The programme, Agency Exchange, is designed to foster creative collaboration and cultural exchange between leading European design agencies and studios, allows participants to temporarily join partner agencies in different countries.
In the 2025 edition of Agency Exchange, two creatives from Ogilvy Italy and two from Uzina Portugal took part in the programme, spending several weeks abroad by joining a host agency and collaborating with new teams.
Through this experience, they shared knowledge, values, perspectives and creative visions across borders. Now back to their daily routines, they reflect on the journey and share their thoughts and impressions of the programme.
“The Agency Exchange was an incredible experience. It’s inspiring to see how other creatives do the same as us, but with different methods and with different culturally shaped insights. The language barrier feels intimidating at first, but it pushes us to simplify and communicate ideas more clearly. The program truly stands out for being practical and hands-on. We learn by exploring and doing. And it allows you to experience working abroad without the commitment of dropping everything and starting from scratch”.
Ludovica Piro, Copywriter – Ogilvy Milan (Italy)
Exchanger to Uzina Lisbon (Portugal)
“It was amazing. Bora, queria dizer “fixe”. Portuguese, Uzina, Lisbon. Three ingredients, together with Pão de Deus, that made this exchange experience truly incredible. Here, beyond a remarkable number of steep streets and breathtaking miradouros, we also found remarkable creativity and, above all, remarkable humanity. Because, besides working side by side with very talented and passionate creatives, we were welcomed with extraordinary warmth. Almost as warm as the sun that shines even on November days. Almost as warm as the colours of certain azulejos. Leaving your own country to experience another culture, another language and another working environment is not just a change of scenery: it’s giving your creativity a different kind of breath. It means remembering to feed it with the essential ingredient (always right after Pão de Deus!) that every creative person should have: a good dose of curiosity.”
Anna Montorsi, Art Director – Ogilvy Milan (Italy)
Exchanger to Uzina Lisbon (Portugal)
“You know that colleague who never wants to share which font they used in their presentation? ADCE Exchange is definitely not for them. This program is about sharing, stepping out of your comfort zone and seeing your work from a fresh perspective. And doing it in a new city makes it even more inspiring. I loved Lisbon. I loved working at Uzina. I loved trying to surf, playing in a jam session, exploring contemporary art museums and getting lost in its endlessly steep streets.I’ll wrap up by sharing a new font I’m loving right now: Hatton.”
WHAT THE MENTORS SAY ABOUT THE EXCHANGE
As part of the Exchange, each young creative is supported by senior creatives acting as mentors. They also shared their experience of hosting and guiding international talents within their agencies.
Fernando Silva and Pedro Barroso – Uzina (Portugal)
“Being mentors in the Agency Exchange was both a professionally and personally enriching experience. Welcoming a duo with a different creative culture and strong motivation helped us grow in the way we evaluate the work. Any language barriers were quickly overcome, and we were able to rely on their fresh perspective for some of our major clients, including one they also work with in their own country. The program was truly an added value not only for those directly involved in the process but also for the entire agency that had the pleasure of hosting the team”.
Vincenzo Tortora – Ogilvy Milan (Italy)
“This has been an experience that really shaped me as a tutor as well. Seeing how a young creative person looks at the world in a way that’s completely different from your own is incredibly enriching. Having the chance to compare approaches and points of view within the creative field has been truly formative. I genuinely hope this experience can be repeated, and I encourage everyone to take part in it.”
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