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Classic Guide
Mobile Women
to Watch 2014
A CLASSIC GUIDE
November 2013
$595
CONTENTS
PAGE
3
PAGE
Welcome
Mickey Alam Khan
16
Lisa Hu
Blippar
4
Sarah Amitay
Mobext
17
Danielle Ivey
7-Eleven
5
Alexis Berger
Kargo
18
Lizzy Klein
GrubHub Seamless
6
Wendy Bergh
Walmart
19
Daisy Lai
Mobile technology consultant
7
Katie Blair
ExactTarget
20
Shuli Lowy
Ping Mobile
8
Linda Boff
GE
21
Megan McCurry
Digitas
9
Allegra Burnette
Museum of Modern Art
22
Iryna Newman
OpenTable
10
Laura Chamberlain
Fiksu
23
Karen Pattani-Hasen
Aurnhammer
11
Rebecca Grimes
Vibes
24
12
Trisha Habucke
Ford Motor Co.
Cheryl Sansonetti
5th Finger
25
Melissa Stevens
Citi
13
Fatema Hamdani
Syniverse
26
14
Monica Ho
xAd
27
Tina Unterlaender
AKQA
15
Erin Houg
Starcom
28
PAGE 2
Andrea Teslia
Pivotal Labs
Lisa West
InterContinental Hotels Group
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Welcome
M
obile Marketer’s Mobile Women to Watch 2014 list honors smart
vwomen executives who are set to make a difference in mobile
advertising, marketing, media and commerce in 2014.
Once the deadline expired, the Mobile Marketer team judged the nominees on their merits and whittled the list to those who showed the most
promise to push the mobile envelope in 2014.
As with their predecessors in years past, this cut of honorees shares
the same qualities: dedication to craft, ambition, leadership potential
and educator. They are also quite aware of their role-model status as
mobile becomes a more welcoming and appealing career option for
talented women.
The list’s responses to questions confirm their choice. While the realities
of an emerging medium are acknowledged, so is mobile’s place in the
multichannel marketing and retail ecosystem.
“I live in the future every day,” said Tina Unterlaender, director of mobile
at AKQA, New York.
“I want to make mobile experiences that customers love and be an innovator and leader in mobile retailing,” said Wendy Bergh, San Bruno,
CA-based vice president of mobile and digital strategy at Walmart.
MANY THANKS to Kristina Mayne for her art direction on this
Classic Guide.
That sentiment is common to almost all the 25 women on the list representing brands, retailers, financial services firms, ad agencies and
service providers.
Thank you also to Chantal Tode, Lauren Johnson, Rebecca Borison and
Jodie Solomon for their nominations and judging. All judging was based
purely on merit and potential to make a difference.
Good and great
The fifth annual Mobile Women to Watch, this list includes executives
from Walmart, Ford Motor Co., GE, Citi, InterContinental Hotels Group,
7-Eleven, GrubHub Seamless, OpenTable, Museum of Modern Art,
Starcom, Digitas and AKQA.
This year also marks the beginning of a new annual companion conference called the Mobile Women to Watch Summit, scheduled in New
York for Nov. 4. The roster of speakers includes senior executives from
Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Co., Citi, Gilt Groupe, Macy’s, OpenTable and
L’Oreal, as well as panelists from ad agencies, consultancies, publishers
and service providers.
Also honored this year are executives from ExactTarget, Blippar, Mobext, Kargo, Fiksu, Vibes, Syniverse, xAd, Ping Mobile, Aurnhammer, 5th
Finger and Pivotal Labs.
These women know their place in history by associating with mobile at
the ground-floor level.
“It’s a whole new platform and a whole new behavior we’re creating,” said Lisa Hu, vice president of business development at Blippar,
New York.
Quarter backing
Picking the 25 smartest women with potential was not easy. Mobile
Marketer invited readers to send in their nominations. The Mobile Marketer team also had its own table of candidates.
Please read this guide cover to cover. These Mobile Women to Watch are
set to distinguish themselves even further in 2014, no doubt realizing
that mobile advertising, marketing, media and commerce’s ultimate job
is to move product across category.
“I have proven that we can leverage mobile to sell cars,” said Trisha
Habucke, digital marketing manager at Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, MI.
Mickey Alam Khan
Editor in chief
[email protected]
Mickey Alam Khan
Editor in Chief
mickey@
napean.com
Lauren Johnson
Associate Reporter
lauren@
mobilemarketer.com
Jodie Solomon
Director, Ad Sales
ads@
mobilemarketer.com
Chantal Tode
Associate Editor
chantal@
mobilemarketer.com
Rebecca Borison
Editorial Assistant
rebecca@
mobilemarketer.com
Kristina Mayne
Content Assistant
kristina@
mobilemarketer.com
401 Broadway, Suite 1408
New York, NY 10013
Tel: 212-334-6305
Fax: 212-334-6339
Email: [email protected]
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Mobile Marketer covers news and analysis of mobile marketing, media and commerce. The Napean franchise comprises Mobile Marketer, MobileMarketer.com, the Mobile Marketer Daily newsletter, MobileMarketingDaily.com, MobileCommerceDaily.com, MCommerceDaily.com, Mobile Commerce Daily, the Mobile Commerce Daily newsletter, MobileNewsLeader.com, Classic Guides,
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PAGE 3
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Sarah Amitay
Vice president and mobile marketing director
Mobext
Boston
“From SMS to wearable technology, mobile is driving incredible
change into almost every facet of our society, culture and economy”
What do you like most about your job?
Working in mobile for the last eight years
has been a wellspring of inspiration and
learning that has yet to run dry.
From SMS to wearable technology, mobile is driving incredible change into almost every facet of our society, culture
and economy.
It has always been exciting to tap into that
change every day and bring forward solutions that can solve our clients’ challenges.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
For years now, mobile has been held back
by its lack of conformity to online media measurement standards. I think that
as the medium has matured, we are getting closer to more meaningful and tangible measurement and getting beyond
the cookie.
My challenge is working with our clients
to demystify the technology and to work
with my clients to take the leap forward.
It is one that I relish.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Creating great experiences that inspire
consumers and create meaningful connections between them and the brands
PAGE 4
we work with.
For us, experience is everything and the
brand experience is unapologetically amplified on a mobile device.
As Will Rogers said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” so
we strive every day to create experiences
on mobile devices that put our clients
ahead of the competition.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
As a woman who has been fascinated by
mobile since the pre-smartphone dark
ages, it has been heartening to see more
and more women join the ranks of the
mobile marketing space. In fact, my team
is actually more than 40 percent female.
Building and working with an award winning team of diverse talents, creativity
and deep passion for mobile.
We are hungry for new challenges, and we
push each other every day. I have never
been more inspired.
With this team, the sky is the limit for
what we can achieve for our clients, as
well as ourselves, as mobile devices continue to transform how we engage and
communicate.
