According to Forbes, “A thought leader is an individual or firm that prospects, clients, referral sources, intermediaries and even competitors recognize as one of the foremost authorities in selected areas of specialization, resulting in its being the go-to individual or organization for said expertise.”
However, in advertising, thought leaders are much more than that. Through their clever ideas and strategies, advertising pros can make consumers fall in love with a brand or product, and can even shape the way we see the world by challenging us and pushing us to consider ideas and concepts in a new light.
The most powerful advertising delivers content and messaging that not only resonates with the audience, but evokes feelings and sentiment, creating an emotional experience.
I pulled together 22 thought leaders in the advertising industry that are truly making a mark. Follow them to see the inspiring work they produce, their latest advertising strategies and ultimately learn from their ideas and thought leadership.
- Rob Schwartz
Chief Executive Officer TBWACHIATDAY Views and Tweets are mine. - Alex Bogusky
Co-founder of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, http://brandzooka.com , http://mademovement.com , fearless.is, http://boomtownboulder.com , humanaut, skoop - Wendy Clark
relentless optimist - Cindy Gallop
I like to blow shit up. I am the Michael Bay of business. - Nancy Hill
President and CEO, 4A’s, Long-time ad agency veteran, volunteer builder of schools in Ecuador - Brandon Berger
Chief Digital Officer, Worldwide Ogilvy & Mather. Entrepreneur, Advisor and Board Member for digital media companies, co-Founder of BDW. Views are my own. - Bradley Kay
President / Partner of SS+K, an ad agency that combines a strong mission-based ethic with the edge that comes from working with top marketers. - Martin Sorrell
I lead. I do not follow. I run things. If you’re lucky, I’ll buy you. - Larry Woodard
I Tweet about the Ad Business & Big Ideas, run an ad agency, write a column for http://ABCNews.com . Director ISC (NASCAR). Board V-Foundation. - Andrew Clark
Canadian in Thailand since 1989. Founded ad agency & Q Bar Bangkok. Cycle enthusiast. Marketing Mahout @smilingalbino Lux Adventure Southeast Asia travel. - Len Kendall
Experimenter. Builder of microempires. Second City alum. VP @Carrot, the @VICE Digital Agency. Chicago native now living in L.A. - Brian DiFeo
Instagram marketing expert and co-founder of the Mobile Media Lab in 2012, the first ad agency for Instagram. - Rory Sutherland
Vice Chairman, Ogilvy & Mather Group The Spectator’s Wiki Man. - Carmen Scheidel
CEO at @edmakerco, an agency that helps companies create warm, dynamic forms of online learning. Alum of @TimeInc @Mediabistro. - Helen Todd
CEO of @Sociality2, a social media agency. Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/S2xAccess . Dreamer and magic bean buyer. Heart my family and friends! - Adam Tucker
President, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising NY. Left for an adventure in London w/ wife in 2001. Returned 12 yrs later with 3 lovely young British American children. - Mark Read
CEO, @Wunderman @WPP Digital – #big data, #digital #marketing, #socialmedia, #ecommerce, #WPP, #WPPStream - Gary Vaynerchuk
Family 1st! but after that, Businessman. CEO of @Vaynermedia. Co Founder of @VaynerSports. Creator of a lot of video content on FB & YT. Hustler & @NYJets fan - Andrew Curry
Music & Entertainment | music blog: http://Beats4LA.com || Formerly: @dclarkp & @TheWrap || Now: VP, Digital Strategy @Cre8tiveImpact Agency - Larry Tolpin
President/Chief Creative Officer (Former CEO/Chief Creative Officer of BBDO and JWT) http://www.linkedin.com/in/larrytolpin - Lauren Crampsie
Wife 1st, Mom 2nd, Soul Cycle 3rd. Also, Global CMO at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide. - Catherine Davis
CMO Feeding America / Former Media Agency President and Client Marketer / Interested in how people make decisions - Ilicco Elia
Head of Mobile at DigitasLBi. ex head of mobile Reuters. Intrigued & amazed by mobile technology & coffee. Fancies photography, likes cartoons, loves chocolate.
Are you an agency marketer? Learn more about how our Social Listening platform can help your agency with market research, find and attracting new accounts, benchmarking client success against key competitors, crisis management, finding client influencers and measuring client success through social ROI. Download the 6 Ways Synthesio’s Social Listening Platform Can Benefit Your Agency today.
