Wissam Matar, creative director at FP7 Beirut is a man who is as playful at work as he is in life. For him, the natural order of things is randomness, which he embraces while doing things to the best of his abilities. Following is a quick Q&A in which he reveals his source of inspiration and strength.
What first sparked your interest in advertising?
My older brother said: there is a cool major called graphic design, try it out. You can draw right?
I always loved aesthetics, comedy, and creativity.
What gets you up in the morning?
LOUIE
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The randomness.
What would you say is your strongest skill?
Being diplomatic.
Who do you ultimately want to become?
A diplomat.
What is your greatest extravagance?
My glasses.
What do you do to keep your ideas fresh?
I spend time with my kid.
What keeps you in the game?
The players.
What keeps you up at night?
A tiny mosquito.
What would be your worst nightmare?
Getting stuck in a meeting, for life.
What inspires you most?
Music, nature and stories.
What music have you been listening to lately?
I was listening to the latest album “Black Star” by David Bowie, a week before he died. I think I will start listening to Justin Bieber now. We never know.
What is the gadget you cannot live without?
My sword!
What can we find on your phone?
Compromising pictures of my employees, so I can blackmail them if they refuse to work on weekends.
What quality do you most look up to in a woman?
Her ability to shuffle from a subject to another.
What quality do you most look up to in a friend?
Honesty.
Who would you like to sit next to on a seven-hour flight?
A beautiful person, who smells good and doesn’t drool when he/she sleeps.
If you could live for one day the life of another person, who would it be?
The pope (for papa mobili reasons).
If you could have dinner with someone, living or dead, who would it be; and what question would you ask him/her?
Donald Trump.
Question: tell me about your childhood.
If you were to be reincarnated, what would you like to come back as?
A dog, a golden shepherd, in a big big villa, with a pool.
If you were to change profession, what would you choose to do?
A musician.
What do you consider to be the greatest headline of all time?
Impossible is nothing.
What business tip would you give the newbies?
Whatever you end up doing, do it well!
Where can we find you on a Friday night?
Ain el rihani, ba3ed kniset el saydé, awal mafra2 3al yamin. Ntibho fi FJ cruiser abiad bisoff ghalat 3al kou3, ma tfouto fi.
If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
The ability not to need sleep. To get more time.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
You will have to give me at least six months to brainstorm before I answer this one.
What is the one word you catch yourself saying too often?
Hehe, salbé.
If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
In my bed.
What’s the last book you read or movie you saw?
‘David Vs Goliath’ by Malcolm Gladwell. A must read.
What is the one thing you wish you have designed?
The system.
Who Are You?
I am... glad.
I want... to finish with this.
I have... to go.
I wish... you a pleasant day.
I hate... to say goodbye.
I fear... spiders.
I Google... every day.
I wonder... how we were designed.
I regret... never getting a motorcycle.
I love... my family.
I need... more time.
If I ruled the world... I would avoid sex scandals.
I dream… of things that I rarely remember.
My Favourite…
Dream Destination: North Pole and/or space.
Restaurant: Goutons Voir.
Hotel: Elsewhere, Goa.
Meal: steak.
Book: Au Secours Pardon. (Frédéric Beigbeder)
Animal: dog.
Poet: Tom Waits.
Music/band: Pink Floyd – Radiohead.
Painter: Van Gogh.
Heroes: people who inspire me. Ghandi, Steve Jobs, Guevara, Lennon, Da Vinci…
