Creativity Without Boundaries. Who Is Slava Gee?

by Alexandra Mansilla

Creativity Without Boundaries. Who Is Slava Gee?

16 Feb 2024

Slava Gee is a DJ, sneakerhead, and former creative director of the successful communication agency EPICC. However, in 2022, he changed course and sold his agency to start anew in the UAE. In Dubai, Slava faced new challenges and founded a unique creative agency called "Sur". We had the opportunity to speak with him about his extensive career, his company, and the services it offers. We also discussed his methods to overcome creative blocks and think outside the box.

— Many people know about you in Moscow, but only a little in Dubai. So, let’s start from the very beginning. Where did you study?

— I didn’t finish my university degree. Initially, I went on academic leave and still didn't manage to pass the exams after coming back. I studied at Moscow State University, Faculty of Global Processes.

— What is that?

— I must admit, I still need to figure out my university course. When I first enrolled, I was drawn in by the impressive language used to describe the program, and I had grand aspirations of becoming a prime minister or something equally impressive. However, the faculty seemed to cater only to very wealthy or exceptionally talented individuals. The programme was disorganised, and I struggled to maintain my interest.

— Did you start working while at university?

— During my first year at university, I worked at a café. However, working different shifts took a toll on my studies, and I began to neglect them. Eventually, I got a new job with shifts from 5 pm to 5 am, which made it impossible for me to attend exams. As a result, I decided to leave university during my fourth year. By the way, I have never regretted this decision.

— Did not having a diploma ever cause you any problems?

— I first encountered a problem during my stay in the UAE. If you plan on working in a high-paying job there, you must have a diploma.

— You started as a barista and ended up with your communication agency, EPICC. How did that happen?

— I will present the main points as many things happened during that time. The café where I was employed was next to a club called "Black October", where many famous rappers would perform. After their parties, they would come to our café for breakfast. I think these people have partially influenced my cultural background because they used to wear fur coats and diamonds and were party animals. I also wanted to be part of that scene, so they fascinated me.

I quickly climbed the career ladder as a barista. Later, I left my job and went to the US for 3–4 months to participate in the Work & Travel program. During my stay, I lived an exciting life and got to experience many new things.

— What was it like there?

— We arrived in New York, only to discover that the company handling our job offers was fake. All the job offers they gave us were affected too. We contacted the Russian representation of Work & Travel and asked for assistance. They advised us to buy tickets to Orlando with our own money and promised we could find work there.

When we arrived in Orlando, we found very few job opportunities available. Eventually, we found work cleaning pans in a restaurant for $6 an hour. Unfortunately, our experience was a classic example of the deception that pervades the work and travel community. Employers often take away your passports. However, we recovered our documents and escaped to Miami by bus.

Photo: Slava’s personal archive

— Did you find the work there?

— There was no work there either. We slept on the beach until we met two girls in a white Hummer. They offered to drive us to the church (no joke, that is a real scene!) and told us everything about the city — where to find work and which areas to avoid. We listened to them, and it turned out to be helpful! With their guidance, we started earning enough money to make a living.

After my Work & Travel experience, I returned home and started working at a café. I worked there for two or three months before moving to Hard Rock Cafe as a waiter. Unfortunately, I was fired — I prefer not to say why. However, I quickly found a new job at a popular place in Moscow called "Simach". During my time there, I made many friends, some of whom became my besties. After that, I worked at several restaurants before becoming a personnel manager. In May 2011, I started working at the Gipsy club, where I had a fantastic four years. During this time, we opened Gypsy Entertainment Group in Miami and organised New Year’s parties for the Russian-speaking audience. It was a very eventful period.

After some time, I took a break from restaurants and clubs, and in 2015, I started working with an agency — we did merchandise for an entertainment channel. We didn’t do anything, unfortunately.

— Why didn’t it work out?

— It is partly my fault that things didn’t work out. I am not a producer, so I must learn to handle office work and manage all the processes. I have learned to avoid certain things that I am not good at. Nowadays, I focus only on the things that matter to me. Then, Murad and Natasha Osman approached me for a management role, and I agreed to take it.

