Next up in our 5 Questions series hot seat is Smarts Amsterdam’s Maja Volt, who heads to the island of Filicudi for great work, recalls a gut-wrenching project pivot and relives a campaign with Helena Christensen.
1. If you could go back and relive one day in your career, which would it be?
One of my favourite things about this job is that you get to do and see so much. But if I have to pick just one project, I think it would be the Bread & Butter by Zalando event back in 2017.
It was an incredible event with a mix of fashion, music, food, entertainment and culture. It was still relatively early in my career, and I think it was probably one of the projects that sparked my love for building brand worlds and creating experiences that bring different cultures together.
And if I’m allowed to pick a second one, it probably would be the first campaign I led end-to-end, which was shot by supermodel and fashion icon Helena Christensen. That was a pretty big pinch-me moment.
2. …Now tell us about the day that still gives you nightmares.
This one is harder than you’d think. My first thought was that there are quite a few, but then I realised that most of the moments that have felt like nightmares at the time turned out fine, and sometimes even better than planned. That doesn’t mean they’re necessarily fun to go through though…
If I had to pick one, it would probably be the beginning of Covid (I’m sure lots of people can relate..). I was leading a project with lots of independent brands involved, all of whom had invested a lot into it, and the plan was a big IRL launch. Then, almost overnight, that obviously wasn’t possible anymore.
I remember genuinely thinking we might have to cancel the whole thing, and feeling awful about the money, time and trust everyone had put into it.
In the end, we found another way to make it work and it turned out brilliantly. But I still remember that feeling of having something you’d worked so hard on suddenly become impossible, and having no idea what you were going to do about it.
3. Who gave you the piece of advice you still live by – and what was it?
A senior leader early in my career told me that he always tried to surround himself with people who were smarter and more skilled than him.
It stuck with me because I think that’s what good leadership is about, building a team and an environment where everyone can do their very best work, rather than trying to be the person with all the answers.
4. What piece of work done by someone else are you truly jealous of?
There’s no brand journey I admire, and would have loved to be part of, as much as the creation of Toteme.
I find it incredible that at a time when brands are quick to jump on trends, make noise and constantly chase visibility, they’ve stayed so consistently true to themselves. They’ve built such a recognisable world around the brand, and a very loyal customer base.
Their pop-up on the remote island of Filicudi is one of my favourite examples. While so many luxury brands do beach club takeovers on popular spots like Saint-Tropez, they went for a silent, remote and relatively unknown location. It felt like a very Toteme way of building the brand world and its cultural relevance, rather than simply creating another moment designed to drive footfall. I think that kind of consistency and confidence is incredibly hard to build and even harder to maintain as a brand grows.
A more recent piece of work I’ve really admired is It’s Always Burberry Weather with Olivia Colman. Very different, but another great example of a brand knowing exactly what it wants to feel like.
5. What’s your advice to someone getting into the comms industry for the first time?
Stay curious and raise your hand. Say yes to the things that seem too small, too big, or like they’re probably meant for someone else.
You learn so much by being close to the work and seeing how everything comes together. And don’t be afraid to share your ideas, even when you’re the most junior person in the room. Sometimes being the person who doesn’t know all the rules yet is an advantage.