Marcelo Serpa Creative Director, AlmapBBDO
Brazilian spots are straightforward. We work in a simple way. There are two reasons for this: a lack of money for production means working with simple ideas and not failing when you do it. When the money is there, we still work simple. We don't want to get stupid just because we have money. The second reason is the big difference between the well-educated rich and under-educated poor. If you are aiming for a maximum amount of people you have to be careful that you are not too subtle. The crème de la crème spots that win the international awards are fantastic but would not work in Brazil because the message is too sophisticated and would pass over the common audience.

Greg Jenkins Executive Producer, Margarida Films
Yes, but it's not the type of thing you'd see in Cannes. There is a lot of beautiful photography with a lot of VO - that's the predominant style. You don't see as many dialogue spots here as in North America. In Brazil it's imagery - slice of life scenes with an attention on the music and visual beauty. We use a lot of high-speed camera shots. It's contrasted with Argentina: their style is more raw and dirty. The actors are more real looking - they'll even use ugly people. Brazil always goes for the aesthetic.

Sergio Valente CEO, DDB Brazil
We are a multi-racial society, more tolerant than some, more friendly than many. We do not have religion problems, racial problems, democratic problems. Our key problem is wealth distribution. But even in the extremes of society, one can find this lightness, this positiveness, this adaptability, this sureness that, by the end, everything is going to be alright. That is a trait very strong in our DNA.I think one of the best aspects of Brazilian society, which reflects in Brazilian advertising, is that we are not a self-centered culture, perhaps a result of these multi-racial roots we have. We are open to the world, able to absorb the best the world has to give without losing our identity.

Ruy Lindenberg Creative VP, Leo Burnett
Much of our work is done on the basis of improvisation. That means a lack of good planning, which reduces not only costs, but also risks. On the other hand, the famous "Brazilian way" often plays a key problem-solving role to accomplish things that would otherwise be impossible to solve, be it problems with shooting authorizations, working overtime without charging, etc.