Coworking with Paula Veale

Each week, we spotlight Marketing Brew readers in our Coworking series. If you’d like to be featured, introduce yourself here.

Paula Veale is chief marketing and communications officer at The Ad Council, where she has spent most of her career. She has also served on numerous boards, including The Ad Club of New York’s ANDY Committee, The American Cancer Society of New York’s Communications and Marketing Advisory Committee, and the Advisory Committee of The Strang Cancer Prevention Center’s Child Health Initiative.

Favorite project you’ve worked on? Working on our Covid-19 Vaccine Education Initiative was an extraordinary experience. It was amazing to see so many brands and organizations come together during such a challenging time. We released our first Covid-19 response content and resources just five days after the pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization. Later, we led a historic initiative that reached over 75% of vaccine-eligible Americans. We were able to build trust during a time of uncertainty and help people make informed choices for themselves and their families. To give you an idea of the magnitude, we created over 800 creative assets in 10 languages, working with 280+ partners, and the campaign, which resulted in over 12.5 million website visits, played a significant role in getting over 80% of US adults vaccinated. This effort showed how powerful communications from trusted messengers can be, and it’s one of the highlights of my career.

What’s your favorite ad campaign? There are so many campaigns that I love. Our “Adoption from Foster Care” campaign uses heart and humor to inspire prospective parents to welcome children and teens into their families. The campaign has helped more than one million children find loving homes. We also just launched our “Agree to Agree” campaign that tackles youth gun violence by highlighting common ground and mutual understanding. And “Don’t Wait. Reach Out” encourages veterans to seek help and support when struggling with mental health, reminding them that reaching out is a sign of strength. The campaign has saved so many lives.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: My deep connection to New Hampshire—the best state in the country! With its tiny 13 miles of coastline, my home state has a special place in my heart. I love bringing a bit of New Hampshire’s free spirit into my work.

What marketing trend are you most optimistic about? Least? I’m really excited about the impact influencer marketing and trusted messengers can have on inspiring action for social good. We know from our experience that the messenger is as important as the message. Whether they are content creators, healthcare professionals, athletes, or community leaders, they have a unique ability to connect with their audiences and help move the needle. We’ve all seen the significant impact that influencer marketing has had with consumer products, but I think we’re only seeing the beginning of their potential to drive social change. Their authenticity and connection with their audiences make them invaluable to our causes. We’ve seen a really meaningful impact, particularly with issues like mental health, where these messengers can help reduce stigma.

I’m also cautiously optimistic about integrating AI into marketing and advertising, and the social impact space. We all know AI can provide a lot of value, helping create efficiency and innovation. But, particularly in purpose-driven marketing, it’s important to have the right safeguards in place to ensure ethical use, eliminate bias, and keep our efforts authentic.

What’s one marketing-related podcast/social account/series you’d recommend? On with Kara Swisher is a must-listen. Each episode has valuable insights. Kara’s conversations with leaders across our country and her take on current trends are always on point.