Creative Minds: Stacey Karayannis on turning a love for creativity into a full-time career

In Creative Minds, we ask APAC creatives a long list of questions, from serious to silly, and ask them to pick 11 to answer. (Why 11? Just because.) Want to be featured?

Name: Stacey Karayannis

 

Origin: Melbourne, Australia

 

Places lived/worked: London and Melbourne.

 

Pronouns: She/her

 

CV:

1. How did you end up being a creative?

 

I never really set out to work in advertising. I just loved being creative and was very lucky to have had awesome teachers, uni lecturers and colleagues who gave me guidance as to where I could take that professionally. I studied design, starting my professional career as a conceptual designer, but wanted to challenge myself a bit more. So completed AWARD school, which helped me get into an Art Director role in an advertising agency.

 

2. What's your favourite piece of work in your portfolio? 

 

One of my favourite pieces of work is Bonds Unplugged. Never in my career did I see myself working with a bunch of artists to put an album together to help teens feel comfortable about period undies. But we did. And it actually worked its pants off, which was pretty cool, too. 

 

3. What's the one piece of work you most wish you'd done? 

Skittles Taste the Rainbow. Forever jealous. I wish I was that funny.

 

 

4. Who do you most admire? 

 

My grandparents. They all immigrated to Australia with nothing but a suitcase each and built an incredible life for us all.

 

5. What advice would you give to 10-year-old you, if you could? 

 

That coral necklace, long boardshort, surfer girl phase you’re about to get into. Don’t do it.

 

6. What career did you think you'd have when you were a kid?

 

I vividly remember really wanting to be a Checkout Chick—which is the Australian colloquial term for a supermarket cashier.

 

7. Which famous internet meme do you most identify with? 

 

The little girl in the back seat of the car with the side-eye “what the” face. My teeth also used to look like hers.

 

 

8. How would your co-workers describe you? 

 

Loud.

 

9. What's the last song or artist you listened to? 

 

The Wiggles: my Spotify algorithm is completely shot. 

 

10. What’s your favourite music or film or TV show of the past year, and why?

 

Severance. The first show in years that had me on the edge of my seat. Mind-bendingly good and beautifully directed. The opening credits are unnerving. 

 

11. What movie/show do you never get tired of? 

 

The Sopranos. Mostly for the one-liners. Owwwhhh!