About Yanina Mendoza | 20+ Years of Creative Direction

A life shaped by aesthetics, a career built on storytelling.

Passionate in art direction, visual branding, and strategic content — a creative path I’ve been shaping for more than 20 years. My journey has been guided by one belief: that emotion, design, and strategy are inseparable when it comes to creating meaningful brands.

Today, I help companies and creative projects build identities that people can truly feel. My work blends aesthetic intuition with strategic precision, transforming concepts into coherent visual languages that move audiences and strengthen brand presence. Every project I lead begins with a story — and ends as an experience.

Through Why Not Try, the agency I founded, I conceptualize and produce visual strategies and purpose-driven identities for clients across Latin America and beyond. Each collaboration becomes a process of exploration and storytelling, guided by clarity, intention, and refined aesthetics. I believe in design that not only looks beautiful but also feels emotionally intelligent and aligned with each brand’s true essence.

Early beginnings in art and fashion

My journey began at the age of 13, when I was selected to compete in the Elite Model Look contest. That experience introduced me to the world of aesthetics and storytelling. It opened doors to the audiovisual industry, where I developed a sharp eye for visual composition, emotional tone, and the power of communication as the core of every brand.

Those early years shaped my creative foundation — teaching me that beauty without meaning fades quickly, but when guided by intention, it becomes timeless.

From modeling to creative direction

As a professional model and stylist, I refined my sensitivity to detail, texture, and presence. Over time, that visual awareness evolved into a career in creative direction.
I began leading branding campaigns, collaborating with diverse teams, and bringing ideas to life through emotionally resonant imagery.

Storytelling became my language — a way to connect ideas, people, and brands. My approach to art direction grew into a balance of intuition and structure, where every decision — color, composition, rhythm — supports the emotional narrative.

Building meaningful brand identities

Eventually, I founded Why Not Try, where I conceptualize and direct visual branding and strategic content projects. From boutique hotels and wellness spaces to lifestyle and design brands, I help clients communicate with authenticity and aesthetic coherence.

My process is collaborative, sensory, and intentional. It starts with understanding emotion, evolves through design thinking, and ends in cohesive storytelling. Each project is an ecosystem where strategy and aesthetics coexist — delivering content that’s visually refined, emotionally engaging, and true to its purpose.

The philosophy behind my creative work

For me, art direction is more than a profession — it’s a philosophy. It’s about merging emotion, design, and strategy to craft something that feels timeless, authentic, and human. Every detail, from palette to typography, contributes to the emotional tone of a brand.

My vision is to continue building brands and experiences that speak to the senses — where beauty and meaning meet. Because at the heart of every project I create, there’s one constant: a story that connects through feeling.