Jalilah Sultan: What is your job like?

Kenya Madyun: A typical day involves a morning check-in with the creative team to discuss the status of ongoing projects or kick-off new ones, client status meetings to discuss upcoming projects and feedback on existing ones, developing creative briefs, timelines, estimates, scopes of work for larger projects, reviewing creative, prepping for client presentations, budget-hour reconciliation and of course a bit of goofing off with my colleagues, usually over lunch . I serve as the liaison between the agency and client. See above for specifics. The biggest challenge I have encountered is balancing client expectations and creative ideology.

My main objective is to present the creative in such a way that our clients feel comfortable with a direction/solution that may not have been their own preference from the beginning. The main decisions I make are: how many insights to include in the creative brief—it is meant to be brief after all, which creative options to present to the client, when work will be due, and how much it will cost. 25% of my time is strategic thinking/planning, 25% client communication, 30% reviewing creative, providing feedback and collaborating with internal team, 15% administrative and 5% nurturing new business relationships. The process definitely ebbs and flows depending on the client and/or project.

 

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JS: Why are you in advertising?

 

KM: I have always loved art. Performance art, literature, visual arts music and so forth. Although I wasn’t blessed with any of those physical talents, I have always been inspired by others who have the skillset and passion. Advertising has allowed me to practice the talent that God did give me: business savvy, communication, project management, while being surrounded by true artists!

 

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JS: How did you get your job? What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position?

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KM: The first full time job opportunity I received in Advertising was at Mullen Lowe in North Carolina. I met the recruiter at the MAIP career fair in New York after an amazing internship experience at GSD&M in Austin—and the rest is history. I absolutely owe my entire career to MAIP and am sure my experience is one of many.

 

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JS: What has been your most gratifying work experience?

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KM: My most gratifying work experience was being a part of the team that developed a capital campaign for the Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s new Opportunity Campus. The budget was extremely small working with a social enterprise, so we had to be nimble and even more clever than ever before. Knowing that the results of our work truly helped people in our community was extremely rewarding.

 

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JS: What do you think is the most common misconception about this industry and  your job?

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KM: With the ping pong tables, funky workspaces and flexible hours, I often get the sense that my peers don’t understand the blood, sweat and tears it takes to get a campaign up and running. We definitely play hard in this industry, but we deserve it!

 

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JS: What are some changes you would like to see made, internally, to this industry?

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KM: Of course, I would love to see more black people in advertising, but I would also like to see more women in leadership roles.

 

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JS: How do you think we can go about making them?

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KM: I think MAIP is doing a wonderful job at reducing the diversity gap, but I believe it is up to each one of us to get involved in mentor programs in our own communities so that we can widen MAIP’s reach even more.

 

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JS: What changes have you seen since you started?

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KM: Social media integration and the expansion of digital marketing efforts/spend.

 

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JS: Who would you encourage to join this industry?

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KM: Anyone who is passionate about the intersection of communication and the arts.

 

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

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KM: We’re not saving lives. Don’t take yourself so seriously.

 

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JS: What is the significance of diversity in advertising?

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KM: I think it’s critical for diverse people to create content for a diverse world. Everyone should have the opportunity to tell and hear their own side of the story.

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