The good news is that in the last year
alone I have seen a huge uptick in female
CEOs, executives, designers, engineers and
strategists. Perhaps that is due to the establishment of mobile in our culture, so it
is a natural progression for women.
I believe that leaders, regardless of gender,
go where the money and innovation are.
Right now, mobile is leading that charge.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Alexis Berger
Vice president of Midwest sales
Kargo
Chicago
“For me, it is not about attracting women or men to the business. It is about attracting the right people”
What do you most like about your job?
The constant grind. The notion that each
day I have an opportunity to evolve our
business, products and partners.
I love that we are blazing a trail here at
Kargo. We are bringing a whole different approach to mobile advertising. We
are taking our clients by the hand for all
things mobile.
It is both a collaborative and intimate
process. Kargo is exploiting the need for
brand power in mobile.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
The challenge is battling the misconceptions in the market.
or men to the business. It is about attracting the right people.
I look for game-changers and, coincidentally, Kargo Chicago is currently staffed
with nine women who move the needle in
our business.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Everything we are doing over here at Kargo. We are running a profitable business
and we are completely organically grown.
I see the impact we are having in the industry and I can think of nothing more
exciting to watch.
I like to consult as opposed to sell. The
outcome of this approach is not what
folks always want to hear, but I am okay
with that.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Job number one is to grow our market
share. In order to do that we have to grow
our most valued resource, our people.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
For me, it is not about attracting women
PAGE 5
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Wendy Bergh
Vice president of mobile and digital strategy
Walmart
San Bruno, CA
“I want to . . . be an innovator and leader in mobile retailing”
What do you most like about your job?
Mobile has allowed me to work at
the forefront of retail by delivering innovative shopping solutions for
our customers that are a part of the
next-generation Walmart.
I truly enjoy being able to better serve our
customers and to help them save more
time and more money with us.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Our mobile strategy is focused on delivering a seamless shopping experience to our
customers anytime and anywhere.
To accomplish this, I must drive alignment
in strategy and execution across multiple
departments within Walmart, including
mobile product and development, marketing, store systems, online systems and
store operations.
Given the size of our company, accomplishing this takes time and effort, but
when we have alignment in execution,
then we serve our customers best.
What is your work priority for 2014?
My goals are really straightforward. I want
to make mobile experiences that customers love and be an innovator and leader in
PAGE 6
mobile retailing.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
To continue to attract women into mobile
it is important for them to see a clear path
into leadership roles and to have programs
to support their development.
Programs like associate resource groups,
mentor circles and other formal programs
can significantly impact a woman’s decision to join an organization.
In addition, it is critical to have women be
a part of the interview panel so that candidates can see leadership in action.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
I am most proud of how I have enhanced
our customers shopping experiences by
providing seamless, anytime, anywhere
access to Walmart.
Our Walmart apps are rated at 4-plus
stars on the iOS and Android App stores.
When our customers are happy, then I am
happy too.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Katie Blair
Global advertising manager
ExactTarget
Indianapolis, IN
“I have an opportunity to learn new technologies and trends to keep up
with the fast pace, and that makes coming to work exciting”
What do you most like about your job?
ExactTarget’s mission is to inspire marketers
to drive phenomenal business results and
connect with their customers in new ways.
Another exciting challenge of my job is
the ability to iterate ExactTarget’s campaigns to continuously increase our ad
performance.
One of the primary ways we carry out this
mission is by delivering relevant, cuttingedge content to the market via advertising.
I enjoy leveraging new technologies and
optimizing our campaigns to achieve
maximum results.
I love being able to define and execute
ExactTarget’s advertising strategy and
bring marketers best-in-class content
to help them develop their marketing
programs further.
What is your work priority for 2014?
My goal for 2014 is to keep a keen eye
on emerging trends in mobile and become a prime example of best-in-class
mobile advertising.
I also enjoy the constant evolution of the
digital marketing industry.
I would like our campaigns to serve as a
model that our clients and prospective clients can look to as a leading benchmark in
the industry.
Every day, I have an opportunity to learn new
technologies and trends to keep up with
the fast pace, and that makes coming to
work exciting.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
My biggest challenge is making sure that
ExactTarget’s best-in-class content is
served into hands of the right audience.
Even the most compelling advertisement
will not generate the right demand for our
mobile products and services if the right
decision makers do not see it.
PAGE 7
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
It is such an honor to be part of this prestigious group of women.
I am also extremely proud of the influence
the campaigns I manage have on the mobile marketing community as well as their
impact on ExactTarget’s success.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I believe that educating young women
entering the workforce about the career
opportunities in mobile marketing will be
a key factor in attracting women to the
industry.
Women’s networking groups that provide
a place for women to connect and learn
about the exciting career opportunities
in mobile are also a huge opportunity to
bring women into mobile-related fields.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Linda Boff
Executive director of global brand marketing
GE
New York
“[Instagram] has allowed us to show how sexy big industrial machines can be”
What do you most like about your job?
Practically everything. It is an amazing
time to be in the media, advertising and
mobile space.
Emerging platforms allow marketers to
test and iterate constantly, and the opportunity to engage directly with audiences makes us work smarter than we ever
have before.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Focus.
Along with the many new platforms, apps
and partners, comes the challenge of
placing a few bets and seeing what works
particularly well.
I think awards like this help to throw a
spotlight on the topic, which is always
important.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
I love the work my team has been doing
in Vine.
We pioneered an idea called #6SecondScience which turned into a whole science fair this summer, attracting 600-plus
user-generated vines.
I am also very proud of our work on Instagram. GE has been on the platform
since April 2011 and it has allowed us to
show how sexy big industrial machines
can be.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Developing platforms and ideas that scale
globally and are relevant locally.
For a multinational company that operates in 160 countries, we think about
this constantly.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I see a lot of young, talented women in
mobile marketing, which is a great start.
PAGE 8
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Allegra Burnette
Creative director of digital media
Museum of Modern Art
New York
“Digital is not just about one department. It is becoming
part of the fabric of our institution”
What do you most like about your job?
The variety of my job is one of the things I
like the most about it.
In addition to mobile, I oversee all of the
projects for our Web site, MoMA.org, as
well as the lobby screens program, kiosks
and more.
I get to work with people across all departments of the museum — from curatorial to education to marketing and more
— as well as collaborate with a fabulous
group of both internal and external designers and developers, all with the goal
of advancing people’s understanding
of and engagement with modern and
contemporary art.
Each day is a new and exciting experience.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
The biggest challenge is how to prioritize
our myriad of projects in order to make
the best use of the resources we have.
2014 is going to be a really key year for
us in many ways, most notably with major
updates to our mobile program and our
Web site.
But equally important are the internal
structures we have put into place to enhance communication, empower stakeholders and coordinate strategic planning.
Digital is not just about one department.
It is becoming part of the fabric of our institution.
