Born in Belgium, Karel De Mulder escaped a life of Excel Sheets and calculators when he overheard someone talking about advertising on a train when he was 19. He quit his marketing studies right away, went to St-Lucas and Miami Ad School to become a full time ‘creative’. Karel currently works at Duval Guillaume, Belgium. Together with his team partner Arnaud Bailly, he won a fair share of Cannes Lions and got awarded at various award shows both nationally and internationally.

He had the blessing to make his first steps into advertising at Kesselskramer, where he not only fell in love with the job but found ‘gusto’ and inspiration for doing side projects too. One of his projects recently made part of Erik Kessels’ “Fabulous Failures” exhibition, held in the Botanique in Brussels. The advice Karel gives to young creatives is this:

Without having an idea in mind, go to your creative director and pretend – in your most persuasive way – that you came up with the greatest idea you ever had. Make it sound as if it’s going to be the next GP at Cannes. (1) When your CD asks to hear that idea, tell him you’ll pitch it in the morning. (2) Then Start thinking of that idea. (3) …..

His favorite 3 words are ‘Yes’ & ‘Be Happy’.