President's Lecture

Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman of the Board, Nestlé S.A. talked to Berlin School participants and selected members of the public about the latest research in consumer engagement, Nestlé's Accelerated Innovation Team and how the complex organization localizes social media efforts. Mr Brabeck-Letmathe also took questions from the audience on current issues Nestlé is facing and how to keep ideas fresh and team members motivated.

Brabeck-Letmathe tent talk

Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman of the Board, Nestlé S.A. talks to Berlin School President Michael Conrad about his personal style of creative leadership, the first three moves he made as head of the company and his philosophy on keeping innovation a focal point in creative organizations.

Impressions

Impressions from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership Graduation Ceremony and Events (November 20, 2011)

Michael Davis interview

Michael Davis came to the Berlin School in early 2008 as an emerging media industry specialist with the advertising agency Draft FCB in Chicago, USA. He spoke with us for this interview about the school in the Autumn of 2008, when he was halfway through the program. 

Michael's role as a Senior Vice President for Draft FCB had reached its peak. Thanks in part to his experience at the Berlin School, Michael completed his transformation into a multi-channel specialist (he began his career as an Emmy Award winner at NBC, PBS and built a digital channel for HBO) and landed a top new position as the Chief Creative Officer of IMC2, an innovative digital agency known already for its Diet Coke, P&G and M&M's work, as well as Forbes rated #1 Pizza Hut iPhone app (and website) featured prominently in the latest Apple campaign.

The Berlin School chatted again with Michael during the gruelling weeks of the graduation and thesis defense module in August of 2009, as his new position was already in place.

Ménage à Trois

How can an unsexy brand in a boring category like banking reach consumers and make an authentic impression on them? Drawing on her Berlin School research and years of professional practice, Luciana Olivares presents her findings in her award-winning Master's Thesis, "Ménage à Trois"  She explains a methodology by which brands can identify with a mutual love between themselves and their consumers, and she then shows his this process yielded spectacular results for her company, a Peruvian bank. It capitalized on its regard for Peruvian gastronomy, long a source of national pride, to generate a vast array of activities and products that anchored BBVA Banco Continentale and Peruvian Cuisine next to each other in consumers' hearts. Luciana and her bank went beyond the well-worn methods of celebrity endorsement or community outreach to go much deeper in authentically and creatively promoting something it loved. The results catapulted her bank to the top of brand identity in her market and serve as a helpful blueprint for marketers everywhere.

Marcello Serpa tent talk

Throughout his career, Marcello has been noted as Brazil's most honoured art director, having won gold, silver and bronze medals in the principal Brazilian and international advertising festivals. At the Cannes Festival, in 1993, he won Latin America's first Grand Prix and 31 Lions during the last 6 years.

He is the most awarded art director in the 24-year history of the Annual of the Club de Criação; the most honored Brazilian at the Art Directors Club of New York, with Latin America's only two Gold Medals; winner of two Grand Prix at the New York Festival; Best Creative Professional at the Prêmio Caboré in 1993 and 1999; three-time winner of the Abril Advertising Prize; Professional of the Year for Rede Globo Awards in 1993; winner of Gold and Silver statues at the Clio Awards; winner of three Grand Prix at FIAP (Latin American Advertising Festival). He created two covers for Archive Magazine and is the only Brazilian art director to receive Gold at the One Show.

In 1998, he was the first Brazilian to preside over the jury at the London Festival. In 2 consecutive years, he was named Best Creative Director in Latin America and Brazil at Latin Spots magazine's "El Ojo de Iberoamerica" Awards.

Berlin School

Cannes Creative Leaders Programme

Following an intensive 6 days of classroom instruction in Berlin and 6 days of blended learning sessions in Cannes during the Cannes Lions festival, three 2011 Cannes Creative Leaders Programme participants share insights about their program experience and what the key take aways were for them (Till Hohmann, Chief Creative Officer, JWT Germany, Patrick Tom, Executive Creative Director, TBWA\Vietnam and Nina Mosurashvili, Marketing Communication Director, TBC Bank Georgia).