🌍 Berlin, the city where I first started to imagine and build CROING l Creative Agency

The first time I arrived in #Berlin, I was 19. I stayed with my friend Lisseth — whom I met on #Twitter — her husband, and their little daughter (who’s now all grown up!). 

From this city — rich in history, culture, and diversity — I slowly started to imagine and build what would later become CROING l Creative Agency.

I came back from Berlin with richer insights that every marketer looking to get closer to their audiences will appreciate:

- Brands that make you feel at home become timeless. Stepping into that same house, seeing my old yellow room, and the sign that still read “Don’t dream your life, live your dream” felt like a hug from my younger self. It reminded me how certain emotions live in objects, spaces, and words — and how brands that create those kinds of emotional symbols can become timeless.

- Crossed cultures are in the DNA of communities globally. Berlin is home to over 1 million Turkish people — and Berliner döner are better than Istanbul’s, haha. Cities aren’t homogenous; they’re built on intersections. Brands that embrace that multiplicity of stories and perspectives become much more powerful.

- Emotional memory is generational. In conversations, gestures, and decisions, there’s a quiet presence of inherited guilt but also a longing for healing, awareness, and softness — brands don’t need to avoid these deeper emotions; they can become bridges to help people move forward with more kindness.

- Representation needs context. I saw teenage girls doing full makeup at home but not daring to wear it outside because of bullying. They want to express themselves, but also protect themselves — empowerment is not linear, and inclusive brands should stop assuming it is.

- There’s a craving for beauty experiences in Germany. There’s no giant SEPHORA — but there are small, intimate spaces where makeup becomes a form of silent expression. For this and the previous point, I see a huge opportunity for brands to connect with German girls.

Berlin reminded me that not all change is visible — and that to truly connect with people, you need to understand what stays, what hides, and what’s quietly longed for.

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I’m Alejandra Salazar, Founder & CEO of CROING l Creative Agency. I share audience insights, creative industry events, culturally relevant campaigns, and spotlight women in the industry. Follow me and join the conversation.