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Durable Goods signs director Karima Asaad
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From still photography to live-action, Asaad’s electrifying and unconventional portfolio spanning advertising and photojournalism has earned her a reputation as one of the most intriguing and eye-popping visual talents down under
Bicoastal production company Durable Goods announce the addition of award-winning Australian director Karima Asaad for commercials and branded content in the US.
From still photography to live-action, Asaad’s electrifying and unconventional portfolio spanning advertising and photojournalism has earned her a reputation as one of the most intriguing and eye-popping visual talents down under. Durable Goods marks her first commercial representation in the US.
“I signed with Durable Goods because they have such a great reputation,” explains Asaad from her new home base in New York. “Truly, some pretty big players in our industry recommended Durable Goods to me and spoke so highly of this team that’s known for going above and beyond. They're loved by who they work with, and I think that that's really rare.”
Previously, Asaad’s commercial directing career has seen her partner with companies including DDB, BMF, M&C Saatchi, The Special Group, Virgin, Samsung, We Are Social, The Australian Government, Commonwealth Bank, McCann, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Getty, and the Australian Geographic. Asaad’s visual style has been described as “spontaneous and intimate, epitomizing freedom.” With an eye for daring composition, her work draws the viewer into the scene, creating intimate and slightly voyeuristic performances.
“Karima’s avant-garde and unapologetic style, coupled with her aesthetic composition, immediately caught our attention,” says Hani Selim, EP/Managing Director at Durable Goods. “She has an acute ability to capture talent in a way that is modern and confident yet somehow vulnerable at the same time.”
Coming from a technical background at the Australian Institute, Asaad’s journey truly began with her love of travel, which she then parlayed into an impressive photojournalism career – from capturing everyday life in the Middle East to snapping shots of a gunman in Darwin, to being on the ground during the Je Suis Charlie protest in Paris.
Through all of her adventures, however, Asaad’s true passion has been documenting the people she encountered. “Going to a new town meeting people and documenting everything, I just wanted to showcase them in the most beautiful light – all of their laughs, weirdness, and fantastic energy.”
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From there, Asaad expanded into commercial photography, quickly coming to be known as one of the top advertising photographers in the Australian industry. After years spent bringing her intensely youthful and authentic visual sense to branded campaigns for Westfield Shopping Center as well as more challenging subject matter, like the Australian Government’s Violence Against Women campaign, Asaad is eager to bring her talents to the US market with Durable Goods.
"There's so much creativity here,” concludes Asaad. “It’s a bigger market that’s willing to experiment more, which is really lovely. And when you find a company like Durable Goods that wants to truly develop an artist, rather than only focus on the bottom line, then the artist really gets to evolve.”
