ABOUT

Jacques Séguéla is a legend in the global advertising scene, buddies with presidents (he's the one who came up with the slogan that helped elect French President François Mitterrand).

Besides, he's the mythical founder of the famous Euro RSCG agency (now Havas).

As if that wasn't enough on his résumé, Jacques Séguéla is also the author of the most famous phrase in the advertising world, delivered with that typical genius cheekiness: "Don't tell my mother I work in advertising; she still thinks I play the piano in a brothel."

That's why in 2018, when Pedro Bexiga and I decided to leave the Havas group to start our own independent agency, it was with a mix of surprise and disbelief that we received the news that Monsieur Séguéla was inviting us for lunch. In Paris. The next day.

Off we went to Paris.

In the first five minutes of the lunch, Jacques realized our decision was made; we were really going to do this absurd and wonderful thing of leaving a big multinational to start our own agency.

What followed was something that should be studied in management schools: a true masterclass on how to create an advertising company, with advice that helped shape the future of our agency.

The lunch ended with a promise from Jacques: “when you launch your agency, invite me - I'll come to Portugal to say that these gentlemen will be competitors of my agency, but having quality competition is good for the whole market.”

Now that Coming Soon is celebrating five and a half years, we decided to return to Paris and ask Jacques to reminisce with us about this story and some of the advice he gave us.

And Jacques, once again, put on a show of charm, brilliance, and something that is sorely lacking in our industry: generosity.

This film is our way of saying, "Merci, Jacques."