Dream Journaling and Traveling: Angie Yoo’s Creative Fuels

Originally from South Korea, based in the U.S. via a stint in Ireland, Angie Yoo is an art director at Colle McVoy. She holds a Master’s in advertising from the University of Texas at Austin, where she specialised in art direction through the competitive Texas Creative Portfolio Sequence.

Her creative process thrives on embracing the unusual. Growing up, Angie enjoyed drawing cartoons and writing sci-fi novels. She’s always had quirky, surreal dreams, which she still captures on her phone before they slip away. Sometimes she’s a genderless witch, other times, a girl raised by animals on a deserted island, or even a spirit experiencing the afterlife. These vivid, strange dreams fuel her creativity and inspire her to create bold ideas.

Recently, Angie has earned recognition in international competitions, constantly pushing her creative limits. From spicy buffalo wings to unicorn duck cupcake candles, she thrives on blending the unexpected. Whether in art direction or concept creation, Angie is always challenging boundaries and bringing bold ideas to life.

Person - What kind of creative person are you?

I’m a creative, who loves to turn things upside down. Reality, logic, rules, and math aren’t my best friends. Growing up, I enjoyed drawing cartoons and writing sci-fi novels. I used to have the most quirky, surreal dreams, and I’d write them down on my phone before they slipped away. Sometimes I’m a genderless witch, other times a girl raised by animals on a deserted island, or even a spirit having an afterlife experience. These strange scenarios spark my wildest ideas and fuel my creative journey.

Product - How do you judge the creativity of a piece of work?

I judge creativity by freshness and boldness. Is the idea new? Does it push boundaries? One campaign I’m proud of is Brad Pitt Yourself. It took a serious issue, romance scams, and flipped the script by using humour and a Brad Pitt filter to raise awareness about AI's dangers. Instead of scaring people, we made it a fun, shareable experience that made the message more accessible and engaging. This fresh approach is what earned us recognition at the ANDY Awards.

You can see my work here.

Process - Tell us about how you like to make creative work

I start with sketching and brainstorming to gather my ideas, then I combine digital tools and analogue methods to refine them. When I hit a creative block, I step away from the screen, go for a walk, watch a movie, or visit a museum for inspiration. I love collaboration, as the best ideas come from bouncing them off other people. I also find social media and current trends helpful for fresh perspectives and new ideas.

Press - What external factors have shaped you and what can make or break a creative project?

Growing up in Korea and living in Ireland for a year gave me a crash course in diverse cultures, and that’s been a huge spark for my creativity. Traveling to 14 countries has only expanded my view of the world — and my ability to think outside the box. As for stress, I don’t run from it — I embrace it, because it often brings out my best ideas. I believe a flexible, collaborative environment is where the magic happens, and if there’s a little clutter around, it’s just another creative trigger for me.