A record crowd of more than 950 people attended the 13th annual Ad Age Women to Watch Awards at the New York Hilton in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, August 12th. The awards, hosted by AWNY and Ad Age and sponsored by the Meredith Corporation and WeTV, shone a spotlight on 30 of some of the most accomplished women in the media and marketing industry.
AWNY’s President, Mary Morgan, kicked off the event, describing the collective honorees as an inspiration to all of us. “These are not women to watch, but women to follow,” she said. This praise was seconded by Allison Arden, VP/Publisher of Ad Age, who while explaining the criteria for selection, pointed out the honorees’ common ability to impact change and achieve their visions.
Following lunch, the honorees participated in a Q&A discussion moderated by Ad Age’s editor Jonah Bloom. Before questioning the panelists about their accomplishments, Mr. Bloom gave a prelude to a subject that would be covered in the responses. He noted, “There are still a lot of glass ceilings to be shattered and today we are joined by the women doing the shattering.”
While the honorees’ achievements varied greatly, from Jill Beraud’s role as PepsiCo’s first Global Chief Marketing Officer to Dayna Proud who co-led the team that launched McDonald’s new McCafe, with an estimated $100 million initial campaign, to Fran Hauser who oversees digital assets at Time, Inc. and has increased revenue for sites like People.com, one thing was certain--the road to success in this industry is no longer limited by gender.
Much of the conversation echoed what’s going on in the world today. Many of the women are successfully leading their companies through the current recession. Maureen Linder, VP-Global Advertising, Campbell Soup Co., has overseen changes to the brand’s advertising since the economy worsened and consumers started eating more meals at home. Ads now contain messaging about the brand’s website where consumers can find recipes for meals for their families.
Other honorees are embracing the current political climate, one in which the nation elected its first African-American President and a Hispanic woman was appointed to the Supreme Court. Vida Cornelious recently left her position as Creative Director at DDB, Chicago, to join GlobalHue, an agency that specializes in multi-cultural marketing. Despite several successful years with DDB, Ms. Cornelious sees this new venture as an opportunity to be part of the solution rather than stand on the sidelines. “We’re living in an era that is changing rapidly,” she said while emphasizing the importance of embracing multiculturalism.
Several honorees spoke of the source of their success. Many attributed their achievements to strong partnerships and good teamwork. Esi Eggleston Bracey, VP-Global Cosmetics, CoverGirl, was among the many honorees who thanked members of their respective teams. Ms. Bracey, whose CoverGirl brand is one of the few brands fairing well during the recession said, “Our team…is among the best in the industry.”
Perhaps most significant, since it concluded the roundtable, was the response from Tiffany Kosel, VP-Creative Director, Crispin Porter & Bogusky. When asked why there aren’t more women on the creative side of agencies, Ms. Kosel responded honestly, pointing out that not too long ago the field resembled an episode of “Mad Men.” However, she was quick to counter that impression, first describing the business as being driven by ‘big ideas’ rather than gender, and then saying, “The field is wide open for the types of things that are interesting to women.”
The event served not only as a way to honor the achievements of these incredible women, but as a forum for the honorees to pass along advice to members of the audience. Guest presenter Troy Dunn, star of WeTV’s acclaimed series “The Locator, ” who is the father of 2 young daughters, summed it up best when he thanked the honorees for being an inspiration to young women by encouraging them to work hard to achieve their dreams. “You’re the kind of role models we need,” he said.
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