How the Women of Mintz + Hoke Envision the Next 50 Years in Advertising

To honor Women’s History Month during our 50th year, we asked our women employees to share their Immersively Different perspectives on the next 50 years in advertising and how they encourage women to contribute to that growth.

The Client Service Perspective

Kara Mitchell, Principal, Client Service

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? How we go to market will look vastly different over the next 50 years. However, the need to find insights to help our clients build deeper relationships with their customers will never change.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Our industry has been and will continue to be about connecting with people at its core. Successful advertising connects with both the hearts and minds of our audience. The good thing about that is women have the innate ability to be compassionate and have excellent emotional intelligence to support this needed connection. Let’s lean into that ability.

Emily Brewer, Account Director

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Fifty years ago, brands were talking at consumers instead of to consumers. That dynamic has changed, and now more than ever, it is a conversation between brands and consumers. Brands must listen to consumers just as much as they share information. As the media landscape evolves and becomes even more complicated, I think the relationship between brands and consumers will continually change.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Similarly, the role of women in advertising has changed a lot over the last 50 years, both professionally and regarding our spending power as consumers. We offer a unique perspective, and we have to make our voices heard.

Michelle Ormsby, Account Supervisor

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Even with new data privacy laws, advertising will continue to shift toward 1:1 marketing strategies where brands customize how they are speaking to their highly targeted customer. This strategy will be so subtle and seamless we will not even notice, and we will begin to rely on advertisers to tell us what we want or need. 
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women will continue to be the primary decision-makers of the household and the primary target for not only household needs but also real estate, vacation planning, childcare, education decisions, etc. Girls rule the world and the roost!

Caitlyn Wells, Senior Account Executive

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I believe there will be an increased focus on transparency and personalization of ads in the next 50 years. Genuinely unique brands that are environmentally and socially responsible, and that evoke an emotional response from their ads, will do the best.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women will continue to drive growth in advertising through innovation, evolving how organizations operate and fostering more diverse and inclusive ways of thinking.

Meghan Rigney, Account Coordinator

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? It is incredible to see the change in body positivity over the years. I did a research paper in college about how women (and men) are portrayed in advertising. Now, most companies you see are using models with relatable body types. It is hard to even think about what the world will be like in the next 50 years. I keep imagining we are all in the Metaverse where advertising will be projected everywhere. On a serious note, companies should remain open-minded and prove their brands are for all types within their target audience.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? I think women need to continue to support companies that are becoming more inclusive of all types of people and bodies. As advertisers, we should encourage women to stay confident and remember their worth, because ultimately, not one gender can run the world. It takes a village of different minds.

Julie Jarvis, Account Coordinator

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I think advertising will become more personalized and rely on shared experiences. I hope it continues to become more diverse, so everyone’s story gets told.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? This growth will not happen without women — women are making their voices heard in all industries and establishing themselves in positions of power and influence.

Sara Tuller, Account Coordinator

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I think we will continue to see the digital age take over advertising. I believe print will always be part of advertising, but the internet has consumed our lives and will continue to grow, whether it be increased geo-targeting within ads or social media platforms increasing the number of ads shown through our feeds.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women can help level the playing field for females in society. Selling sex has always been part of advertising, but we see less of it every day. A great example of this is the brand Billie, a female-first shave and body brand that shows body hair on women in their advertisements, whereas other brands advertise women with already baby-smooth legs. 

The Public Relations Perspective

Amanda Savio, PR Account Supervisor

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? As news becomes more and more immediate, the PR response, if needed, will have to be that much quicker. At the same time, we cannot sacrifice messaging for speed. We must remain thoughtful throughout.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? The PR world is full of incredible, smart women, and I am lucky to be among them. We should remain focused on effectively sharing our clients' messages, urging them to respond, not react. 

