Great Minds Think Unalike: Global President Ruth Mortimer’s Vision for Advertising Week’s 20-Year Evolution

Summary

The Speed of Culture Podcast: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Great Minds Think Unalike: Global President Ruth Mortimer’s Vision for Advertising Week’s 20-Year Evolution
Release Date: January 2, 2025
Host: Matt Britton, Founder and CEO of Suzy
Guest: Ruth Mortimer, Global President of Advertising Week

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I. Introduction

In this insightful episode of The Speed of Culture Podcast, host Matt Britton engages in a deep conversation with Ruth Mortimer, the Global President of Advertising Week. Celebrating its 20-year milestone, Advertising Week continues to be a cornerstone event for industry leaders, innovators, and creatives alike. The discussion delves into the evolution of Advertising Week, the shifting dynamics of the advertising industry, and the pivotal role of creativity and technology in shaping the future.

II. Inside Advertising Week 2025

Ruth Mortimer provides an engaging overview of the current Advertising Week event held in New York City. She describes the venue's unique setup, transformed from a traditional shopping mall into a vibrant hub divided into distinct zones:

• Leadership Zone: Hosts stages and activations focused on leadership insights.
• Entertainment Zone: Centers around media, culture, and content creation.
• Trends Zone: Dedicated to technology, innovation, and commerce.
• Networking Space: A central area facilitating connections among attendees.

“We try really hard to bring that culture, that entertainment people you wouldn't expect to see at a business conference talking about the topics that matter to you.”
— Ruth Mortimer [02:54]

III. The Enduring Relevance of Advertising Week

Celebrating two decades, Advertising Week has maintained its relevance by consistently focusing on what lies ahead. Ruth emphasizes the event's commitment to blending entertainment with education, ensuring that attendees leave feeling inspired and more proficient in their roles.

“We bring together entertainment and education. Ultimately, you got to leave this building feeling like, I'm better at my job.”
— Ruth Mortimer [04:21]

IV. Creativity in the Age of AI

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the advertising industry. Ruth distinguishes between "small AI" (automation and incremental improvements) and more transformative AI applications. She highlights how small AI integrations can lead to substantial efficiency gains, such as automating email subject lines to improve deliverability dramatically.

“How can you automate one particular thing? I remember ... if you can improve an email subject line, you improve the deliverability by 90%.”
— Ruth Mortimer [05:55]

Matt Britton echoes the sentiment, tracing the evolution of advertising from the creative-centric "Mad Men" era to the digital age and now back to a renewed emphasis on human creativity as a key differentiator.

“Creativity, I would argue, is what makes us innately human in ways that machines can't.”
— Matt Britton [07:55]

V. The Evolving Agency Model

Ruth discusses the challenges traditional advertising agencies face in an era pushing for more efficiency and less reliance on billable hours. She predicts continued consolidation and shrinking agency landscapes but remains optimistic about the enduring importance of creativity.

“The actual human creativity also has a level of quality, a level of connection with other people that will become more desirable.”
— Ruth Mortimer [09:23]

She further explores how the democratization of technology has empowered individual creators, challenging the traditional agency business model but simultaneously enriching the creative landscape.

VI. The Rise of Commerce Media

The conversation shifts to the burgeoning field of commerce media, where big retailers like Target and Walmart are leveraging their platforms to compete with traditional media channels. Ruth explains that while commerce media offers precise behavioral targeting, traditional media retains its edge in providing contextual and nuanced engagement.

“Where you need context, which is maybe more attitudinal or more nuanced ... media will hold its own.”
— Ruth Mortimer [12:22]

VII. Spotlight on Equality and Mental Health

Advertising Week’s commitment to equality and mental health is another focal point. Ruth underscores the importance of inclusivity and diversity, highlighting initiatives like the Future is Female Awards and partnerships with organizations such as Female Quotient. These efforts aim to cultivate an environment where diverse voices contribute to the industry's vibrancy and innovation.

“Great minds think unalike. And so we tried to live that well.”
— Ruth Mortimer [15:09]

She shares heartfelt stories from award ceremonies, illustrating the profound impact recognition has on individuals and the broader push for meaningful change within the industry.

VIII. Global Perspectives and Cultural Nuances

Ruth elaborates on Advertising Week's global expansion, highlighting how events in different regions incorporate local flavors while maintaining a unified brand ethos. She points out cultural differences, such as the more critical reception from European and APAC audiences compared to the supportive nature of the US audience.

