Christine Be
Creative Director at Dope People / Founder of Liar Magazine
Brooklyn, NY
www.dopepeople.com
instagram @liarxmag
Q What do you do?
“As Executive Creative Director at Dope People, my role involves overseeing the creative direction and strategy for a unique clientele: cannabis (and non-cannabis) brands, as our website states, haha.”
I combine artistic vision (logos, graphic design, color palettes, photography, etc...) with strategic leadership (marketing, advertising, etc...) to drive the creative process and deliver compelling campaigns and designs that resonate with the target audience and achieve business objectives. A lot of my time is spent guiding start-ups on what it takes (from a creative standpoint) to start a brand and get noticed. It's all fun and games until everyone realizes how much work is involved—but it's all worth it in the end!
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I always thought I'd do something pertaining to a STEM field as I came from a science background, but my high school AP art teacher influenced me in a way that changed the trajectory of my life forever! He wrote me a wonderful recommendation letter to an art school (School of Visual Arts) that paved my way into discovering more about the different art disciplines (foundation year students are required to take classes in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, art history, and design), which eventually landed me in their Advertising and Graphic Design program. It's what I ended up majoring in and I never looked back.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I keep learning new things. I keep moving forward. I stay open-minded. I listen.
Q What are you working on right now?
Another branding assignment for a cannabis start-up! I'm also working on gathering and creating content for the next issue of Liar Magazine which went on hiatus when the pandemic hit, so that's really exciting!
Q What’s your style?
I'm super into combining things that don't necessarily go together, but work in an inspiring, delightful, and surprising way. Think peanut butter and chocolate. The combo of Japanese and Scandinavian—Japandi style. I think a project that reflects that is my branding for Rebelle, a cannabis dispensary in MA.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I would love to focus more on interior design—as I become more exposed to this sector of design I have realized how much I enjoy curating a space and making it come alive. I love seeing people interact with spaces and react to objects I intentionally placed in their surroundings. It's all so satisfying.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Administrative tasks. Isn't this everyone's answer, haha?!
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Researcher and fact checker. There's nothing more time consuming at the beginning of a project than researching a brand and its competitors—even research on the brands that are lateral to your client. Sure you want to be the coolest cannabis brand out there, but compared to what—are you the Nike of cannabis? The Apple of cannabis? And facts. A brand needs to be honest with itself by knowing what it is and is not—only then can it really express itself clearly to their intended audience.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I wish I could have told myself in my 20s to not feel so rushed and insecure because I never felt like I was "there" yet—and that made me feel so anxious and unworthy all the time—I had the biggest case of "imposter syndrome". I think Ira Glass said it best in his much shared interview excerpt "the gap" which I posted about here: www.dopepeople.com/blog/the-dope-beginning
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Maybe a life coach? I would really like to be able to have a better work/life balance!
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I'm always looking for opportunities to work on 360 advertising and design campaigns. It doesn't always have to be cannabis related—I've worked with fashion, beauty, and other lifestyle clients. I love seeing it all come together.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
I'm looking for a client that really wants a partner for building something really special, something different, and be willing to take risks—isn't that the whole point? To stand out and be heard?
Q: What is your rate?
I work on a sliding scale. An established Fortune 500 company would be different from a start-up—it's also dependent on the deliverables. I'm interested in helping non-profit organizations too.
Consultations are free. A full 360 campaign can be $5000+ A branding project can be $3000+ Website designs start at $1000+
If I am working as an independent consultant I have a day rate of $600+
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Just fill out this form: www.dopepeople.com/contact
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Stay curious about the world.
This member profile was originally published in July 2024.