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.
On tap this week is Sunduss Qidwai, the 25-year-old Senior Creative Manager at Fibonacci in Karachi, Pakistan. According to Qidwai, she would like to see brands being bolder in their marketing strategies. “Sometimes brands are hesitant to go off-the-beaten-path which can be challenging at times for an adwoman like myself,” she told us.
The Basics
Name: Sunduss Qidwai
Age: 25
Agency: Fibonacci
Position: Senior Creative Manager
Birthplace: Karachi, Pakistan
Current Location: Karachi
Education: Bachelor’s in Communication Design, Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture.
Seven Questions
How did you get your first break in the industry?
My first experience with the advertising world happened when I joined an ad agency in Dubai, UAE. At the agency, I quickly learned all facets of the business and was attracted
With the fact that there was no such thing as a typical day. You get new challenges every single day, which makes it happening and truly inspiring.
What is your personal mantra?
“Moving the heart.”
‘The creative adult is the child who survived’ so whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly.
From what person, place, or thing have you drawn your greatest creative inspiration?
I have always been a proponent of finding answers from unusual places. Creativity to me comes from curiosity. Curiosity or confusion leads to clarity and experiences. With diverse experiences, you are able to connect multiple dots, which, ultimately create the perfect picture. For me traveling crafts that curiosity.
What do you love about the job?
The thing I love the most about working at Fibonacci is that everyone here is very data-driven. The vision of the company is inspirational and everything we do is aligned with who we want
to be as a company. There are no limits to what anyone at the agency wants to achieve. Hence, I enjoy the freedom, flexibility and the futuristic approach.
What about your job are you not so crazy about?
One thing which is an opportunity area for the industry as a whole is the acceptability to work on bold ideas. I truly believe that brands In the 21st century need to connect with their audiences at a much deeper level instead of being too product-centric or typical. Sometimes brands are hesitant to go off-the-beaten-path which can be challenging at times for an adwoman like myself.
What is some work you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
I have been privileged to work on prestigious brands like Mcdonalds, Cartoon Network, Krispy Kreme, Majid Al Futtaim, Hilal Foods to name a few, but the campaign that is closest to my heart is when we brought smile on the face of a deaf girl, Tabassum – a student of Deaf Reach Schools, Colleges and Training Center.
To increase awareness of the deaf cause we planned something out of the box during the ‘International Week of the Deaf’.
Seven coffee shops in Karachi trained Tabassum each day of the week as the ‘First Female Deaf Barista of Pakistan’. Daily proceedings were shared on their digital platforms resulting in overall three million-plus organic social media reach and multiple recognition by local and global publishers/ media.
Can you guess the marketing spend? It was zero. Not only that, Tabassum received three job offers due to the campaign, as she became an inspiration for hundreds and thousands of poor deaf girls in Pakistan.
If you had to choose another career what would it be?
If I were not in advertising, I would have been a pilot. However, the dream is still alive as I will be working towards acquiring my private pilot license soon. 🙂
Want to submit your suggestion for One Under 30: Young Creative Spotlight? Feel free to drop us a line: [email protected]
