Sara Derksen
Creative Director

What got you started in advertising?

In fourth grade, my three best friends and I wrote and produced a newsletter to amuse ourselves. Looking back, I can see this was the beginning of my ad career.

Who was a big influence in your career?

My parents were a big influence. They gave me the freedom and support to express myself. A lot of artists I’ve met say that they weren’t encouraged to become artists when they were young, but I was always told that I could do anything I wanted to do. I’m

What was your most embarrassing moment in this business?

All I can say is that a trip to the emergency room was involved.

Is there a great client story you’d care to share?

I once produced a training video for a medical diagnostic product using a naked model. It generated the highest rate of “I’m-just-going-to-walk-by-the-studio-to-see-how-it’s-going” traffic ever recorded.

How do you come up with ideas and solutions for clients?

I have dreams and intuitive visions, in which creative images, slogans, ad copy, and complete campaigns appear in my mind. Then I hurry and write them down. These come to me at odd moments while I’m sleeping at night, taking a nap, washing dishes, fishing or doing something mundane.

What makes a great brand?

Passionate customers.

What driving career goals do you still have?

Make my name a household word. Like, “Did you see the latest episode of ‘Derksen-Quest’ yet?” or “Let’s take our vacation this year to ‘Derksen World!’” It could happen!

What’s your biggest pet peeve? (work or personal)

Narrow-minded, black-and-white thinking. People who think that if they are right, everyone else is, by definition, wrong. Sometimes two or more “facts” are true, either simultaneously or in the course of an unfolding reality. That and people who don’t use hyphens.

What talent do you wish you had?

As a superhero aficionado, talent makes me immediately think of super powers. I would have to go with time travel because of its universal applications. As an Earthbound human being, I wish I could play the piano.

If you had to live on a desert island, what would you miss most?

I’m a fair-skinned redhead. I’d probably be toast before I ever got around to missing anything.

What can’t you live without?

Plants, especially trees.

What are your plans for after advertising?

There’s life after advertising? Maybe I’ll write fiction.

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively?

If I have to force my brain into high gear, I drink coffee and eat chocolate. However, food is not a great source of creativity for me. What works for me is being able to shift my brain wave patterns during a routine task such as driving or cleaning house. Sounds weird, but it works.

What’s your favorite sports team?

The Atlanta Braves.

What’s your point of view about politics?

A necessary evil. It’s so corrupt. I don’t understand if it attracts corrupt people or if it corrupts everyone who touches it. The recent dumbing down of American politics has alienated me. I’m an idealistic liberal.

What was growing up like for you?

Idyllic. It was the 1950s-1960s. I’m a Boomer so I grew up at a time when children were a mass quantity and the world seemed made for us. Swimming pools. Candy stores. Ballparks. New schools. We were allowed to really be children. My family was poor, but I never knew it.

What do you do for a good time when you’re not working?

Play with my friends. Read. Write. Fish. Boat. Watch baseball. Go to movies.

Do you have any kids?

I have a son. He’s 27. I don’t think I can call him a kid anymore.

What advertising/catalogs do you most admire?

I admire Oprah's media conglomerate. I think she executes her vision well.

What are your favorite Internet sites?

Google. The Comedy Channel. NPR news. Youtube.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I would travel to see gardens, trees, and old forests. I’d like to see Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. I’d like to see the temperate rainforests in Oregon and the California Redwoods.