Rafael Augusto

Rafael Augusto

Executive Creative Director at Publicis Groupe MENA
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

About me

Please, call me Raf! I am a Brazilian-born creative by origin but a citizen of the world by choice. I have over 20 years of experience across numerous disciplines, from creating scenarios for Flight Simulator to crafting brand storytelling and unconventional award-winning advertising campaigns for major brands.

Beyond driving du Telecom to be recognized as Advertiser of the Year in Dubai Lynx Festival in 2019 and winner of 3 Grand Prizes for Interactive, Integrated, and Film. I have also won other international award recognitions with clients such as McDonald's, Samsung, National Geographic, Cadillac, and Brasil Telecom, to name a few. Not to mention the outstanding achievement at Effies Award with Dubai Film Festival with its most successful and effective campaign since its inception.

I love creative ideas that are fun and effective, but I confess I have a thing for creating ideas that help brands and people at the same time. Think about "#PostWisely" for du, "Don't Make a Fraudster Job Easy" for Emirates NBD or Wild Cards for National Geographic, and "It's the Plastic that Swallows the Ocean" for Beeah. The latter is just another Grand Prix winner in my book.

I also have a proven track record of building brands, designing and directing digital, social, and integrated advertising campaigns. Successfully leading global brands such as Samsung and Mercedes-Benz in the region, with the conceptualization of campaigns with locally relevant insights, and/or transcreation of global campaigns in the local marketplace. In addition, solid expertise in film & TV, social platforms, UX/UI, App Design, gamified projects, and branded/unbranded content creation.

Many say I am a "people's person" and that I have excellent interpersonal communication skills, which helps me build great relationships, attract and retain great talents around.

I love creativity and craft. And being a product designer by formation, painter, and illustrator by hobby and modder and DYI-er by lifestyle, I believe in the power of design thinking and creativity that changes human behavior.

So, if you are like-minded and want to chat about any of the above, feel free to reach out. I would love to do so when I'm not drawing with my daughter Amora or saving little Tom from trouble. (I don't think he realizes that he is just one year old when he jumps from one couch to another. ? )

Positions

Executive Creative Director
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
August 2020 - Present (4 years 3 months)
Main Clients: Nestlé Corporate, KitKat, Nescafé, Maggi, Nido, Ceralac, Wyeth, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat

I pitch ideas and creative mechanisms based on strategic rationales and a deep understanding of client business. I give presentations and share concepts/designs to both new and existing clients. I train and guide team members by supporting ideas and strategies. I encourage creativity according to the organization's set vision and lead the team to inventive and award-winning results.
• Collaborated with the global task team in developing creative methodologies with the "Future of Working Initiative", ensuring innovation, inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
• Selected as creative Jury at Dubai Lynx Awards and Tambuly Awards in 2021.
• Led the creative pitch process that brought Louvre Abu Dhabi as a new client for the group.
• Advanced career paths with training programs as well as discovered and employed new talent.
• Executed new vision and strategies for creative departments to promote a motivating environment while directing towards unconventional ideas leading to business results, brand, and agency reputations.
Executive Creative Director
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2009 - Present (15 years 10 months)
Executive Creative Director Dec 2019 - Present
Main Clients: McDonald's, Samsung, Emirates Airlines, EmiratesNBD, Du Telecommunications, Mercedes-Benz.
Guided teams to create unconventional, engaging, and trending ideas native to social platforms, with seamless integration of technologies that enhance brand experiences and drive creative reputation and business results. Mentor talents to understand the latest trends in advertising, social platforms, design, and creative landscapes.
• Led major brands and clients to effective and award-winning campaigns, with highlights to 4x Grand Prix in Integrated, Interactive, Film, and Poster to name a few.
• Scout and built new award-winning teams.
• Implemented the "Power Of One" concept in major clients such as Samsung, McDonald's and Mercedez-Benz.

Creative DirectorCreative Director Nov 2014 - Dec 2019
Main Clients: McDonald’s | du Telecommication | Samsung | Mercedes-Benz | Spotify
• Led du Telecommunications to Advertiser of The Year at Dubai Lynx with 3 Grand Prizes for Interactive, Integrated, and Film while building a strong brand reputation with its customers with campaigns like #PostWisely, Du Tuesdays, and TropaForLife.
• Creative lead on McDonald's across the MENA region, proposing creative strategies to owners across seven markets. Winner of Global FAB and Dubai Lynx Awards.
• Led Mercedes-Benz ME to be recognized worldwide with Me Connect campaign. Exporting the work to the US, Singapore, and European markets.

Associate Creative Director Jun 2013 - Nov 2014
Samsung | General Motors | Citibank | Dubai Film Festival | Jotun
Responsible for conceptualizing and producing integrated campaigns for key clients of the agency. Pioneering ideas with interactive and technology integration while being recognized in multiple award shows.
• Over 15 creative and effectiveness awards in one year.
• Retained the home appliance division and grew the Samsung mobile business.
• Winner of Oasis Water and Ferrero Rocher business pitches.

Senior Art Director
Nov 2009 - May 2013
Main Clients:
Citibank | Dubai Film Festival | Fox | General Motors (Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC) | Jotun | McDonald's | Montblanc | National Geographic | Qtel | Samsung
• Led Dubai Film Festival to all-time best results with the Film Personality Test campaign.
• Nominated as Star Reacher (Leo Burnett Best Employees Award - Worldwide).
• Over 25 creative and effective awards with innovative ideas, from traditional storytelling to interactive online experiences and ideas for social platforms and mobile apps.
• Pitch wins: GM, Dubai Film Festival, Samsung, and Qtel (which led to the opening Leo Burnett Qatar).


Senior Interactive Art Director
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2008 - 2009 (1 year)
Main clients: Emirates Airlines | PepsiCo | Showtime | Doritos | Qtel | Mercedes-Benz | P&G | Perfetti Van Melle
• Led team to develop an innovative, creative, and conceptual design to elevate brands.
• Liaison with copywriters and members of the creative, product, brand, and digital teams.
• Collaborated with the visual direction of 2D and 3D, photography, illustration, and graphic designers.
• Lead the integration of the digital and traditional creative departments.
• Pioneered integrated ideas that worked across the newly created social platforms.
• Created and developed websites, microsites, mobile sites, and gamification experiences.
• Pitch Wins: Emirates Recruitment Division, Showtime, and Perfetti Van Melle.

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