ELIZABETH KIRN

ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR| CDM NY

Sana Sourivongs: What is your typical day-to-day?

Elizabeth Kirn: My typical day starts at 7:30 every morning with the check of my phone to see what sort of emails were responded to overnight, mostly because I’ve found that my clients start at ungodly hours of the morning. I read all my emails on the train so by the time I get to the office I know what’s going on and I can brief the team on what’s needed for the day. From 10-3 is when you get all the work done and in a perfect world, from 3-5 you send everything out to the client so you can leave at a decent hour!

SS: Why are you in advertising?

EK: It’s actually funny, so I knew in college that I wanted to work in advertising. I thought it was something that really interested me and I spoke with family friends who worked in the industry. When I graduated, I marched off to do what my parents told me to do which was a job in finance. That was 2008 right when Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns collapsed, so the hedge fund I worked for went under very quickly! I used that as an opportunity to do what I really wanted to do. Then I got a job at AgencyRx as an account coordinator. The rest is history! I’ve been in the industry ever since.

SS: How have certain experiences prepared you to work in advertising?

EK: I’m really good with finances after studying that in college. I’m the type of person who likes to learn new things as they go so every day something is new. You can’t say you have all of your knowledge moving into something on a given day because I just learned something new yesterday and I’ve been in this business for almost nine years.

SS: How have your experiences in advertising overlapped into other experiences in your life?

EK: Well first off, my parents still don’t understand what I do for a living. It’s very funny at family gatherings people always ask, “Which commercial’s yours?” I’m very obnoxious to watch the Super Bowl with because I pick apart every single commercial! Sometimes I wonder what the creative brief looked like or what the strategic imperative behind that commercial. I drive people insane!

SS: What have been the most difficult experiences in advertising?

EK: Dealing with people! There are all kinds of personalities and people that have really taught me to be more flexible. It’s all about balancing people and managing personalities. I have a pretty big personality and sometimes I have to walk into a room with other people who have big personalities, clients included!

SS: What are the most gratifying experiences working in this industry?

EK: The single most gratifying thing that anybody has ever said to me was from a client who told me that I was a very good teacher. From a client, that’s high praise! A lot of clients reserve the right to be smarter today than they were yesterday.

The fact that he said he learned from me and that I brought people along really well was really gratifying because every client is an uphill battle to get them to behave correctly within the agency model. Another amazing feeling is when the client trusts you enough to do whatever I think is best. Clients don’t necessarily trust us all the time and to have someone actually say it is amazing. This happened over a year ago and I still remember it!

SS: What is the most common misconception about your job and advertising?

EK: Creatives think we sit around and make timelines all day long to screw them over. There’s always the creative versus account dynamic. From an advertising perspective, most of my friends think my job is like Mad Men. They think it’s glamorous and we all go to parties or sit around being creative in our pajamas all day long, but it’s actually really hard work! I’m pretty sure it’s taken years off my life, but it’s the most fun thing that can take years off your life.

SS: What are some changes you would like to see made to this industry?

EK: I think there needs to be more of an emphasis put on people internally. People abuse the fact that others are really good at their job and are eager to please. Some days you go home and it feels like you’ve been working like a slave. I think it’s important for senior managers to make sure those working for them are happy. To feel like you’re valued is really nice.

SS: What types of people would you encourage to join this industry?

EK: People who are outgoing, organized, and especially adaptable because people who aren’t flexible and don’t see challenges as a potential opportunity won’t last very long here. Also you need to have a sense of humor!

SS: What key piece of advice would you have given yourself back when you first realized you were interested in this industry?

EK: Buckle up! Every day is fun and every day I learn, but grab a helmet because it’s a wild ride.

SS: What does advertising mean to you?

EK: Advertising is fun!