Toni Tugores is one of those people whose mind works differently from the rest. He has been in the advertising industry for 20 years and 13 years as a core part of After because, as he puts it, “it’s an agency that’s constantly moving, and each year it feels like you’re working in a new one.” He has just been promoted to General Creative Director, but he shatters myths and in this AfterTalk reveals that the daily life in a creative department is the opposite of what we see in Mad Men. Toni admires people who apply creativity in fields outside of it and has a client who keeps him on his toes 24/7: his daughter. We spoke with him to learn more about him.
The turnover and the advertising agency sector go hand in hand. What does After have that makes you continue betting on it after 13 years?
It’s constantly moving. So much so that every year it feels like I’m working in a new agency.
You’ve recently been promoted to General Creative Director. Will you stay for another decade?
My idea is to stay true to the company’s motto: “When I see that I can no longer contribute, I’ll step aside.”
Toni, does a creative person have to be born or made?
Just as we all have a child—and a serial killer—inside us, we also have a creative side. And just like in the other two cases, you just need to give it an excuse to come out.
Are people tired of seeing advertising?
When has there ever been a moment when they weren’t tired?
Let’s twist this a bit. What movie could you watch on repeat and which one do you fall asleep to within five minutes?
Actually, I find it hard to watch something on repeat. Just as I find it hard to fall asleep in five minutes. But I could spend an entire weekend binge-watching 5 seasons of a new series. That I could do on repeat.
And speaking of falling asleep, what does a campaign need, creatively speaking, to avoid being a bore?
A client, whether a marketing director or brand manager, who is eager to do different things.
Do all creatives dream of going to the Cannes Festival?
All creatives over 40 (or more).
Are you more of a beach or mountain person?
Beach. All year round.
13 years at After means a lot. If I asked you to choose your best work, the one you’re most proud of, the most creative of all, what would it be?
Alma de África, a football team made up only of immigrants. We convinced them to replace their names on their shirts with the racist insults they receive every game in their final league match.
And is this project also the one that has had the most impact in the industry?
Not at all. It didn’t even make the shortlist in any festival. But it had the most media impact: apart from appearing in all Spanish media, it ended up in the New York Times, ABC News, Fox…
What is the fine line that separates a correct campaign from a stale creative proposal?
Hmm… I’d say it’s the mood of the person impacted by the campaign. If it’s a product, insight, or message that doesn’t connect with them, then it’s a stale campaign. For that person, I mean.
Which brand would you love to create a campaign for that you haven’t worked with yet?
I’d like to work for any brand that is a competitor of one that has dismissed us in a non-paid pitch.
What does Toni Tugores do when his clients let him disconnect?
Actually, there’s a client who keeps me on my toes 24/7 with all my senses engaged: my daughter.
For those who are not in the industry, what is a normal day in a creative department like?
Have you seen the series Mad Men? Well, it’s nothing like that. In fact, it’s the opposite.
What is the worst sin of a creative department?
Believing that the adjective “creative” makes you special.
Can ChatGPT replace the role of a creative?
I don’t think so. But people who know how to use it might.
When you go to a restaurant, what is the dish you always order?
Meat with potatoes. Unless I’m with a vegan. In that case, I also order salad.
Which creative do you admire?
I admire a new one every week. Last week, a mechanic from Les Franqueses. This week, a nurse from Hospital Juaneda. I’m amazed by people who apply creativity in fields other than creativity.
What book could you read more than once without getting tired of it?
¿Dónde vamos a bailar esta noche? by Javier Aznar. In fact, it’s the only book I’ve read twice.
A piece of advice for future creatives.
I think it should be the other way around: What advice do young creatives give us?
If you were born again, would you choose to do this again?
I don’t know, to be honest. But I would have liked to have started this 40 years ago.
