2016 Attendees

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Juan Javier Peña Plaza

Copywriter
DAVID the agency
Miami
, United States of America

Comments

First of all, I’d like to start by saying how honored and grateful I felt to be chosen as a participant for the Creative LIAisons. I’ve been lucky enough to have attended various Award Shows and Advertising Seminars all over the world and I can say this truly was one of the most enriching and unique experiences out of all of them. Those kind of things that happen once in a lifetime.

Just like a great cocktail, the Creative LIAisons had the perfect mix of everything, industry knowledge, creative inspiration, the brightest advertising minds as speakers, an amazing workshop about entrepreneurship, young talented creatives from all over the world, and of course, tons and tons of alcohol. But let me go a little deeper into that mix. We spent the first two days listening to the likes of Bob Isherwood, Ted Royer and many more Advertising legends. Being the Ad nerd that I am, this was like a little kid going to Disneyland for the first time and meeting Mickey Mouse and all the gang. Each of their talks grabbed you by the heart and refilled it with passion and inspiration, but there’s one that caught me off guard, in a good way, and it was from Chris Smith, who showed us how to use Stand-Up and Improv comedy in our favor to become not just better creatives but better sellers of ideas as well.

On the third day we took part in a really interactive experience, the InnerVation Lab, where we got the opportunity to use entrepreneurial thinking to pitch ideas to the sharks from Shark Tank, which was kind of surreal, because I had seen the show many times and I felt like being one more participant. I hadn’t been that nervous in a long time.

And like every good show, LIA saved the best for last, sitting in on Statue Discussions. Getting to sit in the same room while the jury debates over many pieces of work is an experience that fills your brain with so much knowledge I’m still (5 days later) digesting and analyzing it. Especially in a category as powerful as The NEW. The way they use arguments, their creative process, the thorough analysis of each element and detail of every idea, the debates, the ability to abstract themselves to be able to see the big picture… well let’s just say it’s so many industry insights it’s overwhelming.

After taking that perfect mix in, I left Vegas with my brain full of knowledge, my heart full of passion and my liver still trying to recover. Before I finish I have to say that the most incredible part of it all was being able to share that mix with so many passionate and amazing young creatives from all over the world, and after that amazing week, I have the privilege of calling them my friends. #Friendship

For all that, I’ll be forever grateful.