Publicis recently hired Vini Dalvi to be its executive creative director in Toronto. He joins the agency from TBWA\Media Arts Lab in London, where he was creative director for Apple. Before that, he was at Publicis Italy, where he worked on Heineken, Renault and Diesel.
“Vini’s bold, innovative approach to campaign development will breathe fresh creativity into Publicis Toronto’s work,” said the agency’s chief creative officer, Joanna Monteiro, in a release. “This role reflects Publicis Toronto’s dedication to creativity and strategy in an exciting evolution for the agency.”
Dalvi recently took the time to fill out The Message ‘s “Getting to Know…” questionnaire.
The photo: My wife and I in Brighton enjoying a lovely British summer day.
Are you a sports fan: favourite team and favourite player? I’m crazy about football (soccer, right?) and an avid Flamengo supporter—a Brazilian team with a huge fan base. For me, it doesn’t matter where I am or if there’s a substantial time difference, I do whatever it takes to watch their games.
Where were you born, and do you think it’s an important part of who you are? I was born in Vitoria, a small city on an island off the Brazilian coast. It’s not famous or fancy, but we boast the best fish stew anyone has ever tasted.
I grew up in a working-class family, the beach was where I had the most fun and freedom. From a young age, I needed to get creative to come up with ideas on how to skip class to go swimming. Maybe that’s where the creativity really started for me.
Favourite thing about this industry? The potential it has to impact and shape culture. It gets in front of people, their phones, TVs, their day-to-day, without asking to, and it’s an unparalleled opportunity to communicate. It’s a kind of influence that can positively impact society—very few industries have this kind of opportunity and responsibility.
Least favourite thing about this industry? My least favourite thing is how agencies often overlook this potential.
Favourite book of all time and why? I could say something about creativity or leadership here. But if I’m being honest? High Fidelity from Nicky Hornby. There’s no kid that was a music fan growing up in the ’90s that didn’t think about working in a record shop and the perks of listening and talking about music—and getting paid for it! This book is just Nick Hornby at his best, filled with music, humour, and break-up stories.
Are you a morning person? What time do you set your alarm for? What time do you actually get up? Yes. I’m a morning person. Since the pandemic started, I’ve decided I’d run for real. To commit to that, I signed up for the London Marathon, and this is a commitment that forces you to be a morning person even if you don’t want to. After six months of training, I completed the London Marathon, and never stopped running. I ran the Amsterdam Marathon a year later—and now my goal is to do one every year.
These mornings are the best moments to put thoughts in order and plan the day ahead. I naturally wake up at 6ish every day—and can proudly say there is zero snooze button involved.
