Vida Cornelious of The New York Times on Connecting Brands and People in the Right Way 

Plus: Her work for Google and Jeep's Super Bowl spot, 'Whole Again'

Vida Cornelious is SVP, creative and strategy at The New York Times. She is a creative storyteller who mines culture for relevant avenues to connect consumers and brands in an ever-changing, technology-driven world. She strives to make “creative that moves”—igniting consumer engagement, changing opinions and humanizing brands for consumer appeal.

We spent two minutes with Vida to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired.

Vida, tell us… 

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in Neptune, N.J., at the Jersey Shore. I currently live in South Orange, N.J., by way of Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, N.Y. and L.A. 

How you first realized you were creative.

Around third grade, I discovered I had an affinity for art and loved making things. I made a papier-mâché shark diorama that my teacher put on display for the whole year. It was a pretty advanced project for a third grader! 

A moment from high school or college that changed your life. 

In high school, I was voted class president. I didn’t ask for it or even campaign, but I beat the other kid and won with a huge majority. It was my first “leadership” role, where I had to get groups of people to mobilize and do something for a singular goal. I got to see how others saw me. I had no idea I was respected and liked by all the student body subgroups—the cool kids, the nerds and the athletes. It was a lesson for me that people will watch your actions and your integrity. Always think about how you show up in any situation—it’s what your reputation is ultimately built on. 

Your most important creative inspirations, and some recent stuff you love.

One book that I have re-read many times is The Art of the Idea by John Hunt. It was given to me years ago by a strategist friend and is still useful to my thinking about creative problems. I am also inspired by art, always. Visual expressions of ideas—whatever you take away from it—are always powerful. Something I love that I saw recently on social media was an artist who recreated the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime show in stop motion animation. All done with Xerox copy still frames of the original show, hand colored with markers. I find the ingenuity of makers who take pop culture artifacts and reimagine them in a new medium pretty fascinating. 

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.

In my current role, the Google Pixel 6 launch (which won a Cannes Lion Mobile Grand Prix). And a franchise program addressing representation from T Brand Studio, the content studio within NYT Advertising, called “Soul of US.” Work from my past that I am also very proud of is the Super Bowl spot I wrote for Jeep—”Whole Again”—in celebration of our nation’s military heroes. 

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A recent project you’re proud of. 

Work from my T Brand team for HBO Max and the launch of The Penguin. The cover-wrap was a fun, inventive solution to bring the series into the real world. We created an exact print replica of the fictional DC Universe newspaper, The Gotham Gazette. It became a collector’s item for comic book fans. 

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.

I have always been a fan of David Lubars and the memorable work he delivered for Fallon (Citibank’s “Identity Theft”) or at BBDO (FedEx.) That work set the bar for depicting moments of relatable truth. Then, Dos Equis took brand personality and hyper-masculine humor to the next level without a notable celebrity. Spike Jonze, as a director, delivered so many great spots, but this satirical tear-jerker for Ikea became iconic. 

Someone else’s work you admired lately.

I love how Google has given its products a human, emotional story that still showcases the product features. “Javier in Frame” is a great example of how technology can enable us all to live the life we want. 

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Your main strength as a creative person.

Finding an insight that connects brands to people and culture in the right way and at the right time. How many times have we seen a brand attempting to insert themselves in culture and get it totally wrong? That is more detrimental than not saying anything at all. 

Your biggest weakness.

Letting clients believe they have it figured out. Most of the time, they don’t. They can be too close to their own strategy to see the gaps. But it can be a very fulfilling ride when you trust each other and land on a great idea as partners. 

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

A bohemian florist, making arrangements, drinking soy chai lattes and listening to jazz in my little shop.