Jolomi Awala, Super Person

Creative Director at Ogilvy Nigeria

Creative Director at Ogilvy Nigeria, Jolomi Awala has devoted the last 15 years to making work that makes a difference – not just for brands, but to real people’s lives. A storyteller with heart, he’s created campaigns for the likes of Guinness, Google, and Coke, however Jolomi’s real passion lies in mentoring emerging talent; at advertising schools in Nigeria and the creative bootcamp, The One Club For Creativity. Last year, he was nominated as a Pitch Super Person.

Were you creative from a young age?

I grew up in a creative home. My pops was a Director, so I’ve always been around storytelling. Rumor has it I featured in one of his movies as a baby, no one has been able to confirm or deny… Maybe because no one wants to pay my appearance fee.

I think it introduced me to the world of creativity. Even though it wasn’t till another 20 years before I professionally entered the industry.

What’s been your career highlight so far?

Not the awards…not the campaigns for Heineken, Google, Visa, and many others. Not the industry mentions, or Jury appearances either.

My biggest highlight would be the emerging talent I’ve been able to mentor and inspire to do their best work. That stands out for me.

What would you say are your super abilities?

I think my gift for listening. As a leader, you should listen more than you speak. I’ve heard the reverse is the case for many in our industry, but I’ve always believed this skill has helped unlock magic within people. The ability to hear what’s being said, and most importantly, what isn’t.

Also having a keen attention to detail, though basic, has helped me avoid a lot of pitfalls.

You’ve been in the industry for over 15 years, but according to your nominator, you’re still “super passionate”. How do you keep this alive?

I don’t think there’s anything special I’ve done over the years. None. It’s just a genuine love for the art of storytelling. If you have that, it will translate to passion or what some people call fuel. Or maybe it’s the money…?

Where do you take your inspiration from?

It’s not in one place, but experiences… as a storyteller, you must intentionally put yourself out there. At the end of the day, that’s what will come in handy.

You were nominated for your energy and your leadership skills, what makes a good leader?

Having heart for people. Everybody is going through something, real life issues, things you can’t even relate to. They’re also in the place you were 5 /10 years ago, so try to remember that and have some empathy.

You started as a Copywriter, but you’ve also got a “real eye for design”. Is that something that you’ve always been interested in?

I studied art at university. So, there was the need to see design as a form of communication.

My people are not trained to see only in words or pictures…they are meant to see both. They’re first creatives before Copywriters or Art Directors etc. I’m a big advocate for all-rounders.

How do you see the creative industry changing in the future?

The future? The future is already here, now. AI will be of immense help to how creativity is expressed. We’ve seen the rise of Midjourney, ChatGPT, Dall-E. It’s evolving and I think it’s something we must embrace. One thing is certain, machines are never going to replace humans. But I believe the people who will thrive are able to infuse their creative process with AI / machine learning. Embrace change, to create your desired output.

What would be your dream project?

To create a platform that enables African children to master the art of storytelling from an early age. We need to tell more of our stories as a continent, so furthering this cause is something that I’ll find fulfilling.

Interview by: Katy Pryer

PITCH SUPER ALUMNI 2023