“I think in Europe, the European and APAC audiences are quite similar. I sometimes feel in the US people are a lot more supportive, whereas those audiences are more critical.”
— Ruth Mortimer [16:28]

IX. Personal Insights and Career Reflections

Ruth shares personal anecdotes about her career trajectory, emphasizing curiosity and adaptability as key drivers of her success. From archaeology to journalism and now leading Advertising Week, her non-linear path underscores the value of diverse experiences in fostering creativity and effective leadership.

“I think I've never been very intentional in my career. I've never had a job I wanted or anything like that. I think I've gone with what has challenged me.”
— Ruth Mortimer [20:12]

She also touches on the importance of storytelling and brand consistency, citing her appreciation for brands like Chanel that remain true to their original intent and narrative.

X. Conclusion and Mantra

Wrapping up the conversation, Ruth imparts a simple yet powerful mantra for professional success:

“Be curious, have fun, work with good people, and then you cannot go wrong.”
— Ruth Mortimer [23:00]

Matt Britton echoes the sentiment, highlighting the importance of authenticity in building meaningful relationships within the industry.

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Key Takeaways:

• Adaptability and Forward-Thinking: Advertising Week's sustained relevance stems from its focus on future trends and the integration of entertainment with education.

• Human Creativity Over Automation: While AI and automation offer efficiency gains, human creativity remains irreplaceable and is essential for authentic brand storytelling.

• Evolving Agency Models: Traditional agencies must adapt to changing demands for efficiency and embrace the democratization of creativity brought about by technology.

• Commerce Media's Dual Role: Retail and commerce media offer precise targeting based on behavior but lack the contextual depth of traditional media, which remains vital for nuanced audience engagement.

• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Initiatives promoting gender equality and diversity are crucial for fostering innovation and ensuring the industry's vibrancy.

• Global Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding and respecting cultural nuances is essential for the global expansion of events like Advertising Week.

• Personal Growth and Authenticity: Curiosity, adaptability, and authenticity are key drivers of career success and meaningful professional relationships.

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for professionals seeking to navigate the dynamic landscape of advertising, emphasizing the timeless value of creativity, inclusivity, and forward-thinking strategies.

Transcript

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[Matt Britton]

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[Ruth Mortimer]

As you enter a world where more and more is automated, slightly more generic, I think the actual human creativity also has a level of kind of quality, a level of connection with other people that will become more desirable.

[Matt Britton]

To thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape, brands must move at an ever increasing pace. I'm Matt Britton, founder and CEO of Suzy. Join me and key industry leaders as we dive deep into the shifting consumer trends within their industry, why it matters now, and how you can keep up. Welcome to the Speed of Culture. We are live from Advertising Week in New York. And we're really excited on this episode of the Speed of Culture podcast to be joined by Ruth Mortimer, who's a global president of Advertising Week. Ruth, so great to see you.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Great to see you too.

[Matt Britton]

Absolutely. I'm so excited to be here at Advertising Week. And I've been in the advertising industry for so long and I don't recall ever coming to this venue where everything is. I've been to a lot of Advertising Week satellite events, but this is the heart of where it all happens. Why don't you describe for our listeners, if you will, what is going on today in New York at this awesome venue.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Okay, so we're Advertising Week New York. You can tell from my accent I'm a native New Yorker. I mean, don't hold it against me that I'm British. We have effectively four stories of what's called the Penn District. It's an area just off 33rd being redeveloped, and this used to be a mall which is kind of apartment because this is the world of commerce in which we live as well. We, Advertising Week love to do events, places that are not traditional conference spaces. Bit quirky on brand, where we can build it ourselves and bring it to life.

[Matt Britton]

It almost resembles, like a shopping mall.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Yeah. I mean, it was a shopping mall in its previous life, but just like great vintage clothing. We've given it a new life.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah.

[Ruth Mortimer]

And now it's Advertising Week New York. So we've got upstairs, we've got the Leadership Zone, which is stages, activations, everything you need to know, really, in the leadership space. In the middle, we have the Entertainment Zone, which has everything, media, culture, all those good things, content. And then right down at the bottom, we have the Zone, which is all about the trends. So technology, innovation, commerce, all the new stuff. And right in the middle, we have a big networking space where you can all meet.

[Matt Britton]

Very cool. So advertising as an industry bleeds into so many different categories. It bleeds into media, bleeds into technology, entertainment, et cetera. And it seems like every week there's a new conference or event popping up in this industry. But Advertising Week has had tremendous staying power. Why do you think that is? And what has Advertising Week done over time to remain relevant?

