Not too long ago, I got interviewed by WWL [local news] on why I moved to New Orleans along with John Alford. After being here for almost four months and being constantly interviewed, I feel that I still can’t answer the question so here’s my attempt at finally nailing down my story…
Before I graduated from the VCU Adcenter, I got interviewed by Media Magazine on where I wanted to work.
Karnjanaprakorn counts The Media Kitchen, Strawberry Frog, Naked, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky as agencies he’d like to interview with after graduation. With the Adcenter claiming a 95 percent placement rate within eight months of graduation, that might not be such a hard sell.
I had my eyes set on working for one company, Naked Communications in London. THE hot shop. The new kid on the block making a lot of noise. Innovative, creative and revolutionary – I wanted to learn from the smartest people and it seemed they were all going to Naked. The thought of working anywhere else didn’t even cross my mind. That all changed one morning.
The date was somewhere around June 10, 2006. I spent the entire weekend partying with all my friends in San Francisco before my trip around the world. I woke up early one morning to check my email and received an email from Ashley about new possible job opportunities. It started with a simple and powerful paragraph.
“Men (and women) wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.”
OK, I was on the process of writing a really long entry with details, etc but to be honest, I moved to New Orleans for a couple of simple reasons I can sum up in 30 seconds.
The Shackleton quote above piqued my curiosity but to no avail I still chose to go work for Naked London. But, New Orleans kept nagging at me. From Brad and Angelina to watching The Skeleton Key – it would always pop up. One morning, I had a moment of clarity and realized that I had to be in New Orleans. I think part of it was this intense combination of guilt and opportunity . I HAD to move to New Orleans or I would regret it for the rest of my life. I didn’t want to ask myself the “what if” questions down the road. Everyone advised me to stay put in London but the time to be in New Orleans was NOW and not later. I went with my gut after weeks of being indecisive [hard decision to leave a great company] and I decided to pack up and move to the one city where I could use my advertising skills to do good for the world. I’m a fourth-sector kid at heart.
This part is for all my friends that don’t live in New Orleans. I wouldn’t be here if my social life wasn’t on point and I wasn’t constantly stimulated culturally. And it’s lived up to all my expectations.
I love New Orleans because I can go to Jazzfest in May, throw beads out my window during Mardi Gras, dance with the Soul Rebels at Le Bon Temps on Thursday, eat catfish at Jacquesimo before watching Rebirth on Tuesday, drink at the W Hotel and hit up LePhare on Friday, drink in the street on Frenchman on Saturday, crawfish boil on Sunday, smoke cigars at the Columns on Wednesday, rub elbows with football players from the Saints at Republic, go to Essence Music Festival to see Beyonce and Robin Thicke, start off the summer with a THWH [The Hell With Hurricane Party] and the list goes on and on.
Most importantly, I love rebuilding the city and running into likeminded people that are doing the same. A couple of my good friends include John Alford [Harvard MBA graduate who is starting a charter school to combat the education system], Robert LeBlanc [owner of Republic nightclub and LePhare who's main goal is to connect the new young blood moving into NOLA], and Lauren Baum [who works at Idea Village and striving to create an innovative culture to facilitate powerful ideas the create economic and social change]. And of course, my boss Robbie Vitrano who wakes up everyday to rebuild the New New Orleans and has been instrumental in my growth and guidance. How can you not be constantly inspired by being surrounded by people like this?
So, no, I don’t regret moving here from London [so stop asking] and yes, I love it here!
