Award-winning creative director Ruba Abu-Nimah (known to many as @ruba on Instagram) discusses the state of creativity in the Arab world, the importance of young Arab talent embracing their culture, and the challenges of navigating corporate spaces as a Palestinian in the West. She talks about the foundational skills of graphic design, the vital role of design in communication, spaces and politics, and about her career so far. She also shares her strong belief that the Arab world is now the next frontier in global creativity.
Award-winning creative director Ruba Abu-Nimah (known to many as @ruba on Instagram) discusses the state of creativity in the Arab world, the importance of young Arab talent embracing their culture, and the challenges of navigating corporate spaces as a Palestinian in the West. She talks about the foundational skills of graphic design, the vital role of design in communication, spaces and politics, and about her career so far. She also shares her strong belief that the Arab world is now the next frontier in global creativity.
0:00 Introduction
1:46 Passion For Graphic Design and Swiss Modernism
3:05 The Difference Between Past and Present Graphic Design Education
4:45 The Craft of Graphic Design and the Importance of Traditional Language
6:00 First Gig: Disruptive Innovation at French Glamour
8:02 Ingredients for Success: Passion, Nerdiness and London's Creative Influence
12:48 Defining Graphic Designer vs Creative Director
14:40 Graphic Design as the Foundation of Communication
15:40 The Subjectivity of Taste and the Role of Instinct
17:50 Design in the Arab World: Considered Cities vs Chaos
21:45 The Arab Creative Inflection Point: Youth, Voice and New Trends
22:47 Rejecting Emulation: Talent Rooted in Culture and Heritage
24:34 The Arab World Is the Next Frontier in Creativity
25:17 Navigating Prominent Positions as a Palestinian
26:35 Hiding in Plain Sight: The Forced Negation of Arab Origins
28:24 "Loud and Proud": The Momentum of the Arab Diaspora Today
30:21 The Prevailing Attitude: a Son's Act of Defiance
33:47 Corporate America vs Street Change
36:09 Corporate Structures Will Eventually Catch Up With Culture
40:03 The Brilliance of the Mamdani Campaign Design
41:17 Conspicuous Consumption vs Useful Design
48:45 Relationship With Social Media Platforms: Instagram and the Unhinged Threads
50:51 Instagram's Value: Finding and Commissioning Creatives
53:23 The Sweetest Revenge: Upscrolled and the Irony of Palestinian Tech Success
54:00 Recommendations: Arab Creatives To Look Up
Ruba Abu-Nimah is a Swiss creative executive of Palestinian descent who has worked in the fashion and cosmetic industries. She was the executive creative director for marketing and communications at Tiffany & Co. from March 2021 to February 2023. She previously worked at Revlon, Elle magazine, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and Shiseido. She was the first female creative director at Elle magazine in the US. In 2018, Ruba collaborated with Nike to design the Air Force 1 Low "Love" shoe embodying equality and acceptance. She has collaborated with Phillip Lim on the New York Tougher Than Ever initiative, as well as a limited-edition sweatshirt to raise funds for Lebanon following the 2020 Beirut explosion.
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