[Ruth Mortimer]

Well, do you know what? Advertising week is 20 years old this year. Wow. I think. Yeah. And I think one of the things we always think about is when we are thinking to ourselves, what are we trying to do? We're always trying to look at what's next. Because when you're looking at what's next, you can really never go out of fashion, for sure. Because you're not looking at everything today. You're looking to the future. And what we're always trying to do, I guess what we think our special blend is where we bring together entertainment and education. Because ultimately, you got to leave this building. Feeling like, I'm better at my job.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah. Inspired. With a couple of ideas to take back to the office.

[Ruth Mortimer]

And in a way, that's kind of the foundation of it is you have something that you can take back and go, I'm better at my job today than I was yesterday. But nobody wants to be bored when they're working. And I think that's one of the things. Sometimes I feel like events, they can be very corporate. And we try really hard to bring that culture, that entertainment people you wouldn't expect to see at a business conference talking about the topics that matter to you.

[Matt Britton]

Is there anybody here at Advertising Week this year that you've been particularly excited to see or hopeful to see.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Oh, do you know what? I think there's such a huge range. So one thing I was really interested in was there was a session yesterday with Law Roach. He's one of Hollywood's top stylists. He was the stylist for Zendaya, but really he thinks of himself as kind of growing people's brands, individual brands, and it's a different way of thinking about brands than you have as a classic marketer, but it's still just as applicable. And I think hearing from people like him who have a different lens on the same thing you do every day is what's really valuable.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah. So advertising obviously is tremendous opportunity and also, like any industry is not without its challenges. AI, I know is probably the two letters that are said probably the most that conference like this here in 2024. What are some of the things that you think people in the advertising industry need to be paying particular attention to in terms of remaining relevant themselves in their career or having their company remain relevant with this looming shadow or light, depending on how you look at it, of AI heading into 2025?

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think it's about having a clear mind and working out where AI is appropriate to help you. Because one of the things I think we've seen a lot of this year is people talking about the real implementation of AI. So less the kind of robot, big picture stuff maybe that we were seeing a year ago. It's much more about what I kind of think of as small AI. And really it's not really AI, it's really automation. And effectively it's just tiny tweaks that help you do your job better. How can you automate one particular thing? I remember about a decade ago, there was a company I met who was doing the automation of email subject lines and they said actually, if you can improve an email subject line, you improve the deliverability by 90%. And if you think to yourself how much that would improve most businesses, most emails that you ever received, that's probably a bigger kind of sea change in business than a million of the kind of bigger AI concepts we talk about.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah, it's interesting because if you look at just the evolution of advertising, if you go back to the Mad Men era, back then, the idea was the creative idea because you just needed a checkbook to be able to advertise in the very few select mass mediums that existed. And then over time, the medium became the idea with the advent of digital media and social media, where using these platforms within themselves was an idea. And now it seems Many ways we are reverting back to it's all about creativity. That's the differentiation, right? Like there's only so much so far. Science can take you, but at the bottom of every great activation needs to be somebody sitting in a room with a big I. That is truly different. And creativity, I would argue, is what makes us innately human in ways that machines can't. What does creativity mean right now in the advertising industry? And I guess, is there anybody from your perspectives doing it particularly well?

[Ruth Mortimer]

Well, do you know what? One of the interesting things I think is that tech has democratized a lot of the industry.

[Matt Britton]

It sure has.

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think the lots of the people I see making amazing content, you would call them creators. And really they're just people telling a story in the same way anyone has told a story. They just happen not to work for an ad agency. And there was a really interesting debate I saw online the other day about why there are no kind of great creative names in the same way there maybe were before where you had people at agencies who are legend status and someone said, is it that or is it just that we've got a more diverse group of people so it's not so important. You don't need the agency like the.

[Matt Britton]

Alex Bogusky of the 2000s.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Yes, exactly. Gusky the Porter, you know, these great people. And I love Chalk Porter. But actually, is it just that we've let in a greater diversity of creative minds these days? And I can come from anywhere, right?

[Matt Britton]

Creative ideas can come from anywhere.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Exactly. And I think that's challenging, but it's more challenging for the agency business model than I think it's challenging for creativity itself.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up. You brought up a bunch of I think interesting topics about the advertising industry, one of which is the agency business model. Because traditionally big Madison Avenue agencies have billed by the hour. But what you were just saying earlier is also the case that they're all looking for efficiency. In some ways, the more efficient they get, the less billable hours they have. So how do you see the agency model evolving over time? And are there any unique sort of go to market strategies with agencies that you think maybe represent the future?

