Trickster

When and why You started writing and how You became interested in fashion?

I started writing as an early teenager when I became obsessed with music, mainly dreampop, shoegaze, post-punk and synthwave. As an edgy teenager, I believed my taste and viewpoints were so unique that all of Estonia would want to hear about them. 

I built a very rudimentary website based on HTML knowledge I sourced from Meie Meel newspaper. There, I focused mainly on albums and bands I discovered on Kazaa and Limewire. This eventually grew into a more proper blog hosted on my own domain (RIP, vonbi.cmyk.ee), where I wrote about everything fascinating I stumbled upon in the vast expanse of the internet. From design and advertising to interior decor and fashion designers, my RSS blog feed kept me up to date, and I eagerly shared my discoveries with the world. At the same time, I started writing album reviews for Eesti Ekspress Areen and occasional columns here and there.

My fascination with fashion traces back to the early Swedish fashion bloggers and iconic Nordic brands such as Acne Jeans (now Acne Studios), Byredo, Henrik Vibskov, Wood Wood, and magazines like The Face and I-D. Their collective influence ignited something in me—a hunt for trends, brands, and captivating influential personalities. Each discovery found its place to my blog articles.

In parallel to collections and garments, I became increasingly intrigued by the intricate dance between brand building and influencers. Borrowing attributes from each other—credibility and aesthetics from brands, authenticity and relatability from influencers—they formed a relationship I wanted to study more closely. I think I wrote about this relationship in all my academic dissertations. This became a stepping stone for me, transitioning from writing to working with branding and marketing.

University studies, biggest lessons?

My university experience revealed a truth I initially overlooked: formal education doesn’t really prepare you for the real-world professional landscape. While theories, essays, and textbooks play their part, the true lessons lie elsewhere.

First, universities equip you with study tools—not just for academic aspirations, but for posing the right questions and evaluating potential answers. These tools transcend textbooks; they prepare you for the challenges of life beyond campus.

Secondly, university prepares you to deal with deadlines and procrastination. The pressure cooker of academia molds you into a resilient being who is better at planning and self-discipline.

Thirdly, collaboration—both a blessing and a curse. You encounter diverse work ethics, from the diligent to the completely elusive. Group projects reveal ghosts who vanish mid-process and dictators who think they are the chosen ones to steer the ship. These situations shape your adaptability and patience when it comes to dealing with people.

Lastly, university isn’t solely about knowledge transfer. It’s a crucial place for personal growth. You discover yourself, forge connections, and learn the art of networking—a skill more valuable than any textbook.

What made You successful in such a competitive field as PR and socials?

I must give a lot of credit to Tank, the advertising agency I worked at in Tallinn before moving to Sweden. As a copywriter, I got to work with a variety of clients in different capacities, which helped me discover what I truly enjoyed in marketing. I handled a couple of fashion in the agency and as a freelancer, but it became clear that if I wanted to become more serious about working purely with fashion, I needed to move to a country with a larger industry.

Navigating the competitive PR and marketing scene in Sweden was initially challenging, especially as a foreigner without a background from countries traditionally admired by Swedes or from communications schools like Berghs and Hyper Island. My experience from Estonia didn’t really resonate here, as people had no reference to Estonia or its advertising landscape. What interested them more was my blogging career, DJing, and influencer research during my Fashion Studies Master’s. It was all about getting a foot in the door and beginning to climb the ladder through diligent hard work.

My professional journey in Stockholm began as a Social Media Assistant at Happy Socks, where I focused solely on product seeding and securing a UGC content pool for the brand to feature on social channels. After that, I landed a position at & Other Stories as Social Media Coordinator, where I was responsible for implementing the social media strategy together with the extended team. Eventually, I heard from a friend about a role at a secret brand (that later was launched as ARKET) that was brewing in the same group and got in touch with the team. Suddenly, I was hired for the position without having seen their collections, all I knew was that I really resonated with the brand platform and values.

Your biggest accomplishments and flops so far? 

One of my biggest career flops was a short stint as a Marketing Manager for a functional drink brand that had just emerged from a start-up incubator. They focused heavily on wellness, mindfulness, and yoga, so the marketing strategy wasn't exactly rocket science. However, what they lacked was a marketing budget. Unsurprisingly, this position didn’t last long.

As for success stories, I’m inherently forward-thinking, with my sights set on the future. Here's to hoping that the greatest successes are ahead rather than behind me ☺

Describe Your first visit to Stockholm?

