MEET THE TEAM: Madeline Marino

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MADELINE: SD>MN>NYC BABY. Favorite food is peanut butter – I eat it at least once a day, & on a good day twice. I absolutely love music, really all types – except for country it makes my head hurt. Forever a pop-culture guru. Fate is real and everything happens for a reason.

What’s your role at Kworq? How long have you been here?

I am a graphic designer at Kworq and have been here for just over a year!

What attracted you to this role at Kworq vs any other agency?

When I first came across Kworq I noticed they had a wide range of work; branding, web, video production, digital, print, large scale campaigns… the list goes on. I just knew I wanted to be able to try something new and push myself and I really felt like I was going to be able to have that at Kworq.

Where is your portrait taken? Why this place? What’s the significance?

Greenpoint baby!! This is my first home in NYC and I truly love it, idk if I’ll ever leave!

Why’d you choose to go into the Advertising and Marketing industry?

I wouldn’t say I chose it as much as it kinda just happened. Out of college my first internship was with a larger advertising industry and I liked that I could work on different clients & projects. It felt like a good way to really figure out what I was passionate about… still figuring that out though lol.

What’s the coolest part about working in advertising?

I think being able to see your work from start to finish is incredible. You see this thing you put your blood sweat and tears into all the way from its baby stages to its real life out there in the world stage. It makes all the stress and tears worth it lol.

What’s the uncoolest part about working advertising?

Not always but sometimes the clients…. we don’t always see eye to eye.

What’s an unexpected perk of working at an agency like Kworq in this industry?

Kworq is a small agency so I am able to dip my toes into many areas. There is also a culture of teaching here – if you don’t know how to do something someone is willing to spend the time and get their hands dirty with you.

What are some challenges of the business?

I mean work is work – there are always going to be challenges but with advertising, I personally think the fast-paced creative process is a challenge. There are definitely times where a creative idea hits and you run with it and all is good. But there are also times where you find yourself burnt out and the quick process isn’t always kind to you.

What’s something new you learned since working at Kworq? Doesn’t have to be work related. Could be silly, informative, fun, useful, a life skill, etc.

Being friends with your coworkers is amazing <3 I haven’t had that close of relationships with coworkers before and I don’t know what I would do without them!

What’s life look like for you in 5 years? Screw reality, what’s the “if I won the lottery” answer?

Well who the f knows. Buttttttt if I won the lottery I would spend like 5 years traveling all over the world. Then I would become a tour groupie for Beyonce, Rihanna, Nicki, Lady Gaga, Pink, and Dua Lipa. Thennnnn probably spend the rest of my days taking up all the creative hobbies I wish I could (i.e. rug making, pottery painting, sculpting, woodwork, vintage home decor seeker, interior design) lol…. but only if I won the lottery of course.

What inspires you in your work?

Most of my inspiration comes from my home and city surroundings, whether it’s the art in my kitchen, that fancy seltzer water packaging at the bodega or the mural on the wall at the park, I take note. I tend to gravitate towards beautiful things, which most designers do but for me it’s what gets me excited to create something new, it really gets the juices flowing.

How do you stay creative outside of the Kworq offices?

I think the key to staying creative outside of work is to not take it so seriously and do what you love. After your long work week the last thing you want to do is pull your laptop out and feel like you have to be creative. The point of being creative outside of work is to allow all that energy & inspiration from the week to flow out naturally. Whether it’s pen and paper, music, clothing design, rug making (been watching a lot of this on IG) or floral design, there are so many ways to be creative and limiting yourself to what you do at work just isn’t the tea. DON’T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY.