Carmen Rodriguez, Global Chief Growth Officer at GUT, on bravery, sustainable growth and why the best agencies know when to say no.

Recorded live at Cannes Lions, Justin Cooke sits down with Carmen Rodriguez to explore what growth really looks like when creativity, culture and commercial ambition all have to move together.

Carmen explains why GUT sees itself as “a brave agency for brave clients”, why bravery isn’t binary, and how the agency uses a bravery scale to help brands become progressively bolder without losing sight of the business outcome.

They discuss:

  • Why sustainable agency growth can mean growing more slowly, not faster
  • How GUT said no 27 times in its first year to protect the kind of agency it wanted to become
  • Why people come first, the work second and clients last
  • How GUT identifies the gap between a marketer’s ambition and a brand’s willingness to be brave
  • Why long-term agency relationships depend on trust, senior involvement and genuine partnership
  • Why agencies need to understand the client’s business, not simply sell advertising
  • Why simple execution built on a powerful human insight is cutting through at Cannes
  • Why creativity should remain at the centre of growth

Carmen also shares the thinking behind GUT’s philosophy that “bravery means business”, and why consistency, creativity and the courage to make uncomfortable decisions can ultimately drive stronger commercial results.

A brilliant conversation about the business of creativity, recorded live at Cannes Lions 2026.

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