Welcome to AME's exclusive interview series, where we cast a spotlight on the globally respected members of the AME Awards Grand Jury. Strategic, innovative, analytical critical thinkers, and creative storytellers dedicated to ensuring brand awareness and equity – these qualities embody AME's Grand Jury. Serving as emissaries of effectiveness, AME's Jury members, recognized globally as industry leaders and award-winning marketers, ensure that every entry submitted to the AME Awards is evaluated with the utmost care and consideration. Their commitment to groundbreaking effective work and their deep understanding of the partnership between creativity and effectiveness have consistently delivered impressive results for prominent global brands.

2024 AME Grand Jury member Juan Isaza is Chief Strategy Officer at DDB Latina and also Global Strategic Director in Agency Catorce for SEAT and CUPRA. He has worked in global and regional projects for clients such as Volkswagen, McDonald’s, Telefónica, BBVA, Bridgestone, Mars and Clorox. He brings years of strategic leadership experience to the AME jury panel. He led the team that was the first in Latin America to win a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions for Creative use of Data, as well as the first Grand Prix at Cannes Lions in Glass (Positive Change) for DDB Worldwide. He was elected as one of the 50 honorees of Adweek Magazine in 2021 and recognized by The New York Festivals 2023 as DE&I ‘Person of the Year’. Juan is aregular contributor to Forbes USA in topics related to branding and marketing, In additiona, he has a column in La República, the largest finance newspaper in Colombia and publishes a consumer trend report since 2010 that is read by 100,000+ marketing professionals every year. He has provided his industry insights and strategic perspective for numerous award competitions including Cannes, Dubai Lynx, and the Effie Awards in Colombia, Mexico, Latam and Global Effies. 

In the interview below Juan shares his thoughts on how brands are communicating their values, future forward trends for 2024, how data analytics and AI has impacted the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, what stand-out attributes he recognizes in award-winning work, and more.

AME Awards: Why are effectiveness competitions like the AME Awards important?

Juan Isaza: Effectiveness is proof that creativity is an invaluable tool for businesses. By awarding ideas that help clients' businesses grow, we are doing something good for the industry and for marketing overall: we are demonstrating the power of creativity and reassuring businesses that advertising, which builds brands, sells both in the short term and in the long run.

AME Awards: As a creative strategist, what stand-out attributes do you recognize in award-winning creative effective advertising?

Juan Isaza: I’m a firm believer in the three Fs: Fame, Feeling, and Fluency (framework by System1). Campaigns that truly deserve recognition are those that foster fame and ensure the brand is easily recalled. They're not just short-term efforts; they're campaigns that contribute long-term value. They also bring people emotionally closer to the brand and enhance its distinctiveness. When we encounter a case that shows results bolstering any or all of the three Fs, I believe it’s an idea that merits an award.

AME Awards: What future forward trends and innovations are brands embracing for 2024?

Juan Isaza: I believe the main trend will be the ‘polycrisis’. Consumers are now aware that one crisis inevitably follows another. With the ongoing pressure of inflation, this year will be about delivering value. Therefore, brands need to continue listening and innovating with products or services that empathize with this reality. Within our industry, the conversation will heavily revolve around AI. I anticipate we'll see new opportunities to create personalized ads on a much larger scale and access more tools for quick content creation. My hope is that this will lead us to more relevant communication that genuinely adds value to consumers' lives, rather than creating additional noise that consumers seek to avoid.

AME Awards: How has the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence impacted the effectiveness of advertising campaigns?

Juan Isaza: I see many brands becoming more cautious about attribution modeling and are now incorporating all elements of the marketing mix into their models, a significant advance for truly understanding the factors that impact growth. Many brands are rediscovering the importance of brand building and the relevance of forming a deep connection with their audiences beyond just tactical or activation campaigns. I hope the use of analytics will help advertising to reemphasize the power of brand building, and subsequently, the influence of creativity.

AME Awards: With an increasing emphasis on corporate social responsibility, how do brands effectively communicate their values and societal contributions in their marketing strategies?

Juan Isaza: I believe 2023 has taught us many lessons about what is effective and credible in purpose branding. Consumers are increasingly holding brands accountable for their actions against inequality within their communities and societies. However, they expect brands to be authentic, genuinely committed, and consistent with their history and essence. The realities of climate change will exert further pressure on brands to commit more substantially and tangibly to sustainability goals.