[Ruth Mortimer]

Look, I think it's a tough time to be an agency. Clients are asking constantly for more, you know, more, and do it with less, please. But you know what? I think we were talking about AI and I sort of think to myself, as you enter a world where more and more is automated, slightly more generic, I think the actual human creativity also has A level of. Kind of quality, a level of connection with other people that will become more desirable.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah.

[Ruth Mortimer]

So I don't know, maybe I'm slightly pessimistic. I think maybe the agency landscape will continue to consolidate and shrink, which we've.

[Matt Britton]

Seen in recent years.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Yes.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah.

[Ruth Mortimer]

But I don't think creativity will. I think it will just come in different ways.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah.

[Ruth Mortimer]

So I think for agencies, I think it's hard. The models you have maybe don't work for the future. I think you've seen it already, actually, in the world of media. I used to be a journalist and one of the things I noticed was you just had so many people writing effectively the same story from very slightly different angles. And maybe you just don't need all that media. But does it mean that people don't still care about storytelling and story?

[Matt Britton]

Exactly.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Absolutely not. It just means it's changing.

[Matt Britton]

I mean, I think what you're referring to is the barriers to entry sort of went away. So the barriers to entry to be a creator goes away where somebody like Mr. Beast can be a creator on YouTube. It's not just Alec Boguski who works at a fancy ad agency. Right. And the barriers to entry for journalism went away because anyone can jump on Twitter or Medium or wherever and be a journalist 100%.

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think the thing that is important to keep is the craft. So the thing I think about journalism that's important to keep is when I was a magazine editor, if I published something wrong, I knew there was the threat that I would go to jail. It was so important to me. It's essential to be.

[Matt Britton]

The truth mattered.

[Ruth Mortimer]

The truth really mattered. And it mattered personally for me. And I think in a world where there's so much information online, misinformation, hallucinations by AI, I think that becomes more essential than ever. And in the same way, I think great creativity often results from a process and trying again and time and effort. So this is not saying that the craft doesn't matter. It absolutely does.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah. Another big innovation we've seen, though last couple years, is out of retail media and walking in here to Advertising Week, I saw a huge banner for Target and Round Roll, which is their retail media platform. And of course, Walmart has really pushed it. So you have these big box retailers that are pushing merchants, the Pepsis and Cokes and PNGs, to advertise at the point of purchase. And they are now competing with traditional media, whether it be a TV network or a digital network, et cetera. What is your take on the future of Media with this big push with retail media because obviously they have a ton of leverage in terms of the bottom line of a lot of these manufacturers.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Yeah, I think commerce media and I call it commerce media because it's not just the retailer. You know, United Airlines is here with us today.

[Matt Britton]

Chase has it. PayPal.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Exactly. Effectively Amazon. What's happened is if you're someone who has a large audience digitally, you think to yourself, I can take action.

[Matt Britton]

And first party data, which is.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Exactly. So I think you have these whole new advertising kind of cohorts opened up. But the thing I think is going to be interesting different is media has context. So I think there's a really interesting point that where it's right for audiences, where you need to understand their behavior and that behavior can be explained by a purchase decision, I think that will be a very successful business. But where you need context, which is maybe more attitudinal or more nuanced or more about kind of engaging people on a different level, I think that is where media will hold its own.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah, right. Because people aren't necessarily passionate about buying deodorant at a big box retailer like they are about their favorite show on Bravo or something of that.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Exactly. When I'm buying deodorant, you can think this woman is obsessed by not smelling. And that is a true behavioral insight. And if all you want to do is reach me on that criteria, that's completely, very functionally, very functional. But if you want to understand who I am or what I care about, you probably won't find it there.

[Matt Britton]

We'll be right back with the speed of culture after a few words from our sponsors.

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[Matt Britton]

So, shifting gears a little bit, one of the great things I've learned about Advertising Week this year is a spotlight on mental health and particularly with real high profile discussions around leadership and women in business. I know that Shelley Zalas and Female Quotient here, which is a great organization that Suzy is partnered with. Why is this important to Advertising Week and how is the overall equality, gender based in the advertising industry evolved over time?

