a proper strategic solution to life as an offering. And beyond that, I think Australia is a great market for innovative thinking on social. There are unique ways to bring products to market that just make sense for the culture and market size.
LBB> Reflecting on your time in America, what standout moments or projects have had the most profound impact on your approach, and how do you envision these experiences influencing your work in Australia?
Adrián> I’ve been lucky enough to do a bunch of projects around HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) culture.
Seeing the power of community buy-in to empower individual greatness was truly inspiring.
It’s a culture that pushes self-improvement while giving back, all whilst encouraging vibrant self-expression that’s done together in an incredibly inclusive environment.
If I had my time again, I’d try to attend one of those schools. (There’s a bunch of people that won’t shut up if I don’t specifically shout out Howard University here, so go Bisons and all that).
I feel in Australia we traditionally have elements of that mentality come through in the concept of mateship. Finding more modern expressions of that mindset as a way of encouraging us all to embrace our neighbors and appreciate the power of new influences is definitely something that appeals to me.
LBB> Outside of the advertising industry, what else is exciting you creatively around the world at the moment?
Adrián> I think the rise of men caring about fashion has been creating a really intriguing cultural moment. The breaking down of traditional gender norms is unlocking interesting forms of self-expression and helping us all move on from some of the rigid traditional societal structures that were previously imposed upon people. For example, Beckham wearing a sarong today would be par for the course, rather than the cause of tabloid meltdowns about masculinity.
Fashion in general is in a real exciting place, both from brand extensions and product collab culture through to the marketing, particularly from the cultural lens. I love what brands like Jacquemus, ALD, New Balance, SSENSE, Cortez, Balenciaga and Marc Jacobs have been doing. They know how to have fun whilst staying premium. I think a lot of brands could use reminding that people are looking to be entertained – not lectured to.
Other than that, art in general always has been and always will be a place to find inspiring attempts to push the envelope in terms of craft and concept. If you’re a creative who never goes to galleries you’re doing yourself a massive disservice.
LBB> What does creativity mean to you?
Adrián> Thinking differently to make stuff that interests people.
