Conversations with Jaime Cabrera

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaime Cabrera.

Hi Jaime, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in El Paso, TX to immigrant parents from Mexico. I started performing music in a band at age 13 and continue to this day. After high school, I attended the University of Texas at Austin, where I studied and graduated with a degree in Radio-Television-Film production with a minor in Advertising. In Austin, I began writing songs and performing with my band Sour Mash Jack. After a quick return home to El Paso, where I worked in TV news and at an Advertising agency as a copywriter, I moved to Los Angeles in 1999 to pursue my music career as a solo recording artist under the name J. Cabrera. I released a recorded in 2001 and toured the Southwest for a few years before deciding to re-engage with my career in advertising through my work as Creative Director at Time Warner, where I wrote, produced and directed over 200 TV commercials.

After Time Warner, I landed a job at the legendary agency Jack Morton where I quickly moved up the ladder from Associate Creative Director to VP, Senior Creative Director. After Jack Morton, I along with three others started a new experiential agency under the Interpublic Group called Advantage, where I served as SVP Executive Creative Director. Advantage did award-winning work for clients such as Hyundai, Microsoft, Target and many others. Advantage was eventually integrated into Hollywood’s elite PR agency R&CPMK to add experiential, content and branding services to clients such as Truist and Mastercard. Most recently, I made the move to Innocean where I continue as VP, Group Creative Director servicing the Hyundai account.

In addition to my day job, I created and host a podcast called Confessions of a Creative Director, where I interview CDs from around the world. I recently dropped my 5oth episode! In 2022 I also published a book called What’s The Big Idea: An Indispensable Guide To Becoming A Kick-Ass Creative Director, outlining my view of the role and what it takes to be exceptional at it. In addition to all of this, I also coach up-and-coming creatives and do speaking engagements.

Finally, I continue to write and record music and will be releasing a new album in late 2023.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has had some obstacles, but I have overcome them. Of all the obstacles I’ve had to face, the biggest one has been overcoming Imposter Syndrome. There have been points in my career where I thought that my work was not good enough or that others were outperforming or advancing faster than me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My current mission in life is to help the new generation of creatives be the best they can be. As mentioned previously, this includes hosting a podcast called Confessions of a Creative Director, where I interview top Creative Directors from around the world, breaking down their best practices and principles.

In addition, I wrote the book What’s The Big Idea: An Indispensable Guide To Becoming A Kick-Ass Creative Director, which outlines what my experience has taught me about how to be great in the role. I cover everything from overcoming Imposter Syndrome to misconceptions about the role, the importance of relationships, how to develop great ideas, the creative process, and how to pitch creative work.

I have also started speaking to and coaching young creatives.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I have experienced a lot of good luck in my life, which I believe is a result of working hard, being kind, and embracing new opportunities. My superpower has always been the ability to say, “Yes, I can do that, or I can learn how to do it.” This mindset has allowed me to tap into the vast opportunities that the universe has to offer. And of course, the greatest luck of all, was meeting my wonderful wife who made me a dad to two amazing boys.

Contact Info:

• Website: jaimecabreracreative.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-cabrera/

Image Credits
Jaime Cabrera