Like many Estonians, I had been to Stockholm on several day cruises and shopping trips during my childhood. My most vivid memory was getting lost in the Åhléns department store as a 5-year-old. However, I had never consciously visited Stockholm as an adult, except for one failed attempt to attend an XX concert.

After being accepted to Stockholm University, I vacuum-packed my life in Estonia into my small Fiat 500 and took a ferry to Stockholm. I came to meet my future flatmate, check out the apartment that came with two fluffy cats, and get my papers sorted out. As an anxious driver, I immediately got lost in traffic: if you miss a highway exit, you end up driving aimlessly, and tunnels throw your GPS out of whack.

What immediately caught my eye in Stockholm was the color scheme of the buildings: everything was green, yellow, and orange, so different from my hometown, Tallinn. At the university campus, I quickly stumbled upon another Estonian, who became a very dear friend during my university years.

I love that Stockholm truly belongs to the people. Public spaces are thoughtfully designed, and cars don't dictate the pace here to an extent we still struggle with in Tallinn. In spring, when the light finally emerges after the long winter, usually around March or April, people stop on street corners and stretch their heads towards the sun like flowers. When the temperature reaches 15 degrees, all the outdoor terraces of bars and restaurants are filled with people. Parks become bustling with picnickers sipping rosé and enjoying snacks. People swim at city beaches and piers, sunbathe wherever they like. It's a really special city during the summer. I wish Tallinn could be a bit more like it.

Another aspect I must highlight is my close-knit circle of friends that has evolved over the years. We're an eclectic bunch, always eager to celebrate different occasions. Whether it's transforming an ordinary Friday evening into an instant noodle tasting party or a Pina Colada extravaganza, hosting airplane food themed birthdays, or putting on an impromptu fashion show at a friend's summer house, we like to keep it interesting. I also enjoy the traditional Swedish Crayfish Party, typically held in August or September. It's a festive occasion filled with crayfish and seafood indulgence, accompanied by snaps (not exactly my favorite, but part of the tradition), weird drinking songs, creative hat-making, and a ton of wild decorations.

How Your typical day looks?

I wake up, get ready, and grab a macka (bread bun with toppings) from a café on my way to work. I try to keep my commute interesting to avoid monotony, so my current favorite way to travel is by a soon-to-be self-driving commuter boat from my home island, Kungsholmen, to the island I work on, Södermalm.

My workdays can vary significantly. Sometimes, it involves a lot of putting out fires and making ad hoc decisions, as hectic times can bring many changes to outbound content plans and deadlines. I check in with our Social Media Specialist, who works more hands-on with the channels, and together we brainstorm content ideas, plan campaign rollouts, and work on messaging. Additionally, I manage our paid social activities, set media and content plans for upcoming brand campaigns, review creative assets with art directors, and coordinate with our client partners at social media platforms and tools.

When the day is over, and if it happens to be Wednesday, also known as lillördag (small Saturday) in the Nordics, I often go out for an after-work with my colleagues or friends who live in Södermalm. We explore new bars and restaurants, making the most of our evenings.

What fuels You creatively and career wise?

The main thing for me is the variety in my work, especially as it involves both strategic and creative aspects. I easily get bored when days become too routine, and tasks repeat themselves. I find inspiration in collaborating with others, sharing knowledge, and discussing ideas with people in the same field. A bit of healthy chaos keeps things interesting too. Work trips to cities where we open stores can also be quite inspiring for me.

What is the hardest to get right while working?

It's difficult to strike the right balance between maintaining an authentic brand voice and consistent identity while adapting to the ever-changing social media landscape, which is heavily influenced by trends. Straying too far in either direction can jeopardize the unique brand image or result in appearing outdated. Establishing a solid brand framework and operating within its parameters are crucial for navigating this challenge successfully.

Who do you look up to in Your field?

I look up to social media professionals working for brands that strategically position themselves as highly engaged, chronically online, and meme-savvy on social platforms, such as Duolingo, Ryanair, or Wendy’s. Their ability to stay in tune with the ever-evolving memesphere and TikTok trends while maintaining relevance in conversations is quite admirable. It's a challenging role that requires quick wit and adaptability.

Furthermore, I have great respect for social media experts who ascend to CMO positions. Despite the profession's nearly two-decade presence, social media professionals still contend with the prejudice of not being considered a serious enough. Seeing social media managers rise to top leadership roles in marketing is both inspiring and a testament to the value of the profession. 

How collaborative are you, is it easy for You to work in team or You are better off alone?

I'd describe my role as a healthy mix of collaboration and independent work. I collaborate extensively with our Social Media Specialist, affiliate and PR teams, as well as our creatives and collection people. However, I also devote a significant amount of time to troubleshooting, problem-solving various technical aspects and sitting with excel sheets and budgets which requires a bit more alone time.

