The Mother of Design
Mother or Entrepreneur? Nowadays, if you're a woman, it almost seems like you have to choose between the two in order to stay sane, in order to make something of yourself. Alisa Wolfson doesn't make excuses, and almost nonchalantly manages what some people consider a "choose one" cross-roads in life.
Like some wonder woman protege, Wolfson plays Leo Burnett Director of Design by day and mother by night. Since she started at Leo Burnett, transformed the design department from a lower case d to an uppercase D as she puts it.
How do you inspire The Inspirer? Alisa Wolfson, the director of design at Leo Burnett’s Chicago headquarters, lives outside of the box and finds inspiration in what she calls humankind.
“I try to create a collaborative work environment that enables my team to play off one another, without diversity our brands fall flat”
Regarded as one of the most succefull advertisement agencies in the world, Leo Burnett doesn’t cut corners they make, craft and define the corners that our most famous brands operate on. Behind this mass of creative rubble sits Alisa Wolfson and her design team of twenty-five.
“When I started at Leo Burnett I had about 3 designers on my team, we were looked at as the “special projects” nerds, but I wanted more.”
Alisa referred to “the largeness of it all”, her concept of design integrated seamlessly in everyday life, humankind. Alisa needed that same interaction to take Leo Burnett to the next level.
“I was tired of pushing out logos as a free-lancer, I didn’t want to be brought into projects ad-hoc, I wanted to start, finish and see my project in the world interacting with real people”
Since her start at Leo Burnett six years ago, Alisa has created just that. Walking through the department of design at Leo Burnett, there is a college like open-air feeling; creative space, doodles, trinkets hanging off the walls, and most importantly the sound of collaboration. Over the past six years Alisa has multiplied the small hum of her six-person team to twenty-five creative individuals.
“I encourage my team to start side projects in order to stay creative if time permits”
Its not all lines and wiggles though; Leo Burnett expects results and that is evident in their ten point mandatory quarterly evaluation. Spanning from invisible to best in the world, this creative standard is strict and defines the success of Alisa’s team and teams like hers world-wide.
To be an assembly line is not the goal, Wolfson believes that if there is dedication and enthusiasm in a project the ratings will follow. She rates the success of her campaigns on a different level; human interaction.
“You want people to want to be a part of your campaign, it isn’t our job to make a good product but to generate authentic human interest.”
The energy is high in the Department of Design and it comes from sitting outside of the box. In her free time Wolfson involves herself in numerous creative side projects and non-for-profit agencies to stay inspired and tries to implement that passion in her team every day.
Like some wonder woman protege, Wolfson plays Leo Burnett Director of Design by day and mother by night. Since she started at Leo Burnett, transformed the design department from a lower case d to an uppercase D as she puts it.
How do you inspire The Inspirer? Alisa Wolfson, the director of design at Leo Burnett’s Chicago headquarters, lives outside of the box and finds inspiration in what she calls humankind.
“I try to create a collaborative work environment that enables my team to play off one another, without diversity our brands fall flat”
Regarded as one of the most succefull advertisement agencies in the world, Leo Burnett doesn’t cut corners they make, craft and define the corners that our most famous brands operate on. Behind this mass of creative rubble sits Alisa Wolfson and her design team of twenty-five.
“When I started at Leo Burnett I had about 3 designers on my team, we were looked at as the “special projects” nerds, but I wanted more.”
Alisa referred to “the largeness of it all”, her concept of design integrated seamlessly in everyday life, humankind. Alisa needed that same interaction to take Leo Burnett to the next level.
“I was tired of pushing out logos as a free-lancer, I didn’t want to be brought into projects ad-hoc, I wanted to start, finish and see my project in the world interacting with real people”
Since her start at Leo Burnett six years ago, Alisa has created just that. Walking through the department of design at Leo Burnett, there is a college like open-air feeling; creative space, doodles, trinkets hanging off the walls, and most importantly the sound of collaboration. Over the past six years Alisa has multiplied the small hum of her six-person team to twenty-five creative individuals.
“I encourage my team to start side projects in order to stay creative if time permits”
Its not all lines and wiggles though; Leo Burnett expects results and that is evident in their ten point mandatory quarterly evaluation. Spanning from invisible to best in the world, this creative standard is strict and defines the success of Alisa’s team and teams like hers world-wide.
To be an assembly line is not the goal, Wolfson believes that if there is dedication and enthusiasm in a project the ratings will follow. She rates the success of her campaigns on a different level; human interaction.
“You want people to want to be a part of your campaign, it isn’t our job to make a good product but to generate authentic human interest.”
The energy is high in the Department of Design and it comes from sitting outside of the box. In her free time Wolfson involves herself in numerous creative side projects and non-for-profit agencies to stay inspired and tries to implement that passion in her team every day.