This honor is in recognition of all of their
hard work and I am proudest of the team
and all we have achieved together.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
Certainly early education and mentorship
help the mindset that mobile is not gender-specific. Because of the support I have
had in my career and personal life, it has
never occurred to me to think of myself as
an outsider in this field.
And for those of us who have reached a
certain point in our professional lives, it is
important that we in turn support and lift
up others so that they feel included rather
than excluded.
We have lots of ideas and aspirations, but
we need to be able to match those with
time, people and financial resources in order to bring them to fruition.
This recognition from Mobile Marketer is
an amazing honor, but it’s one ideally we
won’t need to call out in future years.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
PAGE 9
The digital media team I lead is made up
of an incredibly talented and dedicated
group of producers, designers and developers, and they not only bring these projects to life but make the process a pleasure every day along the way.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Laura Chamberlain
Marketing coordinator
Fiksu
Boston
“Mobile is the new normal”
What do you most like about your job?
I am lucky enough to work every day
alongside the best and brightest in the
mobile industry.
Fiksu’s CEO, Micah Adler, was named “one
of the world’s smartest entrepreneurs” by
Inc. magazine. The rest of our team comprises mathematicians, technologists and
online marketing veterans that are incredibly enthusiastic.
standout in an overcrowded marketplace.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Continuing to grow our impressive list
of clients.
It is safe to say I learn something new
every day.
Fiksu currently works with 33 of the Top
50 grossing game publishers, as well as
2012’s Game of the Year and App of the
Year, but as more and more familiar brand
names are entering the app space, our
priority is to help them understand both
the importance and the complexity of
app marketing.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Eighty-seven percent of consumer time
spent in mobile is in apps – the opportunity here is undeniable.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
Since starting my career in mobile, I have
been lucky enough to work with a series of
women as role models and mentors.
However, with such a large opportunity
comes a big challenge. 26 percent of all
app downloads are used only once, and
the average mobile user has 40 apps, but
only regularly uses 15.
One of the keys for women already in this
space is to share their expertise and talents with up-and-coming women, helping
them to expand their influence.
The challenge for app marketers is how
to effectively promote relevancy in such
a disposable experience. The challenge
for me, and all of us at Fiksu, is to empower our clients with the tools necessary
to successfully rise above the clutter and
PAGE 10
Mobile is an exciting and ever-changing
space, and it can be intimidating to work
amongst people that have been living and
breathing it for years.
With the continued help and knowledge
sharing from seasoned veterans – both
men and women alike – I think anyone
could find a fit for themselves in this
thriving market.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Over the past year, I have led a program
that has taken Fiksu from city to city helping to educate app marketers on the $100
billion mobile app opportunity.
Mobile is the new normal. It has moved
from being a platform or an advertising
channel to being the predominant way
that people receive and share information,
communicate and stay in touch.
The new normal means that it has become
the primary way to build a business and
to build your brand. I have been extremely
proud of the caliber of marketers and mobile experts we have been able to bring
together, and of the education and conversation we are spreading.
At Fiksu, we believe that the foundation
of a successful mobile strategy lies in
having the knowledge to make smart decisions that will take your app to the next
level. Being able to provide this insight to
companies of all sizes – from big brands
to independent publishers – has been extremely exciting and rewarding.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Rebecca Grimes
Senior director of product marketing
Vibes
Chicago
“You never really notice the lack of women in mobile until
you attend an industry event”
What do you like most about your job?
That is an easy one. I was born to
be a marketer. I love figuring out how
to communicate new information in a
way that helps our internal teams and
external clients and prospects understand
the emerging and sometimes complicated
mobile landscape.
It is especially rewarding when I see clients take my creative ideas and use them
to help move their brands forward.
Also, I’m lucky to work with the smartest and most talented people in
mobile. In this field, we are faced
with new and exciting challenges
every day. It is their passion and
commitment to our customers that
motivates me.
Not to mention their infectious humor
and incredible personalities make work
even more fun and the day fly by.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Two things: one small, one big.
It is no secret that mobile is a rapidly
changing industry, and because of that I
have to stay on top of the latest innovations and emerging technologies.
PAGE 11
The bigger challenge is acting as the conduit in the organization between multiple
teams – product, sales, service and operations – and helping them stay up to date.
I have to be the bridge that takes what is
happening in the industry and tailoring it
to our clients’ needs by packaging it into
strong value propositions that gets them
quickly from point A to B.
What is your work priority for 2014?
In 2014, my priority is to help brands understand the mobile consumer’s expectations for engagement and then translate
that into an effective mobile marketing
program.
Using advanced segmentation, targeting
and personalization, marketers can create
even closer connections with their most
valuable customers with smart, targeted
and relevant mobile experiences. It is all
about creating personalized connections
that will make consumers want to know
more – and interact further – with their
favorite brands.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
You never really notice the lack of women
in mobile until you attend an industry
event and see that we are clearly outnum-
bered. Attracting women to mobile marketing will require a mix of getting people
while they’re young in college with interesting academic curriculums and drawing
from an existing talent pool of women in
other related industries.
I believe everyone in mobile has a responsibility to promote the excitement about
this fulfilling industry and its growth potential for talented marketers. So we all
need to combine our collective power to
keep advancing mobile’s future leaders.
What is your proudest achievement in
mobile?
Through testing, research, validation and
education that started with an MVP-style
product, I was able to – with the support
of a very valuable team – create a new
opportunity for Vibes to emerge as the
industry leader for non-payment mobile
wallet programs.
Seeing firsthand the power behind mobile
wallet, I’m incredibly passionate about
continuing to drive awareness about this
game-changing marketing tool. And I am
even more excited to continue learning
and growing in an industry that has become part of my DNA.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Trisha Habucke
Digital marketing manager
Ford Motor Co.
Dearborn, MI
“I have proven that we can leverage mobile to sell cars”
What do you most like about your job?
Applying new technology to old established sales techniques. This has been the
pattern throughout my career at Ford.
Whether it has been the Internet replacing the printed brochure, email replacing snail mail or mobile replacing email,
I have always been part of bringing new
technologies into the marketing space.
I personally believe the next frontier will
be bringing mobile technology to the
owner space with the connected car. I am
excited to be part of this too.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Getting proper funding and resources for
my initiatives is by far the biggest challenge.
As most people in the business know,
Ford has a large marketing budget but
with so many vehicles to promote, there
are competing priorities. Thankfully this
is getting easier as mobile proves to be
an invaluable tool in reaching our customers and staying engaged with them
through their ownership cycle. It has also
aided in increasing brand awareness and
favorable opinion.
Also, I have proven that we can leverage
PAGE 12
mobile to sell cars. A good ROI never hurts
when asking for money.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Taking my mobile sites to the next level with
the newest technology. Ford.com and Lincoln.com will get a facelift with the latest
creative and groundbreaking technology.
