Tylda Kaloustian graduated with a diploma in advertising from Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) and received her masters’ degree in Marketing from Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA). She took on the role of art director at H&C Leo Burnett from 1983 till 1991, taught conceptual advertising at ALBA before becoming the GM and Creative Director at Beirut-based Gemini advertising agency till 1996. Accomplished and a true believer in building on human connections, she left the industry after two decades in search of a field offering creative space, which she found in jewelry design where she built Mrs.T. Jewels, an inspirational neo jewelry brand, which can be found in Beirut, Dubai and the KSA. What follows is her insight into what makes her happy and allows her to grow and of course her relation to advertising.
After reaching the top of the advertising ladder I left because… Of my addiction to creativity, which saw me entering the world of jewelry design in the year 2000. This new field offered challenges advertising wasn’t offering any longer.
The things I miss most about advertising are… The people, brainstorming, group discussions, presentations, teamwork, and that magical moment your campaign is aired.
What is still left from all those years are… Memories and a few good friendships.
The tools acquired from advertising, which I employ in my current role are… Frankly a lot. Advertising has taught me to respect a client’s budget, to obtain the right brief from the client even when the client is incapable of providing the correct brief, to treat the product as though it were mine, to be ahead of the client’s expectations, and to let them come back for more!
Some of the good old things that don’t exist anymore are… Creativity, which today is in short supply.
What is missing in the ad industry are… Ethics and long-term relationships, which are virtually nonexistent as trust is key.