Lindsay Trobel, PR Account Executive

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? We continue to move toward an integrated mix of digital and traditional media and content alignment across platforms. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I also think we are moving toward a future of hybrid events. While many people are eager to gather again in person, many people like having the ability to experience these events from the comfort of their own homes. AR and VR will become important in creating an immersive experience for people who do not want to attend events in person. 
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? As consumers, women are the driving influence on male buyers and their households and have much of the purchasing power. It is important for women in this industry to be aware of their role in consumer purchasing and lead their teams to target women the way they want to be targeted. We tend to be misunderstood in marketing, so we need to convince our counterparts to ditch stereotypes like using pink as a marketing tool or using one-woman-fits-all personas.

KaLyn McCullough, PR Coordinator

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Advertisers play a pivotal role in society — we have the power to change the narrative on almost anything. Now more than ever, people are looking to support companies that take stances on controversial topics and take actionable steps to change the world. This trend allows advertisers to keep those tough conversations flowing and to position their clients in a unique light. I envision this strategy will only get stronger going forward, and I am thrilled to be part of it.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women hold most of the buying power. We tend to be the number one decision-makers at home, and we make up a majority of the advertising industry. However, only a fraction of executive positions in this field are held by women. We have always been great at creating seats at the table, and from those seats we will continue to open doors for other women in the industry to move up the ladder.

The Creative Perspective

Rena Astle, Director of Creative Resources

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Advertising will continue to be more targetable and measurable, and because of this, digital will continue to grow.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Understand audience data and analytics to develop targeted content.

Carla Gonzalez, Associate Creative Director

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Generally, I think we are going to see business transparency play a greater role in everyday messaging, as value alignment plays a large role in decision-making. Cool is not just how a garment looks anymore; it is where the material was sourced, how it was made, and how ownership impacts society and the environment. So, I think we will see a shift to advertising with a little more substance behind the humor and perhaps greater sensitivity to inclusive messages. Long story short, in 50 years, I do not think geckos, half-naked angels, or condensation on soda cans are going to cut it anymore.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? It may be unfair to generalize and say that women will bring more substance or thoughtfulness to advertising. However, I would say that this shift will require a fresh voice. Given only 40% of creative leads (directors) are women, we have an opportunity to step in and provide a fresh take on ways brands can connect with a more socially, environmentally, and politically conscious audience.

Dani Battaglia, Art Director

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I do not think work experience will be as important as talent and passion. Specifically for graphic design, many people do not go to school for it, but they are amazing at what they do.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women will contribute to that growth by not sticking to stereotypes and knowing that there is not one traditional way to get to the place you want to be.

Katelyn Petersen, Art Director

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Technology has changed so much in the last 10 years. I think we will see a shift in how/where we advertise and what creatives are using to create what we are seeing.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? I think we will have more women-owned companies, women leaders, and women Creative Directors to influence others coming up in their careers/roles.

The Media Perspective

Sara-Beth Donovan, Principal, Media and President, Media Only

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? The next 50 years can be about personalization and respecting the client's customer through increased representation and inclusion. This work has begun as an industry, but much more lies ahead.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? I believe everyone can play a role in a more inclusive vision for the future. 

Lynette McCarthy, Principal, Broadcast Buying

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? In my four-decade career, I have seen so many changes in the industry they are impossible to count. The choices we have now and how we consume the media are growing every day, but the one thing remaining consistent is how we work with our clients and the media. The passion we have to do the best we can to get more for the client while being a good partner with the media has not changed.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Advertising is made of some of the most intelligent, talented, and creative women I have ever met. If you are a woman and thinking of entering the advertising business, do it! I can guarantee you will love going to work every day. 

Becca Sheehan, Associate Media Director

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Funny enough, I feel that while technology will continue to make us smarter advertisers and there will always be new opportunities to reach our client’s audiences, the need to make a one-to-one connection with audiences through in-person events and exchanges will never change. Social media and the digital age have made it easy to target, but there is nothing more impactful than a human connection.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women can contribute to this by always having a voice in the room when new opportunities to benefit our clients are being discussed.

