AdForum.com recently interviewed IPNY Founding Partner and Creative Director Jill McClabb

The city inspires me every day. If you’re ever in a rut, hop on a subway where you can explore new places and interact with different people.

Tell us about yourself and your current role: Where are you from? What do you do?

I’m a fifth generation Texan, so moving to New York city for a career in advertising was huge. But it was and still is the place to go if you want to be in this business. I’m a partner at the ad agency IPNY focusing on art direction. We work on complicated categories such as financial services, healthcare (in particular hospital/medical centers) and the nonprofit sectors, delivering communications that are creatively relevant and measurable. My background before being a business owner, ranged from working at a large agency like Ogilvy, to a small boutique shop like Janklow Bender and LGFE. It’s important to work at a range of agencies because larger ones expose you to big brands and worldwide approaches, while smaller ones teach you to be quick on your feet and wear many hats.

How would you describe the culture of New York City?

The culture in New York is all about diversity. Almost any night of the week you can see opera at the Met or find a small intimate jazz club. Not to mention the food! I think New York has the best restuarants in this country, probably the world. There is a good restaurant within any 3 block radius. And no matter what kind of art interests you, it’s here. The amount and quality of museums are astounding.

In what ways does the city or its culture inspire you and your work?

The city inspires me every day. If you’re ever in a rut, hop on a subway where you can explore new places and interact with different people. The city is home to the most fascinating, diverse population you can imagine. I love imagining what everyone’s story is and how accepting most are of each other. Just walking down a street will ignite your sense of design and color and each block is different. And if you want to see the newest trends, stop by the MOMA or the Whitney.

What is the best incentive that NYC offers agencies?

The culture and the diversity of talent. It’s a great proving ground for talent. If you can make it here you can make it anywhere – that is not a cliché.

Could you offer any advice to young talent heading to work in NYC?

Be persistent about getting into a good agency. That first job will determine what path you take as a creative. Always work on your book, sometimes new work can be a great excuse for getting another interview at your favorite agency.

Why should young talents and industry leaders come to NYC? What is the best part of working in NYC?

Everything is here. Even if your stay is only a couple of years, it completes your resume. The best part of working in NYC is that it is never boring. Want to change things up? Move to a different neighborhood.

If you had to choose, what is your favorite hidden-gem in NYC?

My favorite hidden-gem of NYC is the people. They are so interesting and come from all over the world. The diversity and intelligence of the people you meet is life changing.

AdForum.com recently interviewed IPNY Founding Partner and Creative Director Jill McClabb

“The industry is still a good ol’ boys club but women are beginning to break through the glass ceiling.”

Tell us about your role at IPNY:

As one of the five founding partners at IPNY, I feel very fortunate to be doing what I love everyday. Beyond my overall responsibilities as a Creative Director, I also oversee all of IPNY’s production, including anything from print to video. Building an agency from the ground up is a dream come true, but it means having to wear many different hats.

How did you first get into the industry? What was it like then versus now?

While pursuing a bachelor of fine arts the University of Texas, it became quickly apparent that I could be headed for a life as a starving artist or find another way to use my talent. So I began taking advertising/design/photography classes and discovered that the challenge of these art forms was exhilarating. Upon graduation I moved to New York, because at the time that was the place to be. And I’m still here.

Over the last decade or two the advertising industry has gone through dramatic changes, with digital being the biggest driver. Early in my career, the goal for every art director was a fantastic print campaign, now print is less and less a part of our business. OOH is still thriving as is TV but you have to be on top of digital innovation.

What are some of the challenges that women still face in the industry?

The industry is still a good ol’ boys club but women are beginning to break through the glass ceiling. When I first started in the business, women were not allowed to work on cars or beer accounts. Fortunately that has changed but there are still a lot of barriers to attaining top ECD roles at agencies. Some of it’s driven by clients and some by senior executives at agencies.

Tell us about a project or initiative you are working on. What do you hope to ultimately achieve?

We are working with a very exciting client that is focused on the issues surrounding the First Ammendment. The organization’s goal is to encourage civil discourse, as a way to move conversations away from hate reteroic. Additionally, we are looking to educate and inform citizens about what the first amendment means, so eveyone can live their freedoms more fully. What a grand project to work on! Nice to meld advertising with “for good”.

How does your office culture support women and creativity?

Despite having four other male partners, I can honestly say gender never plays any part in our decision making. We hire people by their talent, not their sex. I actually think advertising has been more welcoming to women than most businesses.

What professional achievement are you most proud of?

Launching The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society brand six years ago. They were an unknown charity at that time. But they did fantastic work in the area of blood cancer, both in terms of funding research and supporting people with the disease. The campaign launched with the line “Someday is Today” which perfectly captured the hope that defines cancer research today.

How do you plan to inspire the next generation of women?

The best way to inspire is to continue to do good work. Women have no where to go but up!

