My source of dopamine and I
(if you’re on your phone, scroll down to read the part that matters)
dudubalestra@hotmail.com
External Validation
2026
Cannes Lions | Bronze (Entertainment for Sport/Influencer&Co-creation): Dirt is Glory
Cannes Lions | Shortlist (Entertainment for Sport / Video & Audio): Dirt is Glory
D&AD | Wood Pencil (Art Direction / Integrated): Dirt is Glory
D&AD | Shortlist (New Brand Identity / Campaign): Dirt is Glory
2023
2022
ADC Europe | Bronze (Interactive & Mobile): Angel’s Souls
ADC Germany | Bronze (Brand Building/Social Media): Angel’s Souls
ADC Germany | Bronze (Digital Experience/Real Time Advertising): Angel’s Souls
ADC Germany | Merit (Innovation/Use of Media): Angel’s Souls
ADC Germany | Merit (Digital Experience/Game): Angel’s Souls
The One Show | Merit (Gaming: Innovation in Gaming): Angel’s Souls
The One Show | Shortlist (Gaming: Brand Integration/Placement): Angel’s Souls
The One Show | Shortlist (Gaming: Innovation in Lockdown): Angel’s Souls
2021
Eurobest | Bronze (Health): Angel’s Souls
Eurobest | Bronze (Social & Influencer): Angel’s Souls
Comm Awards | Silver (PR: Online & Social): Angel’s Souls
Comm Awards | Bronze (Digital: Entertainment & Games): Angel’s Souls
AdStars | Bronze (Partnerships): Angel Souls
AdStars | Crystal (Pivot): Angel’s Souls
NY Festivals | Bronze (Health: Live Experience): Angel’s Souls
NY Festivals | Finalist (Health: Direct): Angel’s Souls
NY Festivals | Finalist (Health: Social Media): Angel’s Souls
Cannes Lions | Shortlist (Media): Angel’s Souls
The Caples | Bronze (Radical New Strategy): Angel’s Souls
The Caples | Silver (Non Profit): Angel’s Souls
The One Show | Merit (Social Media): Angel’s Souls
The One Show | Shortlist (Experiential & Immersive): Angel’s Souls
ADC Global | Shortlist (Branded Content): Angel’s Souls
ADC Global | Shortlist (Innovation/Direct): Angel’s Souls
2020
The One Show | Shortlist (Branded Entertainment): Whopper Diamond
Gerety Awards | Shortlist (Online Video): Whopper Diamond
NY Festivals | Finalist (Audio/Radio: Under 60s): smart Memory Test
NY Festivals | Finalist (Audio/Radio: Best use of Medium): smart Memory Test
NY Festivals | Finalist (Print: Automotive): smart Bad Parking
NY Festivals | Finalist (Social/Environmental Good: Best Use of Film): Whopper Diamond
Lürzer’s Archive | Featured: smart Bad Parking
2019
Eurobest | Shortlist (Print): smart Paranoia
Epica | Bronze (Copywriting & Storytelling): smart Paranoia
Clio | Shortlist (Film Technique): Volkswagen Pranks
Lürzer’s Archive | Featured: smart Paranoia
ADC Germany | Shortlist (TV spot): Volkswagen Pranks
ADC Germany | Shortlist (TV Campaign): Volkswagen Pranks
NY Festivals | Finalist (Film Craft: Art Direction): Volkswagen Pranks
NY Festivals | Finalist (Film Craft: Best Original Music): Volkswagen Pranks
Webby Awards | Honoree (Video ad Shortform): Volkswagen Pranks
Die Klappe | Shortlist: Volkswagen Pranks
Spotlight | Bronze (Audience Awards TV & Cinema): Volkswagen Pranks
2018
Cannes Young Lions | Gold in Cannes (Print)
Cannes Young Lions | Winner from Germany (Print)
2017
Eurobest | Shortlist (Print): Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
Campaign BIG Awards | Shortlist (Retail): Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
Campaign BIG Awards | Shortlist (best in Print): Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
Lürzer’s Archive | Top 10 ads 2017: Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
Lürzer’s Archive | Cover: Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
Lürzer’s Archive | Print of the week | Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
Lürzer’s Archive | Featured: Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
The Drum | Ad of the day: Harvey Nichols Dead Rare
2016
Lürzer’s Archive | Print of the week: Harvey Nichols Visa Forms
Lürzer’s Archive | Featured: Harvey Nichols Visa Forms
Cannes Young Lions | Shortlist | UK
2015
Cannes Young Lions | Shortlist | UK
2014
Cannes Young Lions | 2nd place | UK
El Ojo de Iberoamerica Young Talents | Shortlist
Who am I?
