Dorian Ilie: About Courage, Authenticity, and the Meaning of Communication

Dorian Ilie, copywriter and founder of the Forever Summer agency, talks about courage, authenticity, and the meaning of communication in an interview about choices, values, and transformation.

Dorian Ilie is a copywriter, communication specialist, and founder of the Forever Summer agency. He graduated from the Department of Communication and Public Relations within the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies at the University of Bucharest and is currently a master’s student at the Faculty of Letters of the same university, enrolled in the Theoretical and Applied Linguistics program. His research interests focus on discourse analysis, argumentation, and pragmatics.

He has over 15 years of experience in communication and advertising, having worked for brands, companies, and institutions such as Glovo, ParkLake Shopping Center, Coca-Cola, Dell, Durex, Nurofen, HBO, Novartis, Pfizer, the European Commission, the United Nations, Heidelberg Materials, OMV, TV5MONDE, LONGi, and Canpack. In 2020 he was part of the jury for the New York Advertising Festivals, and in 2018 he served as a juror at the Romanian PR Awards and Romanian Eurobest, a competition organized by The Alternative School for Creative Thinking.

C&B: If we were to trace the narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Dorian Ilie: I believe the difficult, pivotal, and challenging moments have defined me the most. For example, when I resigned after five years in a corporation, a comfortable job with a good salary but devoid of personal, emotional, and intellectual satisfaction, and went to Thailand for a volunteer program to learn more about communication and climate change. Another such turning point was three years ago, when I again left a job that society might see as desirable but with which I felt my relationship had ended. I followed my own path, founding my own communication and advertising agency and doing things at my own pace, according to my own vision.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Dorian Ilie: The most difficult moment was the passing of an important person in my life, which coincided with the opportunity to become a partner in the former agency where I had worked for almost ten years. I deliberated for a long time but ultimately declined because I felt the need to move forward and do something else.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Dorian Ilie: The desire and thirst for knowledge, not just to acquire and absorb new information, but to understand what it entails, what relationships are formed, and how they influence one another. Education and lifelong learning have been, and still are, values I deeply believe in.

C&B: How did you look at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you’ve transformed over time?

Dorian Ilie: The different stages and events of life have matured me, refined my skills, and brought me new abilities. From a naïve and idealistic young man, I became a pragmatic idealist, so not that big of a difference, really, only that now I see the world as it is, trying not to view it only as I wish it were.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Dorian Ilie: I don’t know exactly what they would say, but beyond anything else, I hope they would say I’m a person who shows respect, whether for ideas, people, or values. The idea of respect, in itself, is essential. Empathy, though much praised, also has its limits, while respect for others and dignity can be perennial.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?

Dorian Ilie: Transitioning from employee to entrepreneur is neither simple nor easy, but it’s far more fulfilling than staying in a place where you no longer feel you belong. I’d rather take a risk and not win than lose in the long run. Likewise, the decision to return to school for a master’s program was also important to me. I felt I was stagnating and wanted to learn and understand more, to broaden my horizons of knowledge. It was ultimately a winning bet, one of the best decisions I’ve made recently.

C&B: How did you develop your leadership style or decision-making process? Was it natural or learned?

Dorian Ilie: I learned to make decisions through practice, not through personal or professional development books, which are not my cup of tea. As for books, I read literature or non-fiction, I believe they are the best sources for educating the mind and for the pleasure of reading.

C&B: What do you think differentiates your agency from others in the field?

Dorian Ilie: I don’t know exactly what differentiates it, but I’m certain we rely on creativity and agility. We’re a small agency that neither can nor wishes to compete with large agencies. We want to be, and remain, as authentic as possible, to ourselves and to others.

C&B: What does an ordinary day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?

Dorian Ilie: I read the news, work a bit, play with my cat, work some more, cook, go shopping, exercise, rest, work again, then read or watch a movie.

C&B: What values or principles guide what you do, and how do you apply them daily?

Dorian Ilie: Respect, dignity, solidarity. Physical and mental health are a thousand times more important than any call, email, project, or client. If something or someone starts to affect your physical or emotional integrity, then that thing or person isn’t worth it. I prefer less and better over more and worse.

C&B: How did the idea of creating the Forever Summer agency and giving it that name come about?

Dorian Ilie: I was on a wild beach in Bulgaria one summer evening, and I wished that moment could last forever, that I’d never again dread Monday, having to return to work. I think I succeeded because sometimes I don’t even know what day it is, and I no longer count the days until vacation or the weekend.

C&B: If you were to share a message with those who follow your example, what would it be?

Dorian Ilie: “The unexamined life is not worth living,” as Socrates once said. So read, study, be curious, and reflect as much as possible on both your inner and outer worlds. Don’t stagnate, dream, and keep seeking your own path.

Beyond titles, campaigns, and projects, Dorian Ilie’s story is about the courage to remain authentic in a world that constantly pushes you toward compromise. It’s about lifelong learning, the strength to make difficult decisions, and the freedom to live in alignment with your own values. In a field driven by speed and appearances, he chooses depth, respect, and meaning, three coordinates that perhaps best define not only his work, but also his way of being.