Power Shifts: Women Redefining Media, Creativity & Leadership
At ADVANCE 2025, one of the most inspiring sessions wasn’t about technology, but about the leaders shaping how it’s used.
Power Shifts: Women Leading the Charge in Media and Creativity united a panel of trailblazing women redefining the future of agencies, brands, and culture. The conversation, moderated by Julie Eddleman, Global Chief Commercial Officer at DoubleVerify, underscored a simple truth: progress isn’t just about the tools we use. It’s about who holds the power to shape them.
Speakers:
- Sarah Kramer, Global U.S. COO, Spark Foundry
- Jaime Robinson, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, JOAN
- Christina Hanson, CEO, OMD USA
- Emily Del Greco, Global COO, WPP Media
- Amy Thorne, Chief Future Officer, Dentsu Creative
Reinventing the Agency Model
The conversation opened with a frank assessment: the traditional agency engine isn’t built for what’s next. Julie Eddleman framed the conversation with a nod to client expectations: “Clients want speed, efficiency, and innovation. To deliver, we need models that are more flexible and tied to outcomes, not just legacy ways of working.”
As Sarah Kramer explained: “We need to be focused on changing the engine of our agency model, and in order to change the engine, you've got to ensure that you have strong data, [and a] technology foundation.”
The panelists agreed that speed and efficiency aren’t enough on their own. Agencies must rewire how they integrate creativity, media, and commerce, and that requires both cultural and structural change.
From Representation to Real Power
While progress has been made in getting more diverse talent into the room, the panelists emphasized many organizations just getting started. Christina Hanson noted: “Representation of it is really only the first step, a real shift comes from the first talent… really cool to be in decision-making power, and they're in the room, they're leading things.”
That shift also means investing in the next generation of leaders. Jaime Robinson voiced a challenge facing the entire industry: “As a businesswoman, this is actually one that keeps me up at night… How are we going to bring the next generation of talent in, especially when the headlines [say] jobs are being replaced?”
For these executives, creating true power shifts means not just opening doors but ensuring women and diverse talent hold budgets, make strategic calls, and define the agenda.
Creativity, AI, and the Human Element
The role of AI was another focal point, seen as both a catalyst and a potential risk.
Robinson drew a parallel to magic tricks: “I'm getting a bit bored of them because they all do the same kind of variation… As I'm looking at AI, which is certainly powerful magic, I am finding myself getting bored by even the most wondrous things.”
Her point: AI may accelerate production, but if overused, it risks making creativity predictable. The group agreed that originality and human imagination remain essential.
Sarah Kramer underscored that balance: “At the center of our business is talent… They continue to be the centerpiece of what makes us special and what differentiates us, regardless of AI.”
From Amy Thorne’s perspective, “Humans will always lead, but now we’ll lead through adaptive systems that pair human ingenuity with advanced AI tools. ... It’s a bold step forward in revolutionizing the content side of the marketing value chain.”
AI can streamline workflows and help scale personalization, but it cannot replace human judgment, empathy, or the spark of creativity that connects on a cultural level.
Closing Reflection
Moderator Julie Eddleman captured the spirit of the session: when women lead with data, creativity, and empathy, they don’t just respond to change, they drive it. The panel made it clear that the future of advertising will be shaped by leaders who embrace technology without losing sight of humanity, who turn representation into authority, and who aren’t afraid to rewrite the playbook.
ADVANCE 2025 is only the beginning. The revolutionary ideas shared in New York are already reshaping marketing, and if you weren’t in the room, these recaps are your next best bet. More takeaways will be rolling out in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, to make sure you can stay ahead.
Join the conversation with #ADVANCE2025 on LinkedIn.
Power Shifts: Women Redefining Media, Creativity & Leadership
At ADVANCE 2025, one of the most inspiring sessions wasn’t about technology, but about the leaders shaping how it’s used.
Power Shifts: Women Leading the Charge in Media and Creativity united a panel of trailblazing women redefining the future of agencies, brands, and culture. The conversation, moderated by Julie Eddleman, Global Chief Commercial Officer at DoubleVerify, underscored a simple truth: progress isn’t just about the tools we use. It’s about who holds the power to shape them.
Speakers:
- Sarah Kramer, Global U.S. COO, Spark Foundry
- Jaime Robinson, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, JOAN
- Christina Hanson, CEO, OMD USA
- Emily Del Greco, Global COO, WPP Media
- Amy Thorne, Chief Future Officer, Dentsu Creative
Reinventing the Agency Model
The conversation opened with a frank assessment: the traditional agency engine isn’t built for what’s next. Julie Eddleman framed the conversation with a nod to client expectations: “Clients want speed, efficiency, and innovation. To deliver, we need models that are more flexible and tied to outcomes, not just legacy ways of working.”
As Sarah Kramer explained: “We need to be focused on changing the engine of our agency model, and in order to change the engine, you've got to ensure that you have strong data, [and a] technology foundation.”
The panelists agreed that speed and efficiency aren’t enough on their own. Agencies must rewire how they integrate creativity, media, and commerce, and that requires both cultural and structural change.
From Representation to Real Power
While progress has been made in getting more diverse talent into the room, the panelists emphasized many organizations just getting started. Christina Hanson noted: “Representation of it is really only the first step, a real shift comes from the first talent… really cool to be in decision-making power, and they're in the room, they're leading things.”
That shift also means investing in the next generation of leaders. Jaime Robinson voiced a challenge facing the entire industry: “As a businesswoman, this is actually one that keeps me up at night… How are we going to bring the next generation of talent in, especially when the headlines [say] jobs are being replaced?”
For these executives, creating true power shifts means not just opening doors but ensuring women and diverse talent hold budgets, make strategic calls, and define the agenda.
Creativity, AI, and the Human Element
The role of AI was another focal point, seen as both a catalyst and a potential risk.
Robinson drew a parallel to magic tricks: “I'm getting a bit bored of them because they all do the same kind of variation… As I'm looking at AI, which is certainly powerful magic, I am finding myself getting bored by even the most wondrous things.”
Her point: AI may accelerate production, but if overused, it risks making creativity predictable. The group agreed that originality and human imagination remain essential.
Sarah Kramer underscored that balance: “At the center of our business is talent… They continue to be the centerpiece of what makes us special and what differentiates us, regardless of AI.”
From Amy Thorne’s perspective, “Humans will always lead, but now we’ll lead through adaptive systems that pair human ingenuity with advanced AI tools. ... It’s a bold step forward in revolutionizing the content side of the marketing value chain.”
AI can streamline workflows and help scale personalization, but it cannot replace human judgment, empathy, or the spark of creativity that connects on a cultural level.
Closing Reflection
Moderator Julie Eddleman captured the spirit of the session: when women lead with data, creativity, and empathy, they don’t just respond to change, they drive it. The panel made it clear that the future of advertising will be shaped by leaders who embrace technology without losing sight of humanity, who turn representation into authority, and who aren’t afraid to rewrite the playbook.
ADVANCE 2025 is only the beginning. The revolutionary ideas shared in New York are already reshaping marketing, and if you weren’t in the room, these recaps are your next best bet. More takeaways will be rolling out in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, to make sure you can stay ahead.
Join the conversation with #ADVANCE2025 on LinkedIn.
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