Also, I would like to bring my development
team physically closer to my creative team
so that changes can occur faster and we
can quickly respond to the marketplace.
My SYNC and Owner work will assume
priority as well.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
Honestly, I have been amazed at the number of women I have encountered in the
mobile space.
At my last mobile speaking engagement,
I was pleased to see women from major brands showcased. Not only did they
speak eloquently but they seemed to have
a deep understanding of mobile’s technical capabilities and how to apply that to
their marketing strategies.
by men because of the technology that
is involved, so I think that women need
to incorporate more technology into
their studies.
I got a computer science minor along with
my marketing major and it has allowed me
to work on cutting-edge initiatives over
the years such as digital and email. Mobile
was a natural next step for me.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
I want to go even further. My proudest
achievement at Ford is mobile.
As everyone knows, Ford is a very mature
manufacturing company. Convincing our
senior leaders that mobile is an invaluable
tool for selling cars and trucks has been
quite an achievement for me. Now it is
just assumed that every integrated marketing plan will have a mobile component.
Also, being part of the SYNC connected
car initiative has been a highlight.
Generally speaking though, the emerging media space tends to be dominated
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Fatema Hamdani
Global account director
Syniverse
New York
“It is easy to see that this industry is one that fosters creativity,
emphasizing the importance of ideas over gender”
What do you most like about your job?
I have the privilege of supporting some of
the largest brands in the world as my organization, Syniverse, serves eight out of
the top 10 banks in the U.S., a number of
the largest retailers and hotel chains, two
major banks in Asia, and three of the top
five airlines.
These companies all truly understand
mobile’s impact, and whether it’s a
global rollout across more than 50
countries, Passbook integration, or any
number of other services we have
employed, I take pride in the fact that
they have come to Syniverse for help
with customer engagement, retention
and acquisition.
Apps and the mobile Web might be the
trend du jour, but a simple SMS campaign provides maximum reach and
can result in a consistently-pleasant
customer experience.
Pinpointing the importance of a scalable
and reliable solution that equips the brand
with optimal reach can be a challenge, but
it’s something that I love to do.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Customer focus is a huge priority for each
of us at Syniverse, and we will continue
that laser focus in 2014.
Each of those verticals has its own interesting and distinctive opportunities, and
it is incredibly rewarding to work with a
brand on incorporating unique mobile,
location and social technologies into
their strategies.
By using a multitude of solutions, including our innovative customer engagement
platform, messaging hub for SMS, MMS
and push, and utilizing geolocation to
deliver the most contextual and relevant
messaging, we will look for new approaches to help our customers reach their end
users and differentiate themselves from
their competitors.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
As part of our process, we sometimes have
to help the customer understand that the
most effective method might not be the
flashiest, and assist them with explaining
that rationale to their stakeholders.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
The mobile marketing landscape is evolving and growing constantly, and I couldn’t
imagine a more opportune time for women to enter the arena and blaze their
own trails.
PAGE 13
When I think of the supremely talented
female marketers I work with on a regular
basis, including our organization’s CMO, it
is easy to see that this industry is one that
fosters creativity, emphasizing the importance of ideas over gender.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
There are several, but one that particularly
resonates with me is our involvement with
the text4baby program.
Syniverse has donated its resources, messaging connectivity and ongoing support
to power the award-winning program,
which provides pregnant women and new
mothers with free text messages containing information to help them care for their
health and their babies.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Monica Ho
Vice president of marketing
xAd
New York
“The mobile space is evolving so quickly that no one can
really call themselves an expert”
What do you most like about your job?
The thing I love most about my job is that
I am constantly learning.
The mobile space is evolving so quickly
that no one can really call themselves an
expert. Every day there is some new technology released or product developed that
simplifies, enhances or completely changes the way we do things.
This industry really keeps me on my toes.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Deciding where to focus my time.
As the vice president of marketing for a
fast-growing startup in an even fastergrowing and evolving industry, there are
just not enough hours in the day to pack
everything in.
Each day has to be carefully balanced
to not only get the critical work in that
moves our business forward, but allows
enough time to also work on things that
will ultimately drive the industry forward
through first-to-market research or initiatives we are leading and driving through
the many associations we participate in.
This leaves about 30 minutes around
PAGE 14
4:30 a.m. to get a little beauty sleep.
published case studies conducted locally.
What is your work priority for 2014?
I have three of them for 2014.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I think having very visible and active female role models that have a leadership
role in the industry who can clearly articulate the growth and opportunity in
mobile is critical. I applaud the efforts of
Mobile Marketer in highlighting the roles
that women play in our industry.
First, to help build education, awareness
and adoption around a common measurement technique that will show the impact
and value of location-targeted mobile ads
to driving in-store traffic and sales.
Second, continue our research in partnership with Nielsen to build transparency
around where mobile fits into the overall
consumer path-to-purchase by specific
industry verticals.
2014 will be our third year of conducting
this type of research. It not only helps us
to educate marketers on the proper use of
mobile within their overall marketing mix
by industry, but it provides key insights
into how consumers are currently using
and engaging with mobile. This allows our
marketers to better integrate themselves
into the consumer experience rather than
disrupting it.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Being selected as a Mobile Woman to
Watch, of course.
A close second to this, though, would have
to our recent launch of our “In-store Traffic Lift” (ITL) measurement product which
we co-developed through a third party.
This was such a great achievement as it
was the industry’s first true measurement
of mobile’s ability and impact in driving
offline in-store visits.
Finally, we will continue our expansion
into international markets by continuing
to educate agencies and marketers on the
value of location-based mobile ads. We
will do this through market research and
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Erin Houg
Senior vice president and digital director
Starcom
Chicago
“We need to remember that mobile is mainstream for
customers and should be mainstream for marketers”
What do you most like about your job?
I love that I get to work with talented
and smart people in a very
collaborative atmosphere.
choices we make are rooted in a strong
consumer understanding, as well as solid
technology, in order to deliver the best
possible results.
At Starcom, I am constantly learning from
and collaborating with my team on solving client and industry challenges.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I really do not see much of a gender gap
when I look around at my colleagues, and
I believe women are active and leading in
mobile now and into the future.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
At Starcom, we believe there is no first
screen. It is not about following a sequence, but rather understanding simultaneous and overlapping usage to make
an impact at the right moment.
A consumer’s decision process rarely follows a truly linear pattern, so we need to
constantly remind ourselves and our clients to break free from that mindset.
Consumers are screen-agnostic and will
rely on the one that most accelerates their
path to content or best enhances their
current experience.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Taking time out to pause and think about
the underlying trends behind emerging
mobile technologies.
We need to remember that mobile is
mainstream for consumers and should be
mainstream for marketers, all while keeping in mind the unique technological opportunities that can be leveraged.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
My proudest moments are when we
use mobile in a way that fully leverages
context and location data to solve a
client challenge.
