Meet Fallon Milan Perlino

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fallon Milan Perlino and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fallon Milan, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Though I’m a sucker for my daily rituals, I’m happiest when I step outside of routine. I do this in small ways, by stopping to notice the world around me and figuring how I can take a new path forward. This has been a major thread in my life, both personally and through my work (though I’ve never drawn a stark line between the two).

The reason I was drawn to the advertising field in the first place: I have a distaste for most advertising. If we’re honest, it’s rare to feel moved by a billboard or a 15-second YouTube ad. We drive by, skip, move on—processing a great deal of what we see as visual clutter. Then, there’s the few rare campaigns that bring you to the present moment, and you take notice of them, and if done right, you remember them. I feel that the most impactful marketing (and art) is that which pulls us out of routine and into new patterns of thought.

Whether I’m building campaigns, painting, or on a walk with my dog, the pursuit is to stay curious and present.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been called a Swiss-Army-Blade Creative, but it wasn’t until recent years that I would call myself an artist.

I went to a hugely populated high school in the suburbs north of Atlanta (Go Hawks!), and I planned to attend medical school post-grad. I don’t know when or where this idea lodged itself in my head, maybe because I watched too much Grey’s Anatomy my freshman year. More likely, it was because people responded well when I told them I planned to become a doctor, or a surgeon, which made me feel good. However, it never felt truthful.

I felt most like myself when I was sketching in the margins of my Calculus homework. I did this for no one outside of myself, yet I saw no value in it. I certainly didn’t see my creativity as a viable career path, so I never signed up for an art class.

One day in late 2019, on a whim during my senior year, my family decided to tour SCAD Atlanta, a school I had only heard about in passing. The story goes as such: my mom and I got to the second floor of the building before coming to tears. It was an immediate sense of belonging for me. I could see a path forward for what always felt true but had nowhere to land. I submitted my application that week, creating a portfolio of artworks for the first time. It was a 180° screeching u-turn in my life.

In my first classes, I forged an even deeper love for drawing. It changed the way I see the world, in a very literal sense. I no longer see just a ‘chair’, I see a system of lines, shapes, colors, and shades that is more interesting and complex than the idea of something to sit on. Drawing led me to an understanding that not everything is as it seems, which I found mystifying. I also learned that art has a vast capability to heal, which is why I began donating sketched portraits for those in my community who had lost a beloved family member or pet. I declared Drawing as my minor.

In search of a major, I decided to give Advertising & Branding a test drive. I was resistant at first, as I’ve always been critical of marketing, repelling anything that feels invasive or inauthentic. I had no idea that this would be a great asset to me.

Because I felt off-put by “typical” advertising, every idea I brought to the classroom had to challenge that standard. Marketing became my medium for creating content and events that could touch people’s lives in ways that felt memorable, never expected or surface-level. My Professors and mentors encouraged me at every turn, and their belief in me kept my tank on F.

I carried that momentum through my senior year, when the school contacted me about interviewing for “graduation honors”. With my nose so buried in work and internships, I only gave it a passing thought of gratitude. I felt thankful that they were considering me for a chord, or something of the like. The creative process was always the focus for me, and the grades were a byproduct.

Then came the second round of interviews, and still I was oblivious. It wasn’t until I received the message “Congratulations – you have been selected as the Atlanta campus Valedictorian for Commencement 2025” that I considered I was in the running. It was something I never imagined for myself. Surreal and humbling!

Recently, I’m thrilled to have joined the internal Brand team at Hertz as their Gold Squad Pack Leader, Brand & Events Specialist.

Beyond Marketing, I continue to make art. Each of my creative pursuits extends from the same core: a deep curiosity about the unseen and a passion for finding novel ways to tap into and express it—which still tends to manifest as sketches along the edges of my notebooks.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My ideal day in and around Atlanta consists of people watching, thrift-hopping, and getting “junk drunk” on antiques, as my mom famously calls it. I’m a usual at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, and a must-see is Scott’s Antique Market, which is open one weekend every month, so make sure to plan ahead.

My favorite for a nice dinner is Marcel, their bread service is an all-timer, but really anything Ford Fry is a winner (Shoutout St. Cecilia, Little Sparrow, Superica)! At the end of the day, I’m usually up for a concert.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Hi, Mom!

I owe everything to my family, who have supported me endlessly. You guys rock.

“You can do it like it’s a great weight on you, or you can do it like it’s part of the dance.” -Ram Dass

Instagram: @fallonmilan – https://www.instagram.com/fallonmilan/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fallon-perlino/

Other: Check out the Hertz Gold Squad, as I’ve joined the internal Brand team as Gold Squad Pack Leader – Brand and Events Specialist! https://www.instagram.com/p/DNgy-lSCW92/

Image Credits
Genya O’Neall, Michele Reed, Colin Gray