September, 2025.- At Roastbrief, we spoke with Valeria Barone, CEO & Partner of GUT São Paulo, about how the agency has built a global reputation on a clear principle: creativity is only powerful when it drives measurable business results. By fully integrating strategy, media, production, and business objectives, and guided by the mantra “bravery means business,” GUT São Paulo has mastered Brazil’s complex, highly concentrated media landscape with agility and relevance. Barone emphasizes that creativity is not confined to one department but flows across every area of the agency, shaping its culture and fueling innovation. In this interview, she highlights how local autonomy, smart use of data, and the deep connection between media and creativity allow GUT to keep growing with campaigns that transcend advertising, resonate culturally, and strengthen brand trust.
1. GUT São Paulo has become one of the most awarded offices in the network. From your perspective, what are the key drivers behind this combination of bold creativity and consistent business results?
The GUT is widely recognized for its creativity, but we can only be creative because we approach creativity in every area. Our strategy, media, creative, and production departments are very strong, and we are always deeply focused on our clients’ business results. These results, combined with our presence in pop culture and an agency-wide commitment to bold creativity, are what drive consistent commercial outcomes and daring creative work.
This premise is reflected across all our offices, which enjoy enormous creative freedom, united by the same DNA — courage. GUT São Paulo breathes creativity, innovation, and a genuine will to communicate with purpose.
2. How does GUT integrate data and performance intelligence into its creative process without compromising the agency’s hallmark of innovative storytelling?
“Data is nothing without GUT” — that’s our mantra at GUT, and here’s why. Today you have data coming from all sides, but if you don’t know which ones are most relevant to the consumer, you simply drown in it. You need courage to actually do something with the data. I also think it’s important to note that we often use data in two different ways: sometimes we start with a super-relevant data point and build creativity on top of it, and other times we start with a creative insight and then validate, through data, whether it’s truly relevant.
Another major differentiator for us is the deep connection between media and creativity. Our media team stands out by developing campaigns that combine innovative strategies with bold creativity, resulting in integrated actions that genuinely resonate with people and drive brand growth.
Here, campaigns are born already thinking of the ideal platform for each idea, leveraging each medium to its fullest potential. Unlike traditional models, where pieces were adapted later to fit media plans, at GUT strategies are elastic from the very start. This opens even more room for creativity and innovation, ensuring brands stand out in authentic and relevant ways.
3. The Brazilian media market is known for its high concentration and upfront dynamics, which differ significantly from other regions. How does GUT navigate these unique challenges to secure the best deals for clients?
The Brazilian media market, marked by high concentration and a structure historically based on early negotiations and large packages, demands intelligence that goes beyond simple buying. It requires commercial creativity, close articulation with media owners, and agility.
At GUT, this means working in an integrated way from the planning stage, ensuring the creative idea is conceived for the unique characteristics of each channel. Securing the best deals isn’t just about price — it’s about relevance, timing, and impact. We work to build tailor-made solutions that maximize the creative idea and deliver greater results for our clients. In such a peculiar market, the differentiator isn’t just what you buy, but what you do with what you’ve bought. Finally, Brazil is one of the few countries where creativity and media coexist under the same roof, and we make the most of this for our clients.
4. Collaboration is central to GUT’s culture. How do you ensure synergy between teams and departments in a way that creates a true competitive advantage?
What sets us apart in the industry, both in business performance and in creativity, is the total integration across all our areas. Business, strategy, creative, media, operations, production, and PR all operate in complete alignment.
GUT’s culture was designed before the agency even opened. We take it very seriously, and that’s what guarantees the success and synergy between departments. The GUT DNA is all about creativity — but across every area, not just in the creative department. Everything is creative — even finance is creative — so we empower everyone to be creative and encourage all areas to listen to one another.
5. In an economy marked by volatility, what strategies have you implemented to mitigate external pressures while continuing to drive strong business outcomes for clients?
Our new business team is responsible for managing pitches, ensuring that this process is always strategic for the agency. However, our top priority will always be our current clients — we are nothing without them, and it’s not only us who are brave; they are too.
We only participate in pitches when we are absolutely sure we can balance the demand without overloading our teams or compromising the quality of work we deliver to the brands we already serve. This balance is essential to maintain excellence in delivery, impact client results, and ensure our sustainable growth.
6. Can you share an example of a campaign where GUT successfully merged creative boldness with business profitability in the Brazilian market?
Creativity and profitability in the Brazilian market go hand in hand in every campaign — there is no such thing as a creative campaign that doesn’t meet a client’s commercial need. They are intrinsically linked. We have a presentation we often show clients called “Bravery means business”: when you are brave, you drive business. We prove this through the trust and partnership we build with clients — every bold step we take improves business results. There’s no point in having a creative agency that doesn’t deliver outcomes.
7. As CEO, how do you balance the local market nuances with GUT’s global vision to maintain consistency while adapting to Brazil’s unique advertising ecosystem?
GUT has its values and principles, but also respects the individuality of each country where it operates. In Brazil, this is especially important because of our continental scale and diversity, but also because local CEOs are given autonomy to adapt to their market. And Brazil has a truly unique system, particularly because creativity and media coexist under one roof. We leverage this fully to ensure everything is interconnected and narratives are as precise as possible.
8. Looking ahead, what opportunities do you see for growth and innovation in Brazil’s advertising industry, and how is GUT preparing to lead in that future?
The Brazilian advertising sector has many opportunities for growth and innovation in the future, driven by technological advances, changing consumer behavior, and new communication platforms. At GUT, we see opportunities in transforming big ideas into tangible solutions that solve key business KPIs. As a bold and innovative agency, our focus will be on proposing strategies that mitigate economic challenges and maximize client results. We will continue to expand our strategic approach, invest in innovation, and strengthen our position as an essential partner for brands seeking impactful creative solutions.