I’m a handsom.., I mean, hands-on creative director who loves humour (clearly), writing, creativity, sports, psychology and being a father.
Born in Brazil, I lived in São Paulo, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne and the Bavarian Alps,
Having worked with more than 50 agencies and in-houses, I love leading pitches, selling work, handling clients and I’m deeply committed to the end result without compromising the fun along the way.
What do I do?
I judge ideas. Never people.
And do what i can to make them better (still talking about ideas).
When needed, I also come up with ideas from scratch. In all formats. And where there needs to be copy, I write the hell out of It. Snappy copy. Long copy. Poetic copy. Emotional copy. Make-you-think-twice copy. Almost no copy. Sometimes I don’t even write copy, just break an existing word by pressing a spacebar. And for those who think puns have no place in advertising I say: hold my Kreuzbeer.
Then I present the ideas to the client. I will get so involved selling a script that sometimes it feels like I’m acting in the ad. Hold on…is that me acting in my own ad? Hell yeah. it is. And here too…though this one isn’t an ad, just a comedy sketch I dragged even my family into.
And when the ideas are sold, I find ways to produce it. If I have budget, I will find the best partners available to pull it off. If I don’t, I will find the best partners available to pull it off.
I love doing pitches. Even better when I get to win them. Sometimes with a small agency, sometimes with a bigger one. Sometimes with one dude only.
That’s how I roll. And I bring along a lot of fun and good energy along the way :)
I see life through very light-hearted lenses, which is why I make fun of myself. Of celebrities I admire. Of spiritual leaders I genuinely respect. And even you, why not? (I mean, you might have won gold in Cannes, but Christ won gold at his fucking birth. Beat that).
so…let’s go for a coffee? I’ll have a chai-latte.
With oat milk, of course.
Write me: dudubalestra@hotmail.com
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Where have I been?
Freelance Creative Director / Copywriter, remote | 2023 - current
St Elmo’s Serviceplan Münich, GUT Miami, akt Berlin, VML São Paulo, trivago Düsseldorf, Grey London, Heimat/TBWA Düsseldorf, MullenLowe Global London Jung von Matt/Nerd Hamburg, Ruffle London, La red Hamburg Jung von Matt/Sports Hamburg, Grabarz & Partner Hamburg, Scholz&Friends Hamburg. MRM Berlin, adam&eve Berlin, Foundry Berlin, draftLine London, DEPT Amsterdam, GUT Buenos Aires, BETC Paris
Gorillas (Interim ACD + Copy Lead), Berlin, 2023-2024
DDB Germany (Creative Director), remote | 2022-2023
Freelance (Senior Copywriter/Creative Director), remote | 2021-2022
DDB Hamburg, Grabarz & Partner Hamburg, MediaMonks Berlin, The Goodwins London, GetYourGuide Berlin, Shopify Berlin, Accenture Song Hamburg, Jung von Matt Hamburg, Mother London Atomic London Ogilvy London Wieden+Kennedy London, Forever Beta London, We Are Social London, Ketchum London, Haygarth London, HMD Global London
BBDO Germany (Senior Copywriter), Berlin | 2019 - 2021
Grabarz & Partner (Senior Copywriter), Hamburg | 2017-2018
Freelance (Creative) | London | 2017
Geometry, Saatchi & Saatchi, Y&R, VCCP
Adam & Eve DDB (Creative) London | 2014-2017
Placement | London | 2013-2014
Atomic, Krow, Forever Beta, Havas, M&C Saatchi, JWT, Adam & Eve DDB
Babel (Jr Copywriter), São Paulo | 2012
Mood\TBWA, (Intern Copywriter), São Paulo | 2011-2012
Grupo Rai (Jr Copywriter), São Paulo | 2011
RMG Connect (Intern Copywriter), São Paulo | 2011
Guiropa Comunicação (Intern Copywriter), São Paulo | 2010
Where have I patronised students at?
Miami Ad School Europe | Teacher, Concept III, Berlin | 2021
Escola Cuca | Teacher, Copywriting Online Course, São Paulo | 2019
Miami Ad School Europe | Teacher, Copy Technique, Hamburg | 2018
School of Communication and Arts | Tutor, London | 2016
Where have I studied?
Instituto Jungiano de Ensino e Pesquisa | Analytical Psychology. Post-degree, 2025-2026
Escola Cuca | Creative Copywriting, São Paulo, 2012
Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado | Bachelorship in Social Communication and Advertising, São Paulo | 2007-2011