Luis Martinez

1.)     What was your very first job? My first ‘formal’ job was in a local small (very small) Advertising Agency where I started as an Intern doing basic “intern things” like taking copies, analyzing basic Data, taking phone calls,  preparing (and drinking) coffees, etc… but being extremely honest, I had been and ‘altar boy’ when I was a kid, then I moved to the “dark side” (and I love it!)…  

2.)     Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails. 

Formal: As Marketing Director, I’m responsible for Brand / Portfolio Strategy and Media Planning  in the short, mid, and long term to create a profitable & sustainable business resulting in the best world’s play experiences for different targets across multiple touchpoints in a very changing and demanding digital world. 

Informal: I enjoy and love making kids, teens and families happier (and connected) through toys, games, laughs and communication trying to make the world even better. “ It’s an imperfect world but it’s the only one we got” (Tony Stark). 

3.)     How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? What was there train of events that brought you to where you are today? As a very hyperactive and curious person, I realized (since I was a kid) that creativity was an intrinsic and natural part of me (and pretty much of everyone), but it was even better when I learned to use it always in  my favor. Creativity can be your ally in every single decision and in every single job to change processes, products, communications, moods and even mindsets. 

In the Entertainment Industry, creativity plays a key role to engage your audience regardless the platform you are using or the complexity of the message you need to transmit, you just have to embrace it and “Let it go, let it gooooo….” (like Elsa knows!)

4.)     In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant? In every single challenge I face I find inspiration to reinvent myself.  The toy industry, like a child’s mind, changes on a daily basis so it’s very easy to keep work innovative and fresh, especially when you work with the best team that pushes you to bring out the best of you, like Yoda used to say: “You must unlearn what you have learned” to try always different things.

5.)     If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation it required, rather than its recognition or industry “success,” what would it be?  Probably the launch of “Furby”, it is amazing to have the opportunity to create (and immediately capitalize) a trend for kids and teens that you know will probably last only one or two years before another innovation / trend become relevant, creativity, communication and content played a key role in this project..

6.)    Which creative disciplines do you commission most, and are most interested in seeing more of and why? (ie photo, film, social, experiential, vr, etc) Definitely social and experiential disruption (everything related to consumer behavior and attitudes) and photo (love how can you transmit so many things through one single image).