— What were the responsibilities of their manager?

— They had several events and photo shoots scheduled across different parts of the world, and I was responsible for ensuring everything went smoothly.

— But that is also about processes which differ from what you love!

— I loved to work with them and didn’t realise that at all. At first, I was unwilling to admit it. I believed I could handle everything on my own. However, I prefer to be at the forefront of the process. Eventually, I got involved in a project called "THE MISIA", a retail space for sneakers in Moscow.

The story goes like this: I came across some fantastic photos of this place on Instagram, which piqued my interest. I visited the location, snapped pictures, and tagged them on social media. The following day, the store owner reached out to me and offered me a job opportunity, And I was like, sure, let’s do it!

— Who were you there?

— That is where I started my journey as a creative director. I created different activations, social media campaigns, events, and launches for THE MISIA, a very innovative store, as there was nothing like it in Moscow then. Alongside this, I participated in buying sessions and attended fashion weeks, including New York Fashion Week, where I had the opportunity to sit at a table next to Rihanna.

— Do you remember how you felt when sitting next to Rihanna?

— I thought, “Wow, Rihanna!” I took out my phone and started filming, zooming in. A security guard came up to me and said it wasn’t allowed. But I still managed to capture something.

— So, you started in HoReCa, and then there was an agency, influencer management, retail, and a very diverse background.

— Yes, and a unique mix of understanding completely different industries developed in me. At some point, it was time to decide: who am I? The answer came naturally: a creative director.

— Defining the term “creative director” can be vague. How would you describe it?

— There are different interpretations of this profession. It involves being responsible for the aesthetic aspects of a space. This could include branding and logos, but it goes beyond surface-level design. It also encompasses the company’s philosophy, onboarding procedures, and other vital processes. Additionally, it involves coming up with creative ideas for campaigns and working with a strategist to develop a cohesive strategy.

I always have the final say on creative decisions when building work processes. I trust my perception of beauty, and only a few people can influence it, with my ex-girlfriend Sasha Sviridovskaya being one of them. While she rarely criticises me, when she does, it is always done gently, and I trust her opinion.

I am like a one-man orchestra with a very keen sense of beauty. I can develop a big idea, but can I describe it in words? Here, it would be best if you had a great copywriter. But if there isn’t one — I can do it myself. Or can I pack my idea in a beautiful presentation? I need a designer here. But, in principle, I can do it myself if there isn’t one. You get it. So now, when I have a startup in a new country with new realities, I am a creative director, a designer, an account manager, and a project manager!

Photo: Slava’s personal archive

— If someone from the older generation asked you to explain what a creative director is, what words would you choose?

— I develop communication strategies and advertising campaigns. To simplify it for someone who may not understand, I am responsible for creating all visual and emotional representations of the product.

— So, you gained extensive experience in various fields, and that is how the agency EPICC was born?

— Yes, and I also started to gain followers on Instagram. As a result, I was feeling financially comfortable. However, I eventually realised it was time to take the next step and do something more significant. That is how the agency was born.

— Why EPICC?

— I have a lot of notes on my phone where I keep a bunch of ideas. Among them are names, funny, cool, and absurd. Anything that comes to mind. The name "EPICC" was also there, with two Cs at the end. "CC" stands for Creative Communications.

— The agency involves management, and as we remember, management and you could have been a better tandem.

— Exactly, so I started looking for a partner. I found a wonderful person, Zhenya Oborina, with whom we launched the agency.

— Did you fund everything yourself?

— Because our main rule was prepayment, and post-payment was for losers.

— What exactly did the EPICC agency do?

— Influencer marketing in its complete sense — from press tours and organising events for bloggers to simple advertising campaigns on social networks, special projects for brands, and small events. We started doing sponsorship integrations a bit later, attracting sponsors for various events, music videos, or projects.

— Ultimately, did you sell the agency because you moved to Dubai?

— Even if I hadn’t moved, I would have sold it because I wanted to move forward and come up with even more. And within EPICC, that was only possible sometimes. Yes, we did cool projects that everyone talked about, but I wanted more.

