Creative Dudes from Romania (1)

Well, I'm Sasaki, back in Tokyo now, and I'm truly grateful that you all haven't abandoned me and are still coming to this column. Even while in Japan, I want to share the freshest digital and global trends I can, so please stick with me!

This time and next, I thought I'd share interviews with young creatives working at Dentsu America's New York office. Meet Raul and Mihai, a talented duo of Associate Creative Directors (ACDs). Both are originally from Romania. You don't hear the title ACD much in Japan, but it stands for Associate Creative Director. Think of it as Deputy Creative Director, or one step below CD. They're around 30 years old, and in Europe and America, many people become Creative Directors around this age. So, let's get started!

Sasaki: Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules today. Right off the bat, why did you two get into advertising?

Raul: I started doing street art around age 15. I'd paint when asked, and that became my job. That led me to want to become an art director. I didn't go to art school or anything.

Mihai: I had a friend in this industry. When I was 19, I started hanging out at an ad agency office, and that's how I ended up working as a copywriter.

Sasaki: That's so interesting! In Japan, you go to university, carefully choose which company to join, and work hard at job hunting to get in. It's totally different here. Is that how it is for everyone in Romania?

Raul: First off, Yasu (Sasaki was called Yasu locally), did you even know where Romania was?

Sasaki: Huh? Um, ugh...

He's Raul. An ACD with an art director background. He also works on various personal projects.

Raul: (laughs). In Japan, he's probably only known from Dracula legends or something.

Mihai: We're from Romania, but we lived in Germany for a long time too.

Raul: Germany has a lot of traditional art and design. It was a great place to learn while working.

Sasaki: Romania, Germany, and America. That's global. I'm really envious. I don't think young Japanese people can move around like that easily. I'd also like some advice for young Japanese people later, but first this question. In this industry, what do you think about digital?

Raul: Digital isn't anything new. It's part of our lives. We can't do without it, but we don't even need to think about its existence—it's the most natural thing. In advertising planning, I think you should just use it normally.

Mihai: I like digital. It's a democratic medium. Thinking about ideas using only traditional media feels restrictive.

This is Mihai. An ACD who started as a copywriter. He's got a certain movie star kind of presence, doesn't he?

Sasaki: I like that. Digital isn't something special. We should all just use it normally and come up with interesting ideas. Japan still has this disconnect between traditional and digital, you know.

Raul: It's strange that Japan has such advanced technology yet remains divided.

Sasaki: Speaking of digital, you two announced an interesting project before, right?

Raul:The Instagram Menu, right? We made that as a personal project using a friend's restaurant.

Sasaki: It's simple, a concept that seemed obvious yet didn't exist before. Great idea. Anyway, your agility is impressive. You conceive it, bring it to life, launch it, and it actually gains traction. This project was even featured in Japanese online magazines.

Mihai: I didn't know that! But we want to keep doing even better work.

...Well, this interview format means we'll never finish in one article, so we'll continue next time. Sorry!
Next time, I plan to get them to spill the beans on what it means to work globally, why they came to New York, and how they gather the latest information.

But honestly, the best part about coming to New York? It all comes down to meeting so many inspiring people like these guys. I can't let them outdo me. I've got to get moving too!