5 Minutes with… Corinna Falusi
With experience spanning chief creative officer roles at both Mother New York and Ogilvy New York, freelance CCO Corinna Falusi has a wealth of knowledge and experience at her fingertips. Having worked in Germany previously – as well as the Netherlands and the US – she's now working with her colleagues in Berlin and Hamburg, to support agency Scholz & Friends through a strategic partnership.
No stranger to award shows and personal success, Corinna has been named among the Top 50 creatives by AdWeek, chaired the ADC Festival in 2023 and is a member of the D&AD advisory board. As she returns to Germany, her focus remains on the creative aspects of her role, determined to put her effort into executing ideas to resonate with the “cultural gold mine” market that is Deutschland.
Reflecting on the “honesty, trust, and time” behind campaigns, Corinna speaks to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani about what it takes to create something special, and which brands are inspiring her work right now.
LBB> With experience having been chief creative officer and partner at Mother New York and chief creative officer at Ogilvy in New York, you have a wealth of knowledge about the industry. What are you most looking forward to with your partnership at Scholz & Friends?
Corinna> When I decided to become independent, my dream was to focus more on the creative side of my job. Often agency structures can be a distraction from this fundamental part. The best ideas happen when the right people come together; it’s that simple. It’s great to work with Scholz & Friends. Their focus is on ideas, as opposed to process. Hopefully, the recent McDonald’s McCrispy campaign proves that. I’m also excited to be able to bring an international perspective to the German market, and there are so many local insights into German culture to work with.
LBB> When it comes to creating an idea which stands out and makes an audience interested, what is essential to keep in mind throughout the creative process?
Corinna> Every day, creative people come up with interesting ideas that could stand out. That’s not the problem. The issue is the process. How do you get that idea out into the world, still intact? The idea will evolve in some way, that’s a given, but the task is to make sure that the power of the idea doesn’t become diminished by the process. It’s rare that our audience is waiting with excitement to see what we’ve come up with. Every time, we have to earn their interest. As for the ideas themselves, does it make you feel something? Is it useful?
LBB> You’ve worked across New York and other parts the United States, but also have experience in the Netherlands and previously in Germany, at Jung von Matt. How has living and creating with different markets changed the way you work?
Corinna> Germany taught me to thoughtfully examine and to take time to craft things well. Working in the Netherlands taught me to be messy and feel creatively free. The US taught me big brand thinking; That anything is possible, and that there’s nothing wrong with embracing whatever is new and novel at the time.
Today I can draw on all of this. Whether it’s to make work that hits a local insight, or global work that can touch everyone. Whether in India, France, or the US, we’re all looking for something that can entertain us, touch us, or that can have some sort of use in our lives.
LBB> What are some of the unique challenges and quirks of the German market which you’re excited to tackle this time around?
Corinna> Germany is a cultural gold mine. There are many interesting insights as there are people. Today’s Germany is not the stereotypes we often see represented in films and popular culture. However, I will say that so far, every single Zoom meeting has started on time.
LBB> What’s the one piece of work that changed your career and why?
Corinna> It’s always hard to pick something from the past because we’re all looking forward to the next piece of work that we are going to make in the future.
If I had to pick one, it would be ‘The Refugee Nation’: creating a flag and therefore a nation for displaced people during the Olympic Games. From the start, it was clear that it was an idea that needed to exist. Not making it happen was not an option.
From the outset, all odds were against it. The Olympic Committee refused to play along. It only became reality thanks to a herculean effort by a group of people who came together without ego, and with the belief that anything is possible. No initiative was unexplored. We even donated Ikea chairs to a government event just to get access. Once inside, we were able to present the flag concept to people who could make a difference. The special group of people who made this idea will be forever connected because of it.
LBB> Having worked with BMW, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Stella Artois and the United Nations, to name just a few, what is the key to creating trust between brands and agencies, to deliver the most impactful work?
Corinna> Impactful work is a result of a good relationship, honesty, trust, and time. People are spending shorter amounts of time in their roles these days. That’s also true on the client side for CMOs. The positive news is that good relationships continue even when a particular role finishes. Some of my best work has been made with clients I’d already worked with, even if it was on a different brand.
LBB> Are there any brands or pieces of work that have inspired you lately?
Corinna> December is always the time of the most beautiful holiday films and where storytelling comes to the fore… this year more so than ever. At the same time, the piece of work that stuck with me most this week was the Tesla/Porsche Cyber Truck demonstration. A reminder that a super simple product demo can have a big impact.
LBB> Creatives often have a long list of hobbies and interests, which inspire ideas and keep them busy outside of work. Are there any you’d like to share?
Corinna> I was recently gifted a chainsaw and it has changed my life.
LBB> Are you able to give us any teasers about upcoming work?
Corinna> There are a few pieces in the making. I’m very excited about the next project with Scholz & Friends, a new McDonald’s campaign that will launch next year. And in the US a project close to my heart that I can’t talk about yet.
LBB> Is there anything surprising or interesting that most people don’t know about you, that you can share with us?
Corinna> I carry food with me all the time at any time.