Mobile provides a unique opportunity to
close the loop to purchase at bricks-andmortar stores, as well as to intersect with
consumers whenever and wherever they
want content.
We need to make sure that any marketing
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Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Lisa Hu
Vice president of business development
Blippar
New York
“It is a whole new platform and a whole new behavior we
are creating“
What do you most like about your job?
I like that each day there is always something new I learn or experience that makes
our company grow stronger. It could be a
new fascinating opportunity, tech innovation, data insight, new hire or any other
discovery.
Additionally, anything we do, we are adding value in some way for our client and
end-consumer.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
I think educating people and companies
about how our work is just not about augmented reality, as our app goes completely beyond delivering an object popping out
at the phone.
It is a whole new platform and a whole
new behavior we are creating.
Consumers are pulling unique, interactive content with brands, saving content
to their phones, sharing with friends on
Facebook, Twitter, etc. But this is a natural barrier and we are already seeing many
companies understand the differences.
What is your work priority for 2014?
While we already have successfully partnered with hundreds of major brands,
PAGE 16
retailers and media owners, we aim to
partner with many more clients to provide
more blippable content for consumers,
shoppers and readers, whether they are
at-home, in-store or on-the-go.
We also look forward to expanding our
self-service Blippbuilder Web tool, which
will allow publishers and agencies or third
parties to create interactive experiences
via the Blippar app.
Both of these initiatives will further allow the physical world to come to life so
consumers can blipp various products and
print each day.
global brands - Procter & Gamble, CocaCola, Pepsi, Anheuser-Busch and Estee
Lauder, among others - within our first
year of launching our New York office.
That is an indication that companies are
becoming fully aware that using one platform or app to provide content to their
consumers is the right way to significantly drive up engagement and ultimately
sales. And with these campaigns coming
through our app, more and more consumers understand what it means to blipp.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I think we need to let them know that
there are currently massive innovations
and milestones happening in the mobile marketing space, across all industry
verticals, particularly ones that they can
resonate more with, for example, fashion
and beauty.
They have opportunities to help make
a difference and a big impact in this
surging space.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Successfully partnering with the largest
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Danielle Ivey
Senior manager of digital marketing
7-Eleven
Dallas, TX
“My reward is overhearing more people talk about mobile,
mobile executions and brand-building”
What do you most like about your job?
I have loved marketing since I was a child
thinking about where to put a lemonade
stand — on the golf course during a charity event, of course.
7-Eleven is a part of so many lives and is
hopefully making every day better, and
I am lucky to lead its digital marketing. It is an incredible opportunity to affect every mobile channel — sites, apps,
social, loyalty — and see the integrated
marketing results.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
I get so excited about all of our projects which are moving us one step
closer to the guest and a more
personalized experience.
My biggest challenge is focusing on what
work makes the greatest impact and keeping that focus.
What is your work priority for 2014?
I plan to continue my work on overall
integration of digital tools, marketing
channels and mobile verification, both
throughout the business and with our
many vendor partners.
We’ve made some amazing steps for-
PAGE 17
ward in educating the organization about
digital technology and the benefits it can
bring to the guest.
Most importantly, I was proud to see my
mobile work come alive through the personal experience of gift giving.
My reward is overhearing more people
talk about mobile, mobile executions and
brand-building. This is very fulfilling, so I
hope for more.
I got to see my family and friends trying
it out, showing one another how to scan,
laugh at their recordings and create that
special moment.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I think it is really important to continue sharing your work and commit to
teaching others.
We all want to be inspired, so it is imperative to personally build opportunities and
showcase the industry.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
In 2011, I worked on a project called Santa
Tags at J.C. Penney.
Essentially, it was a gift tag with a QR
code that allowed the gift giver to record a voice message, place the tag
on the gift and the recipient could
scan the QR code or dial in to hear the
personalized message.
I was honestly a little shocked to bring the
project from concept to funding, and then
to the holiday sales counter.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Lizzy Klein
Vice president of product
GrubHub Seamless
New York
“I think it is important to demystify the category and encourage
women with all kinds of backgrounds to consider a digital path”
What do you most like about your job?
So many things.
First, I love working for a company that
delivers food happiness — who would not?
I also appreciate that our business lends
itself so readily to mobile channels on
both sides of the marketplace: diners
and restaurants.
My job spans both audiences, as well as
desktop solutions, so my team is able
to think holistically about a variety of
customer experiences.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Prioritization.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
As with any area that feels or sounds a bit
technical, I think it is important to demystify the category and encourage women
with all kinds of backgrounds to consider
a digital path.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Watching Seamless’ business grow from
only one percent mobile to over 40 percent in less than three years.
Awards and accolades are wonderful, but
nothing says good job more clearly than
making the sales.
We have got a backlog of no-brainer projects and it can be challenging to shelve a
great, ROI-positive idea, even if it is taking
a backseat to a great, even-more-positive
ROI idea.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Integration.
GrubHub and Seamless merged in August
2013 and we are already off to the races
on projects that will benefit our restaurants and diners.
PAGE 18
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Daisy Lai
Mobile technology consultant
New York
“Conversations around implementing and growing a mobile
strategy are common, but there is no one-size-fits-all answer”
What do you most like about your job?
I support an array of clients and it is rewarding to see mobile campaigns achieve
real-world success and know that I helped
cultivate the idea from its infancy.
In addition, I have been fortunate to work
with many talented and driven colleagues
throughout my career who are supportive
and drive me to excel. They play a pivotal
role in what makes my job fun and keep
me motivated.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
Conversations around implementing and
growing a mobile strategy are common,
but there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
The term “mobile” encompasses so many
things and it can be intimidating for
brands that are just now getting involved.
The challenge is to help prospects and clients explore their options to discover the
custom solution that is best for them.
Being a source of expertise not only
means listening to a client’s ideas,
but diving deep past surface-level
objective and capabilities to create
a
truly
tailored
proposal
that
complements and enhances what the
brand represents.
PAGE 19
What is your work priority for 2014?
Mobile marketing is evolving so rapidly
that there’s a great need for education in
the space.
My priority is to help brands understand
the importance of adopting mobile strategies that enable them to grow and
strengthen customer relationships.
Mobile relationship management solutions enable brands to have an always-addressable audience that they know more
about than ever before, and that is really
powerful.
More than any channel up to now, mobile requires laser-focus on delivering the
right message at the right time, as irrelevant or poorly timed communications risk
swift abandonment.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I believe the demographics of the mobile
workforce are changing.
A few years ago, mobile trade show floors
were predominantly filled with male attendees. Now there seems to be a growing
number of women in key roles, likely due
to rising mobile career opportunities and
recognition of mobile as being the future
of customer engagement. Also, mobile has
traditionally been viewed as a technology, but we have seen a shift to focus on
the strategies and benefits it drives such
as marketing, customer support and employee and partner enablement. This wider
focus piques interest on a broader scale.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Throughout the seven years I have spent
in the mobile ecosystem, I take pride in
staying abreast of a fast-paced industry — and sometimes a step ahead — so
that I can help clients navigate through
the complexities.
