My name is Ismael dos Anjos and I'm interested in listening and telling stories — even those that happen within ourselves. I consider myself a storyteller, with an argute eye for different angles and details.
The nature of my studies (bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications/Journalism, followed by a Master’s degree in Documentary Photography) and the professional path I made working in areas such as marketing, communication, documentaries, or creating content for brands Natura, Sony, Chivas, Nivea Men, Havaianas, and IBM involved a great deal of professional writing, branded content development, audiovisual knowledge, leadership, and creativity.
Experience
Founder and Advisor of Instituto de Defesa da População Negra | 2020 – Current
IDPN is a non-profit entity in favor of the full exercise of citizenship and respect for the dignity of the black person. Ensuring effective access to quality legal defense is inseparable from promoting racial equity. We understand practices in the legal field, from the practice of strategic litigation, and mentorship of young black lawyers to advocacy, as ways of achieving these objectives and promoting racial equity in Brazil. Open Society Foundation and Ibirapitanga Foundation support our endeavors, and I currently serve as a member of the council and coordinator of our Race and Justice Observatory.
Global Communications Manager | Natura &Co | Sep. 2021 – Feb. 2024
Responsible for defining the communication strategy for advertising and content campaigns of the six priority Perfumery brands (Kaiak, Luna, Humor, Natura Homem, Essencial and Casa de Perfumaria do Brasil), responding to the strategic objectives of the mission - creating a new global reference that considers local specificities. An authentic, proprietary, quality, sustainable perfumery with a Brazilian soul. I've also led the communications regarding the antiracist commitments of Natura as a company.
Of the campaigns managed by me, nine out of the ten measured in post-view System 1 methodology obtained results above Natura and market standards, including the Natura Homem 2023 campaign, which marked the company's record in the evaluation system. I also led two nationally awarded campaigns during my time at the company: the “Campaign of the Year” category at the Potências Award in 2022, with Mano Brown, and “Content Actions” at the Professionals of the Year Award 2023 with “Todas as Flores”. Furthermore, two campaigns coordinated by me were selected to be presented at the UN Women meeting in NY in 2024, as examples of advertisements that challenge stereotypes.
Lecturer and Consultant - Masculinities, Gender Equity and Race | Since 2017
As a consultant, I taught workshops about masculinities and race for companies like Natura, Ford, Ambev, Bridgestone, Accenture, CNH Industrial, Novo Nordisk, Centauro, Accor, Merck, Dasa, Red Bull, C6Bank, Lockton, Technip, Uber and Subsea7 between 2018 and 2020. I’ve also lectured at events such as Homens Possíveis 2019; Path Festival 2018; Homem Brasileiro, 2017, Girl Up 2019, and the 8th Women Entrepreneurs Forum, in addition to national meetings promoted by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, UN Women, and OAB. In the press, I was interviewed for vehicles such as Folha de São Paulo, GloboNews, BandNews, CBN, O Tempo, Conversa com o Bial, and others.
Narrative Strategist and Diversity Activator | WWF-Brazil | Feb. 2021 – Sep. 2021
Responsible for building narratives about WWF-Brazil’s projects and activities to strengthen the organization's internal and external transparency. Production and curation of creative narratives and support for content strategies for the various WWF-Brazil channels: websites, social networks, podcasts, petitions, digital activism tools, newsletters, and internal communication channels. After being recruited, I also started to support the organization's Diversity and Inclusion strategies, under the guidelines of the Diversity Activator role.
Film Director | “Origens” Documentary | 2021
Director of the documentary "Origens: Quem Não Sabe de Onde Veio Não Sabe para Onde Vai?", about memory and ancestry for UOL. The documentary was awarded 1st place in the "Respect and Diversity" award by the National Council of the Public Ministry of Brazil.
Coordinator | “O Silêncio dos Homens” (documentary and research) | 2018 – 2019
Project coordination on gender equity from the masculine perspective, which addresses the development of masculinities in Brazil, the problems derived from harmful notions, and practical paths for much-needed changes within this gender. I was responsible for managing a team of more than 30 people between qualitative research, quantitative research, and documentary production, as well as relationships with the sponsors, Natura Homem and Reserva. The project was developed by PapodeHomem and had the institutional support of UN Women. The film is available on YouTube and has gathered more than 2 million views. It also had over 250 voluntary exhibition sessions only on the first evening.
