2 Minutes With ... Terri Meyer and Sandy Greenberg, Co-Founders and CEOs of Terri & Sandy

Terri Meyer and Sandy Greenberg were creative partners at huge agencies including J. Walter Thompson, DMB&B and FCB—where they rose to become executive creative directors (and spearheaded the award-winning “Milk’s Favorite Cookie” campaign for Oreo)—before launching Terri & Sandy, one of the few female-owned, creatively run agencies in America, in 2010. 

The indie agency’s roster now includes Disney Princess, Gerber, The Hartford Insurance, CityMD, Freshpet, Famous Amos, Phonak, Twinings, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Barba Men’s Grooming Boutique, among others. 

Muse spent 2 minutes with Meyer and Greenberg to learn more about their backgrounds, creative influnces, and recent work they’ve admired. 

Terri and Sandy, tell us…

Where you were born.

Terri: Springfield, Missouri. Yep, Brad Pitt and me.

Sandy: Philly, which explains my love for cheesesteaks.

What you wanted to be when you grew up.

Terri: A Senator’s wife.

Sandy: A veterinarian.

How you discovered you were creative.

Terri: I drew on everything I could find—including painting on the basement floor.

Sandy: I won a poetry-writing contest in 4th grade.

A person you idolized creatively growing up.

Terri: Mary Wells Lawrence and Berthe Morisot.

Sandy: Big Bird. He was tall like me.

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

Terri: In high school, I attended a seminar in advertising design at Ball State University and knew at age 15 I wanted to be an art director.

Sandy: I interviewed James Dickey, author of Deliverance and once the Poet Laureate of the United States.

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

Terri: My first concert was Barry Manilow. This might be a bit embarrassing, but the fact that he wrote and performed advertising jingles further fueled my passion for the industry.

Sandy: First concert was Hall & Oates. My favorite today is Nina Simone. I’m stuck in the ’50s and 60’s.

Your favorite visual artist.

Terri: Monet.

Sandy: Van Gogh.

Your favorite hero or heroine in fiction.

Terri: Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice.

Sandy: Holden Caufield from The Catcher in the Rye.

The best book you’ve read lately.

Terri: Becoming by Michelle Obama, and The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger.

Sandy: Becoming by Michelle Obama, though I didn’t “read” it; I listened on Audible. Hearing her read her eloquent words was stunningly beautiful.

Your favorite movie.

Terri: Annie Hall.

Sandy: Ordinary People.

Your favorite Instagram follow.

Terri: Architectural Digest.

Sandy: My daughter Nola’s.

Your favorite creative project you’ve ever worked on, and why.

Terri: Disney’s 30th anniversary of Little Mermaid. To capture the passion our diverse culture has for this film was so meaningful, and the Mercandantes (directors) approached this with such authenticity. I still cannot watch it without crying, and I’ve seen it hundreds of times.

Sandy: Disney Princess, “Be a Champion.” The Disney Princesses are deeply rooted in my childhood, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reposition the franchise for a whole new generation.

Your favorite creative project from the past year, and why.

Terri: “From 1706 and Beyond” for Twinings tea. To be given the opportunity to bring to life a real visionary in a breakthrough, comedic manner was amazing.

Sandy: “From 1706 and Beyond” for Twinings. Twinings was totally undifferentiated in a crowded tea category, and by introducing Thomas Twinings, the brand’s visionary founder, we were able to imbue the brand with British creds. (The English know their tea.) Plus, I’ve always wanted to do a “plague” joke.

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

Terri: Nike’s “Revolution.” It was the very first Beatles song used in a commercial, and I loved the way it was shot and edited. 

Sandy: “The Talk” from P&G and BBDO.  It’s a heartbreaking story so beautifully told.

Someone else’s creative project that you’ve been envious of lately.

Terri: Nike’s “Dream Crazier.” They summed up everything I felt in my heart in :90 seconds.

Sandy: It’s gotta be “Viva La Vulva.”

Your main strength as a creative person.

Terri: My tenacity. 

Sandy: Relentlessness.

Your weakness or blind spot.

Terri: I sometimes fall in love with things too quickly.

Sandy: I lack impartiality when it comes to my Havanese, Eve. She can do no wrong. Even right after she pees on the living room floor. 

One thing that always makes you happy.

Terri: A brilliant idea. And Pinkberry.

Sandy: A great idea.

One thing that always makes you sad.

Terri: Mourning the death of a great idea and not being able to save it for our people.  

Sandy: Violence against animals.

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

Terri: Travel photographer.

Sandy: Trial lawyer.