Joline TANG

1. What was your very first job?

Very first job—paper girl.

2. Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.

I’m a senior strategist and copywriter that bridges the gap between product and marketing at Microsoft. I’m focused on bringing delightful and inclusive 3D expression into our products and I manage the Microsoft Design publication and social media channels on the side.

3. How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? Was there a train of events that brought you where you are today?

When I was in high school, I use to rip clever ads from magazines and tape them onto my composition notebooks. When I was in college, I majored in English where I learned how to use words to move people. When I was a teacher, I taught my students about the power of storytelling. When I became a copywriter, I started experimenting with how copy and art could blend together to make that message even stronger. And now, I help others tell their stories.

4. In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?

Even though I’m a copywriter at heart, I’m continuously dabbling with different mediums of art—block printing, painting, and now learning about 3D illustration. By learning more about the illustrative side of storytelling, it pushes my writing to be more expressive and expansive so that I can fully capture the feeling or moment.

5. If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation rather than its recognition or industry "success," what would it be?

I recently wrote a children’s book that’s in the middle of the illustration stage and I can’t wait to share that with friends and family.

6. Which creative disciplines do you commission most, and are most interested in seeing more of and why? Which of these disciplines are you most interested in seeing at CONNECTIONS? (ie photo, film, production, social, experiential, vr, cgi, animation etc)

Currently, it’s 3D illustrations and animations because that’s what my day-to-day is focused on, but I’m always interested film. There’s just something about the human connection that happens with film that is ineffable.