Patricia Mauchi, LATAM Client President.
What does ‘breakthrough’ mean to you?
A breakthrough is a pivotal insight or discovery that revolutionises our actions. Breakthroughs apply to everything we do, from innovating commercial models for our clients, adopting agile and dynamic operating frameworks, to crafting media strategies that significantly influence our clients’ business KPIs. While it may seem straightforward, achieving a breakthrough is a rigorous process. It requires persistence and an intense curiosity about the ongoing transformation within our own and our clients’ industries.
What’s been the most inspiring personal breakthrough in your life?
While I was living in Miami with my husband and two kids, I decided to move to Colombia without really knowing much about the country. My husband is Colombian, and my experience with the country was only through our family holidays. Everyone thought I was crazy including my husband! What drove me to move was that I was certain that I wanted to give the chance to my kids to experience growing up with a big family support system. I wanted them to experience growing up with their grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins. I knew that I was going to regret it if I didn´t try. So, I convinced my husband and we jumped to the adventure. It has been 16 years ever since.
What was the breakthrough moment in your career?
After seven years working at GroupM´s regional hub, I was presented with the opportunity to become the COO of MediaCom Colombia. My background was staunchly digital, with a focus on establishing operations and processes for our LATAM clientele. The Colombian market was unfamiliar territory to me, especially the traditional media sector. Yet, I recognised the transformative potential of this role. It promised a fresh start and a chance to broaden my horizons.
Tell us about a piece of work you were involved with that you would define as a breakthrough.
The way we engage and operate with adidas can be viewed as a breakthrough. Understanding the goal of winning in LATAM, we created the first Growth Squad in EssenceMediacom. Through the Growth Squad we identify the cultural, industry and ops opportunities that take us closer to winning in the region.
What breakthrough in this industry – achieved by someone else – do you really admire? What do you admire about it?
The recent award-winning campaign developed by the EssenceMediacom Brazil team for Mars Snickers – Missprompting is an excellent example of Breakthrough. It connects the dots with the insight on how the brand´s name is misspelled in searches with a very current topic like AI in a humorous way thus effectively connecting with the audiences.