Meet Iman: BA (Hons) Graphic Design Grad & Award-Winning Art Director!

Iman Delic, a young Art Director at DDB, is a 2020 graduate of PCU. In 2024, her talent was officially recognised by the jury of Marketing & Media’s (MAM) Agency of the Year awards where she won Talent of the Year. Iman is meticulous in her work, carefully thinking through every detail before creating. Her passion for craftsmanship is evident in everything she does.

Pinch me!

Congratulations on winning Talent of the Year. Did you expect to win?

Thank you very much! It was very unexpected for me - I was on the shortlist together with three talented young minds. One of the finalists was my friend David, who won the award the previous year. So the expectations were really low, impostor syndrome was real. I was thrilled to even make it to the finals.

When MAM magazine named me as a finalist, I indeed cried happy tears! Then, during the awards night, seeing my Bosnian name and surname on the screen at the winner’s reveal was just a pinch me moment. My company, DDB, specifically Soňa Lacinová nominated me and was there next to me to celebrate the moment, along with my CEO and CCO. Their support makes me just keep doing what I do.

What did this victory bring you so far?

First of all, it brought me many kind messages and congratulations from jury members, colleagues and new friends from the industry - my favourite was: "Keep rocking, immigrants owning the local stage, I'm proud!" I came to Prague 7 years ago, alone with 2 suitcases, finished my BA degree and then I worked hard. I have to say it was nice to be recognised for that, I felt seen and accepted at that moment. And secondly, more importantly, my award was noticed in my home country, Bosnia. and I was invited to speak on the local radio station in the small town where I grew up.

To me it seemed that in a sea of bad news and horrible events all over the world, local people were really excited and genuinely happy that something good had happened to one of us Bosnians abroad. I had always seen it from the sidelines but now, I was the bearer of good news, which felt good; it felt like I was making a difference, having an impact, which is ultimately my biggest dream.

The most important thing is a strong idea

How would you describe the graphic design you create?

I've been focusing on art direction for two years, so graphic design comes second. I also create mainly packaging design for freelance projects. Perhaps I should rather describe the process of creation, which remains the same regardless of what I'm producing. The process is messy and all over the place with attention to detail in the final stages.

What is essential for you when creating graphic design?

When I'm creating something, whether it's a logo concept or an activation campaign, the most important thing for me is that there is a strong idea, strong insight and a lot of thinking before trying to visualise it.

University helped me realise what I really didn't want to do

Your alma mater is Prague City University. Could you introduce your project/topic?

To be completely honest, I don’t remember exactly... it had something to do with sustainable materials, but my last semester and PCU is blurry to me because during that semester, COVID started, which means we were the first generation to have to adapt fully in switching life/school online. My motivation for creating at that time was lacking. However, the semester before I had created my first "campaign" of sorts, feMALEs too! This was before I had even considered working in advertising. The purpose was to educate and normalise female sexual pleasure. I created 3 stop-motion ‘ads’ with 2 main characters: 1. a girl and 2. her vagina represented by a plushie toy.

What was the most important thing that you learnt during your studies?

At PCU, we had four different subjects for the first four semesters. That meant that we got our hands on different fields, programmes, software and techniques. This helped me realise what I really enjoy doing, and what I could never see myself doing.

The sooner you learn that, the better. Not only does it help you avoid jobs you don’t enjoy, but you can pursue what you’re passionate about and really bring something to the table. For example, if you enjoy 3D modelling, you can use it to create mockups, visually striking animations, bring a logo to life etc. In my case, I hated editorial design but loved anything that had to do with DIY, cutting, binding, painting – basically anything that has to do with being crafty. That hasn’t changed since I started to work in advertising!

I want to be more in touch with young creatives

You currently work as an Art Director at DDB (Doyle Dane Bernbach). How did you get to this position and what do you enjoy most about it?

I wanted to work at DDB since my university days – ​​my class went to DDB for portfolio reviews in May 2019 and I fell in love with their yellow meeting room. After graduation, I returned to Bosnia for six months trying to figure out what to do next. And since I didn't find a job I wanted, I decided to return to Prague and look for a job here. At the time, DDB had an open position for a Social Media Graphic Designer, so I applied. I was given a task to work on which I completed in less than twenty-four hours and two weeks later I started on January 5th, 2022. The rest is history, haha!! After eight months, I was promoted to Junior Art Director and have been working on campaigns since then.

What skills from PCU are you applying in your career?

To be hands on when it comes to learning new things, especially when mastering all the new tools available to us these days. To present my work without fear, be a team player and use my graphic design skills to visualise what may be needed. I also design internal materials and merch and currently I’m working on a new visual style for DDB, and last year I designed the branding and packaging for Flou, an HHC/CBD based oil that our agency developed in collaboration with Dr Weed.

What are your future plans?

In general, I don't like to plan for the future, especially when I see that life is unpredictable. I go to work happy every day, which for me is a sign that I am in the right place. I would love to be more involved with younger generations of creatives back in Bosnia or here. I really enjoy public speaking and would love to start some kind of a mentoring program to help younger people transition from school to the work environment... we will see! For the near future, I see myself in Prague, doing what I do now but always trying to do it better.

Learn more about PCU’s BA (Hons) Graphic Design programme.

This article has been partially adapted, with permission, from an original piece by Nikol Galé that appeared in Czech Design and was translated from Czech.