Ameena Meer became a writer when (in first grade) she was voted “most likely to have read every book in the school library.” But after that it took two decades of working as a journalist, dancer, editor, Asian-American activist and waitress to publish her first novel, Bombay Talkie (Serpent’s Tail/High Risk, US,1994).

An Indian of the diaspora, Ameena Meer is also one of New York’s most sought-after Creatives. Ameena realized her commercial talent while working with Neil Kraft at Calvin Klein, where she was given the opportunity to write the 1994 campaigns for Escape, which led to continued work on Eternity, cK one and Obsession. Meer’s succinct word choice on the brand revitalizing campaign, “Weather or Not,” for London Fog was an early sample of her spare, to-the-point style, as is Calvin Klein’s women underwear campaign, “What begins with a T?”; Bobbie Brown Essentials Cosmetics, “It’s your face. It’s your choice” and Macy’s/Federated INC’s, “Don’t Think Twice. Think INC.” Meer’s most recent work is renergizing on the Davidoff fragrance, Cool Water and Cool Water Woman. In Europe and Asia, she is adding a sense of humor to Wella’s Vivality shampoo (“Let Your Hair Live,”) and a soul to Koleston hair color, (“Find Your Balance”). Current campaigns include the spring A/X Armani Exchange, Lancaster campaigns, Jennifer Lopez fragrance: Glow by J.Lo (Fresh-Sexy-Clean) and Sebastian Haircare.

Meer revolutionized the way Oil of Olay sells moisturizer by creating an entirely new campaign geared towards the MTV generation (“Wear Sunscreen. Olay Complete.” and “Take Care. Oil of Olay.” ) The positioning, television and print advertising for Olaycolor is amongst Ameena’s work – “Live Life in Color” – in the U.S. and Europe. The position and advertising campaign for the relaunch of Halston (“Life American Style”); the Nathan David/Lycra for Men (“Be Prepared”) and the Mikasa Home Stores (“Your Table is Waiting”) are some of Meer’s commercial work emblazoned on buses, subways and billboards. She has also worked on an array of scripts, including DKNY Jeans and the CFDA’s tribute films to Liz Tilberis /Harper’s Bazaar in 1994 and Hushpuppies in 1995. Meer’s client list is as varied as it is extensive and includes Aveda, Elizabeth Arden, Estee Lauder, Donna Karan, Liz Claiborne, Via Spiga, Garnet Hill, Helena Rubenstein, Robert Lee Morris, The Limited, Bally, Sony and more. In 1998, Meer created Shiseido’s new girlpower line 5S (“Own Your Mind and Body”) that launched in Soho.

Ameena Meer’s journalism in English and French has covered everything from arranged marriages to Indian restaurant reviews to Salman Rushdie in Actuel, Allure, Bomb, the Daily News, Harper’s Bazaar, Interview, Mademoiselle, Paper and other publications. Her cross-cultural short fiction has been widely anthologized. She is a member of the prestigious Pen writers’ organization. Meer is currently working on a fictionalized account of her grandfather’s four wives.