Luiz Lara calls for advertising that reconnects with people

“My therapist told me it might be time to write—to write everything,” says Mr. Lara. “And I realized that was it—it wasn’t an ego trip; it was a way to make peace with my story,” he says.

What began as a therapeutic exercise, a way to mourn the loss of three close friends—including his former partner Jaques Lewkowicz—became a reflection on the meaning of communication in a rapidly changing world. Mr. Lara also wanted, in a symbolic way, to let his “children” fly: Lew’Lara\TBWA and ID\TBWA, now led by Marcia Esteves and Camila Costa, respectively.

More than an autobiography, “A alma brasileira do negócio” offers an emotional and critical perspective on advertising, told by someone who lived through a time when “advertising was driven by dreams, courage, and optimism.” Born from grief, the book celebrates the people, ideas, and brands that helped shape Brazil’s imagination.

Mr. Lara revisits a period when advertisers became part of the country’s cultural fabric—when advertising taught Brazilians to brush their teeth, dream of owning their first car, and believe in the future. “It was a Brazil that believed it could succeed, and advertising was a way of teaching that,” he says.

Yet nostalgia soon gives way to challenge. In his view, the industry has lost part of its soul by becoming captive to metrics, performance, and hollow rhetoric. “Brands still need to move people. Only the language has changed,” says Mr. Lara.

He also calls for more authentically Brazilian advertising—work that reflects the country’s character and creativity. “It can’t be done just in front of a computer, copying dull references from abroad,” he argues, underscoring the “Brazilian soul” invoked in the book’s title.

A lawyer by training, Mr. Lara became captivated by communication in the 1980s, inspired by figures such as Alex Periscinotto and João Doria. In 1992, he founded Lew’Lara with Jaques Lewkowicz, then an experienced creative professional who had worked at agencies such as Salles and Ogilvy. What began as a small agency soon grew into a powerhouse, eventually becoming the second-largest in Brazil.

In its early days, Lew’Lara’s clients were still considered modest, including brands such as Schin, Banco Real, Natura, and Minuano. The Talentos da Maturidade (Talents of Maturity) campaign, created for Banco Real in 1999, was among the first in Brazil to portray longevity in a positive light. Young, entrepreneurial, and somewhat of an outsider—“I wasn’t a prince, like Washington Olivetto,” he says in the book—Mr. Lara demonstrated exceptional talent for building relationships.

“Advertising is people,” he often repeats. The book is filled with characters, stories, and encounters that reveal the human side of the industry’s backstage.

In 2007, the sale of Lew’Lara to the TBWA group brought him the recognition he had long pursued—but also an unexpected sense of emptiness. “That was the moment I understood that success has a price,” he admits. In the book, he recounts the frustration of parting with brands he had helped build to integrate them into the network’s global portfolio.

“Telling Carlucci from Natura—Alessandro Carlucci, Natura’s former CEO—‘I can’t serve you anymore’ was like ending a marriage,” he recalls. “The relationship wasn’t commercial; it was emotional. It was an exchange of trust.”

After joining TBWA, the agency expanded its portfolio to include brands such as Visa, Absolut, Nivea, Nissan, and Friboi. Lew’Lara pioneered the transformation of a product that had long been treated as a commodity—meat—into a brand of value and desire. Its landmark campaign for Friboi (JBS), featuring actor Tony Ramos and later singer Roberto Carlos, redefined the category.

“Friboi was a game changer,” says Mr. Lara. “We were able to show that Brazilians were proud of what they put on the table. It was the first time meat gained identity, voice, and purpose in communication.”

The strategy repositioned the country’s entire meat sector, paving the way for new brands to emerge and reshaping how Brazilians consume and perceive quality.

The book also serves as a reckoning with the present. Mr. Lara reflects on the need to restore the true meaning of communication in an environment increasingly dominated by technology and performance.

“Brazilian advertising has always been recognized for its creativity and emotion. Today, we need the courage to move people again,” he says.

Weaving memories with reflection, the author explores themes such as ethics, purpose, and legacy. In his view, the future of brands depends on embracing a new logic of impact—one that Lew’Lara had already begun to champion in its early campaigns for clients like Natura and Banco Real.

“Companies can’t just be good. They need to do well, with method and measurement. Profit is important, but impact is what will ensure relevance,” he says.

Restless and still a self-proclaimed workaholic, Mr. Lara divides his time between his activities within the TBWA group, chairing the Cenp (Advertising Market Self-Regulation Forum) Council and the ESPM General Assembly, and running his advocacy and communication consultancy, To Be Good, which currently serves three clients.

When speaking about purpose, he avoids any hint of a messianic tone. “It’s not about being nice; it’s about doing good in a structured way. Brands need to understand the impact they generate—economic, social, and symbolic,” he concludes.

Written in just three months, the book emerged from long, candid conversations between Mr. Lara and journalist Thales Guaracy. “Even if no one reads it, I’ll be happy,” he says, with the calm of someone who writes not to persuade, but to understand.

*By Claudia Penteado — São Paulo

Source: Valor International

https://valorinternational.globo.com/