After two days of being surrounded by so many intelligent, insightful and motivated people at this year’s 3% Conference in New York, my head and heart were full of emotions. (Also, my head was full of the pounding beat of EDM. Super glad that faded.)
But most of all, I felt admiration and gratitude. For the women who've blazed the trail. For the ones who've championed diversity of all kinds. For the men and women standing up for what is still broken in our industry. For the creative powerhouses who are making amazing, society-changing work. And the clients who support and buy it.
It’s nice to be grateful, but it’s even better when you can share that gratitude personally. Because receiving thanks feels good, but giving thanks feels even better.
Last year, my daughter’s awesome 5th grade teacher created a “compliment wall.” Every kid had an envelope on the wall and students would leave compliment notes for each other there. Stuff like “Your report was funny.” Or “I like the way you draw unicorns!” Or “Thanks for helping me clean up my exploded Gogurt.” Anything. It boosted each child’s confidence and created a culture of kindness that made their class an unstoppable team.
So let’s start our own gigantic compliment wall, using the hashtag #AdMiration. A place where the ad industry shares notes of gratitude. Where we compliment the brave, the kind, the ass-kickers, the famous and the unknown, for all to see. We’re all in this together — let’s raise each other up. Not just during conventions and award shows, but every single day.
Here, I’ll go first.
Thank you, Kat Gordon, for starting the movement, listening, adapting in real time and making 3% a number of the past. #AdMiration
Thank you, Cindy Gallop, for being fearless and unapologetic and wearing shiny leather and using phrases like “absolute goddamn fucking shit-ton of money.” #AdMiration
Thank you, Kyle Cease for bringing me to tears — the laughing and crying kind. My husband and I now both have huge motivational crushes on you. But not in a weird way. #AdMiration
Thank you, Derek Walker, for bravely calling out the elephant in the room — a lack of true diversity on a leadership panel being awarded for their strides in diversity. #AdMiration
Thank you, Chloe Gottlieb, not only for leading amazing creative, but admitting how, despite your success, you’ve missed important family events because you were afraid you’d get left behind at work. #AdMiration
Thank you, Leela Ting, for being the 10-year-old we all want to be when we grow up. #AdMiration
Thank you, Karina Zack and Becky Brinkerhoff from Hill Holiday for coming up to our WONGDOODY contingent to say you’re big fans when we really needed to hear it, and giving us the boost to come home and make more change. #AdMiration
Those are my thanks, for now. Please get out there and start sharing your notes of #AdMiration.
You might make someone’s day. Or week. Or entire career.
And that in itself is pretty damn admirable.