Describe yourself in 3 words?
- Too many moods
Tell us about diversity and creative freedom in advertising. What needs to change?
- The biggest shift that must happen is for the industry to know the difference between working hard & working smart. In Bangladesh, we are still concerned about how big our logo is & how visible our products are. We miss the point along the way. Advertising has the power to change the narrative of how people think. The aim should be to create relevancy, and impact consumers’ minds.
What helps you to overcome a ‘creative block’?
- By not thinking about it at all! Over the past few years, I realised that thinking about my creative block & stressing over it only makes it worse. During this pandemic I learnt there is nothing a warm cup of coffee & a good book can’t fix!
Women are now 'reinventing the game’. What’s your advice on overcoming gender and racial biases?
- It gives me so much satisfaction & purpose to see women turning up & making shit happen. Women have always been doing it but it isn’t until very recently that they're being heard, and this is only the beginning. In terms of overcoming racial & gender biases, the first thing is for YOU to believe you’re equally capable & deserving. That perspective itself will be a huge shift. When you know you deserve no less, no one can ever make you feel otherwise.
Tell us about the importance of branding and exposure for artists in this era?
- Personal branding is vital and an investment: This reminded me of something I once read: “you are in the business of making other businesses look good, appear more valuable & communicate more clearly”.
How has the cultural transition of moving from Pakistan to Bangladesh shaped you?
- Who I was before I moved to Bangladesh is not the same person as who I am right now. Living in a foreign country made me learn a lot about myself. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone and do things that I once feared. It wasn’t easy, but I now call Dhaka my second home. I’m overall a better person today because of it.
You can contact Maryam, and view her portfolio on @maryamkdesign