Member in the Spotlight: Anne Koning

Anne Koning is the Managing Director of Granny Amsterdam, advancing the company’s creative, brand and campaign teams as the agency continues to evolve internationally. Before Granny, Anne spent 6 years in the Global Brand and Creative Marketing team at Netflix, including leading editorial and social and new series launches for Northern Europe. Anne started in the first social media agencies in Amsterdam, discovering her passion for TV and then spent 10+ years of her career in the TV Studio and social marketing business at SBS, Endemol and Viacom before joining Netflix. Over her career she has been honoured with a few marketing awards including Best Brand on Social Media and a Bronze Lion for interactive campaign.

As the Club for Creativity, we’d like to start by asking you to create a self-portrait.

PERSONAL

What is your favourite website/app and why?

Meditation/ bedtime story app called ‘Calm’. It helps me relax as I have an ongoing brain that sometimes needs a bit of help to just ‘stop’.

Do you own a collection and if so, what is it?

I do. I'm a design and photography junkie and love both so much that I truly spend all my cash on it. Whenever Foam has a new photographer I'm keen into checking it out and potentially buying the work. The most recent work I bought outside of Foam is a photo called ‘“Peach Wall” from George Byrne.

If you didn't live in the Netherlands, where would you live?

Australia. My husband is from Sydney and we can’t wait for the border to be open again so we can take our children and visit the grandparents as well as the beautiful beaches and nature again.

Who is your current art/design crush?

I'm gonna name two: Donnya Zidan and Jill Mathon. Both female creatives who are changing the creative industry by showcasing what creative leadership looks like, making others feel heard and seen in a way people have not seen themselves before.

What is the best gift you ever received and why?

A speech when I turned 30. I had never received a personal speech before and there’s a magic to it, comparable to a poem.

Who is the one artist whose work you'd collect if you could?

I would secretly love to ‘own’ a real Bob Ross. A happy little tree or cloud would make every day a fun one.

How much of a routine do you have in your daily life?

I aim for a lot of routine as I can be too flexible and chaotic. Having young children requires routines. It really helps get a day a bit more organised.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

A cuddle with the whole fam in our big bed and a nice cup of ‘shut the F-up’. Whaha, I need coffee before I can talk or respond.

PROFESSIONAL

Which phase of the creative process excites you the most and why?

Building the concept and bringing something to life. It’s exciting to get an idea that floats around in your head out in the open and tangible.

What makes a great or hero client?

To work with clients that represent a diverse and inclusive product is very exciting. This offers the possibility to creatively reflect the time in which we live.

If you weren't working in the creative industry, what else would you be doing?

I’d be a doctor. I always wanted to be a vet or a surgeon, my grades just didn’t let me into med school so I studied art and communication instead. What these professions have in common is an eye for detail and great care for a positive and healthy end result. Thankfully I'm not saving lives though...

What professional skill do you value the most?

To ask great questions that lead to the knowledge and understanding of the actual brief and need.

Who do you love/admire the most in the Dutch creative industry?

I love Soundos. The amount of times she was told no and then still have the positive vibes and success she has is truly inspiring to all of us.

Out of the campaigns/projects you’ve worked on, which makes you the most proud?

The metro Dark Ticket that turned out to be a 33 year cycle time machine is one of the most defining moments with Granny.

The brand campaigns work for Netflix, such as the very first Stranger Things Podcast with Adam and Christina Curry, Sunlamp for your home so the viewers in Nordics had some extra warmth in winter as well as rolling out a Brabantse take over on the Netflix channel to promote the First Dutch original Undercover. We had so much fun on these projects, it makes me laugh thinking about it.

What top tips do you have to help people get creatively inspired?

Make sure to book time with yourself to do nothing. The best ideas always pop up when you’re actually just wandering around, going for a walk or in the shower.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Always assume good intent. It will keep communication ‘open’ and positive.

How do you deal with failure?

See it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

How do you ensure that you continue to grow creatively?

Go out and be on the dance floor (again). Tonight at ADE for instance. It all happens at the dance floor. How people move, dance, dress. It’s a big inspiration for me and always has been.

What is the most bold move you have made?

Saying no to a client or project is difficult, but setting healthy boundaries that protect you or your employees and work culture requires making a bold move at times.

What is the most bold move you wish you had made?

I am not sure if you have seen our spotlight series on our social media, @wearegranny but as it is very visually based, we have a few specific requests for images.