Andrés Ordóñez and Danilo Boer Are FCB's Relentless Dreamers

"We say that we are 'relentless dreamers'."

​Andrés Ordóñez and Danilo Boer are telling me about a new phrase that they jokingly use to describe each other – a kind of in-joke that’s become a shorthand for how they approach their roles as global creative leaders at FCB.

The words are intended to capture their restless ambition and determination to turn any great idea into reality. Less lofty aspiration than a stubborn belief that ideas which seem impossible can be made a reality.

“The minute we see an idea that we love and think has potential to have a great impact in business and in the world, we just figure it out,” says Andrés, global chief creative officer. “We go for it. We do calls, we partner with our clients, and we figure out how we can make it work. And I think it shows. It shows in the craft, it shows in the relationship with clients, it shows in the impact that piece has.”

That spirit has been recognised widely. This summer marked seven consecutive years as North America Network of the Year at Cannes Lions, a quietly remarkable streak that reflects both consistency and depth across the region’s offices. Beyond that, FCB has also been named Global Network of the Year at both The One Show and D&AD this year – the latter for the first time – while FCB New York earned Agency of the Year and Best of Show at The One Show for its playfully inventive ‘Spreadbeats’ campaign for Spotify. In India, FCB’s ‘Lucky Yatra’ campaign made creative history, winning the first-ever Grand Prix for India at Cannes in PR for transforming train tickets into daily cash draws.

So what does being a ‘relentless dreamer’ look like day to day? “It all comes down to internal inspiration,” says Danilo, global creative partner. “Every time we make an impossible idea possible, like our teams have done for brands like Michelob ULTRA, adidas, Škoda, Dramamine, Burger King, among others, we inspire more teams to be the next ones to achieve something big and meaningful.

“Burning out only happens when you try to achieve this too quickly,” he adds. “When we find something special, we put our all into it, but sometimes big dreams take time. We’re prepared to keep at it to make our aspirations a reality, and the output is shown in the results that demonstrate how we’ve driven the brand. Then, the awards follow.”

But while awards may be the result of great work, Andrés is keen to stress that they are not the ambition. “When you keep putting your energy and passion into creating great work that solves our clients’ biggest problems, then you will achieve all of your goals and more. As I always say: ‘Follow the work, and the rest will come.’”

To the wider network, this mentality means it can aim high but is pragmatic and tenacious about turning “pie in the sky” dreams into reality. “It’s being smart about not giving up,” they say together, “and knowing that the best ideas take time, but if we keep moving forward and pushing to be better together, we’ll get there.”

A challenge when leading any global network lies in keeping standards high across the globe without losing the local flavour that makes each office distinct. Danilo and Andrés are steadfast in their belief that “work from India shouldn’t feel like work from London” and that they “never want to make work from New Zealand feel like work that’s being done in New York”.

“Our ambition is to make each office the best version of itself, keeping its identity and cultural relevancy,” says Danilo.

“Our offices act with autonomy but are also very collaborative,” he adds. “It’s weird to find a network where both of those things can coexist. We respect each other’s offices, but when we come together, we’re one FCB.”

“The standard isn’t set top down,” adds Andrés. “We all collectively set it together.”

FCB’s global teams meet twice a year to continue setting the standard and raising the bar. When every office shows up to the Global Creative Councils with their work, the whole team collaborates to make it even stronger. “It’s all part of our mentality that we’re ‘Better Together’: pushing, striving, and making the work the best it can be to continually show the power of collaboration around ideas that drive growth,” says Andrés.

That balance hasn’t come about by accident. Danilo and Andrés are quick to credit former global CCO and current global creative advisor at IPG, Susan Credle, for putting the right systems in place. “Susan implemented processes such as the Global Creative Council twice a year, and consistently spoke about the emotional foundation of generosity among offices and their leaders,” says Danilo. “This has fostered a culture of inspiration instead of internal competition, and is something that will always be embedded into FCB’s culture.”

He also points to the influence of Tyler Turnbull, first as North America CEO and now as global CEO. “Tyler believes in ideas and will fight for creativity more than anyone,” says Danilo. “When your CEO believes in the power of ideas to move a business forward, you’ll see sustained success.”

That kind of leadership filters down into the creative environment – one where ideas are expected to be pushed, tested and even challenged, rather than protected from failure. “First, I don’t believe you need to take ‘risks’,” says Danilo. To him, a great idea is built on strategy and speaking to the right audience in the right way – so the notion of risk needn’t apply.

“Second,” he adds, “FCB has a culture of ‘winning together’ and ‘losing together’. Knowing no one is pointing fingers if something goes wrong creates a much better work environment where people feel free to suggest whatever they think is going to be the best solution to drive a business forward.”

“I think it's a matter of honesty and transparency,” adds Andrés. “Call it out if we feel it's the wrong thing or it's going to fail. We're very honest between all of us, if it's great work or if it is not.”

That sense of openness is central to FCB’s ‘Never Finished’ ethos – a reminder that no idea, no campaign, and no culture is ever complete. For Danilo, it’s about refusing to let the ‘cement harden’. “Our industry is always changing, and we need to keep evolving with it to make the impossible possible,” he says. “FCB is over 150 years old but we’re constantly being recognised as ‘innovative’ by the likes of Fast Company and Cannes, which is testament to that mindset. Our ethos will never change, it will just be applied to the latest iteration of our industry.”

“There’s never a ‘Well, now what?’” says Andrés. “We have this energy inside of us, this constant curiosity of, ‘What can we do next?’ Even when the work feels finished, we’ll ask, ‘But what if we do this? Or that?’ That’s what pushes us to be better every day.”

That restless spirit drives how briefs are approached, too. Rather than simply answering the brief, they look for other ways in – alternative angles that might unlock something more powerful. “We're on a constant search for new things, new angles, new ideas – not just to do the job we’re hired for, but to look at it from different perspectives,” says Andrés. “I think that’s where a lot of the magic is happening for us.”

One of the clearest recent expressions of that ‘Never Finished’ mindset is ‘Caption with Intention’. The idea began six years ago with a Deaf designer at FCB Chicago and, even after she left the agency, teams across the network kept fighting to bring it to life. On top of sweeping wins at advertising award shows, earlier this year the technology was recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and is now being explored by several streaming services who are interested in implementing it. The Academy also announced that it will become part of its representation and inclusion standards for Best Picture eligibility, starting next year.

Looking ahead, both leaders resist pinning down a single vision of where FCB’s creative output should go next. “Creativity isn’t one size fits all,” says Danilo. “We must consider our clients’ needs first and foremost, because every brand has different needs. We can’t just create a solution before we know the specific client problem we’re trying to solve.”

“Whether it’s innovating with existing formats or creating entirely new ways of doing things, every day there is a new space for us to play, apply creativity, maximise ideas, and use a tool or channel beyond what’s expected,” they say together. “That’s both the challenge and the opportunity. We must stay curious and play with all the new toys every day to understand how to get the best out of them.

“Innovation never stands still, and neither do we. Ask us in two months, and we’ll have a different answer. That’s the beauty.”

“We dream big and don’t give up,” adds Danilo. “We’re relentless dreamers, after all.”

Read more about FCB agencies around the world here.

​Read more from Addison Capper here.