In an industry known for chaos, pressure, and last-minute pivots, Theodore Salame thrives. A former biomedical engineering hopeful turned executive producer, Theodore's career spans continents, mediums, and roles with a résumé that reads like a masterclass in creative evolution.
From the heart of Beirut to the launch of his new Vienna-based agency, North of Normal, he’s carried a rare mix of cultural fluency, creative pragmatism, and unshakable calm into every project. In this exclusive Member Spotlight, Theodore opens up about his philosophy, his journey, and why true creativity means tossing the rulebook when it counts most.
How did you first get into the industry?
I originally planned to study Biomedical Engineering, but then I had a last-minute change of heart. It just didn't feel like the right move. So, I started looking at other options and stumbled upon an Audio-Visual: Multimedia degree back in the early 2000s. The program was perfect – it covered all the stuff I loved, like film, photography, 3D animation, editing, and film music theory.
It was like I could actually turn my hobbies into a job. I started out as a set runner and worked my way up through a bunch of different roles, like PA, Location Scout, Casting Scout, PM, editor, post producer, pitch producer, producer, Creative Producer & Finally EP. And honestly, I'm still figuring out new paths constantly.
Where are you based now and who do you work for?
Currently based in Vienna, Austria, I am excited to launch "North of Normal" a new kind of creative agency in August 2025. This venture will be the result of the diverse experiences across agency, production, and client-side roles that myself & my partner have had over the past decades, with the aim of fostering a more rewarding work environment for both our creative teams and our clients.
What is your personal background and what role did it play in your career?
Being Lebanese and growing up amidst a vibrant mix of cultural influences has profoundly shaped my perspective. This unique blend of Western and Oriental traditions has been super helpful in being open & relatable to different talents, brands, and clients from all over. I've been lucky enough to work on projects around the world, and I've always felt pretty comfortable and able to adapt wherever I've gone.
My upbringing in Lebanon instilled in me the art of stress management from a young age. Navigating frequent economic and political challenges, and even occasional conflicts, cultivates a "laissez-faire" attitude. This experience prepared me for the unpredictable creative industry, where maintaining composure in unimaginablesituations is invaluable.
If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?
While it might be a cliché, I am a big foodie with a love for the culinary arts. I imagine myself working in a field related to food, wine, or whiskey distilling.
Can you explain your creative process? What makes it unique?
I consider myself a Creative Pragmatist. My process begins with a dual approach, where my "creative" side champions the team's wildest ideas, encouraging them to dream beyond any strategic constraints. I don't believe in limiting ideation based on predefined scopes, KPIs.
Once this initial phase is underway, my "pragmatist" side collaborates with clients and account managers to ensure the creative vision aligns with their needs and that the strategy comes to life organically.
It is a weird dichotomy that sometimes feels conflicting from the outside but for me it’s intrinsically correlated, the creative should grow into the strategy & the strategy should flex around the best possible creative, it’s biology not physics.
While it may sound straightforward, In my experience, our industry sometimes likes to overcomplicate things unnecessarily. Ultimately, creativity is inherently strategic, and my role is to establish the conditions for success and ensure all stakeholders enjoy the journey, leading to results that consistently exceed expectations.
How would you describe your style?
My work style is all about transformation! I love empowering the team to grow and evolve as a project moves forward. That's what's so great about our industry, There's always new directions to grow into, new horizons to explore, new insights to acquire, both from our clients and the talented people we work with.
What tips would you give to aspiring creatives looking for work?
Honestly, throw your whole heart into everything you do, big or small. That kind of genuine passion seriously boosts the end result and really makes your work shine!
What tips would you give to other professionals to get more clients?
I'm still figuring things out even after all this time but being straight up and honest is key in all my relationships, especially with clients, old and new.
Can you share a memorable experience from your career journey that shaped your approach to creativity?
I'd prefer to keep the specifics of this story private out of respect for everyone involved. However, I did have a project (as a client) where we thought we had everything perfectly lined up – the creative was finalized, the director was on board, and pre-production was humming along beautifully.
Then, just five days before the pre-production meeting, we received some unexpected news: our director was unfortunately unable to continue due to health reasons. Our timeline was absolutely fixed because it was tied to a specific event, so we had to quickly figure out our best course of action.
We ended up bringing on a new director who had an incredible portfolio. The challenge was that their vision didn't quite align with the existing treatment and storytelling. So, in a whirlwind of just five days, we essentially went back to the drawing board, revisiting two months' worth of creative brainstorming and our entire aesthetic approach.
We tweaked storylines, shifted from a digital shoot to film, and I even had to temporarily switch back into my Agency/Production roles to help navigate this significant shift.
In the end, the films actually turned out even better than we had initially imagined! They had a richer depth and received fantastic recognition across the industry. This experience really solidified two key things for me:
1. Creativity is not quantifiable, sometimes it takes months and sometimes it takes hours/days and no one approach is the correct one.
2. Never let protocols or titles get in the way of creating the best work possible.
What kind of tools/kit/software could you not do without?
1. Evernote/Google Keep (my thinking doesn’t really have a schedule so having these apps ready 24/7 is a must)
2. Miro (mind mapping my ideas helps me bring them into a “concrete” state)
3. Sheets/Excel (my daily business/org/budgets driver)
What’s your secret to staying inspired and motivated?
Active listening even when alone! Yep, it’s weird, but it really helps me absorb a lot of new sensations, inspirations & just new thoughts that I would normally overlook when I'm overthinking things.
What’s the work achievement you’re most proud of?
During my time as a Senior Creative Producer at adidas, I found Run for the Oceans campaign (in partnership with Parley to clean up ocean plastic) and Run Wild campaign (in partnership with WWF for endangered wildlife conservation) to be particularly rewarding.
Although these campaigns had smaller scopes and budgets, they achieved significant real-world impact by engaging millions of people globally to run for these causes and consistently meeting fundraising goals. These campaigns were deeply fulfilling and felt like meaningful contributions on a personal level.
As someone with experience in the industry, what trends do you foresee shaping the future of creativity?
I can see the move into immersive experiences growing exponentially, bringing the audience into the narrative rather than having a flat storytelling traditional approach.
And I think Purpose will be the Ultimate KPI moving forward, Audiences are savvier than ever, they crave authenticity and want to see brands stand for something beyond profit. Creativity with purpose means embedding real values, sustainability, and social impact into the core of the work.
This isn't about "greenwashing" clichés; it's about genuine commitment that resonates and builds true loyalty. The pioneering brands will make this non-negotiable.
What do you think sets apart truly exceptional creatives from the rest of the pack?
Unconventional thinking is always a key standout but more importantly great interpersonal skills.
How do you think technology has influenced the creative industries and how have you adapted to these changes?
I think AI will become every creative’s wingman and not their replacement!
The leaps in AI have allowed us as agencies & creatives to win back more time and refocus it on the creative work itself.
What is the one thing that you would change about the industry?
If I could wave a magic wand and change one thing about this industry, it would be to eradicate the crippling addiction to "safe" options.
Seriously. The amount of talent, time, and budgets wasted on churning out vanilla work, the kind that’s instantly forgettable because everyone's too scared to break a pattern, is a gutting loss.
Any websites, books or resources you would recommend?
I would recommend these reads for all creatives:
"Steal Like an Artist" by Austin Kleon & “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin
