LEADERS OF THE NEW: Samaneh Sadaghiani

Leaders of the New is an ongoing series at jettlandicho.com that will focus on the future talents of advertising. Click here to check the archives.



Name: Samaneh Sadaghiani (Sami)

Career Path: Copywriting

Education:
Seneca College - Creative Advertising Diploma Program
Seneca College - Law Clerk Diploma Program

One Thing About You: I wear orange on Fridays.

Contact: sami@shewriteshedraws.com

Full interview after the jump!

When did you know that advertising was for you?

Lisa Atkins’ intro to copywriting class semester one - She was explaining a day in the life of a copywriter and I got goose bumps from excitement!


I remember when I first met you that you had your heart set on working on the business side of advertising. Why the switch?

I’m going to admit to something here: sometimes, I’m really slow. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I guess I never thought I could actually make a living out of it. Again, back to Lisa’s class, after that one lecture, it hit me and I was sold!


Describe your creative process. How do you brainstorm? How do you keep track of ideas? How do you know when one of your ideas is good? What do you do when you're creatively stumped?

For the record, that’s three questions in one!

Brainstorming:

Mind maps! Study the brief/your product/your target. Figure out the ONE thing you want to say. Narrow it down to one word and go from there! Just associate anything and everything that you can with that word until you find your direction.

Keeping track:

I write everything that comes to mind down. I either type things or write them in my giant sketchbook, a notepad or on a piece of paper that I stick on the wall… I’m pretty much all over the place!

Good idea:

The really good ones are the ones that make me super nervous. Then I ask anyone and everyone (sometimes everything) to tell me what they think about it and I go from there.


How has your previous career venture affected your current path towards advertising? Do any of the lessons you learned before cross over?

I’ve been working for a divorce lawyer for 3 years. It has taught me not to get married. Ever.


You’ve formed a creative team called “She Writes. He Draws.” with Art Director Ryan Bannon. How did you two form that partnership? How do you complement each other?

Funny story! Actually not that funny… We went to breakfast at Cora’s one morning and discussed our hopes and dreams for the future. We realized we had many of the same goals and decided to team up as we were both willing to put in ridiculous hours and all our energy. Okay, not a funny story at all…Fail.


You’ve competed in a few advertising competitions. What were those experiences like?

I really enjoy participating in those competitions as the tight deadlines force you to really push yourself. You learn something new about how well you perform under pressure and challenge yourself to do better in the future. I think that’s excellent practice.


What is your biggest accomplishment so far in advertising? What is your biggest accomplishment so far in life?

The thing I’m most proud of in life is my ability to relate. Putting myself in other people’s shoes is a skill I’ve been practicing since I was very young. My circle of friends consists of very opinionated and unique individuals. It helps me appreciate and understand their decisions when I’m able to put aside my own views and see the world through theirs.

I also believe this is beneficial to my career in advertising as it makes relating to the target a tiny bit easier.


What would happen to the universe if you and I ever get to execute our genius Wonderbread campaign for real?

Every other brand of toast would go out of business. Permanently.


Where do you want to be in 5 years?

I would like to run my own agency while I’m young and fresh!


What do you do for fun?

I really enjoy conversing with people who are different than me - whether it’s cultural differences, or religious/ spiritual views. I’m very intrigued by human behaviour, morals, values, etc. and love learning from all sorts of people.

To feed my curiosity, I like to check out different scenes around town. One night you’ll find me at a metal bar hanging out with people sporting bikes and spikes and the next night I’m all dolled up having a Kir Royale in Yorkville.

I also LOVE to travel. The experience/knowledge you gain from traveling is absolutely priceless.


E-Elevator Pitch: Sell yourself in 140 characters or less.

LET ME WRITE FOR YOU! I’LL WORK MY BUTT OFF AND I LOVE ADVERTISING! (I’ll be wearing a hoodie so the exchange will be intimidating and effective.)

If you're an advertising student or are just starting out in the business and would like to be featured on Leaders of the New, send me an email at jettlandicho@gmail.com