I was the fourth U.S. employee at MX Telecom and saw it grow to over 100 employees worldwide while directly contributing
to its ascension up the ranks of top U.S.
SMS mobile aggregators, leading to its
acquisition.
As apps and mobile wallets gain rapid
adoption, I found myself at the ground
floor of mobile’s new chapter, having become Urban Airship’s first East
Coast employee a little more than a
year ago.
Inevitably, more shifts will happen and I
can barely wait to see what’s to come.
Mobile Marketer MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Shuli Lowy
Marketing director
Ping Mobile
Beverly Hills, CA
“There are always new products, new regulations and new
futuristic technologies to explore”
What do you most like about your job?
My job is an absolute adventure.
One of the greatest things about working
for a mobile marketing company is that
you are never marketing one product or
item.
Over the past year alone I have worked
with marketing personnel of movie production companies, auto brands, hospitality chains, banks, apparel lines and musicians.
Each time I meet with a new client I
get to learn all about what it means to
market within their industry, from the
challenges to the opportunities to the
untested ground.
The mobile field itself is also never at a
standstill. There are always new products,
new regulations, and new futuristic technologies to explore. It is a dream of an
educational experience.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
The most challenging aspect of my job is
when I sit at a table with brand marketers and we all know that something can
provide their brand substantial value,
but for some technical reason it cannot
PAGE 20
be implemented.
I am a passionate marketer, and watching
something operate well when I know it can
be amazing can be a frustrating injustice.
What is your work priority for 2014?
My goal for 2014 is to continue to
play my part in propelling the mobile
marketing field.
I will continue running and participating
in educational events to help marketers
understand the options available to them
within mobile marketing, how to run effective, targeted campaigns, and I will
work to ingrain an awareness of legal and
social regulations related to mobile.
Additionally, I will continue to take an
active role in contributing to thought
leadership, facilitating opportunistic networking, and remaining at the forefront of
mobile marketing adoption.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
Attracting more women to mobile marketing will require targeted exposure to
the magic of this industry.
midst of making their career choices. Get
involved in your local universities and enlighten women about the prospects available within mobile.
If you know of women who are in a transition period, speak to them about the
opportunities provided in the mobile marketing space.
Mobile marketing is one of the few industries that is witnessing an increase in job
openings. Let us do our part to fill them.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Heading campaigns that perform well or
go viral is an incredibly rewarding experience. However, my proudest achievements
to date are the contributions I have made
to empower others within this industry.
At the end of the day, my work is finite.
Creating strategic partnerships, educating
marketers to make better decisions and
filling mobile marketing job openings enables me to take my stick figure of influence and add on a spider web of branches
that extend far beyond sight. That makes
an impact.
Each of us needs to make an effort to
market this field to women who are in the
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Megan McCurry
Vice president and group media director
DigitasLBi
Chicago
“Every day, every moment, brings something new and generally unexpected”
What do you most like about your job?
Being constantly surrounded by such
amazing, thought-provoking people is
easily number one.
Every day, I am inspired by our internal
teams and challenged by our publisher
partners and clients to solve our business challenges. We get to flex into different directions, push convention and
stretch our minds together in pursuit of
what’s next.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
The unpredictability of what might come
at you on the next given hour of a day.
Every day, every moment, brings something new and generally unexpected.
Whether it is a new pitch or project arising, some adver-mergency that needs
mitigating or a team mate that needs support, there is never a dull moment — and I
would not have it any other way.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Twofold. First, making mobile marketing easier and more accessible for our
teams, taking what we have built as standard approach within our mobile practice
and applying it more broadly throughout
PAGE 21
the organization.
Second, expanding our context graph to
include even more robust datasets to further power insight generation, help identify opportunity moments to connect with
our consumers, and quantify success for
our brands using mobile data deeper than
we have today.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I am always shocked at the lack of women
speaking or on panels when I look around
a mobile conference or event. Men continue to be center-stage.
I have had the pleasure of working with a
lot of really smart women in our industry,
and we need to encourage these women
to be seen and heard just as much as our
male counterparts.
Providing a forum for women to step up
and learn about mobile is huge.
Chicago has a Women in Wireless chapter
that meets routinely, which gives women
an opportunity to get involved in the local mobile marketing community and network among peers.
A few years back when I first began practicing mobile marketing, I had a significant reality check.
Until then, mobile had been largely theoretical, something I poured through research to study while I proselytized ideas
of what we should be doing. Then, I started
work on a direct response-driven business
where the only thing that mattered were
results. Theories didn’t cut it and I had to
make our mobile programs work fast.
It was a tough road with some challenging client partners and a volatile business climate, but by rolling up our sleeves
and working hard to identify what drove
the mobile business results, we figured
it out. In fact, we ended up surpassing
our goals and even getting substantial
incremental budget.
Though achieving our results was rewarding, I look back and most appreciate the
how experience formed the foundation of
my practice today. And my current confident self wants to go back in time and
reassure my tired, frustrated past self that
it was all worth it.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Iryna Newman
Head of mobile growth
OpenTable
San Francisco
“Having years of experience does not always equal knowledge”
What do you most like about your job?
I love how multi-faceted mobile marketing
is. It is very rewarding to be able to make a
measurable impact on the business while
working with great talented people from
both internal and external teams.
Another aspect of the job I am grateful for
is having the opportunity to be constantly
testing the latest platforms and mobile
solutions.
You get to apply emerging opportunities
and provide feedback into the ecosystem about what works and what doesn’t,
which oftentimes helps shape the next iteration of mobile ad tech.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
All of us working in mobile space appreciate the complexities and challenges around mobile tracking, attribution
and analytics.
As an industry we have made tremendous
progress over the last few years, but that
also means that technology is evolving
very quickly and we must learn just as
quickly.
In a fast-moving space like that, having years of experience does not al-
PAGE 22
ways equal knowledge, and so every
day it is important to have a mindset of
a student.
The speed of innovation is very humbling
and it is from that place that one can keep
learning and achieving results. This challenge creates the biggest opportunity to
learn, innovate and push the envelope.
What is your work priority for 2014?
With an increasing number of users visiting from mobile devices, we challenge
ourselves to continually test, innovate and
take risks with our mobile marketing and
adoption strategies.
You can expect us to invest heavily behind
increasing the adoption of our mobile
apps among new and existing customers.
who can learn about this career path.
Additionally, it will take every single one
of us educating and mentoring, not only
young women early in their careers, but
also each other.
I believe that being generous with sharing our knowledge and experience with
female peers will not only help us stay
focused but also foster innovation in
this field.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
Mobile can be intimidating because of
how different it is from online, so any
time I am able to help others feel more
comfortable in making decisions around
mobile investment, I feel proud.
