Well, folks, it seems we’ve lost yet another titan of the advertising world. Washington Olivetto, the Brazilian publicist who could sell sand in the Sahara, has passed away at the age of 73 after a lengthy battle with lung complications. The man spent five months hospitalized—clearly, he wasn’t ready to give up the stage just yet. You know you’re in trouble when shopping for a new set of lungs becomes part of the marketing strategy!
Olivetto wasn’t just any publicist; he was like the Shakespeare of advertising, wielding words with the finesse of a fine Brazilian samba dancer. His works are part of cultural lore—take the iconic “Bombril boy,” for instance. That commercial didn’t just sell products; it made history! People still trot out that ad like it’s a family heirloom. If only some of his competitors could have turned their creativity from rusty spoons into glittering gold, they’d be the ones basking in the limelight instead of Olivetto, the lion king of Cannes.
Of course, in a world where ‘bad publicity’ is a mantra for some, Olivetto famously quipped, “I don’t buy products that give bad publicity, because if they neglect the outside so much that they won’t neglect the inside.” Let’s just say he had a point! The man’s philosophy could very well be the mantra for today’s influencers: “If your product looks like it was designed by a blindfolded toddler, do yourself a favour and rethink that Instagram post!”
Speaking of accolades, Olivetto wasn’t just collecting creative awards like they were Pokémon cards; he was raking in over 50 lions from Cannes! Fernando Vega Olmos said it best—while the rest of Latin America was watching Olivetto snagging awards, it was like watching a very envious sport. Imagine tuning into a football match where one player continually scores goals while everyone else is just trying to make a pass! A classic case of ‘Can we have a go too?’
In conclusion, Washington Olivetto was an indomitable force in the world of advertising, leaving behind a legacy that pushes everyone to not just think outside the box, but to actually set that box on fire and dance around it! As we wipe (tears and) a glass of cachaça to his memory, let’s take a moment to appreciate that he didn’t just make ads; he made history, one catchy line at a time. Rest in peace, Olivetto. May your ads run eternally in the skies of Rio!
The renowned Brazilian publicist Washington Olivetto He died on October 13, 2024 at the age of 73 in Rio de Janeiro, after spending five months hospitalized due to lung complications.
Olivetto was an iconic figure in the world of advertising, famous for creating memorable ads and campaigns that left their mark on the industry. Among his most notable works are the famous commercial for “Bombril boy”, which became a benchmark for advertising in Brazil and Latin America. His legacy lives on as one of the most influential creatives of the 20th century.
Author of the famous phrase “I don’t buy products that give bad publicity, because if they neglect the outside so much that they won’t neglect the inside”, he went down in history for winning more than 50 lions when the rest of the creatives from Latin countries “were “We dedicated ourselves to watching him collect lions in Cannes,” he noted years ago Fernando Vega Olmosabout how the first Argentine lions arrived…