— Whom did you sell it to?

— To the same Zhenya Oborina, my partner.

— In September 2022, you moved to the UAE. Why here?

— I realised that I needed to move. The question was — where? We decided to fly to the Emirates because it was the only place where someone was waiting for us.

— Did you have friends there?

— Yes, I have a friend here, Layla. She is a singer, influencer and an enterpreneur. Her husband was opening a restaurant in Abu Dhabi and needed everything, including a DJ. We had a call, and I agreed immediately. They rented an apartment for me in Abu Dhabi and helped with documents. I appreciate their help.

Layla and I had talked about starting an agency for a while because we saw that many people needed those services. But ultimately, Layla handed over this business to me because she had too many things going on simultaneously. From that moment, I immersed myself in endless research, talked to everyone, and met Nastya Sobko, who became my partner.

We just had coffee and realised it was time to create a company that would elevate the UAE market to a new level. Despite being a startup, it turned out that we outperformed local competitors significantly, thanks to our expertise. Most of the local agencies still use outdated methods.

— Like what?

— For example, buying a billboard on Sheikh Zayed Road for 300,000 dirhams, where cars are moving at 100 km/h. So you won’t be able to read anything there. It is not interesting; it doesn’t work for me.

— Okay, how about influencers here?

— I was just about to tell you! We manage one client, and many bloggers DMed us, wanting to test our cars — million-follower bloggers with verified accounts. I started checking them, and some people with a million followers had less than 500 likes or around a thousand views on reels. Followers are inflated, and there is no profit from such bloggers. However, they have huge advertisers.

— Do you provide brands with services for this kind of research? To show them which influencers are worth advertising with and which are not?

— Yes, we started including regional analytics in every proposal. Investing in influencer marketing is necessary: 99 per cent of people in the UAE use the internet, and 108 per cent use social media (weird number just because some people have two accounts) — one of the highest rates worldwide. Three out of four locals are subscribed to some bloggers.

— The agency is called "Sur", which translates from Spanish to South. Was this name also from your notes?

— No, it wasn’t in my notes. We thought a lot about the name, and Sur emerged during a conversation. Firstly, yes, Sur means South. Birds fly to the South; people fly to the South for vacation. Secondly, sur is “surreal”, describing the world’s madness, but not in a negative way. It is a beautiful word. And thirdly, صورة (sura) in Arabic means a photograph. So, it was a perfect match.

— What services do you offer?

— We do influencer marketing and talent management — we sign talented people to exclusive contracts. We do PR support, brand strategies, building brand DNA, ToV, logo design, and everything related to launching or relaunching brands. We do special projects and creative activations. For example, we might suggest to an automotive brand that they need a paddle tennis tournament. We come to them, propose it, and whether they buy it or not.

— How open are local brands to this level of creativity?

— You definitely can’t answer that unequivocally. On the one hand, the market is developing super fast, and many talented people have come here. But there are those ready to work in new ways and those who aren’t.

— How do you approach brands? Through networking?

— For now, we approach them from the streets — find contacts, reach out, and what is coolest that people are willing to meet, no matter how busy they are.

— I saw photos from Sole DXB where you tagged many different cool people. How difficult is it to integrate into the local scene?

— I have a remarkable story for this. I once came to a garage sale and wanted to buy a T-shirt, but the guy selling it wasn’t there — went somewhere. I met a girl named Tamila — one of the organisers of this sale — and she gave me the guy’s Instagram. I wrote to him, he replied, and we talked. Then, I accidentally met him at Sole DXB. We agreed to have coffee, and he promised to bring that T-shirt and another 10. So, we met, and we sat for coffee for 5 hours, and he is a super interesting person. So I would say that it is easy to integrate if you are willing to and if you feel confident.

— And now, I will ask you a question you are probably fed up with. How many pairs of sneakers do you have?

— I think I sold about 50 pairs at a sale in Moscow, and there are still around 140 left in storage. In Dubai, I don’t have many — only 18 pairs. If I was really into it in Moscow, it seems like it has become a secondary story.

— What about local brands?

— From the latest, I learned about the brand Jokes Aside. It is made by a funny and creative guy who gets tired of everything gloomy and wants to create something bright, insane, and cool. Then, of course, there is The Giving Movement. Many youthful brands, like Shabab, play with retro themes. And, of course, Amongst Few is a concept store with their own clothing line with a cool vibe.

— Once, you said there were no sneakers you dreamed of buying but didn’t, and now regret it. Here is a different question: Are there sneakers you bought and regretted?

— That is a cool question! I would love to tell you some stories, but I don’t have one. There are sneakers I haven’t worn for two years — Balenciaga Track. For no reason, I didn’t wear them. But now I enjoy wearing them.

Photo: Slava’s personal archive

— I know you had a dream of organising a fashion week with young streetwear brands. How is that going now?

— This dream has transformed a bit. I am working very closely on a brand at the idea level. I want to create something related to clothing, interior, and art objects. I postponed realisation due to my overexposure and excessive perfectionism. And because I don’t yet understand how to structure the process. So, I am just customising my old clothes for fun.

As for the fashion week… I will answer like this: it is already taking on some features. It is exciting. By the way, I had the opportunity to participate in a fashion week here.

— When did you manage that?

— I walked at Pokras Lampas’s show, I was the opening model.

— Okay, and I have a question about creativity. Anyone working with creativity sooner or later finds themselves in a dead end, needing more ideas. When you are in a box that is difficult to escape, but you have to. What do you do in such cases?

— In my toolkit, there are quite a few strange methods. There are classics — for example, open “The Rice Storm” and some other book on a random page. Or scroll through Instagram and pick up some images.

I have a funny tool for coming up with, let’s say, a big idea, and you need to know which side to approach the task from. I go to some news sites, choose either Society or Nature section, and get inspired by the headlines. For example, I see news about capybaras, go to Pinterest, type “capybara in a taxi”, and enjoy the crazy madness. It is like surfing through hyperbolised images utterly unrelated to your project. But it helps to think more broadly and pull yourself out of the beaten track.

I can go to sleep. Or go somewhere by car. The coolest ideas are born when you unload your physical receptors and engage in habitual activity which doesn’t occupy your brain. Clean up, wash dishes, assemble Lego — anything. Once, I spent seven days building a giant Lego “Titanic”.

Also, when you are creative, it is great when there is a team around. It can consist of entirely different people, even those who are not involved in creativity at all. You need to gather them and give them the freedom to express their thoughts; together, you can come up with incredible things.

— Where can people meet you in Dubai?

— I have breakfast at The Grey — it turned out that there is roughly a correct symbiosis of people with my mindset. Plus, the food is delicious! I usually order a cold brew, and recently, they added syrniki (small pancakes made of cottage cheese). That was surprising because there were no Russian speakers among the cafe owners or managers. They just decided to make syrniki because someone once tried to order them.

There is a lot in the Alserkal Avenue area. For example, Tom & Serg or Cassette. If we talk about nightlife, I rarely go out, but I can recommend one bar — a small bar called Honeycomb opposite my house.

Well, and my shopping Mecca is d3. There is Frame and SVD there. I also love going to Frame to have coffee and eat ramen at their restaurant, YUI. Nearby, there is Home Bakery Kitchen, OTAKU, and Bageri Form.

— And you surf!

— There are some surf spots here, but our favourite is Jebel Ali since the water quality is excellent and brand-new boats are available. The other spots have some drawbacks, so we don’t prefer them. The Marina is too crowded with boats, Kite Beach has poor water conditions, and Port Rashid has only one boat that is always busy.

— And the last question. What should a person be prepared for when moving to Dubai?

— Undoubtedly, living here is more expensive here than anywhere else. And it would be best if you were ready for this.

Be prepared for the fact that stereotypes are just stereotypes, nothing more. Dubai is not only about business, luxury, money, and an extraordinarily wealthy life. Many people here — locals and expats — want to change something for the better. In themselves, their lives, this region, and this world.

by Alexandra Mansilla