MATHEUS COUTINHO AND THE AESTHETIC THAT CREATES IMPACT
- Matheus Hooks/ Editor-In-Chief
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
In the new image-driven economy, it is not enough to be attractive. You need to be memorable, strategic, and deliver results. It is precisely at this point that Matheus Coutinho builds his career.
At 37 years old and with over two decades in the audiovisual market, the photographer and director has established a name that balances technical mastery, cinematic knowledge, and refined aesthetic sensitivity. With a degree in Communication and a postgraduate degree in Film, he has transformed visual language into a powerful tool for positioning.
Throughout his career, he has photographed and directed major celebrities and developed a style that combines precision with personality. His work is both refined and technical, yet playful and daring. He seeks unexpected references, blends different languages, and creates visual narratives with a distinct identity. Every image carries a concept. Every frame has intention.
When asked when he realized he had found his style, he responds with creative maturity. Style is not something you discover all at once; it is something you build. Over the years, he absorbed references, experimented with languages, and tested boundaries. Recognition came when people began to identify an image as “his” even before knowing the author. The signature was there—in the light, the atmosphere, the direction.
For Matheus, technique is a tool, never the protagonist. The starting point is always the concept and the intention of the brand or story that needs to be told. Cinema, art, music, and urban culture enter as narrative layers that amplify the impact. He chooses each element for its potential to generate emotion and relevance.
On set, his work goes beyond the click or the “action.” He builds atmosphere. For him, direction is also about managing energy—the team’s, the talent’s, the production’s rhythm. When the environment is aligned and fully immersed in the concept, the result transcends the technical.
There is one detail that has become his trademark. There is always a playlist accompanying the process. Music sets the mood on set, loosens the body, connects people, and creates an emotional rhythm. It may seem like a small detail, but it is not. Energy is also an aesthetic construction.
This combination of technical rigor and creative freedom is reflected in his results. His portfolio includes brands such as O Boticário, Renault, Coca-Cola, L’Oréal, Netshoes, and Philips. Companies that seek more than campaigns—they seek image-building and real connection with their audience.
Matheus also understood that the market has changed. Brands now demand integrated vision, 360-degree thinking, narrative, and performance working together. From this movement, WNGZ was born.
More than a production company, WNGZ is a creative movement. A strategic boutique that integrates narrative, performance, and cultural relevance. With a team carefully curated by Matheus, it maintains a high aesthetic and technical standard while scaling to handle campaigns, series, and productions in various formats.
The proposition is clear: Creating Wings for the World. To give wings to ideas, brands, and stories, launching everything into the world with intensity and purpose.
In an interview with Hooks, he emphasizes that impact does not come solely from aesthetics, but from the coherence between concept, execution, and purpose. Before any click, there is positioning. There is a deep understanding of the brand. There is strategy.
There is also pragmatism. At the end of the day, as he reminds us, this is advertising. It’s about results and conversion. Connecting is essential, but selling is too. Whether it’s a product, positioning, or image, the goal needs to be clear.
The foundation of WNGZ is straightforward: aligned concept, flawless execution, and conversion. In a saturated and competitive digital era, brands need immediate impact and long-term strategic building.
Check out the exclusive interview:
You have been working in photography and directing for over 20 years. When did you realize you had found your own style?
I think style is not something you find all at once, it is something you build over time. For many years, I absorbed references, experimented with languages, and tested technical limits. At some point, I noticed that people were already identifying an image as “mine” before even knowing who had created it. When your aesthetic starts to have a signature—whether in light, atmosphere, or direction—you realize you have found an identity. That identity continues to evolve, but always on a very solid foundation.
Your work mixes technique, cinema, and different references. How do you choose what to use for each project?
Everything starts with the concept and the intention of the brand or story that needs to be told. Technique is a tool, never the protagonist. I like to dive into references that are not always obvious—cinema, art, music, urban culture—and see what can add an extra layer to that specific project. My work is refined and technical, but also irreverent. I choose what to use based on the impact it can generate, always aiming to build a visual narrative with its own identity.
You have photographed and directed major celebrities. What changes when working with such well-known names?
Responsibility changes, but the essence of the process does not. Celebrities come with a consolidated image, so my role is to respect that identity while revealing something new. I like to create an environment where they feel safe to experiment and express themselves beyond what the public already knows.
For anyone in front of my camera, the experience must be light and enjoyable. I make sure the process is fluid and comfortable, simplifying what often seems complex. When there is trust on set, everything flows better, and the result gains authenticity. And authenticity is what really connects.
On set, you are known for creating your own energy. How does this atmosphere influence the final images?
It influences everything. The image starts long before the click or “action.” It is born in the atmosphere. I believe directing is also energy management—for the team, the talent, and the pace of production. When the set is aligned, confident, and immersed in the concept, that shows directly in the results.
There is always a playlist accompanying the process because music sets the vibe and the rhythm of the set. It helps build the emotional atmosphere, loosens the body, connects people, and creates rhythm. It seems like a detail, but it isn’t. Energy is construction.
My goal is to turn the process into an experience. When everyone is connected to the same vision, the result transcends technique and becomes memorable.
WNGZ was born as a creative movement. What made you feel it was time to create this new type of production company?
The market changed. Brands started needing integrated vision, 360-degree thinking, and narrative and performance working together. I felt it was time to expand my creative identity beyond my individual work. WNGZ was born from this need, as a movement, not just a production company.
It is composed of a team curated by me, professionals who share the same aesthetic, technical, and strategic standards. This allows us to scale projects while maintaining quality and identity. WNGZ is, above all, a seal of quality. No matter the size of the project, it will have concept, strength, and premium delivery. The standard is always high.
WNGZ exists to give wings to ideas and launch them into the world with intensity and purpose. Creating Wings for the World is about movement, impact, and identity.
Today, brands want more than beautiful images—they want connection with the audience. How do you turn an idea into something that truly makes an impact?
Impact does not come solely from aesthetics; it comes from the coherence between concept, execution, and purpose. I always start by deeply understanding the brand’s positioning and what it wants to provoke in its audience. From there, I build a visual narrative that is not only beautiful but intentional.
At the end of the day, I work with advertising. We are talking about results. We are talking about conversion. Connecting is essential, but selling is too. Whether selling a product, positioning, or image, the objective needs to be clear.
The foundation of WNGZ is simple: aligned concept, flawless execution, and conversion. We live in a digital era where everything is fast, competitive, and visually saturated. Brands need immediate impact, but also strategic building.
WNGZ emerged to fill this gap, combining strong aesthetics, consistent direction, and business vision. Because today, image is language, and when you unite technique, identity, and strategy, you create something that not only captures attention but drives real movement in the market.