Project leader, journalist, photographer | Prosa Narrativas em Comunicação e Cultura | 2015 – 2023
As a branded content editor or project leader, I am responsible for the production, execution, and coordination of content projects and brand consulting. As a journalist and photographer, I am responsible for multiple publications.
. Creative guest at a WIP sprint for a Warner Brothers Discovery project under development. 2023
. Cover stories for Revista da Gol and Revista Trip with Itamar Vieira Junior, Silvio Almeida, Pabllo Vittar, Preto Zezé e Ícaro Silva. Between 2021 and 2023.
. Na Estrada com Quem Faz, a yearly project with 52 episodes aired on Sundays for TV Globo and General Motors, 2020.
. A creative writer during a Mesa sprint on the Oympikus Corre2 project, a Brazilian running sneaker. 2020
. Content editor and manager at the platforms specialized in education Portal Aprendiz and Centro de Referências em Educação Integral. Between 2020 and 2021.
. Re-launch of the Natura Homem brand. PapodeHomem and Natura, 2017. 54 articles, with 707.734 unique visitors (235,91% over the expected).
. Content production, screenplay, and AI training for the Geeks Collide game, a partnership between UOL and IBM. 2017. 180 thousand battles and over 3,000 downloads in four days.
. Some of my other work includes: a documentary series about Grande Sertão: Veredas for Guia do Estudante, 2017; MMA of the Lord for BBC Brasil, 2017; the fight of quilombolas in Jalapão for Galileu’s magazine and website, 2017; a profile about the first female transgender candidate for an executive position in Brazil for Galileu’s magazine and website, 2016; Consequences of the crime of mining company Samarco in Mariana, for BBC Latin America, 2015 and Galileu magazine, 2015. I was also invited to held two exhibitions of my photodocumentary work for Virada Sustentável, in 2016 and 2018.
Ghostwriter for “Minha História: Saltando Fogueiras” | 2014 – 2015
Interviews, writing, and editing for the biography of Antônio de Pádua Seixas, former Director of the Central Bank of Brazil and responsible for negotiating Brazilian external debt.
Editor and Content Coordinator at PapodeHomem | April/2013 – June/2015
Reporter, project leader, and editor for one of the biggest Brazilian independent media sites (2,5 million users/month). Responsible for producing content in text, video (I was also the host of YouTube videos), and infographics and for recruiting, managing, and supervising teams of journalists, designers, illustrators, and video makers. Some of my major projects were around sports, especially during the 2014 World Cup, and for brands such as Chivas, Sony, Nivea, and Havaianas.
Reporter at Editora Abril | May/2010 – April/2013
Researcher, writer, and editor of an international media and innovation newsletter called Carta do Editor, weekly sent to executive directors, journalists, and designers of Abril, Brazil’s biggest magazine publisher. During this period, I wrote multiple sports and lifestyle articles for Abril’s other titles, such as Placar, Playboy, and Alfa, with interviews and articles about Anderson Silva, Messi, Federer, Schumacher, and more. At the Revista Superinteressante website, I was the blogger for Tendências, a section about innovation, the internet, social media, and digital culture.
Education
. Master of Arts Photojournalism and Documentary Photography - University of Arts London | 2018/2020 | Graduated with Distinction
. Bachelor in Social Communication | Journalism - Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – UFMG | 2005/2009
. Photography - Panamericana Escola de Artes e Design | 2012/2013. Concluded in 2015
. Bachelor in Law - Universidade Fumec | 2007/2009. Leave of absence in 2009, after three years.
Complementary Education and Actions
. Projeto MAPA – a journey to find a narrative for the XXI century, 2019.
. Images Without Borders – Fotoempauta, 2018.
. Exhibitions of my documentary photos for Virada Sustentável. After the Mud and Grande Sertão Veredas, in 2016 and 2018
. Seeing Through Photographs – MoMa, NY. 2016, online.
Languages
Portuguese – Native English – Fluent Spanish – Basic
