The Art of Account Management: Why the Best Ideas are Usually Simple with Gwen Ivey

Gwen Ivey has 15+ years of strategic brand marketing experience developing and executing integrated campaigns and digital/social/experiential activations for a diverse range of brands including Uber, Lexus, Target and Volkswagen. Gwen joined Bailey Lauerman (BL) as group account director in April 2018 and has since been promoted to head of account management. After spending her career through the lens of a big-agency coastal perspective, she gravitated toward the opportunity to help grow a privately owned agency that specialises in Middle America.

Prior to joining BL, Gwen was an account director at Deutsch LA, leading the Uber business account where she played a pivotal role in Uber’s first national advertising campaign for both general and Hispanic markets. The driver-acquisition-focused 'Get Your Side Hustle On' campaign resulted in the highest number of application sign-ups ever achieved in the US and Canada. During her time on Uber, she launched five integrated campaigns targeting both driver and rider audiences.

Before running the Uber business account, Gwen spent several years on Target, leading integrated marketing for brand categories including licensing, entertainment/exclusive artists, CSR, grocery and design partnerships. Her experience on Target included high-profile and  successful campaigns such as: hijacking the Grammys with its first-ever live commercial; the “Share the Force” campaign promoting the company’s Star Wars Episode 7 partnership; and activating a week-long experiential installation at the annual TED conference in Vancouver.

Earlier in her career, Gwen was a supervisor at Team One on the national Lexus account, where she led integrated model-launch campaigns. She started her career at Deutsch LA working on brands including Volkswagen, HTC, California Milk Advisory Board, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare.

LBB> How did you first get involved in account management and what appealed to you about it?

Gwen> During college, I had an internship at a production house in New York City that produced all the 'Get a Mac' Apple-versus-PC commercials. Working on those shoots as a production assistant, I was given a very privileged view of advertising and the dynamic between clients, agency and production teams. I was immediately drawn to the energy, the creative process and the orchestration of all the moving parts. As a business major who viewed myself as creative, account management seemed like the best of all worlds.

LBB> What is it about your personality, skills and experience that has made account management such a great fit?

Gwen> ​​I was born an extrovert - outgoing, enthusiastic and not afraid of the spotlight. I’ve always been fascinated by the human experience. I love digging in deep; figuring out what motivates people and how to make people laugh. I’m perceptive and empathetic; I know how to read a room and connect. At the end of the day, it’s our job as account managers to foster a positive and collaborative environment that inspires creativity. It’s important not to forget to make it fun!  

I’m also extremely direct, transparent and, I like to think, charmingly assertive. A former client of mine told me my autobiography would be titled 'Up Close and Personal.' I value clarity and I’m not afraid to ask questions. I’m confident in leading a room and making decisions.

It sort of comes with the territory but I’m inherently driven. I hold myself to a high standard and enjoy working hard. I was lucky to work on some largely ambitious projects early in my career, which taught me that nothing is actually impossible. I’m tirelessly optimistic, which has been an invaluable perspective to carry as an account lead.

LBB> What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their career in account management?

Gwen> Care the most. This was sort of the mantra of Deutsch LA during my years working there. It immediately resonated with me and is something I go back to often. If you don’t care the most and you aren’t willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, it’s going to be difficult to succeed in account management. Also, become best friends with your creative team. Seeing as I married a creative, I’ve taken this advice literally! Of course, it’s important to develop relationships with clients but equally important are relationships with your teams. 

LBB> Thinking back to some of your most challenging experiences you’ve had in your career, what do you think tends to lie at the heart of the more tense or difficult client-agency relationships?

Gwen> Lack of trust and, in turn, respect.  

LBB> And what are the keys to building a productive and healthy relationship?

Gwen> Trust is the foundation of any productive and healthy relationship. Building trust requires open, transparent and proactive communication. It involves exceeding expectations, active listening, anticipating client needs, asking clarifying questions and, of course, having a deep understanding of the client’s business. Attention to detail in account management is crucial, as one oversight can damage the trust that’s been built. While mistakes are inevitable, laying a strong foundation upfront makes addressing them less painful. 

LBB> What’s your view on disagreement and emotion - is there a place for it and if not, why not? If so, why - and what does productive disagreement look like?

Gwen> People are at the heart of what we do. Disagreements and emotions are natural, and, in my opinion, should be embraced as part of the process of getting to great work. When someone is passionate, it shows they care. Productive disagreements are the core of effective collaboration. In order to have productive disagreements, you need to actively foster an inclusive environment where diverse views are valued and where every person feels safe in expressing themselves. 

LBB> Historically, account management has been characterised as the mediator in an adversarial client and creative relationship - what do you make of that characterization, is there any nugget of truth in that or is it wildly inaccurate? 

Gwen> There’s definitely a degree of truth in the idea that sometimes we have to play the role of a therapist to maintain unity and positive progress. I think that the agency-client dynamic has evolved significantly, even over the last 10 years, toward a more collaborative approach that extends beyond account management. I encourage creative, media, strategy and other disciplines to form their own relationships with clients. The idea that only account management should communicate with clients is outdated and doesn’t fully leverage the agency’s value in client interactions.

LBB> These days, agencies do so much beyond traditional campaigns and as account management you’re pulling together creative, experience, data, e-commerce, social and more - and that complexity can often be mirrored on the client stakeholder side too? What’s the key to navigating (and helping the client navigate) that complexity?

Gwen> Ultimately, we’re in the business of creating ads. It doesn’t need to be overly complex. While the advertising landscape is dynamic and can seem daunting, it’s also what keeps things interesting. Embracing change and recognising that it’s inevitable is key, as well as establishing adaptable systems and workflows that can navigate the shifts that will inevitably come. The best ideas are usually the most simple. Navigating complexity requires distilling down information and keeping the audience at the centre of everything we do. 

LBB> What recent projects are you proudest of and why? What was challenging about these projects from an account management perspective and how did you address those challenges? What was so satisfying about working on these projects?

Gwen> Launching Uber’s first national integrated advertising campaign within two months of winning the pitch stands out as a significant achievement in my career. There were a ton of obstacles, but we were able to establish a super-collaborative client-agency partnership that ultimately allowed us to pull it off. Another highlight was partnering with Target to activate the first-ever live commercial during the Grammys. There were insurmountable challenges, but the client’s courage and trust in our team to accomplish the never-been-done was very special to be a part of.

More recently, running a department, overseeing an entire roster of clients, while also leading several accounts myself has presented a new set of challenges and wins. I love having a larger role in the business of the agency and driving change operationally. I was recently certified in DEI strategy from Cornell University. Applying my learnings and spearheading our DEI&B initiatives, in partnership with our leadership team, has been deeply rewarding.