Strands of Genius: Rebecca Bedrossian + Creative Effectiveness Report 2024 Top Performing Ads
featuring: an interview with our guest editor and a research report
Welcome to the Bonus edition of Strands of Genius! On Fridays, we’ll be publishing interviews from our guest editors, and sharing a research report. Thanks for being along for the ride. Oh and by the way, you look great today :)
:: STEAL THIS THINKING | RESEARCH REPORT ::
Super Bowl LVIII was one for the books. From the ultimate football sweetheart moment to some truly funny ads, 2024’s Big Game brought us lots of laughs and reconnected us with some core memories – and clarity on the turn selfward.
But who were the ad winners and who left us wanting more? Through LINK AI, Kantar’s creative measurement solution built on the world’s largest creative normative database, of the 67 ads measured, only 12 ads reached “top performer” status among priority Super Bowl measures: Impact, Power and Enjoyment.
:: DIVE IN | THE INTERVIEW ::
REBECCA BEDROSSIAN, GLOBAL HEAD OF THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, SMB & ISV, AWS
>> Rebecca Bedrossian guest curated Strands on February 15th 2024. Read it here.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what keeps you busy. How did you end up doing what you’re doing today?
I studied art history in grad school (tracing a 10th century Armenian manuscript back to the 7th century Book of Durrow through the Irish monastic movement) and I thought I’d continue in academia. But a phone call changed that trajectory. An art magazine I’d never heard of needed an editor. To make a long story short I spent the majority of my career at Communication Arts as managing editor, and all the pieces of my career have fallen into place since then because of it, through relationships I still cultivate.
Publishing transitioned to agency life, which gave way to my current incarnation in tech. At the heart of it all is editorial, thought leadership, content, storytelling—whatever you want to call it—that adds value and builds brand awareness, whether that brand is a magazine, an agency, or a tech company.
What excites you most about what you do?
This sounds a bit cliché, but it’s really people. Having meaningful conversations that spark ideas, and eventually give way to storytelling. Smart people, their ideas and their stories. Connecting them with others. I love strategists, futurists, designers, data wonks, artists, activists, big thinkers, and bringing their perspectives to life.
What beliefs define your approach to work? How would you define your leadership style?
The term thought leadership—much like the word content—has lost its way. It means different things to different people—and brands. It’s not PR, nor is it marketing, though it is a tool that can be used in marketing. It offers value, a return on investment (time). My approach has always been to make it interesting through storytelling. After all, we are talking to people. And people connect through stories. The sweet spot is to create pieces that are culturally relevant, relate to customer challenges, and align, tangentially, to the organization’s strategy.
What has been the most rewarding project you’ve worked on and why?
Two come to mind. I profiled photographer Kate Brooks when she was just 31, had her “home” base in Turkey, and was covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Her photographs didn’t capture the more sought-out images of soldiers and action, but instead documented the people in the war-torn regions: specifically, women and children. She shared part of her journal with me, and I remember the bargaining for the extra spread to fit it into the article.
After transitioning to agency life, I wrote about my experience. It was published in The Guardian. I so often help others tell their story, and this felt like a personal win.
We are big believers in diversity -- Not only because we believe in equality, but because we also think it’s better for business. How do you frame these kinds of conversations, both internally and with clients? Is there an emphasis on action, or are the conversations really more about communication?
Having a brain trust composed of individuals who think differently and come from various backgrounds is not just beneficial but essential for any content program. Embracing diversity means getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and advocating for representation. Sometimes challenging in the agency and tech worlds where the leadership roles are often held by those who are white and male. It’s about all kinds of diversity: gender, race, age, location, sexual orientation, identity, and beyond. Equally important is cultivating an inclusive culture. And authenticity is key. You can't phone it in. Inclusivity must be intentional.
Switching gears a bit, how do you find time to balance personal interests with your career? Do you believe work/life balance is possible? Anything you’ve implemented that you recommend that others try?
I am not sure balance is the right word. It’s not 50/50. A former colleague of mine called it a blur, and this feels true.
In 2005, I came back to work seven weeks after having my first child. (What the hell was I thinking?!) It was after I had my second daughter that I set boundaries. Two kids forced me to. As I’ve gotten older and wiser, and my girls are almost self-sufficient, I know that I am better at work, at being creative, by making time to pause, reset, move away from the screen, Jazzercise, read on paper…
I took a mindfulness-based stress reduction course (MBSR), developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. My eyes were opened to the benefits of being here now. And while I’m not great at it, I can’t unsee it, so I continue to anchor myself, practice, and breathe.
What’s your media diet? Where do you find inspiration?
Twitter was my go-to for a long while, but I gave it up when it changed hands. I’m trying to love Threads, but it’s not the same. And right now, media is fragmented. I search it out through newsletters (Brain Food, Dense Discovery, On my Om, Genius Steals), Instagram, and—I hope serendipity—which is harder these days with algorithms. Travel helps tremendously with inspiration.
What’s the best piece of advice/knowledge you’ve stolen, and who/where’d you steal it from?
Write drunk, edit sober. —Ernest Hemingway
Meaning: Get it all down. The key is editing.
You can keep in touch with Rebecca on LinkedIn.
If we can ever be of help to you, even outside of a formal engagement, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
rockON,
faris & rosie & ashley | your friends over at geniussteals.co
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