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think equality is important to us because effectively we see our role as we're partly reflecting the industry, but you've also got to make the industry you want. And we want to be the people making the industry we want. And we know great ideas, great work come from a whole bunch of different people. In fact, our strap line for Advertising Week is Great minds think unalike. And so we tried to live that well. So we run something. I run something called the Future is Female Awards, which awards women every year. We have the Female quotient here. These things are important because everyone needs to feel included. And in fact, when we started the Future is Female Awards about six years ago, I thought, the women still need the acknowledgement. And last night when we had the ceremony, I spoke to two people's parents on the phone. Four people cried because it meant so much. And you go, yeah, it is sweet. But mostly you go, this still matters and we want to do the stuff that matters.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah, absolutely. And obviously, in order for you to matter, you also have to have a reach that expands past the US And Advertising Week has now expanded beyond the US into Europe, Asia, Latin America, et cetera. When do you go to Advertising Week events in different places around the world? What are the nuances that you personally notice about how industries are different in different areas of the world?

[Ruth Mortimer]

Well, I think every place has its own. I think we have a kind of a central brand that runs through them all, but then we bring a lot of local flavor. So I'd say in Mexico, Mexico is a market driven a lot by TV&E Commerce. So if you went to Mexico, you might think, oh, this is a different selection of businesses. We also work with a lot of consumer businesses there. And you might think this is a very different kind of industry we feel here. I think in Europe, the European and APAC audiences are quite similar. I sometimes feel in the US people are a lot more supportive, whereas those audiences are more critical. So here we might have someone doing something and they say, we've launched this great new platform and our US audience might go, good on you. That's a great thing. In the uk they'll go, was that salesy? I think it was salesy. I hate you. So I think you have a different.

[Matt Britton]

Maybe they're just being honest in the uk.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Yeah. I think you just have a different flavor to how your culture translates onto stage. But in every market it's always about entertainment, education.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah. So let's talk about you a little bit. So for those who haven't been in Advertising Weekly, it looks like just a tremendous production. Tell us about what goes into the planning of an event like this and what does your day, the pie chart of your day, look like year round within this organization?

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think the best thing for me about Advertising Week is there is no typical day.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah.

[Ruth Mortimer]

And I think one of the things I really enjoy is both a kind of backroom job where you're putting together the event on a business scale. And for me, I get to present a lot and be on stage. And I think there's very few gigs that actually kind of really have both those elements. But things will look like we'll be having calls with partners, planning the production, audience curation. But my favorite part is the creative ideas. So for me, the real goal is when I see an idea that was in my head a few months ago and someone's paid you and brought it to life, and you go, wow. I get to see ideas that were once just in my head be real living things.

[Matt Britton]

It's amazing to see that come to life. And not a lot of people have that privilege. They don't really understand how their work connects to any type of impact. And here you are at an event where you see thousands of people coming up and down the escalators, learning, getting inspired, and it's all because of the work that you actually put in 100%.

[Ruth Mortimer]

And I think also the warmth. You know, sometimes I feel like Advertising Week is like getting married on a continuous basis. I had trouble getting here to the podcast studio because people are hugging you and you feel like getting that kind of connection with people in a business environment feels really special. I think sometimes, particularly on a business to business front, people feel that can be dry.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah.

[Ruth Mortimer]

And my experience is anything but. It's all relationships and it's people who care.

[Matt Britton]

It's so interesting because I see that in the real world where people sometimes feel like when they write an email at work, they have to be like the work version of Ruth. And then when they're at home, the Home friend version of Ruth. But we should all be one person. We don't need to be somebody different just because we're in a work environment. In fact, I found throughout my career to the contrary, the more you can let your true self shine, the more authentic relationships you get, which only help you get to wherever you want to go in business.

[Ruth Mortimer]

This is true. Although I have polled, actually my own friends and family, they say I should not bring my true self.

[Matt Britton]

Oh, they don't want that.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Say, look, the only reason you have a job is that you don't bring your true self to work. So I think there's that.

[Matt Britton]

Okay, I'd love to see what would happen. True self game. Yeah, exactly. I guess there's everybody needs some filters, right? So finally here, Ruth, like, if you look back on your career and you're, you know, in such a cool position today where people are stopping you and hugging you on the way to this interview, what were some of the decisions you think you made right along the way throughout the various points of your career that put you in a position that you are today?

