Today we want to talk to you about OEO Music (music production company for advertising and fiction. Post-production studio) and its CEO: Coloma Fernández Armero. A great professional and all-rounder who was part of the production ‘Mujeres’ (Woman), both personally and with the rest of the team, who put sound to the piece.
Beth Harmon is to chess what Coloma Fernández Armero is to music. A lady through and through. At the helm of OEO Music for the last 15 years – one of the most transgressive producers of music for advertising – Coloma not only stands out for being one of the few women leading the sector, but also for her career as a creative and for the rock and roll she has to spare. Her hair is testament to that.
Let’s take a closer look at the Spanish lady of jingles and her interests in the world of advertising:
How would you sum up your professional career?
“Creativity, music and words”. Curiously enough, these three paths were already present in my 20s.
What were your first engagement with music production like?
In the midst of the “Movida madrileña” hurricane, almost everyone around me had bands that were starting to take off, and I wasted no time! My weekend circuit consisted of going, almost in one go, from the Rock-ola concert hall to my agency, Leo Burnett, where I started my career as a junior copywriter. It was there, at Leo, that I started to put into practice everything I learnt from my musician friends between jingles and lyrics.
What was it that spoke to you during your time as a creative?
During those agency years I was more called by my youth than by being a woman, although I certainly spent many years as the only woman in the creative department. For twelve years I managed to keep my finger on the pulse of the stress and intensity of work in those crazy 80s. But that same intensity threw me away. I went to New York, ready to forget about this business that almost killed my nervous and digestive system!
When did your passion for writing begin and when did you start writing?
When I was in New York I started to write down in a diary the thousand ways I was finding to waste my time. When I returned to Madrid I was able to publish this diary and it became my first book: “Querida Yo”. With it I proved to myself that, sometimes, to waste time is to gain it. Then came my second novel, “Mil dolores pequeños”, a book of poetry “Todo flota” and soon my fourth book where those 80’s in advertising serve me as inspiration.
How did you finally managed to unite your three passions: music, creativity and words?
By chance. After those years, without being aware of it, I united what had been my profession, advertising and music. I became a supplier to agencies and production companies. It was very useful for me to understand the heads of my former creative colleagues. So OEO has grown and, without realising it, I am in charge of a small company and a great team.
What is the key to OEO’s success?
I lead in a very emotional way, relying on intuition, empathy and trying to depersonalise. OEO is much more important to me than any of its members, including myself, and I think that’s the key to success.
What are the most memorable jingles you have produced?
It’s difficult to choose from among the 800 – 900 jingles I have produced throughout my career, but I would highlight the famous “Libre” for Amena, “Pita del” for Cocacola or “Kulunguele” for Carlsberg. What memories! And from the last years I could also mention “Amigo mío solo tú encuentras leña” by Amstel, “Quiéreteme” by El Corte Inglés, “Gratuito” by Visionlab or “A veces necesitamos un poco de Sur” by Cruzcampo.
What do you expect from OEO and the advertising industry after these turbulent times?
Transformation is exciting, especially when you are not clear about where you want to go. You have to be very open-minded and open-hearted. I believe that in this change, the drive and vision of the younger members of the team combined with the track record of the veterans is a winning combination.