Mobile is an increasingly important part
of our business and we know that once
diners start using our apps, their propensity to use OpenTable increases.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
Events like the Mobile Women to Watch
Summit help increase the visibility of the
field, which is very important. It is especially great that there will be attendees
that are students from local universities,
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Karen Pattani-Hason
New business and partnerships director
Aurnhammer
New York
“Ladies, do not be intimidated by the complexity of mobile”
What do you most like about your job?
I love my job. I get to talk to agencies,
brands and business owners about how
mobile can improve their performance
and help achieve their marketing goals.
I help those who are unfamiliar, intimidated or overwhelmed with all the
choices in the marketplace to choose mobile solutions that matter for their businesses, that make a real impact on their
strategic goals.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
The biggest challenge to my job is convincing executives to step up their
mobile strategy.
If they built an app or a WAP site a few
years ago, it is probably out of date. Some
early mobile efforts were unsuccessful for
a variety of reasons, such as little marketing support, insufficient analytics, failure to integrate with other channels and
so on.
The market has evolved. A properly conceived and executed mobile strategy supported by the right mobile tools and analytics is worth the budget to get it right.
What is your work priority for 2014?
PAGE 23
My priority for 2014 is to make successful
connections and partnerships happen to
generate the most business.
Aurnhammer is an incredible team of
creative and technical wizards adept at
developing the tools that transform consumer engagement on mobile devices.
My priority in 2014 is to connect them to the
clients and partners ready and able to take
advantage of their incredible capabilities.
Another client of mine is on the verge of
greatness in the mobile enterprise niche.
2014 is shaping up to be a very big year.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
Mobile, like most tech, has been a maledominated vertical for quite some time.
This can be daunting to women without a
tech background.
client service side, as many of the skills
required for success in client service and
relationship and account management
transfer to mobile.
We are a small, but growing group.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
My proudest achievement in mobile so far
is being able to work with incredible clients on impactful stuff.
I am working on projects I am passionate
about, and that is a gift.
My second proudest moment was closing
a huge deal with a Fortune 100 client after nine months of gentle persistence. A
woman’s touch.
Ladies, do not be intimidated by the complexity of mobile. Yes, there is a lot to
learn, and it’s always changing and evolving, but if you are an innovation and disruption junkie like me, that is what makes
it fun.
I believe many women have the capacity to do well in mobile, especially on the
Mobile Marketer MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Cheryl Sansonetti
Marketing Manager
5th Finger, a Merkle company
San Francisco
“Nothing in the mobile industry is stagnant, and it keeps
every day interesting”
What do you most like about your job?
I love being in an industry that is on the
leading edge of technology and marketing.
Nothing in the mobile industry is stagnant, and it keeps every day interesting.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
What I like most about my job is also the
most challenging.
Technology and consumer behavior are
evolving so fast it can be a challenge to
keep up. It requires a person to constantly
check their assumptions and trajectory to
ensure they are still on the right path.
Today’s consumer is not the same as they
were in 2012, nor are the needs of the
company serving them. It requires constant research and conversations to ensure I have my finger on the pulse.
What is your work priority for 2014?
To champion responsive Web design, and
its impact on the mobile industry.
The Web design approach is set to make
not only consumer experience changes,
but organizational changes as well.
There are a lot of misconceptions about
responsive design, and it’s my goal to
PAGE 24
make sure the industry at large understands how it will impact things.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
Like ecommerce, mobile marketing involves a great deal of technology and is
traditionally a male-dominated field.
More women are certainly beginning to
find their way into these roles.
traditional mobile marketing.
The challenge is, it’s new and different,
therefore, a great deal of market education is required.
I am proud of the role I have played
in fostering the education and
growing the market for responsive
design approaches.
I think the biggest contributor to attracting more women to mobile marketing is
events like these.
Events, causes and other spotlights help
foster woman in the industry to grow, and
create examples for others to follow.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
My proudest achievement in mobile is being part of a team that has consistently
stayed ahead of the technology curve, and
my role in making sure it is successful.
I have the privilege of working with some
accomplished geniuses.
The technology approach that the 5th
Finger team has created is a significant
advantage for many marketers and what I
would consider a disruptive technology in
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Melissa Stevens
Head of internet and mobile marketing
Citi
New York
“Consumers are intolerant
browser experiences”
What you most like about your job?
People, people, people. My team brings a
contagious energy and passion to work
with them every day.
I wake up in the morning knowing that
we can collectively channel our energy to
make a big difference in the lives of our
customers. We work to do it right for the
customer, all day, every day, in order to
simplify their financial lives.
What is the biggest challenge of
your job?
Skating where the puck is going to be, not
where it is.
of
less-than-perfect
the eleventh hour as the environment surrounding us morphs.
What is your work priority for 2014?
With the proliferation of new touch laptops, tablets and laptop/tablet hybrids,
consumers are intolerant of less-thanperfect touch browser experiences.
While the mouse and point-and-click Web
browsing is not going away anytime soon,
optimizing digital experiences to transform touch browsing into an easy, immersive experience is my top priority for the
next year.
In our industry, there are so many moving parts that change daily: new business
models are emerging, technology is evolving, and consumer needs are constantly
progressing at a rapid pace.
We are working to streamline our existing Web sites to be touch-friendly and,
in some cases, we are rebuilding our Web
layouts from the ground-up, thinking first
about what is easy to navigate with touch
and then constructing around that.
As we work to drive change for our customers, we need to be agile and flexible
enough to adapt to the ever-evolving
world around us.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I do not think it’s that hard to attract
women to mobile marketing.
A well-designed experience takes time to
perfect, so we strive to anticipate the evolution of the mobile landscape, keep our
fingers on the pulse of what is happening,
and prepare ourselves to change course at
There may have been a time when Internet and mobile were tech-like functions where women were often underrepresented. Today, I don’t think that’s
the case.
PAGE 25
touch
This is a great job. It marries the innovative, creative technology world with the
feel-good ability to create experiences
that affect peoples’ lives in a real way.
My desire to do it all, work hard, and make
positive change is why I’m attracted to
digital banking. Many men and women
are into mobile, and other digital marketing functions, for the same reasons.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
I am proud that I was able to break down
silos at Citi and ignite a transformation in thinking towards a collaborative
global mindset.
By harnessing our collective energies,
learning from each other, and gathering
the best practices from around the world,
we will be able to consistently develop the
best global applications for all of our customers, regardless of geography.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Andrea Teslia
Sponsorship and event coordinator
Pivotal Labs
Toronto
“Mobile is sexy, not geeky”
What do you most like about your job?
The most exciting part about my job is
that I never know where each day, week,
month or year will take me.