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think I've never been very intentional in my career. I've never had a job I wanted or anything like that. I think I've gone with what has challenged me. I'm such a curious, nosy person. I just love to know everything. And so I've always thought to myself what interests me. And I think if you go with what is your one true kind of guiding star? Mine is nosiness. Curiosity is the better word, but I think nosiness is more true. I just want to find out everything, every person, every idea, everything. And so I think where I've made decisions. I started life as an archeologist, I went into journalism, and now here I am in kind of media and events. It's not a linear path, but that's what I love.

[Matt Britton]

An archaeologist. What was the most interesting thing that you've ever discovered as an archaeologist?

[Ruth Mortimer]

Oh, well, the great thing about archeology is you believe everything is a ritual burial. It's kind of a joke in archeology because you uncover something and you go, oh, this is definitely a ritual burial. And then a little bit later, you go, guys, I think it's a bin. This could be garbage.

[Matt Britton]

Well, it's about storytelling, right. Which is at the heart of advertising.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Exactly right.

[Matt Britton]

And by the way, I didn't ask you, but what is your favorite brand of all time?

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think my favorite brands in general are the ones that have great, enduring stories that always link back to their original Intention. And I've done a lot of work over my time with the lovely Mark Ritson, who you may know, and he does some great presentations which were all about how when brands lose their brand health, it's because they went away from what and he made them great.

[Matt Britton]

They forget who they are.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Exactly. So today I'm wearing something, and this is very true to me. I'm wearing a vintage kind of chanel top from 2008 that I stalked on the Internet for about three years because I was like, this actually speaks to something really creative about this brand that I love. And it didn't need to be new. I just wanted to find it because it was kind of a work of art. And so that's a brand where I love, where it brings you back to that original intention of this was meant to be a work of art you felt proud to wear.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah. And they'll never veer away from who they are. You never see them running discounts or promotions or things that kind of are anti Chanel, so to speak. They stay true to their legacy and their story 100%.

[Ruth Mortimer]

And it doesn't have to be a really expensive brand you love. You mentioned deodorant earlier, actually. Shure Rexona. It's one of my favorites. I think it does exactly what it says.

[Matt Britton]

Right.

[Ruth Mortimer]

And. And you know what? I'll always remember it. So, you know, you can have that low, high thing all the time with the brands.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah. The rational side, the emotional side is how we make decisions, and that comes out in brands.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Exactly.

[Matt Britton]

So is there a mantra or saying that comes to mind when you talk about guiding your professional career? We always wrap up our podcast with that question.

[Ruth Mortimer]

I think I'd say, be curious, have fun, work with good people, and then you cannot go wrong.

[Matt Britton]

Yeah, be curious, have fun working with people. That sounds like a great roadmap to make. Thank you so much, Ru, for taking your time during Advertising Week. It's such an amazing event and I know you're really busy and super appreciative for you to take the time to join the pod.

[Ruth Mortimer]

Well, look, thank you so much for hunting me down, getting me in a podcast studio, and I had a great time.

[Matt Britton]

Likewise. On behalf of Susan Aiwe team, thanks again to the great Ruth Mortimer, the global president of Advertising Week, for joining us here today live at Advertising Week Week in New York City. Be sure to subscribe rate review to Speed of Culture podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Until next time, see you soon, everyone. Take care. The Speed of Culture is brought to you by Suzy as part of the Ad Week Podcast Network and a Guest Creator Network. You can listen subscribe to all Adweek's podcasts by visiting Adweek.com podcasts to find out more about Suzy, head to Suzy.com and make sure to search for the speed of culture in Apple Podcast, Spotify, or anywhere else podcasts are found. Click Follow so you don't miss out on any future episodes. On behalf of the team here at Suzy, thanks for listening.

[F]

Hi, this is Freddie Wong from Dungeons and Daddies and this episode is sponsored by Rocket Money Houston. Houston we have a problem and that's too many subscriptions that I don't know about because I like to put my credit card number into sites just for the sheer thrill of it. That's the fundamental problem of the Internet and money, and Rocket Money is here to solve that. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills. You can see all those subscriptions that you've accrued over a lifetime of putting your credit card in on the Internet in one place. If you don't want them, just cancel them with a few taps. Rocket Money can help with that. Rocket Money is over 5 million users and has saved a total of $500 million in canceled subscriptions, saving members up to $740 a year when using all the app's premium features. Stop wasting money on things you don't use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to rocketmoney.com cancelsubs. That's rocketmoney.com cancelsubs, not submarines.

[Freddie Wong]

My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big roas man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day.

[LinkedIn Representative]

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