Lluís Carrasco: "If Font seeks a confrontation with Laporta, he will probably lose."

BarcelonaLluís Carrasco had a great reputation as a publicist, but it was thanks to the 2021 Barça elections that he became known to the general public. He was Joan Laporta's campaign manager and the mastermind behind the banner. Looking forward to seeing you again Just a few meters from the Bernabéu. But this time, he's watching from the sidelines.

Is he not participating in the campaign because he didn't want to, or because they didn't call him?

— I spoke with all the candidates except Xavier Vilajoana. Laporta let me know he didn't want a campaign manager in the way it was conceived in 2021, probably because he already feels secure enough with a team made up of his sister, Jordi Cuminal, and Jordi Finestres. And I met with Font and Ciria, with whom I have a good relationship, but in the end, that possibility didn't materialize.

It's curious. None of the candidates have had a campaign manager as such; instead, they've created a team where the lead candidate had the final say.

— Having candidates manage their own campaigns isn't advisable from a strictly professional standpoint. Candidates don't always see their strengths, nor do they always see their weaknesses. Self-criticism is difficult, and we need someone to help us see things clearly. It's beneficial to have a specialist in electoral marketing and social polling, someone with experience, guide you down the path that's best for you, not necessarily what you prefer.

And did he achieve it with Laporta in 2021?

— I was surprised. Many people told me it was an extremely complicated undertaking, because it's a fighting bullSomeone with a fiery, powerful personality. And it turns out I haven't managed a better, more disciplined, and upright candidate. He's the one who's been most receptive to advice.

Is it true that he demanded she lose weight?

— Not exactly [Laughs]. I advised him to. Although he'd actually already started dieting that summer. Everyone knew those elections would be against Font, more than against Freixa, because of the work already done and the budget. Víctor is ten years younger than him. So, it was about rejuvenating Jan's image. Losing weight gives the impression of youth, strength, and a dynamism that we wanted to convey.

Let's return to the present. Looking at the elections from a distance, what flaws have you detected in the different candidates?

— It's difficult to comment on this because every marketing professional has their own ideas, techniques, and way of doing things. I'll just say that they did it differently than I would have.

Do you think Laporta's current campaign has changed much compared to the one he led?

— This one is much quieter, more cautious, prudent. A way of avoiding mistakes. I think it was more or less necessary to do it this way. Even in details like the typography, which is softer compared to 2021. Back then it was bolder and very colorful to grab attention. Now it appeals to prudence, to "we didn't make a mistake." These are just different approaches.

Does the fact that he was previously only a candidate, and is now running for re-election, have any influence?

— Unlike political elections, where the well-being of the citizen is at stake, in the case of Barça elections, you're dealing with people's happiness. They're purely emotional, even if you talk about numbers, professionalism, or management. In that respect, Laporta prevails. Not so much because of the campaign, but because of him. I don't know if he's the best president, but he's certainly the best candidate. He has all the qualities that make him appealing. Unique communication skills without a script. A fiery and captivating personality. Charisma… Laporta takes a mechanical bull and becomes the king of Mercabarna. Anyone else would get told off so they don't hurt themselves. That's very difficult to beat.

Is this exactly what Víctor Font needs?

— This takes work. There's natural charisma and then there's charisma that's imposed, which you cultivate to enhance your communication skills, your appeal as a candidate. I think Víctor Font has many virtues, but I don't know if confrontation is one of his strengths. I don't know if he's very credible in a head-to-head battle with a force like Laporta. I would have run a campaign much more focused on what he brings to the table than seeking confrontation, because he'd probably lose.

What do you think of Marc Ciria's campaign?

— Ciria has made an original, unique, engaging, and very creative proposal, although perhaps not entirely focused on mobilizing disaffected members. He's clever, astute, and very much of the 21st century. Very modern, although his tone is rather loud. Perhaps he could have benefited from having someone by his side to provide some balance. At times, he reminded me of the film...The Wolf of Wall StreetI might have lowered my tone a bit to make the partner feel more comfortable.

However, Vilajoana became very isolated.

— It's also a matter of budget. Budget matters a huge amount. A huge amount, I mean. If you want to spread your idea, you need channels, platforms. This costs money. There's an undeniable volunteer component, but then there's the entire media presence: TV spots, social media, the digital world, Twitter, Twitch, radio… Having a bigger budget means having a bigger presence, and in the voter's mind, this presence can even translate into favoritism.

How much money are we talking about?

— I think Font and Laporta's campaigns could cost between one and two million euros. It can be done for less, yes, but you have less of a chance. It's that brutal. If one candidate spends 500,000 and the other a million, the one who's invested twice as much is more likely to win the election. For example, when Laporta was running in 2021, we doubled our advertising presence on the day of the TV3 debate. If Font ran an ad, we'd run a before-and-after version. That's how it works.

It all comes down to money, then.

— No. It's all calculated, but elections aren't won by budgets, campaigns, or marketing experts. They're won by the candidates. And on that point, Laporta is the favorite.

If a unified candidacy were formed, would things change?

— It's obvious that if it had happened, the race would have been much more open. However, I think it would be less understandable today. There's a difference between uniting for a cause and uniting against someone. You can say that Laporta gathered 7,200 signatures and that the others would have gathered more. But it's still just the sum of losing candidacies. Therefore, this union should have been formed three or four months earlier, highlighting the common ground of each candidacy. Now it would be seen as a somewhat forced situation. Which doesn't mean it couldn't happen, of course.

Did it bother you that Marc Ciria copied the idea of ​​the canvas?

— Many colleagues have asked me if it bothers or offends me. I feel very honored. I'm flattered that so many other ideas have sprung from one idea: from Netflix and Amazon Prime to Sergio Ramos himself... there have been countless imitations and inspirations of that banner.

Is it true that the initial proposal came from Laporta?

— Yes. One day, during the media planning session, he suggested creating a large ad featuring people who fill a building. He was referring to Barcelona, ​​in an election context. So we went to the agency and developed that idea into something groundbreaking, disruptive, and transgressive, and we decided to put the banner 150 meters from the Bernabéu stadium. It's already the most viral advertising campaign in Spanish history. We're approaching 4 billion impressions.

In a past interview, he told me he had a "great idea" for the 2026 elections…

— And I still have it. I'm saving it for 2031, because I think I'll participate again in the next elections.