Ask me a few weeks ago what company
I worked for, and I would tell you Xtreme
Labs. Ask me whom I work for today, and
I’ll tell you Pivotal Labs. No, I didn’t change
jobs, my company was acquired, the ultimate kudos to any startup company.
On a day-to-day basis, my company works
with some of the world’s most influential
companies, helping to develop its mobile
strategy.
Since mobile is a universal concept, planning conferences and events around the
world with Fortune 500 companies has
been such a valuable experience, and I
have gotten to meet a number of interesting people along the way.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
It used to be that our marketing team had
to convince people internally that our department served a valuable purpose. Build
it and they will come used to be our motto.
Then as more competition entered the
market, and our demographic targets
PAGE 26
broadened, we became an integral part of
our company’s strategy.
As this industry continues to grow and
more players enter and exit the market, we
will have to continually change our story
to ensure that our company is the most
obvious choice for our target audience.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Creating a well-oiled beast that allows me
to take on more work, while doing less.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
I think that what I’ve realized is twofold.
First, mobile is sexy, not geeky - well,
maybe a bit geeky. Second, the potential
for mobile right now is limitless.
As a male-dominated industry, some
women may not see themselves fitting in.
However, I feel that no matter what sex,
if you are a curious person the amount of
new knowledge you can accumulate from
your peers in this industry is astounding.
Coming from a completely non-tech background, and working with more than 200
engineers on a daily basis, has really opened
my mind to what we are all capable of doing from the comfort of our own keyboard.
basic programming keep popping up,
some examples being my friends at Ladies
Learning Code and Brainstation.
As this type of instruction becomes more
readily available, the barriers to entry for
women will seem less daunting. Then, it
is only a matter of time before everyone
realizes this is no longer your nerd-in-thebasement industry. It is the billion-dollarIPO-autobiography-writing-jet-planeflying industry.
Some of the most influential people in
the world have come from technology
backgrounds and I would like to see more
women in that category.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
This award.
I feel as if I have always been the odd man
out amongst many of my friends, often
being the one to induce yawns at the first
mention of the newest OS upgrade hitting
the market. But the way I see it, the niche
I have been able to carve out for myself
thus far is going to pay off so much in the
long run.
More and more introductory courses to
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Tina Unterlaender
Director of mobile
AKQA
New York
“I live in the future every day”
What do you most like about your job?
I especially enjoy the diversity of clients.
Using mobile technology to revolutionize
the way we live, work and play is energizing. Mobile is the most exciting and dynamic media format in the world today,
and it affects every single industry.
I live in the future every day.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
It is a fast-paced industry, and keeping up with all the new technologies is a
daily challenge.
Some of the mobile technologies change
so quickly, so helping clients understand
the impact for their brands and products
is quite complex on a weekly and monthly
basis. Consumers are way ahead of most
brands with their mobile behavior and
most existing brands have a hard time
catching up.
with other people. Wearable tech will
transform mobile media from a smartphone-driven concept to an ambient media concept. It has the power
to turn almost any environment into a
media experience.
I will study this concept deeply in 2014
and deliver value to our clients through a
command of the subject matter and the
ability to convey its power to specific clients and their consumers.
Our work with Audi is highly confidential,
but transformative. This work will be a
crowning achievement for AKQA, and possibly top the exhilaration I felt with the
Gap project.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
We have quite a few women in mobile
marketing already. I think the topic is
about placing them in leadership positions.
We have a strong roster of women who
have engineered the products, grown
the revenue and closed the deals. The
track records are there, and the merit
is unquestioned.
A big challenge of mine is sorting through
which of these trends are appropriate
to exploit.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
My role in developing the first retail shopping app for the iPad was an apex achievement in retail for AKQA.
What is your work priority for 2014?
Wearable tech is likely to transform
our cities, homes and relationships
The app for clothing retailer Gap premiered
with the iPad itself, setting a new standard for mobile commerce application.
PAGE 27
Creating a whole new mobile media mindset around the intelligent car, consumer
and dealership.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014
Lisa West
Mobile marketing manager for the Americas
InterContinental Hotels Group
Atlanta
“I enjoy the challenge of the mobile evolution, and that’s
why I have been in the mobile industry for 13 years”
What do you most like about your job?
Travel and mobile go together like peanut
butter and jelly. Consumers are tethered
to their phone, especially when they are
traveling, and mobile gives us an opportunity to impact the guest experience before, during and after their stay.
At IHG, we are focused on the guest experience through the guest journey. When
traveling, what’s the one thing you will be
sure to take with you besides identification?
Yep, your mobile device.
I couldn’t have wished for a better vertical
or company to work for.
IHG has a great test-and-learn mentality
when it comes to mobile solutions, which
affords me the opportunity to be on the
forefront of innovation. I enjoy the evolution of mobile technology, and learning
how to best meet guests’ needs through
mobile. It is constantly changing.
What is the biggest challenge in
your job?
The challenges mirror the opportunities.
Mobile is constantly changing. I tell people all the time that I was the IHG Mobile Marketing SME (Subject Matter Ex-
PAGE 28
pert) 10 minutes ago, but since then, it is
already changing.
I enjoy the challenge of the mobile evolution, and that’s why I have been in the
mobile the industry for 13 years. The key is
staying on top of the innovations, and one
of the ways I do that is by reading the trade
pubs every morning for at least an hour.
What is your work priority for 2014?
My priority for 2014 is to promote the
IHG brand through mobile and capitalize
on the omnichannel experiences. At the
same time, building a mobile identity and
infusing mobile marketing into the fiber of
each of IHG’s brands.
What will it take to attract more women to mobile marketing?
When I first started in the mobile industry,
it seemed to be all men. At Mobile World
Congress in Barcelona or Mobile Asia
Congress in Macau and Hong Kong, it was
a sea of suits. So much so, five years ago
we had a small group of woman, including Anne Bouverot of France Telecom and
others who would gather twice a year to
discuss women in mobile.
Today, Anne is the GSMA’s director general — amazing. However, it is not all about
the boardroom for us ladies. It is about the
talent pipeline.
We, men and women alike, need to support each other and advise new women
to the industry to be the trailblazers.
Your proudest achievement in mobile?
While at GSMA and managing their
Mobile Innovation Initiative from
2007-2011, we created a platform
for developers, carriers and VCs to
come together and spur innovation.
Watching these developers receive financial backing and succeed as a result of our
efforts really touched me and taught me
a lot. It is what spurred my passion and
added to my foundation in this industry.
Another, more recent achievement, was
when I, alone, launched the first, true mobile marketing campaign in support of a
summer campaign for IHG Rewards Club.
As a result of the mobile success of the
campaign, I was honored by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) with a Platinum Adrian
Award. Within the hospitality industry, it
doesn’t get any better than that. However, it wasn’t the hardware I received that
made me proud, but rather the simple
gratification and honor that my work had
been recognized.
Mobile Marketer
MOBILE WOMEN TO WATCH 2014