AdForum.com recently interviewed IPNY Founding Partner and Creative Director Jill McClabb as part of the Women in Advertising series

PERSPECTIVES: WOMEN IN ADVERTISING 2018, JILL MCCLABB

“If you’re in a position to hire a woman, hire her. That said, she better be as good as the man that’s competing for the same job. The point of the movement is that we are as good as the men, just give us a chance, not a break.”

Tell us about who you are and what your job title is?

I’m a partner in an agency with four other partners. One of the best parts about my role is that I actually do the work and help clients, including some nonprofits, that I feel passionate about. It is refreshing after spending years at global agencies as a Group Creative Director, where my role was managing the creative process and most of my time was spent in meetings as opposed to creating.

Was there a job you had at one point, outside of advertising, that prepared you most for success later in life?

I can’t think of a specific job, but I think my love of dogs and horses has helped make the most of work life. For one thing, you have to have a life. Working all the time doesn’t give you time for creative inspiration. Walking your dog generates more ideas than staring at four walls in the office. Also, animals teach you to live in the moment, not in the past, allowing time to contemplate what might be.

What do you see as being the biggest change in the advertising industry since women have begun to break the “glass ceiling”?

The biggest change is opportunity. When I started in the business, there were many types of accounts you’d never be put on as a woman, like beer or automobiles.

From Like A Girl to Fearless Girl, a raft of advertising campaigns have set out to empower women. How do you feel about these campaigns? Can they change attitudes within the industry?

Anything that helps empower women is a good thing. I think the “Fearless Girl” campaign was a brilliant idea and was an incredible success for the client. That said, the “Like A Girl” campaign did more to make people see differently in a groundbreaking way, like the first Dove campaign or the Nike women campaign that broke in the 90’s. Little girls have been hearing the “Like A Girl” phrase for a long time and felt deflated. Hopefully these campaigns will make some of them feel differently.

How have the recent #MeToo and #TimesUp movements played out in the advertising sector? Are they making a significant impact?

Of course. The advertising business has been just as abusive to women as Hollywood. I knew many women who were put in horrible situations with no recourse. If they accused their accusers, they would never get a job again. Sleeping with your creative director was one sure fire method to get the plum assignments. In the end the blame should sit with the creative director, not the young woman, who is just starting out and easily influenced by their mentor.

Initiatives such as Free The Bid are trying to create more opportunities for women in advertising. But what could be done at a more grass roots level to attract women in the first place?

Practice what you preach! If you’re in a position to hire a woman, hire her. That said, she better be as good as the man that’s competing for the same job. The point of the movement is that we are as good as the men, just give us a chance, not a break.

Can you reflect on a mentor that helped guide you in your career and tell us what made them special?

I’m very lucky in that my mentor is also my business partner, Bruce Lee. I worked for Bruce at three different agencies: Ammirati & Puris, Wunderman and Ogilvy. Every assignment, no matter the size, he always approached with the highest creative standards. He also treated everyone fairly and gave everyone opportunities. The true test of a creative director is not just the awards they have won, but the number of people who will come back to work for them again.

How do you as a successful woman plan to inspire the next generation of women? In a few words, what advice do you have for women entering the advertising industry?

The best inspiration is doing. My advice for women entering the business is to stay on top of technology and always be learning. It’s important for creative people to understand new stuff as it debuts, learn to use it, figure out how to sell it, etc. Understanding how our world is changing on a human level due to advances in technology is critical for someone in communications. Look at the amazing response to the NRA recently, or the outrage over Facebook’s abuse of people’s information.

I’ve been a horse owner most of my life. Having just retired my 19-year-old gelding, it’s time for a new horse. I spent the last six months looking locally, to no avail. I need to find that hard-to-find horse – one with a great mind, smooth gaits, an experienced jumper, and with enough ability to do a little bit of everything (otherwise known as an all-rounder). So I went to the place that’s known for the quality and quantity of horses – Ireland.

Day 2. First horse, Innis. I like him. He’s exactly what I’m looking for. But I should see what else is out there.

Day 3,4 and 5. Lots of nice horses, but none match up to Innis.

Day 6: Now that I’ve decided on the horse, I get the added pleasure of trying Innis out on the Connemara Coast. First day is the beach. Galloping on the beach is a blast, you feel like you’re flying.

We’re riding from 11:30am to 5:30pm with an hour break for lunch. The horses’ lunch break involves rolling in the sand and eating grass. Innis is a good roller. There’s an old horseman’s tale that connects the monetary value of a horse to the number of times he can roll over.

Day 7: The mountain ride. We go for six hours up and down paths you’d think only a goat could manage. Needless to say Innis has passed all tests for being an “all-rounder”. Innis’ reward is good back scratch by his pal Norman.

My reward is a pint or two of Guinness. It’s unbelievable in Ireland.

By the way, Innis has plenty of “jump”. That’s him jumping a big cross country fence.

Last stop before writing the check: The vet. Innis passes with flying colors.

Next stop – New York. Innis’ “pod” being loaded on the plane.

Innis at his new home in Hyde Park, NY.