Michelle LaPointe, Associate Media Director

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Speaking to Media evolution, I think we will go the opposite direction of where we are now. We have been inundated with options and touchpoints to receive ad messaging, and I think a saturation point will come and trigger a movement back to a more simplistic approach.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women are amazing problem solvers. I think we come in, assess the landscape, and take a Marie Kondo approach to reshape the industry.

Beth Wik, Media Planner | Buyer

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Wow, the question is really — how will it change in the next 50 minutes? As habits and cultures continue to evolve and change, so will how marketers communicate and message to their audience. I think that is what is exciting about this business — it is constantly changing and evolving. And it is so satisfying to be a part of our clients’ successes.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? In my decades-old career, I have grown immensely as a person and in my role within an organization by observing and listening to the women around me. I think that is what is great about women — we need to lean on and into each other. Listen, observe, participate in all conversations.

Penny Turton, Media Planner

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Since everything old is new again, I would guess less targeting (many people do not like being “followed” or “tracked”) and more word-of-mouth promotion.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Similar to now, it is about learning and knowing who the client’s customer is — their motivations, challenges, and habits. In my opinion, women are more emotional, and that is what drives those characteristics.

Meghan Ambrozaitis, Media Planner | Buyer

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? While only being in the industry for a short tenure, I have already seen leaps and bounds in technology and opportunities for circulating creative messaging. The world of digital and broadcast advertising in the last few years has grown rapidly, including OTT and streaming, the change of cookies, what that means for targeting and ratings, and performance changes for how we determine broadcast success. As technological advances occur every day, advertising evolution occurs right alongside it since media buying is so attuned to everyone's media consumption habits.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? I have many determined and dynamic critical thinkers to look up to on our media team and some unstoppable women in those roles. They lead by example to showcase the importance of being proactive and using knowledge as power for the success of our clients.

Amanda Skarka, Media Assistant

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I think brands will continue to get creative in disguising their ads. Advertisers are paying a lot of money to make their paid sponsorship look organic. We see it now with influencer partnerships, sponsored blog posts, and radio endorsements — a lot of traditional PR placements are getting priced for their value.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? A lot of the content creators out there are women — mommy bloggers, fashion influencers, beauty YouTubers, etc. People are finding their content extremely relatable, which creates a loyal following. Advertisers are excited to be partnering with these female content creators to sell their products to their followers. It is empowering these women to support themselves while fueling content for their platforms.

The Accounting Perspective

LouAnn Rusczek, Billing Manager

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Ever-changing. I will be 108 years old, so not even sure where things will go and how advertising will evolve. So many changes in the 15 years I have been in my role! Newspapers were actual paper rather than digital, which is just one of the many changes.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women are huge contributors as we bring a different outlook and inspiration to the table. 

Svitlana Dyakun, AR-AP Manager

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? All digital and very need-oriented.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? We will continue to strive for respect from our peers and, as a result, be accepted not only as caregivers but as equally intelligent and able individuals.

Emily Perine, Accounting Assistant

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? Hopefully, it is used to inspire positive change in the world, focused less on materialism and more galvanizing change through spreading information.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women contribute a lot, and the advertising industry needs to embrace our contributions, elevate our voices, and offer us the same opportunities and pay as anyone else in the field.

The Admin Perspective

Stephanie Clason, EA/Business Development Coordinator

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I see everything moving toward digital platforms, with little to no traditional advertising (i.e., print, mailers, newspaper ads, etc.).
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? We are extremely adaptable, resilient, and willing to take on new ideas and ways of thinking. I see women as being at the forefront of the evolving advertising world!

Christine Millette, Director Employee Engagement

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I think there will be more of a focus on individual well-being as part of measurable success, not just monetary success.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women, in my opinion, should be the case study. Women constantly put themselves last to take care of others or get the job done no matter the strain on their emotional well-being. 

Cate Alix, Office Assistant

• How do you see advertising evolving over the next 50 years? I think advertisements will be more inclusive in their representation by including people of all abilities.
• How do you think women can contribute to that growth? Women are creative and thoughtful. They work hard, and when people recognize their impact in the workplace, things will change for the better.

What is your perspective on the next 50 years in advertising?