Why brave creativity means business results according to GUT co-founder Anselmo Ramos

**Jon Evans** (0:00)
Hey, everyone, just before we get into the show, I just wanted to give a really big shout out to my founding sponsor, System One. As many of you know, I worked at System One, and before that, I was actually a client of theirs. Now, the thing I love about System One is when I need to make a big decision, they have been there to help me, because what System One does is use the power of emotion to help predict the likely impact of my innovation or advertising. So when I've been stuck in the boardroom, needing to justify why we're gonna pick one creative route over another, or launch this innovation over that one, it has been indispensable. It's also really simple to use, very actionable and incredibly good value too. So if you wanna find out more about System One's test your ad or test your innovation, simply go over to systemonegroup.com and find out more. Okay, without further ado, let's go on with the show.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Uncensored CMO. Now I've got an amazing returning guest in this episode, Anselmo Ramos is the co-founder of the Gut Agency. They created their agency in Cannes and they've done some of the most effective creative work on the planet. Now, last time I had Anselmo on the podcast about three years ago, he then went and sold his agency within a few weeks of that episode. So I'm catching up with him to find out what's happened after the exit and what kind of work has he been doing for some of his clients around the world, because these are some of the most spectacular case studies. It's a great example of how creativity can transform business and why your gut is your second brain. And Salmo explains why. Here we go.

**Anselmo Ramos** (1:33)
Your gut is literally your second brain, right? That's science. So the scientific community call your gut your second brain. So we do have in our guts, serotonin, neurotransmitters, like neurons, same thing that we have up here, we have down here. So you have two brains, all of us. We have two brains.
The problem is, most of the times, you're using just your first brain. You know, very rational, right? But your second brain is as powerful as your first one, which is your gut. The thing is, you have to stop and listen to it because it whispers, you know, it doesn't shout. So you need to be connected to your gut, to your feelings.
And then you can act on it, right? But this is your second brain, man. I think that's our business, right?
To create those emotional connections with brands, you know? And if you think about it, that's the problem of 95% of ads. You don't feel anything.

**Jon Evans** (2:39)
It's appealing to your head, isn't it? It's giving you the rational reason, not the emotional reason.

**Anselmo Ramos** (2:43)
It's just boring. It's soulless.

**Jon Evans** (2:45)
Why is that? Why, given we know this to be true and the science backs it up and the evidence backs it up, why is the advertising industry continuing to obsess with making rational advertising?

**Anselmo Ramos** (2:56)
But I don't think it's even just about advertising. It applies to anything. 95% of books are boring. 95% of movies are boring. Like really, we are in the 5% business. We're just trying to make advertising better, more entertaining, more emotional, funnier. But most movies are really boring. But when you see a great one, you go like, oh my God, I cried so much, or I was laughing so hard. You have to watch that movie as well. Same thing with a book or anything. So, because I think it's very hard to generate that kind of emotion.
And I think sometimes when it comes to advertising, you should be part of the brief.
And we don't talk enough about that. Like example, what kind of emotion we're trying to evoke here?
Yes, that's the product benefit, or that's what we have to communicate, but are we trying to make people laugh? Are we trying to make people cry? And we don't talk enough about that. Clients and agencies, and I think that's crucial. Otherwise, we're gonna generate something that's kind of like half-baked. It's not that funny, or it's not that emotional. And I think we need to talk more about that.

**Jon Evans** (4:07)
We do. If your gut is making the decision, it's more important how you make them feel than what you make them think.

**Anselmo Ramos** (4:14)
Totally, man, totally. You know, and again, talk about your gut.
We have a lot of principles. A gut, we have 68 principles.