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| Lourenço Thomaz |
We were all living at a schizophrenic pace where none of us stopped to think about what is really essential. Unrestrained speed in our life, in our work, in our travels, in our daily lives, in the deadlines that were imposed on us, and as if that were not enough, in those that we impose and demand of ourselves.
If we make a parallel with the world of advertising and communication I think the same will happen, in fact it was already timidly happening. And this virus will make that change happen faster.
The brands, agencies and all the agents in this market were already starting to take a moment to think about their purpose and what they could do that was relevant to people. This pandemic will only accelerate this process, which will be positive. We will stop (I hope) working at an unbridled speed, we will stop living just to beat the previous month / year history, we will stop working with mind-blowing deadlines and faster answers than the questions themselves. We will, once and for all, work with our feet and head, with the right time, looking for answers for people and for our businesses. We will increasingly focus on the purpose of our business and the essentials.
Due to physical and ecological necessity, this process was already taking place but not in such an abrupt way, it would probably be a lengthy process. And as with all types of ‘crises’ there are always opportunities to improve as people and as professionals. This will be no different. But, this whole process (as a matter of fact, as a solution to this pandemic) depends on us, on all of us together, working with the same objective.
"Now is the time for social isolation, which in my opinion is a great opportunity to stop, analyze and define the future strategy, so that when we return to our life (which will no longer be the same) we return with more discernment, and then it will be time to come together in our goals, and in what really matters in our life, in the life of our companies, in the life of the brands we work and which we are part of."
Change is always frightening because it is always uncertain, but this change is not only necessary, it is our only chance. It is the only chance for agencies in Portugal to be at the level of the best agencies out there, it is the only chance for Portuguese producers to be so good with the best in the world, etc.
As my partner Tomás Froes says, “if we have the best player in the world, if we have the best coach in the world, if our team is a European champion, etc., why shouldn't we be the best in the world at all?”
The truth is that we can be and there is no excuse for not being one. If we want, the AC will be better than the BC.
Lourenço Thomaz
Founding partner and CCO of Partners
