Getting to Know… Raul Garcia

A little more than a year after launching, Angry Butterfly has added some heavyweight creative firepower to its team.

Raul Garcia joins as executive creative director, reporting to partner and chief creative officer Erin Kawalecki. The agency has been growing steadily, winning ROAR Beverages Canada last month, as well as organic expansion through existing clients and adding other senior strategic and operations staff.

“Raul’s creative credentials are as good as it gets,” said Kawalecki. “He’s consistently proven himself in every situation he’s encountered, whether that was an established creative agency, or an agency trying to redefine itself.”

Garcia was most recently ECD at Momentum, preceded by stops at David & Goliath in L.A., Taxi, Cundari, Rethink and Leo Burnett. That’s the professional stuff, but we also wanted to know a little more about Raul the person. Here’s what he told us:

About that photo: I use bitmoji’s in a lot of my teaching classes at Miami Ad School, in texts, in internal presentations. Those that know me understand how much I use it. Also, people always mention how closely it resembles me.

Favourite TV show of all time and why? Wonder Showzen. It’s essentially a kids show for adults, but it’s completely messed up. Some comedy writing is formulaic, but it’s the unpredictability of the comedy writing of this show that catches me by surprise. It’s definitely a “wish I did that” piece.

Are you a sports fan? Favourite team and favourite player? Do video games count? If so, I was once ranked 51 in Call of Duty Black Ops 2 (for about 15 minutes). Now, if we’re talking real sports, it’s definitely basketball. I’ve been playing NBA2k since it first came out on Dreamcast.

Movie you love that almost nobody else likes: Shazaam! Starring Sinbad as the Genie. My favourite part is that it doesn’t exist—for most people.

Nicest thing a coworker has said to you: While working in the States, I had someone tell me that it was inspiring to see someone of the same background as them hold a position so high in the company. That it made them believe it wasn’t a story peddled to them as some urban myth—that it was actually possible. It was that moment when I realized representation matters.

Favourite thing about this industry? Least favourite thing about this industry? Favourite thing: Everything is a puzzle. So in that sense, it isn’t really work at all. I’m paid to figure out puzzles. Least Favourite thing: Everything is a puzzle. So in that sense, it isn’t really work at all. I’m paid to figure out puzzles. And if it’s a really tough puzzle, I’m thinking about it non-stop.

David Brown