To talk about advertising in Mozambique is to recall the excitement of the 1990s. It was a country that, after 16 years of war, was opening up to the world, and where advertising emerged as a new form of expression and a new business.
It was against this uncertain backdrop that João dos Santos used his energy and determination to give new meaning to the uniqueness of the pangolin, founding an advertising agency of that name.
Twenty-five years have passed since then, and, fortunately, a great deal has changed. As early as 1997, Pangolim affiliated itself with Ogilvy and, in 2004, was renamed Ogilvy Moçambique. 2018 was a year of great change, with the establishment of a joint venture with the Dentsu group, the first equity investment by a multinational communications group in Mozambique, bringing new technologies, processes and digital tools to the market.
The agency was relaunched as Create, to harness the Dentsu group's holistic approach and offer clients integrated, world-class solutions in design, communications, media, digital, data and experience.
What Create aims to do is set the trends in the sector, putting Mozambique on the map of international benchmarks
“It is incredible how, when we look back, we realise that we were fortunate to have the right clients and partners, who let us elevate their brands. We created the first 2M television spot in 1998, developed Jeito's brand identity and made the first local campaigns for DStv. Do you remember the famous Galinha Nacional campaign? Yes, that was us. In a complex world, we offer simplicity through integrated, consistent, world-class services and solutions.” These proud words are from João dos Santos, the founder of Create.
Today the operation is led by Cátia de Sousa. With a young, irreverent and multidisciplinary team, Create has been discovering new ways of communicating, through inclusion and constant reinvention: “The world has changed a great deal over the last 25 years. Nowadays, we know that it is not only very important but essential to listen to what people want, so that brands remain relevant. We care about creating campaigns and strategies that have an impact on each brand's business objectives. Today, more than ever, we are completely client-centred and we position ourselves as an integral part of their brand,” the Managing Director tells us, smiling.
Leadership of the creative department is shared by Mitchell Collinson and Melchior Ferreira; client services is headed by Filipa Vilhena; and strategy by Rita Roquette. As for most sectors, 2020 was a year that combined challenge and achievement. Spurred on by market challenges, the agency had to look for new approaches, create new languages and explore different formats. “It sounds like a cliché, but the truth is that what is most exciting about our work is the whole creative process: the conversations with our partners, the experience of each colleague and our individual inspirations. The challenge is constant and mutual. That is the only way we have managed to outdo ourselves and make a difference in the market,” says Mitchell Collinson, creative director.
Curiously or not, part of the impact of Create's work comes from the camaraderie among its staff. Mitchell and Melchior have grown professionally and today represent the new blood of advertising in the Portuguese language. Together with a team of almost 30 people, in 2020 alone Create left its mark at the Loeries, the Africa and Middle East International Creative Awards, with a very special project: Impala Beer, an initiative that involved local communities and had an impact on 7,500 smallholder farmers. With this award, the agency won a Bronze in the Shared Value category, in addition to winning 13 prizes at the Lusophone Creativity Awards with other work. Melchior Ferreira reveals part of the secret: “Here everyone does what they like most. Of course we have clients who have trusted us for many years, and even new ventures that allow us to do something different in the market, but our distinguishing ingredient is the pleasure we take in developing campaigns, whether it is a television spot, a song, a website or a magazine,” he tells Xonguila magazine, a twinkle in his eye. He is also a musician.
Good vibes, energy and sharing are part of Create's DNA, and this is reflected in each of its projects. For Filipa Vilhena, Client Services Director: “It is unfair to choose one client, because each one inspires us in a different way, but it is impossible not to highlight the relationship we have with 2M. We created the brand's identity 25 years ago and, since then, we have been building and sharing, side by side, all the achievements of this legendary brand. Including the awards. But that is not all. We also enjoy building an entire brand identity, as we did for one of GAIN's projects to increase egg consumption in Sofala province. Or how boosting Millennium bim's social media led the bank to bring its language closer to its customers.”
Although lightness is part of the advertising agency's way of being, every step is strategic. “We have a very organised structure and we are partners of the international agency Dentsu, which gives us international training, complementing all the local knowledge,” says Rita Roquette, head of the strategy department.
Like most national brands, Create grows daily and has matured with the market. It developed with the best ingredients, each of its staff drew inspiration from their own most special qualities, and it is now a partner to national and international brands. The task is not easy because the world of marketing and advertising is changing at great speed. The big difference is that what the Mozambican agency aims to do is set the trends in the sector, putting Mozambique on the map of international benchmarks.
