A Culture That Nurtures: Carolina Mejía, MullenLowe SSP3

To mark International Women’s Day, AdForum is gathering opinions from women working in advertising and marketing communications. We asked women from a range of job roles both agency- and client-side, for their view of the state of the industry. 

MullenLowe Global

Publicidade/serviço completo/integração

London, Reino Unido

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Carolina Mejía

MullenLowe SSP3

How would you describe the overall culture at your agency?

I think it is a culture that strives for excellence, that is passionate about good ideas and challenging brands, and industry standards. We are people in love with the business and with the goal of getting an unfair share of attention for our clients. The female leaders at the agency have different concerns from male leaders, and the challenge sometimes is to marry both.

In your opinion, what do you see as the biggest change in the advertising industry since women have begun to break the glass ceiling?

I think the biggest challenge for the advertising industry as women have begun to ‘break the glass ceiling’ is to ensure that other women will follow. We must make sure there is a culture that nurtures young female talent to grow inside the organization, and that can grow into more management positions.

Do you think that women still face challenges in our industry, and if so, what are they?

I think women still face many challenges. There is still a lot of bias around in the way women are expected to behave, and when they don’t fit the mold, they face consequences that men don’t. I think the work-life balance is something very difficult to achieve, especially when women are the ones that carry most of the load at home. Lastly, I think that advertising can still be quite cliquey and it is difficult for outsiders and many women to be considered for job posts because they are not in it.

How should we tackle an issue such equal opportunity?

I think we can do several things. We can give more attention to women in media, and recognize their work more often, so they become more attractive talent for agencies. We can put in place hiring mechanisms that go beyond the traditional clicks to give the chance to other people that come from different places to work in great agencies, and we need to assure that the working conditions allow for an appropriate work-life balance.

How did you find your way into the marketing communications industry and what professional achievement are you most proud of?

I am a psychologist and I studied my major believing that I would become a therapist, however in my last year I was a trainee in a market research company. After I graduated I worked in that company for two years, and was preparing myself to go abroad to study therapy with Michael White, a very recognized Australian psychologist, when he died unexpectedly. I was a bit lost, I had already quit my job, so I took a freelance research project for an advertising agency. When the project was finished they asked me to stay as an account planner. I didn’t quite understand what that meant but it sounded interesting so I accepted. Ever since I have been in the industry, and I loved every part of this journey.

I am very proud of the work we do in the agency. I am most proud of those efforts or campaigns that go beyond our job of selling products, and actually make a difference in people’s lives, like the work we did for the Ministry of Defense in demobilizing guerilla members, specifically the campaign called “You are my son”. We were able to find an insight that was so human and powerful that it transcended that fact we were addressing guerilla members.

I am also very proud of the work for Cerveza Aguila, which I have worked on for the last four years. It is the most valuable brand in Colombia, and the 10th in Latin America according to Brand Z, and I think our work has contributed largely for that to happen.

Who inspires you the most, either inside the industry or outside? Why?

I am constantly inspired by the people I work with at MullenLowe SSP3. Francisco Samper, our agency’s CEO for Colombia and Latam, has always believed in me and trusted me which has given me the confidence to reach higher and to deliver on what is expected of me. He has been honest with me in difficult moments, and that has allowed me to grow and to work on being better. More people should be like Samper!

Also, I have had the privilege of working with women that have opened doors for me. My former boss Marialejandra Urbina and our Latam Network Director, Yasmin Hourani, have rooted for me and given me the opportunity to participate in campaigns, events, and industry spaces that have changed my career.

Outside the industry I am inspired by people who take change into their own hands. People who don’t wait to have the resources, the job title, or the permission to improve other’s lives or to solve a problem. I am inspired by everyday life creativity.