From the #YoungLionsRomania2024 series, meet Andrei Popa, the visual half of TheExes Team, to compete next week in the South of France, for the heavy medals in the 24h Design competition. A self-taught visual creator, he is the recipient of several international accolades, Young Lions Silver Eurobest and The Young Ones by The One Club for Creativity among them. Should we mention his presence in the 2023 LIA’s creative coaches program? We should. Let’s discover his world beyond the instagram profile that made him famous.  

1. WHAT WOULD MAKE YOUR SOUL SING? WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

 I am happy when I work on a campaign that I know is doing good, but my soul sings when I have enough time for myself. Shortly, doing good for others and doing what is good for me.

2. A CHILDHOOD STORY THAT ANNOUNCED THE CREATIVE PERSON YOU ARE TODAY  

 I shook a 2L Fanta Madness bottle so much that when I opened it up I sprayed the clean white walls on purple. It wasn’t intentional, but I thought the abstractness of it looked cool. My parents thought otherwise.

3. BEST CONTEXT EVER FOR INSPIRATION WAS 

 I can’t name one because, for me, it is always the most boring or usual context, like a conversation you involuntarily listen to while waiting in line at the toilet.

4. THE PROJECT YOU LOVED MOST 

 The Quarantine Alphabet is one of them. I was stuck in Bucharest, still a student, and I felt like I had to capture this feeling somehow. So, I thought about an ABC that captures the aesthetic intimate spirit of life. From A to Z, every window is a different life, living a different personal story. As seen and imagined from my one-room apartment window.

5. THE PROJECT OTHERS LOVED MOST 

 Me. I can’t tell you why, but some people might say a few acceptable words about me.

6. THE BEST THING ABOUT LOCAL CREATIVITY IS 

That it is growing and evolving yearly.

7. BEST STATEMENT OF LOCAL HUMOR 

The kiddos on TikTok. They react fast and funny and plenty of ad folks try to copy what these youngsters are naturally doing, without tons of slides and strategy behind. I always wish them good luck with that.

8. ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL HEADHUNTERS, RELATED TO LOCAL CREATIVES 

Being creative in Romania can be tough with tight budgets and clients who play it safe, but it’s made us resilient and versatile. We've learned to thrive despite the challenges, so, even if most of us have only worked locally, we’ve got a global mindset and a knack for innovation. You all are missing out on local-global creative potential.

9. BEST PLACE IN BUCHAREST 

 I am in the process of exploring, I hope I’ll have a verdict next time we meet.

10. BEST PLACE IN ROMANIA

 The place I grew up. It’s a secret.

11. MOST DISTURBING CLICHÉ ABOUT ROMANIA, IN THE MEDIA OUTLETS OF THE WORLD IS

 That you must protect your pockets when a Romanian is nearby, but we are actually very friendly and ready to use those hands for something else - helping others.

12. ROMANIA SHOULD BE KNOWN FOR 

Having so much to do.

13. YOUR  VIEWS ON SPIRITUALITY 

 Soul to squeeze.

14. YOUR VIEWS ON MONEY 

As a creative, I love the freedom in my process, and money, to some degree, can give you that.

15. AN INSPIRATION SOURCE YOU RECOMMEND FOR A YOUNG CREATIVE 

I won’t list any, but go with the boring because what you usually find boring can turn to gold for your inspiration. Pick that slow-burn movie instead of the action-packed one, listen to something your 80-year-old grandmother would listen to. Even try something you hate. It may take longer and cause you to die of boredom, but follow the “wrong” path. You will thank yourself later.

16. A LOCAL BASED FEMALE TALENT THAT DESERVES TO BE PROMOTED AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, AS EXPONENT OF LOCAL CREATIVE SPIRIT

That would easily be my ex-creative partner and my current Young Lioness, Teodora Bonea.

Photo: Manole Sava, Green Mind Studio

ANDREI’S BIO:

A self-taught visual communicator, Andrei is driven by curiosity. He goes by “Probably an Illustrator” because he thinks it has the same kind of mystery vibe as many of Wes Anderson’s characters do. Kicking off as an illustrator, he discovered his artistic style in high school at the beginning of his career and continues to develop it every day.

Starting with 2019, his advertising journey has led him to create for clients such as Mastercard, Dior, KFC, Vodafone, LIDL, Heineken or SAMSUNG, working for agencies such McCann and Golin. In 2020, Andrei was recognized by The One Club for Creativity as one of The Young Ones. In 2022, out of 87 teams, he won a Silver at the Young Eurobest Festival of Creativity, alongside Teodora Bonea, his current partner in crime for the YoungLionsDesign competition.

Many years before this, back when he didn’t even know what advertising was, Andrei hijacked the Romanian FIBRA Awards and won Gold and Bronze using his older brother's ID for the entries. He was underage and couldn’t attend the ceremony.

Note: The cover picture is a backstage pic from #TheAlternativeSchool's 2024 winners shoot, presenting the photographer Manole Sava, Green Mind Studio. the creative mind behind the seance and his work in progress, showcasing Andrei Popa in action.