Megan Skelly

Speak out on topics that truly matter and authentically align with your brand's values. And do not play the short game of acquiescing to the usual mob of purpose-haters. #SocialJustice #BrandValues #TakeAction

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This article has been written many, many times in my career, yet very little changes. I post this not to rant at the system, but to continue to acknowledge the obvious disparities. Advertising must do better. Let me know what you think, or simply vent. I think we at least deserve that. #advertising #diversity https://lnkd.in/eHmGk-yv

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I got that feeling, because Im at Target, Sipping a latte, Shopping for nothing, but buying everything. Isn't this Yargets overall strategy? They want us to stroll, roam, browse, and enjoy being in their store. This ad is absolutely hilarious and brilliant. It highlights the thing about Target that we all love and evokes emotion. While watching this commercial I saw myself in a few of these characters (cough, cough, the latte drinker, and plant enthusiast). 🎵 Perfect song choice. When it feels like a no-brainer that this ad worked.... that means its a real gem and a marketing win. Watch the Ad 👉 https://lnkd.in/gSQ2e9nY #Target #TargetStores #targetCommercial #FunnyCommercial #Marketing #MarketingWin #MarketingSuccess #MarketingInsights

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Coachella: a cautionary tale for brands. Despite its star-studded lineups and passionate attendees (we see you, Taylor Swift!), the festival recently hit a sour note with a record-breaking lack of interest. Over the years, Coachella went from music fest to brand extravaganza. Brands, eager to be 'cool,' splurged on everything from art installations to VIP parties, reaping short-term benefits and boosting Coachella's visibility as a marketing benchmark. But nothing lasts forever, and now they're facing the music. What does Coachella stand for today? What legacy has it created? Without clear guidelines for partnerships, space usage, and participation - letting people use it the way they saw fit - Coachella's brand has been diluted away. Brands, take note: protecting your equity goes beyond logos. Comprehensive guidelines should cover employee conduct, decor, and partnership strategies, ensuring a cohesive brand experience. Coachella can bounce back, but it will take deep reflection before next year's lineup announcement to reclaim the essence that made it special to begin with. #Coachella #Brand #BrandExperience

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Understand your audience, know where to find them, and make content that they like.

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S/O to Whitney Alexander's Substack for this fantastic ADWEEK spotlight. As a 40+ woman, I am definitely feeling the lack of focus by most consumer brands, ironically, when I'm the most willing (and able) to spend more for quality. Only 5-10% of marketing budgets are earmarked for an over-50 audience, BUT: 💰 Women drive 70-80% of all consumer purchasing, either through buying power or influence  💸 And women older than 50 drive $15 trillion in spending power—which is 27% of all consumer spending in the U.S. 🤑 By 2030, women are expected to control much of the $30 trillion in wealth that is soon to transfer from baby boomers to younger generations—namely millennials, who will all be in their mid-30s to late-40s by then [GASP]. The article lists General Motors, Buick and L'Oréal as exceptions, who else do you think is doing a good job at this? https://lnkd.in/ee_ssgGD

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While we are in the middle of awards season, it’s a good time to remember that the quality of the work that gets in front of the most consumers is what matters most for the future of our industry.

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Launching Bentley’s first brand campaign developed by IPG-X ‘How do you Bentley?’ enables us to lead the conversation about what a luxury lifestyle looks like through the creation of four curated, crafted and distinctly Bentley 'worlds'. Bringing together generations of Bentley customers, these unexpected, ultra-luxurious worlds help us modernise the brand and put Bentley at the forefront of driving beyond purely automotive towards a luxury lifestyle proposition. So, how do you Bentley?

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Failure is a part of the game in advertising. Whether it stems from a partner's decisions or campaign outcomes, taking risks means sometimes falling short. I love this article's insight into how to approach and leverage failure. As a leader I have always tried to make room for failure—it's essential for our growth as creatives. #creativity #agencylife #leadership #creativedirector

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Everything you need to know about B2b storytelling is in this video. https://lnkd.in/guF98wJ6 Surprisingly, it’s the same as for humans everywhere… #brandstory #thedrama

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Just a simple ad slogan or or powerful message? The story of a copywriter in the 70s who coined a slogan to mark female empowerment across the world! Once again we see the impact brilliant creative development, story telling and excution can have on how things come to be.

