Disney creative lead Carol Saraiva shares how she went from winning Cannes Lions to reinventing her career at Disney. In this episode, she discusses advertising, copywriting, creativity, branding, leadership, and building a global creative career across Brazil, Portugal, and Los Angeles.
Her grandfather is the "Walt Disney of Brazil," her mother is the real-life inspiration for the country's most famous cartoon character, and the one thing Carol refused to do was join the family business. Instead she became the third most-awarded copywriter in the world, used her Cannes Lions as a passport out of Brazil, and rebuilt herself twice: once in Portugal, where she could barely write the language, and again in Los Angeles, where she lost the craft she was best at and had to become an art director, a director, and a screenwriter to survive. This is a conversation about reinvention, about creativity changing as you age, about the immigrant tax of whitewashing yourself to fit in, and about why she now spends her own time and money opening doors for the next generation of women who want to do what she did.
Episode Chapters:
00:00:00 | Welcome: From São Paulo to Disney
00:15:00 | Agency vs. Brand: When the Best Idea Stops Being the Point
00:20:00 | Does Creativity Change as You Age?
00:23:30 | São Paulo: Where Ad People Are Rock Stars
00:24:50 | The Award That Became a Passport
00:34:30 | Bald Cartoons: The Campaign That Changed Everything
00:37:30 | Portugal: Losing the Language She Was Best At
00:48:00 | Diversify Your Skills (or You Won't Lead Well)
00:52:00 | Spill the Tea
00:54:00 | Elas na Gringa and Women at Disney
01:19:00 | Creative Royalty: Her Grandfather, Her Mother, and the Black Sheep
01:53:00 | Creative Partnership, Mentorship, and Interns
02:05:00 | The Immigrant Tax: Whitewashing Yourself to Fit In
02:14:00 | Audience Q&A and the Book
Subscribe to Karan's Substack: https://karandang.substack.com/
Follow Karan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangkaran/
Follow Shruti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shruti-dang/
Check out our website: https://www.dangworld.com/thelearningloungepodcast
Check out Carol's book, We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: https://www.amazon.com/We-Should-All-Be-Feminists/dp/110191176X
Get in touch with us on Socials:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@learninglounge.podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learninglounge.podcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@learninglounge.podcast
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@learninglounge.podcast
X: https://x.com/learning41807
Listen on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-learning-lounge/id1891447172
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6oIgrRc7xQzTbftzkQlOFr
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@learninglounge.podcast
Disclaimer: The content shared on The Learning Lounge is provided for educational and informational purposes only and reflects the personal experiences, opinions, and perspectives of the hosts and guests. It should not be considered or relied upon as medical, legal, financial, mental health, tax, investment, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your individual circumstances before making decisions related to your health, finances, business, career, or personal situation. Discussions may include topics such as wellness, supplements, peptides, performance optimization, business strategy, investing, and personal development. Individual circumstances vary, and results are not guaranteed. The views, opinions, statements, and claims expressed by guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Learning Lounge, Dang World, its owners, employees, affiliates, sponsors, or partners. Dang World does not independently verify all guest statements and assumes no responsibility for decisions made or actions taken based on the information presented.
A DANG World Studios Production
Our People:
Karan Dang - Co-Host & Chief Creative Officer
Shruti Dang - Co-Host & Chief Operating Officer
Utsav Dang - VP Strategic Operations
Missy Hauser - Producer
Sydney Dutton - Community and Operations Manager
Josh Lara - Executive Assistant
July Studio - Post Production House
Fahd Sukarno P. Mantukay - Short Form Editor
Nadzmin Lackua - Social Media Graphic Designer
Mark Managan - Shortform Editor
Pauline Ann Taguiam - Shortform Editor
Keith Tan - Producer
John Mark Galamay - Social Writer
Santiago Sanchez - AV Technician
Will Mazzola - Original Lighting & Camera Design
Trina Duarte - Hair and Makeup
German Belkin - Original Soundtrack
Jassi Aunty - Head Chef
Special Thanks:
Late Sidharth Raj Dang, Amrita Dang, Shashi Shukla, Praveen Shukla , Aria Dang, Blue Vir Dang
+ Advisors, Mentors, Friends & Family
#Creativity #Advertising #Copywriting #Marketing #Disney #Branding #Leadership #CannesLions #Storytelling #Podcast
