[Interview] Keenan Mulvaney, Group Creative Director, Ogilvy Africa

Ogilvy Africa is the largest network agency on the continent catering to 39 countries with a team of 900 people across Central, East and West Africa.

The agency manages a portfolio of over 100 brands for clients such as AB Inbev, Airtel, Africa, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Nestle, Philips among others.

It offers services across the full spectrum of marketing domains including Communication (Advertising, branding and content), Consumer Experience (Technology & e-Commerce), Growth Consulting (incl. Digital Transformation), PR & Influence and Media all under one unified setup.

Keenan Mulvaney is the Group’s Creative Director. He spoke to Marketing Report.

What would you consider as the biggest achievements of the creative department at Ogilvy Africa?

Our biggest achievements for the creatives at Ogilvy Africa really come down to two things. First, we’ve been able to consistently make our mark on the global stage, picking up awards at some of the world’s most prestigious creative shows over the past four years. These aren’t just important trophies to win, they also help show ourselves and the industry that the work coming out of Africa is right up there with the best in the world. It’s validation, sure, but it’s also a reminder of what we’re capable of when we’re at our best.

The second, and perhaps the more important achievement, has been transforming our creative department into a place where ideas can truly thrive. We know that creativity doesn’t flourish in a stifling, hierarchical, or bureaucratic environment. When people feel boxed in, their ideas don’t grow, and the work becomes mechanical. So, for me, the real win has been creating a space where people feel comfortable to be themselves, share their thoughts, and do work that actually matters.

We’re striving to foster an environment where voices are heard, where debate and laughter are part of the process, leading to pushing boundaries and making great stuff. It’s messy, sometimes chaotic, but it’s real, and that’s what makes the work better. The only way to create something that matters to others is if it matters to you first, and that’s the space we’ve been working hard to create.

How do you ensure that your creative vision aligns with the overall marketing strategy of your clients?

This is actually a great question because it hits right at the heart of what we do. Three questions sit paramount; What message do you want people to get? Where do you want them to get it? And what do you want them to do with it? That’s the basic foundation of any marketing strategy, and it’s where the dissemination of our creative vision hooks in.

For us, it’s all about having stories that can flex. I call it adaptable storytelling. You’ve got a brand, you’ve got a product and so you want people talking about it, feeling something, maybe even seeing how it fits into their lives in some way. The key is to find the right story and then figure out how to tell it in the right places.

If someone on my team comes up with a killer idea, perhaps a concept based on humour, action, or quirky, honest insight; we put it through this adaptable storytelling lens. Whether we’ve got a juicy 45 seconds in a TV ad or just a couple of words in an SMS, the goal is the same: make it work.

We also think about the less obvious touchpoints, like sales agents on the ground, where a story might reach someone in a completely different context but still feel consistent and engaging.

Our creative process involves mapping out these stories to ensure they can flex across all these spaces while still feeling like part of the same narrative. At the top of it all sits our main thought (the big idea that guides the whole strategy), but the magic happens when each piece of the puzzle feels connected. So, the goal is always to make sure that, no matter where or how people encounter the message, it feels cohesive, engaging, and true to the brand.

How do you measure the success of your campaigns, and what metrics do you find most valuable?

Measuring the success of a campaign isn’t just about the numbers, though those play their part. We track the usual suspects (ROI, brand lift, engagement, conversions) but what I really watch for is how people are engaging with the brand in a real, unfiltered way. Not just about clicks or views; seeing a shift in the conversation.

I look for signs that the work is doing more than just ticking boxes. Are people talking about it? Are they sharing it, remixing it, or referencing it in unexpected places? When you start seeing bits of it pop up in a WhatsApp group chat or someone casually drops a line from the campaign, you know it’s resonating beyond the numbers.

But honestly, one of the best metrics, especially from a creative director’s perspective, is that feeling in the agency when you know you’re onto something good. It’s when there’s a real buzz internally, when the team is excited, and there’s that collective energy around the work. And after it’s out there, you see your colleagues sharing it, proud of what they’ve been a part of.

That’s a big one for me. The pride and excitement within the team. When the people who made the work are genuinely excited to show it off, you know you’ve hit the mark.

What do you believe are the biggest challenges facing the creative industry and what insights would you offer as potential remedies?

Beyond the typical anxiety inducers like economic fluctuations, or externally-based agencies muscling into local markets, I think the real challenge facing the creative industry is the sheer saturation of content. This isn’t new. It’s been brewing since social media became a permanent part of our lives in the early 2010s. The constant scrolling, the endless barrage of messages people are bombarded with every day, and that’s only going to intensify with AI cranking out content faster and more frequently than ever.

What worries me is this creeping sense of roboticism in how we create and place media. We’re headed toward a landscape where every campaign could feel like it’s coming from the same playbook. Algorithms deciding what works best, churning out content optimised for engagement, but often lacking any real spark. It’s this conveyor belt of creativity that looks slick but feels hollow, and as a creative, that’s a bitter pill to swallow.

My advice? Have patience. We’re on the brink of an era where human creativity (real, messy, gut-driven creativity) is going to be the most valuable thing out there.

The fact is, AI doesn’t live in Upper Hill. It doesn’t know the people who walk those streets, why they’re there, what they’re talking about, or what they’re feeling given the current mood of the country. It doesn’t know how your brand can stand out to them with a simple billboard that might make them smile on their commute. That level of context, that human connection, isn’t getting replaced anytime soon.

How do you manage client relationships to ensure their vision is effectively translated into creative work?

I don’t really think of it as my creative vision versus the client’s vision. It’s got to be a shared thing. My job as a creative director is to understand what the brand is about, what the people behind it are aiming for, and then work together to create something that feels right, exciting, and authentic.

Brands aren’t just products or logos, they’re made up of people with real ideas, hopes, and sometimes fears about how their brand is perceived. So, my job is to make sure the people on the client side, whether that’s brand managers, marketing directors, or strategists, feel comfortable enough with us to open up about what they really want, even the stuff that’s a bit raw or personal.

It’s like running a creative team: if you’re in a stifling environment where ideas can’t breathe, nothing good comes out of it. And the same goes for clients. We really try to understand what they’d really love to see happen with their brand and then work together to make it real.

At the end of the day, it’s about taking that vision and figuring out how it lives in the lives of the people we’re trying to reach. How does it connect? And how does it make them feel something genuine? It’s a process of adapting, evolving, and finding the sweet spot where the brand feels alive and relevant.

Which emerging technologies and trends will most impact the future of the industry and why?

There’s a lot happening in the tech space that’s going to impact the future of our industry. AI is obviously front and centre; it’s already changing how we create, distribute, and tweak content. The biggest shift with AI isn’t just that it makes things faster; it’s that it’s starting to reshape the creative process. It’s pushing us to rethink how we approach storytelling and connect with people in ways that feel more immediate and relevant.

Then there’s AR, VR, and all the mixed reality stuff. As these technologies become more mainstream, they’re going to change the game by letting people experience brands in new ways. It’s one thing to watch an ad or see a billboard; it’s another to step into a brand’s world and interact with it directly. This is where the future of immersive storytelling is heading.

Data-driven personalisation is also going to keep evolving. Consumers expect brands to get them. Nobody has time for generic messaging anymore. This shift towards more tailored content means we’re not just talking at people; we’re engaging with them on a level that feels more specific and, hopefully, more impactful.

But beyond all the shiny new tech, there’s this growing demand for brands to mean something. People are looking for authenticity. They want to see brands taking a stand or adding value beyond just selling a product. So while emerging tech will continue to influence how we work, the real challenge will be using it to build genuine connections and create work that resonates. The brands that manage to combine smart use of tech with real human insight will be the ones that stand out in the noise.

Over the years Ogilvy has won many awards across different categories. How do you explain these successes?

Honestly, our success at awards comes down to two things: conviction and resilience. It’s about believing in those ideas that you know are different, that push boundaries, and that reflect real human insights in a way that feels authentic and true. We’ve put in the work to make sure our ideas don’t just sell products but also resonate with people and add something meaningful to their lives, even if it’s just in a small way.

It comes down to creative problem-solving. When we can tell a story that connects on a human level, that engages people in a fresh way, and maybe even nudges them toward a better choice, then we’re moving in the right direction. Great work isn’t just clever; it leaves a positive impact.

I genuinely think almost any brief has the potential to win an award. The key is how much effort you’re willing to invest. Time, passion, and persistence. You have to keep pushing your concept, making sure it clicks with the decision-makers and the people whose money you’re spending. Brands invest real money, and our job is to make sure that investment drives business and creates something standout.

For those looking to get their work recognised globally, it’s essential to study award-winning case studies and understand the kind of storytelling that wins. There’s incredible work coming out of our market, but the challenge is often packaging it in a way that resonates with international juries. If the work doesn’t matter to you, it won’t matter to anyone else. So dig deep, put everything into it, and that’s how you find your way onto the world stage.

What do you consider a successful campaign?

To me, a successful campaign goes beyond just hitting the usual metrics like sales and ROI; those are table stakes. The real markers of success are when a campaign becomes part of the national or regional conversation. When people are talking about it, engaging with it, or even debating it, that’s when you know your work has struck a chord and moved beyond advertising.

But the success I value most is rooted in the responsibility we have as creatives. We have the power to shape what people see and hear every day, whether it’s on billboards, TV, social media, or radio. And too often, we see campaigns with vague promises like “live the dream” that don’t speak to any specific dream or reality, or aspirational taglines that don’t reflect any real lifestyle. Those kinds of messages just add to the noise, and that’s what we need to steer clear of.

The campaigns that truly resonate are the ones that engage people in honest, relevant ways. They reflect real conversations, real faces, and ideas that matter. I’m well aware that this is a well-worn reference, but if you look at Dove; they took the idea of beauty—a concept that had long been shaped by unrealistic standards. And they turned it on its head. They took a prevalent, perhaps un-noticed issue of unrealistic representations of their consumers and helped people (globally) change their conversation about what real beauty is and what it means to feel beautiful in your own skin.

A successful campaign respects its audience, speaks in their language, and represents their realities. Often going beyond selling a product. When a campaign can do that, it doesn’t just work; it leaves a positive mark on the culture and the community. That, for me, is true success.

www.ogilvy.africa