As part of our ongoing series spotlighting young talent in the industry, we return with another One Under 30 – a special feature focused on rising talent in the advertising & marketing world – one person at a time.
Next up, we talk to Hannah Parsons, Senior Art Director at R/GA in Tokyo.
Over the course of our conversation, Hannah, a native of New York City, talks about how she got her first break in the industry, what she loves about the job, what she’s not so crazy about, some of her favorite campaign work, and more.
The Basics
Name: Hannah Parsons
Age: 28
Agency: R/GA
Position: Senior Art Director, Tokyo
Hometown: New York City
Current Location: Tokyo
Education: Skidmore, Art, 2019
Seven Questions
How did you get your first break in the industry?
I had been in Tokyo for about a year, and I was working at a breakfast place and teaching animation part-time. Every shift, I had to wear this awful blue polo shirt, and I was itching to find something more stable.
My friend Debbie, who worked at R/GA at the time, passed my website on to our ECD, despite having no previous agency experience and only funny illustrations to show, he took a chance and hired me as a junior designer.
What is your personal mantra?
Better out than in.
I am an emotional person. I laugh a lot. I also cry a lot. I used to be very embarrassed about this, but I have come to think of it as a strength. These days, I am better at listening to my emotions and the emotions of others. I try to let them guide me and inform my work.
From what person, place, or thing have you drawn your greatest creative inspiration?
BOOK OFF – a recycle shop. It’s huge and a really nice place to discover things. I will go in, not looking for anything in particular, and find a book on paper crafts or some retro blanket with a pattern I like.
The things I have found at BOOK OFF have led to new interests, hobbies, and techniques. My friends poke fun at me because 99% of the time, when I’m asked where I got something, the answer is BOOK OFF.
What do you love about the job?
A buzzy jam. I love the ping-pong feeling of collaboration. That kind of creative chemistry is a very special feeling. Whether it’s on a photoshoot or just casually ideating, I really value being able to create things with other people.
What about your job are you not so crazy about?
There are a lot of words, and sometimes words make me nervous. There is a vulnerability in putting something into words. It can be easy to pick apart words. Sometimes, I find, a lot of words are used to describe something that is actually quite simple. I tend to get lost in the fluff. I wish we could cut through the noise.
What is some work you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
Recently, I got the opportunity to work on a project for Arc’teryx. The gear is often seen on city streets, but rarely in the wild. Its design credibility is known, but its mountain legacy is not. So we created a digital archive of people who live in the mountains.
Alpine hikers, trail runners, mountain climbers. Real people. By clicking on their profile, you discover their “artifacts” – a hand-drawn map, a lucky cat whisker, a hard-boiled egg, and of course, the gear that carries them through it all.
Over the course of the project, I began to see parallels between what we were creating for the brand and my own creative practice. Whether that is good or bad, it left me feeling personally connected to the work and I am very proud of what we were able to achieve.
If you had to choose another career, what would it be?
A dermatologist.
