Member in the Spotlight: Samyr Souen

Our next Member in the Spotlight, Samyr Souen, has been in the creative industry for over 15 years. His career so far has taken him from São Paulo to Los Angeles and now Amsterdam where he is the Creative Director of ACHTUNG!. We ask Samyr a series of both personal and professional questions where we find out what the best gift he ever received is, what was the last meal that truly impressed him and why he wishes he thought of making a burger go mouldy first.

As the Club for Creativity, we'd like to start by asking you to get creative and draw a self portrait.

PERSONAL

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

I collect pens and mechanical pencils – every day I use a different one depending on my mood.

What is the most unforgettable place you have travelled to?

New Zealand. I was completely flabbergasted by its nature and landscapes. It was not by chance that The Lord of the Rings was shot there.

What music could we find on your favourite playlist?

Good and old school Rock Band - The Spirit of Radio - Rush.

What was the last meal that truly impressed you?

Azurmendi, Basque Restaurant in Bilbao.The most creative food experience I’ve ever had.

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

Portland, Oregon

What is the best gift you ever received and why?

Aslan, my 6 month old son. I love to learn and I learn something new with him every day.

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

Jean-Michel Basquiat. He took the graffiti art to the next level. The way he combines drawing, painting and poetry in a chaotic beautiful art piece hypnotises me.

PROFESSIONAL

What makes a great or hero client?

A pioneer mindset – don’t follow others but dare to be the first in the game.

What professional skill do you value the most?

To be an excellent art director I truly believe you have to be an extremely curious person, absorb as much knowledge as you can, and learn from your own mistakes with a lot of resilience and optimism.

Who is your favourite creative leader?

Paco Conde, founder & creative of Activista LA – one of the most brilliant and humble creatives I’ve ever met. His ideas go beyond advertising and remind us about the power of creativity; how it can improve our lives and bring more joy to the world.

How do you learn in the best/most effective way?

Once I read a book called Deep Work. It explains how social media, distractions in the office, email bombs etc. have jeopardised our cognitive skills and concentration. That being said, whenever I have a project that requires me to be sharp, learn something new, and come up with a creative solution, I try to isolate myself from distraction until I have the answer.

If you could pick one recent campaign/project that makes you think, ‘I wish I’d done that’, what would it be and why?

I’d pick Burger King - The Moldy Whopper, not just because the idea is brilliant but I wish I had the super power skill to convince a client like Burger King to advertise their product getting moldy to millions of people.

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

This is such a special project to me! Right after moving from Los Angeles during a rainy and foggy morning in Amsterdam, I received my first briefing at Achtung! and Snekweg Sprookjes Volkswagen was born :-)

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

Go for a walk, talk to a stranger, be curious, try to find inspiration outside the advertising bubble.

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

In the beginning of my career as an aspiring Art Director somebody told me ‘you can’t be a creative’. It taught me to follow my gut.