As part of an ongoing series highlighting young talent in the industry, Branding in Asia brings you “One Under 30: Young Creative Spotlight”, a regular feature that focuses on up-and-coming talent in the ad world.
This week we feature Amal Nadeem Alam, Senior Manager Planning & Communications at String Media in Karachi.
The Basics
Name: Amal Nadeem Alam
Age: 25
Agency: String Media
Position: Senior Manager Planning & Communications
Birthplace: Karachi
Current Location: Karachi
Education: Bachelors of Communication Design from Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, 2018
Seven Questions
How did you get your first break in the industry?
I went to an art college because I knew that no matter which career avenue I pick, creativity had to be a part of it. After my first internship at a publication house, I landed an internship in the creative department at J. Walter Thompson Pakistan.
While most of my batch mates were spending their summer vacations traveling because internships weren’t compulsory that year, I got a taste of the Ad world where I had the chance to work on some great projects and meet some amazing personalities in the industry who shared their stories and experiences.
What is your personal mantra?
Work smart and believe in yourself!
You may be the most hardworking person, but I believe, in this industry, you need to work smart alongside working hard and don’t ever stop believing in yourself
From what person, place, or thing have you drawn your greatest creative inspiration?
Apart from my wonderful parents who have always encouraged me towards the creative field and believed in me. My greatest inspiration is my Grandmother, she is extremely artistic and creative.
Growing up with her I always saw creating beautiful artistic things from nothing, be it decorating spaces or objects, floral décor, and gardening, food presentation or something as simple as just wrapping presents! She always made sure to put her unique and personal creative touch in all of it, and guess what? It always stood out.
She made me realize the importance of anecdotes, storytelling and building a narrative from personal experiences and insights.
Back in the 50’s she was one of the first females from her social circle to drive a car around town and work alongside with men, she never gave up she always taught me nothing is impossible.
What do you love about the job?
The best part about my job at String Media is the wholistic approach with which we cater to our entire clientele and the fact that each day presents a new challenge and new learning for me.
The overall environment at work is quite open and inclusive, with less focus of hierarchy and more on growing together as a team!
What about your job are you not so crazy about?
I am really passionate about my work and always open to feedback and critique (because sometimes you get so blinded by your own work that you can’t see the flaws).
Things usually do not rattle me but unclear briefs and indecisive clients can be a bit frustrating especially when they are not willing to take creative risks that can make any project stand out.
What is some work you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
Despite the multiple projects I’ve worked on, for various brands, my favorite project, to date, will always be my Thesis. There are many reasons why it’s so close to my heart, one of the reasons being; I could go as creative as I wanted to while breaking the stereotypes and talking about this specific topic, the other reason being; I put my heart and soul in this project and became the voice for thousands of women out there. The distinction I received proved my hard work worthwhile.
About my Thesis:
“Reach Out” is a social media campaign under the Digital Rights Foundation led by Nighat Dad. There are 3 videos (public services messages) that target the victims of cybercrime: image-based sexual abuse, tells them their legal rights and pushes them towards reaching out for help in such situations when they are extremely vulnerable so they feel empowered and not scared.
You can see more about it here.
If you had to choose another career what would it be?
A pilot or a dermatologist.
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