Who the hell is Marcel Jacob?
We’re chatting with members of the DixonBaxi studio about what makes them who they are. From the professional to the personal, nothing is off limits here. Introducing Marcel, a strategy director from Brazil who’s almost as passionate about philosophy as he is about burgers.
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Marcel Jacob, a mix of Brazilian friendliness and positivity with acquired British wit. From Monday to Friday, I work as a strategy director at DixonBaxi.
What’s your story?
I’ve been living in London since 2014. Before landing in the UK, I used to run my own brand studio in São Paulo – not an easy thing to do especially in your 20s, but it was lots of fun and the best teacher of resilience and tenacity. I decided to try my luck in the UK and completed a postgraduate degree in brand management. Since then I’ve created brands for global businesses with heart and worked for a brand agency with bite – I guess I’m privileged that it all worked according to plan.
Beyond work, I spend most of my time with my sprocker spaniel called Soneca and could spend hours watching philosophical debates. I’m a big fan of the beautiful game (how original for a Brazilian, right?) and a self-proclaimed burger connoisseur.
What are you working on right now?
At the moment I’m working across multiple projects that are at different stages, from generating insights, to creating brand strategies, to collaborating with the creative team.
“Good design should be inspiring, make you feel something and, ultimately, influence behaviour and choices.”
Describe your working style in 3 words.
Forensic, surgical and thought-provoking.
Tell us about some of your interests – what are you into?
I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to gaming and movies, and can get really deep into meaningless discussions around lore and consistency. I can also wax lyrical about science and philosophy, and love to engage in healthy debates to explore ideas and ‘brain puzzles’. Other than that, I love to be outdoors with my dog, meet with friends for a laugh, connect with my family in Brazil, or just spend time to recharge.
Do you think design can change the world? How?
It’s not a question of if it can – any design has potential to change the world, whether on an individual scale or globally. For me, there are many ways to deliver on the ‘how’ so I’d consider some fundamental principles when changing someone’s life or the world: be responsible, be empathetic and be fearless.
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
The end of Lost, nobody deserves that ending… Or maybe Brazil’s humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup.
What’s the last song you listened to?
Juanes – La Camisa Negra. Good song for cooking dinner.
Why do you do what you do? What motivates you?
I’m driven by solving things. I’m a bit of a knowledge hoarder, so I do love learning, sharing that knowledge with others and using it to solve problems. This drives me in my professional life to stay motivated to help businesses succeed and people to experience the world better.
What’s your definition of good design?
Good design should be inspiring, make you feel something, and ultimately influence behaviour and choices.