Social media, how you feel about it?

Social media has naturally become quite stressful for marketers. From the brand side, it's becoming harder to discern the truth or even determine if it exists at all. Understanding what truly works and assessing the incremental impact of social media efforts has become increasingly difficult due to regulations and general noise. Rapidly acquired granular data is becoming less reliable or unavailable, leading to a shift towards more modeled and approximate metrics. Consequently, decision-making is increasingly reliant on vibes and gut feeling rather than concrete evidence.

Social media is undoubtedly stressful for platform users as well, especially with AI adding another layer of complexity. Bots powered by LLMs quite seamlessly mimic human behavior, spreading propaganda and false narratives at an alarming rate. Personally, I find myself spending an unhealthy amount of time on X/Twitter to keep track of the latest news and enjoy the humor of Estonian Twitter. However, even I struggle to separate facts from fiction when it comes to events happening in real-time. At least I hope Estonian Twitter is real and not run by a troll factory.

What are Your favourite pieces of design/fashion pieces You own?

When it comes to my favourite pieces it’s mostly about timeless design, good materials and interesting details. I love going to sample sales every now and then and pick up something that never made it into production. Currently, my favorites are a couple of Stand Studios' boxy leather shirts—black with white contrast stitching—and a shorter white shirt made of diagonal leather pieces. They're versatile layering pieces that add a unique touch to many outfit configurations.

As for interior pieces, I'm really into an ugly-beautiful pillow by Fragonard that I found on a trip to the south of France last year. It features two strangely drawn cats that remind me of that botched Ronaldo statue—it's quirky and adds character to my space.

Weirdest/most amusing things about Estonia?

I always find it amusing to introduce Estonian sauna culture to foreigners. They often ask why we're into torturing ourselves, especially when sauna sessions are combined with cold water plunges. It's just one of those quirks about us Estonians—we enjoy testing foreigners and giving them a tough time, all in good fun, of course.

What You miss most about Estonia?

What I miss most about Estonia are the summers. While I visit every couple of months, my time there is usually spent with family, at the summerhouse, or meeting friends, all pretty much planned in advance. I miss the spontaneous meetings in summer nights and impromptu road trips. And of course, there are certain food items that I long for, often forgetting to bring them back with me to Stockholm. Occasionally, I make a trip to a Baltic food store in Sollentuna, weirdly named Tre Brudar (Three Brides), to stock up on kartulivahvel (potato chip waffles), authentic rye bread, and ingredients for a traditional potato salad.

Are you a practical person or more of a dreamer?

I'm quite of a dreamer, but I can get practical in my evaluations pretty quickly to burst my bubble when I get carried away.

How do You keep yourself interested in what You do?

I stay interested in what I do because digital marketing offers the immediate gratification of seeing the results of my work almost instantly. This constant feedback loop provides endless opportunities for learning and improvement, which keeps me engaged and motivated

Ways to relax?

I enjoy spending time near water. Whether it's taking walks around Kungsholmen, surrounded by water, or visiting my boyfriend's family's summer house in the Stockholm archipelago, I find calmness in these serene settings whenever schedules allow. Additionally, during the COVID lockdowns, I picked up a variety of random hobbies to unwind, such as assembling large puzzles, watching rocket launches, and crocheting. These activities have become my go-to outlets for relaxation whenever stress levels rise.

If you were a part of Star Wars what Your character would be?

I'd say I'm a mix of R2-D2 and Chewbacca from Star Wars. Like R2-D2, I'm all about getting things done and consider myself a reliable person—qualities I highly value in others. However, when I get frustrated, I can unleash my inner Chewbacca and let out a Wookie growl

Your favourite Estonian song?

What a nightmare question as I have at least 20 contenders depending on the day. However, for a summer evening classic, I'd go with 'Kesköö' by Els Himma.

Tell Trickster a s ghost story!

Ghosts aren't something I've dwelled on much, but in my summerhouse in Estonia, about 40 km south of Tallinn, I've occasionally caught glimpses of dark shadowy figures out of the corner of my eye. I wouldn't have thought much of it if my aunt hadn't mentioned seeing them too. Given that my family has roots in this place going back centuries, I like to think it's my ancestors checking in on my latest projects, perhaps grumbling in true Estonian style rather than offering any useful guidance. Or maybe I should just book an appointment with an eye doctor.

Tell Trickster a joke!

Organic reach on Facebook. OR. Why did the scarecrow become an influencer? Because he was outstanding in his field.