Design, team spirit and a dash of bravery: An interview with Bruna Monte, Marketing Designer at Lingoda

Thanks for making time for us, Bruna! You are a marketing designer at Lingoda - What first drew you to design and what keeps you passionate about it today?

I used to play around with design tools for fun when I was younger, and during my Communication Studies bachelor, I found out I could actually work with design for a living. It was so fun that I couldn’t see that as work in the beginning. What makes me passionate about design today is how much everything changes all the time, with AI, new tools, new styles… I feel like today, everything is possible in Design, and that’s super exciting.

Can you walk us through a project you're especially proud of? What made it special?

I'm really proud of the New Year campaign of 2023/2024 at Lingoda. I supported the art direction and production of the visuals for the online marketing campaign. It was special because we brought real Lingoda students to Berlin for a photo and video shoot, we got to spotlight them and cheer on their wins. In the campaign, each student shared what their biggest language win was in the language they were learning. For example, one American student had studied French with Lingoda and was able to move to France to work in a Michelin-starred restaurant, turning a language goal into a life-changing career move.

What's the most unusual or unexpected thing you've learned while working at Lingoda?

An unusual thing I learnt is that translations are not a simple thing. We don’t just rely on AI or Google Translate for translating our marketing campaigns; we need real people to translate and proofread. This is essential to keep the brand tone of voice and make sure it really resonates with students. It needs to feel personal, because it is.

Looking at our five company values, which one are you connecting to the most? Can you explain why?

I connect most with “Be brave.” As creative people, we are constantly challenged to think outside the box and try new things, and for that, we need to speak up and collaborate as a team.

What's one thing you’ve learned from your teammates that changed the way you work?

My teammates boosted my confidence at work by creating a supportive environment where we encourage each other to try new things even if they fail - that’s ok, we learn from our failures. For example, on Social Media, we are currently in an exploring phase - testing new formats, new ways of communicating, and we can let our creativity run wild without much fear about whether it works or not. When you don’t restrain where your mind can go, the odds of getting to something really creative and interesting are much higher.

What item is never missing on your desk?

Post-its, a cup of coffee and my cat (he’s uninvited though!)