The Source: Corinna Falusi

There is nothing that inspires Corinna Falusi, chief creative officer, Ogilvy & Mather New York, more than a giggle at the expense of duped neo-Nazis, chocolate served as dark as her comedy, good music, which solves all her problems, and reflecting on the brilliance of A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

What is the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen in the last few months?

It’s not very recent, but still so great is Nazis Against Nazis: Germany’s Most Involuntary Charity Walk. [Anti-fascist campaigners] in a German town tricked neo-Nazis into raising thousands of euros for an anti-extremist charity. Without the marchers’ knowledge, local residents and businesses sponsored the 250 participants of the march in what was dubbed Germany’s ‘most involuntary walkathon’. For every metre they walked, €10 went to an organisation which helps people escape extremist groups.

What’s your favourite website/digital service?

Over the last few weeks my favourite digital service is the Edyn smart garden app (edyn.com) on my phone. It keeps track of my vegetable patch.

What product could you not live without?

Right now, I cannot live without dark chocolate. I am hoarding an enormous amount of 70-100 per cent cacao bars in my drawers and bags. It actually makes me nervous to go anywhere without it.

What product hasn’t been invented yet that would make your life/job better?

A tracking device for all my lost items. I am literally losing everything from keys and phones to shoes and passports.

What are your favourite magazines?

IdN, Der Spiegel and Us Weekly (when at the dentist).

Mac or PC?

Mac. My last experience with a PC was probably 10 years ago at an internet café on a deserted island.

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the last year?

Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence. Andersson finishes off his ‘living’ trilogy with this deeply comical exploration of very serious topics. The previous films in the trilogy [Songs from the Second Floor and You, the Living] are great as well.

What show/exhibition has most inspired you recently?

#Setinthestreet. It is an ongoing art project in which Justin Bettman is building elaborate sets out of unwanted materials and furniture from the streets of NY, LA and San Francisco. Most recently he was commissioned to create one of his installations in Times Square.

If you could live in one city, where would it be?

Right where I am – New York City. I have lived in Amsterdam, Hamburg and Munich, which are all beautiful places, but nothing compares to the restless insanity of New York. In the last eight years that I have been living here, I’ve never felt bored or uninspired. Whenever I see the city, it’s always like I see it for the first time. It forces me to live up to it and make the most of it.

What track/artist would you listen to for inspiration?

This list solves all my problems: Frida Hyvönen, Electric Guest, Jens Lekman, Jan Delay and The Knife.

What fictitious character do you most relate to?

Mia in Maria Blom’s film, Dalecarlians. It’s the story of a woman who left home at an early age for a life in the city and then she returns to her family to join the celebration of her father’s 70th birthday.

Who’s your favourite photographer?

One of my favourite photographers is Corriette Schoenaerts. Her work takes me places, even though most of the images are shot in the studio.

Who’s your favourite designer/illustrator?

I am a big fan of Christoph Niemann’s work. He puts a twist on the mundane by taking simple objects – a comb, a pair of headphones, wadded-up scrap paper – and transforms them into something totally unexpected. This leads to amazing work like ‘I Lego N.Y.’.

If you could have been in any band, what band would you choose?

I would have to be part of a German electro pop band. I can’t sing or play an instrument very well, but I could certainly dance off-beat if needed.