2 Minutes With ... Katie Puris of TikTok

In March, when TikTok moved to work from home, Katie Puris—managing director and global head of business marketing—wrote a haiku and shared it with the internal global group. 

“Suddenly we were all writing haikus,” she tells Muse. “Some shared were random, others were based on themes. It was a fun, creative, light-touch way to express how we were doing and spread a little joy outside of the day to day. I’ve since learned that if you can’t express an idea in a haiku, it might not be a good idea.”

We spent two minutes with Katie—where she answered our questions entirely in haikus—to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations, and recent work she’s admired.

Katie, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

Sweet suburbia
Green grass, cul de sac, kids dares
No sleep till Brooklyn

What you wanted to be when you grew up.

Live in an RV
Travel to all Disney Worlds
Footloose, fancy free 

How you discovered you were creative.

Small and full of dreams
Head in clouds, writing, drawing 
Grownups labeled me 

A person you idolized creatively growing up.

Mom said no idols
Should instead imagine them 
On toilet, pooping 

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

Late night, car hit deer
Next day, dad fell from a tree
Lifeless, but he lived

The first concert you saw, and your favorite band or musician today.

Robert Plant, ’90
Longed to see Led Zepplin live
Sadly, that dream died

Your favorite visual artist.

Daughter, Clementine
Pure, from heart to mind to hand 
Her work reminds me 

Your favorite fictional character.

I’d have to Google
Top Fictional Characters
And make something up 

The best book you’ve read lately.

New love: Poetry
Robert Frost: Road Not Taken
Please, read it again 

Your favorite movie.

Elf. Will Ferrell. Tights.
Best way to spread Christmas cheer
Watch it every year 

Your favorite TikTok.

Straight to camera
Personal stories of life
True humanity 

How the Covid-19 crisis has changed your life, personally or professionally.

Pain, loss, fear, unknown
So much hardship in our world
Check privilege, help 

Your favorite creative project you’ve ever worked on.

I like nostalgia 
But more focused on what’s next 
What will we create? 

Your favorite creative project from the past year.

Launched global campaign
Said “Don’t Make Ads. Make TikToks”
Join us, industry 

Someone else’s creative project that inspired you years ago.

I loved the jingles
Summer, pool, top of the slide
Sing it loud, till splash 

Someone else’s creative project that you admired lately.

Why admire one
But instead thank creatives 
Your craft, it matters

Your main strength as a creative person.

Full of new ideas
That’s the beauty of startups
Free to dream and do 

Your biggest weakness.

I work way too much
It’s part of what makes me, me 
So just accept it 

One thing that always makes you happy.

Lately, it’s chocolate
I’ve been eating it in bed
Don’t be disgusted

One thing that always makes you sad.

When people suffer
I feel it deep in my soul
It doesn’t leave me 

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

Not in an RV!
I’ve always adjusted course
So much more to learn