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The sad thing is I have been told by too many people over the years that they have received this response, I even got it early in my career. Leading creative people is not an easy job, but if you’re not cut out for it get out of the hot seat. Many are great at the role and some suck at it. The ones that suck at it are not only damaging people’s careers they are also damaging the agency and doing a disservice to the clients. The second part of the title is the most important - ‘Director’. Imagine a feature film shoot. An A-grade actor is in front of the camera and does a scene, it doesn’t work out and the top-notch Director says - “Nah, don’t like it, keep trying.” It wouldn’t happen. The Director would give “direction”, explain why the scene isn’t working, and give some inspiration to help guide the actor towards delivering the best performance possible. Also, the Director would not suddenly jump in front of the camera and take over and do the acting themself. Something some Creative Directors sometimes do, even from the outset. An agency Creative Director needs to behave the same as a top film Director and ‘direct’, the majority do this, but alas there are many who don’t, and that leads to dissatisfaction from creative people who are missing out on growing their careers. Whenever I am asked by people I mentor and coach what they should do when they find themselves working under a crap Creative Director, my advice is always - “Start looking for a new job with a Creative Director who knows what they are doing.” Titles are not just titles, they are responsibilities. Work with the people who take the role seriously, you’ll learn a lot from them and grow, and in fact, they will also learn and grow by leading you. It’s a win-win for all. ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡ If you’re looking for creative coaching and guidance, I work with people looking to take the step up to leadership and with those who have suddenly found themselves in the role and want to get it right. I have a couple of openings for June, get in touch and we’ll chat. #creativity #creativedirector #creativecoach #creativecareers

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It's been a few days since Cannes Lions 2024 concluded, and I'm still processing the incredible experience, of my 10th anniversary at this awe inspiring event. Amidst the buzz of AI, one key takeaway resonates – humanity remains at the heart of innovation. Publicis brought humor to the ever-present AI chatter, with “AI BS Bot”, and to to quote our Microsoft friends, “AI is not creative, you are!” There was a palpable sense of positivity & inspiration in the work that won. Work that did not take itself too seriously. A strong feeling that the industry had brought humanity and fun back into creativity. 6 key threads that ran through the winning work… 1. From championing causes to championing people - a shift from the purpose lead work we have seen in previous years, to focussing in on true human challenges and characters. Reference - Axa, 'Three Words'. 2. Make purpose sell to people - For the first time in a long time, we saw how brands stepped back out to boldly sell again, but backed by purpose. Reference - Renault, 'Cars to Work'. 3. Superiority is nothing without relevance - Yes, you can profess to be the best in the game, but back it up with relevant (& humorous) “why’s” - Reference: Tide, 'Gonna need more Tide'. 4. Technology has become instrumental not ornamental - Technology as the enabler not the centerpiece! Reference: Orange - ‘Women’s Football’. 5. Creativity doesn’t stop at the insight - supercharge the insight! Reference - Toyota, the ‘Oh Sh1t Handle’, Mattress Firm, ‘How do you sleep at night?’ 6. Meet people on their terms - consumers remix your brands ,…so meet them there. Reference - Coke, 'Recycle', Heineken (or is it ‘Haikenen’?), '150th Anniversary'. Reflecting on the week, there is an overwhelming sense that connecting with the industry and the people is what really matters. Whether through a well crafted and deeply engaging panel, fireside chat, keynote or meeting, or discussions over dinner (or glass of Rose), or simply bumping into industry colleagues and friends along the La Croisette. Reunions and rendezvous with some of the smartest, most creative people on the planet (not just in our industry), really leaves an imprint. I am overwhelmed by how lucky and grateful I am to be a part of this magical industry, and feel blessed that we get to work and play in this space every day. Thank you Cannes Lions 2024! The best yet!

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Tommy’s Briefs: What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you've ever made? Tom McManimon—Founder of StimulusBrand Communications: “One of the best investments I’ve ever made is working on myself becoming a strong creative director. In that role, I get to influence teams of people and be their mentor, help them rise, and deliver their very best. In my career, I have surrounded myself with accomplished creative directors and learned from them. Another investment I’ve made is in public speaking. It’s one thing to present creative campaigns to CEOs or boards of directors which I have done for years, but another thing to be on a stage in front of a bigger audience—in  service to them. So, I enrolled in professional speaker training (again, from some of the very best) and learned a “thing or two.” I am in a career that requires that you know your target audience. The same holds true in speaking. Creating material that is relevant and meaningful is key. It became important to me to try to share messages and emotional stories that go beyond advertising to lift people and help business leaders have one of those lightbulb moments. To accomplish that, you have to learn to write well, rehearse it, and then deliver it as the authentic you. I was wise enough to surround myself with a team of people who were great at that and they help me every day to be compelling, engaging and on point.

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This takes our social practice effectiveness to a whole different level where we can be precise in our insights and truly understanding audiences behaviors and propensity towards a behavior. #digitas #swat

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AI needs EQ more than IQ.

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Let’s bring some nutrition into cards. That’s something OPC (Organic Playing Cards) probably thought of themselves when they started to create playing cards with various fruit and vegetable themes. Together their team and I refined OPC’s positioning allowing the brand to double down on the things it is already known for. In a collaborative effort, we discussed ways to redefine OPC during multiple strategy sessions. The goal was to clarify OPC’s voice and approach to ideate, produce, and sell products as a community-first brand. Eager to grow and expand awareness the following are some learnings we discovered. Complete Case Study: https://lnkd.in/ewCPvx3T —- Client: Organic Playing Cards Strategy: Max Jung

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