#WFH Diaries: Gian Carlo Lanfranco and Rolando Cordova of Lanfranco & Cordova
Even as the world begins to open up amid the pandemic, many folks are still working from home. We're continuing to check in with creative professionals to see how they're faring. Here's an update from Gian Carlo Lanfranco and Rolando Cordova, founders and creative directors at Lanfranco & Cordova.
Give us a one-line bio of yourselves.
Originally from Lima, Peru. After spending the past 15 years working as a creative team for what we considered the best agencies around the world—like Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore, Wieden+ Kennedy Amsterdam, Fred & Farid Paris and McCann New York—we founded our independent agency with offices in NYC and Lima.
Where are you living right now, and who's with you?
We are living in New York City for the past five years, with our dog @mrfaustonyc.
What's your work situation like at the moment, and how is it evolving?
Since we started our New York agency in 2018, we normally travel to Lima in February to escape New York winters and work from there. The Covid outbreak caught us in Lima, so we couldn't fly back to New York because Lima was in complete lockdown until just a few weeks ago. So we spent almost four months working from home in Peru.
When you do you expect to return to the office?
Our office in NYC is part of a co-working space called Spring Place in Tribeca. We really liked working there, as we have a lot of friends with new businesses from different creative backgrounds like fashion and technology. We also miss the walk down there from our place, as it was the best time to relax, and where the best creative ideas came to us. We enjoy working from home, but we expect we could be back at the office at some point this year. It's always good to keep work away from home—and now things are all mixed up.
Describe your socializing strategy.
Lots of Zoom parties. We spent Gian's birthday in lockdown. Our socializing strategy is to see only close friends and always wear a mask when going out.
What are you reading?
Currently, Dennis Bergkamp's Stillness and Speed. He is one of the best soccer players in history, and we spent five years living in Amsterdam, so we saw him play, and actually met him once. We recommend that creative people read the book. The way he analyzes the game really fast and comes up with a solution in the same moment is something that we face constantly in the industry. We need fast creative solutions to our client's problems.
What are you watching?
They canceled all soccer games for a while. So, we watched a lot of old-school soccer games on FIFA TV. It is really different to see a game live than the re-runs. When you are watching live, passion takes over and you just want your team to win.
What are you listening to?
We are big fans of movie soundtracks. When we are working, we listen to Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. It is an inspiring album.
How are you staying fit?
Lots of push-ups and really long dog walks. We walk our dog one hour longer than we did during pre-Covid times.
Have you taken up a hobby?
Reconnecting with PS4 games.
An aha! moment since all this started.
We think experiencing lockdown in two completely different cities (Lima/NYC) is something really strange and different that makes us value our time pre-Covid. Now, every time we go out, we really enjoy simple things, like walking in the park or just sitting outside on the stoop.
What's your theory on how this is going to play out?
It is on us to stop it. If we keep social distancing, we hope we'll be good until the end of the year. But we're a little worried about fast vaccination production. Will the first one be the best version? Only time will tell. Until then, wear a mask and hang with friends you already know.
On the business/advertising side, we think clients are now more flexible about working with smaller independent creative agencies that can do things fast, delivering great creative work. It sort of democratizes the agency landscape, as the big offices or the big names are not that relevant anymore.
