McCanners of New York: Kim Evens

Welcome to 'McCanners of New York', a series that delves into the lives of the talent behind McCann New York's greatest work. Featuring employees across departments and various roles, this series is an exploration of their personal stories, side-hustles, passions and the projects they cherish.

'McCanners of New York' offers a glimpse into the lives of these talented advertisers, showcasing both their professional and personal journeys.

In this edition, we’re getting to know Kim Evens, senior strategist at McCann.

Q> Why did you decide to pursue a career in Advertising?

Kim> Advertising was the greatest redirection of my life. 

I grew up in my Filipina mom’s hair salon, sweeping the floors, answering the phones, and “forced” to make advertisements on Microsoft Word so that she could stick them on the walls of her shop and pass them around whenever she was looking for clients. In fact, when she was in the early stages of growing her clientele, I remember her taking us to Walmart and not letting us leave until she had handed out five of those advertisements to potential new clients. As a seven-year-old kid that just wanted to go home, I hated it. 

I was a music kid, thinking I’d be traveling the world teaching choirs and writing compositions with people like Jacob Collier – miles away from making flyers for my mom. It was college when I fell in love with creative mediums spanning outside of just music – photography, design, writing. I wanted to find a way to bring it all together, so I took an advertising strategy class where I had a professor that introduced me to the world of strategy, and in turn, my love of the industry. Dr. Morton showed me a direction I didn’t know existed, helped me land my first strategy internship at Leo Burnett through the MAIP program, and I never looked back. 

To this day, I still make my mom’s ads. And it’s the side gig that excites me the most. 

Q> Outside of work, do you have any personal interests or hobbies that you're particularly passionate about? Has this hobby/passion influenced your work in advertising at all?

Kim> Not much of a performer anymore, but music has always been a passion and it most definitely impacts my day-to-day work. When I’m tasked to bring audiences to life, I always listen to the type of music that the audience would listen to. It’s a great starting point to help me get into their heads.

On a completely other note, I’m working on my first cookbook! Moving to New York, my kitchen workspace was ultimately one 18 in x 18 in block, so I had to get creative because I wasn’t going to let that stop me from hosting dinner parties. The book aims to encourage creative cooking – not following exact measurements, finding ways to use what you already may have in your fridge, and to simply bring personality and fun into a meal. I’m hoping to release it by the end of this year.

Q> Can you share a project or campaign you've worked on that you're particularly proud of?

Kim> Most people would probably say the thing they’re proudest about in their careers is a big TV launch or client success which, I too, hold near and dear to my heart, but the thing that I’m most proud of is when I led a focus group that brought women together. 

One of the best parts of being a strategist is facilitating and designing focus groups because it allows you to talk to real people and get real responses. I was on L’Oreal when I first joined McCann and was tasked with uncovering what ‘worth’ means to women so that L’Oreal could properly ground brand campaigns in the US using their iconic 'Your Worth It' tagline. We had some numbers and data, but we really wanted the insights to be brought to life with the voices the brand was speaking to – a collective of American women.

Nothing could have prepared me for the support, honesty, and vulnerability that would burst from each of these sessions. Each group I led consisted of women from different backgrounds – race, age, socioeconomic, career – yet I watched them find common ground over what it’s like to be valued (or unvalued) as a woman in America today. It was incredible to hear how similar feelings and beliefs could span so many women, despite it being realized in so many different ways.

This wasn’t particularly a campaign win, but it was a strategist win. The audience was represented, we found a way to uniquely represent our market in a global brand, and we answered the client ask. Most importantly, it was rooted in truth. 

Q> What advice would you give to someone aspiring to pursue a career in advertising, especially at a large agency like McCann?

Kim> Allow yourself to be seen by others.

Advertising is an industry of ideas, collaboration, dares, human truths, and constant failure. The people who have taught me the most in this industry have been the most genuine in their craft and authentic to who they are. Young people in the industry, especially in larger agencies that have more staff, can tend to feel intimidated jumping in, even if what they have brewing in their brains is something incredible. My advice: the fun is in the middle. Don’t just form the opinion - share it. That’s where the creative magic happens. Talk to the people in the industry that inspire you – they might lift you up even higher than you ever expected. Find the agency that makes it safe for you to be vulnerable – collaboration is key. 

And this applies if you’re trying to break into the industry for the first time – make sure your portfolio tells the story of not just what you can do but who you are and how you got there. Adding that extra dimension will get you closer to landing that job you’re reaching for. 

Q> What is your favourite area in NYC and why?

Kim> Tough question, but based purely on frequency, I’d say Nolita. I love that you can get fed like family in Little Italy, read a book in the Elizabeth Street Garden, visit some boutiques, and people watch near SoHo. What more do you need for a fun Saturday in NYC? 

Q> If you could recommend one hidden gem in NYC that not many people know about, what would it be?

Kim> Not quite hidden but not as popular as it should be, Pier 35 has my heart. A 10-minute walk from my old apartment in Chinatown, this pier was the place where I’d go to mentally unwind, eat bagels with friends, and sometimes, bring my laptop to work on Fridays. It has the most beautiful view of the sunset through the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, along with some swings to make you feel like a kid again.