This year The ANDYs have added five seats to the “table” for rising stars to participate on the world-class Jury. We believe the more senior jurors can learn just as much from them, as the rising stars can learn from the senior jurors. This unparalleled access is critical to our industry’s future. Laura Marie Mariel is a Sr Art Director with Argonaut in New York.
What was your introduction to the advertising industry?
Watching TV as a kid. I would sing along with and recite every 90’s ad on TV. A couple of my favorites as a kid were for Hungry Hungry Hippos, Milton Bradley’s Operation, the Taco Bell chihuahua, and, of course, the iconic “Got Milk?” campaign.
My first real taste of working in advertising was in high school. Marymount School of New York required us to do an internship during our last semester of senior year and I chose to intern at Ogilvy. There, I worked on the Dove account and officially fell in love with the industry.
What is one advertising campaign that you wish you could have been a part of creating?
I would have loved to have been a part of the Always “Like a girl” campaign. This campaign that aired during the 2015 Super Bowl redefined what it meant to do things “like a girl.” What used to be a gender-based insult is now an empowering expression that evokes strength and confidence.
What are you hoping to learn while being a part of the ANDYs Jury?
I am looking forward to sitting alongside some of the best creatives in advertising and learning from the creative conversations we will have – not only about the work, but also about the future of advertising.
As a rising star of the ANDYs Face the Future Campaign, how/what else can the industry do to be more inclusive?
The answer is two-fold: hire more BIPOC talent and more importantly, let them bring their true selves to work. It’s not enough to simply hire black and brown creatives to fit into your agency’s company culture. The idea of hiring someone who’s a “good fit” needs to change. How about hiring someone who has a completely different opinion than yours that will push the creative to new levels? Well, what if I can’t find any BIPOC talent, you ask? We are here and we are ready.
Outside of my 9-to-5 job, I work with Women Who Create, a non-profit organization committed to mentoring and supporting creative women of color. On our site, we have a database full of talented women ready to change the future of advertising: creativewomenofcolor.com
By submitting work into The ANDY Awards, not only may your work be awarded and celebrated widely but funds are earmarked to put towards: charitable donations, scholarships, mentorship programs, and more programs that invest back into the advertising and marketing industry. andyawards.com
