“Figure out how to be an outsider with the tools to be spectacular." That’s not just Ellen Foord’s strategy for breaking into marketing, it’s her career mindset.

Last evening, the Ad Club hosted How to Break Into Marketing, a free student event designed to support college students looking to gain real-world industry experience. Students from 13 Boston-area universities and professionals from 10 Ad Club members gathered at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business for inspiration, advice, and networking.

Keynote Speaker: Ellen Foord (Chief Creative Officer, City of Boston)

Ellen Foord started at a maritime academy, ended up in advertising, and landed as the City of Boston’s first ever Chief Creative Officer. Her story is one of nontraditional pathways and the belief that you should always take chances, even if you’re scared. She knows that imposter syndrome plagues everyone, but when she heard that Mayor Wu and The City of Boston wanted her because she was an outsider, she knew it had all been worth it.

Students listened closely as Ellen discussed how her willingness to be lean and scrappy allowed her to transform the City of Boston into a brand like an “elastic rubber brand, not a set of handcuffs.” By leaning into Boston’s true personality, Ellen helps speak to residents in a way they can truly understand. Gen Z are the most natural group for this kind of work. Ellen knows that young people can make a difference with their intuitive cultural, social media and AI skills. Her advice: break into other places besides just advertising agencies—look at nonprofits and companies you feel compelled to join and feel like you can make an immediate impact.

Panel

Kelly Heath: Head of People, Gupta Media (Moderator)

Kari Turner: Associate Brand Strategist, A&G

James Vassallo: Associate Director, Havas Media

Sara Juselius: Senior Director of Creative Operations, DraftKings

Kelly Heath moderated a panel focused on finding your first job and building early career skills. Kelly encouraged students to think about their job search like their college application process: narrow your job search and show “demonstrated interest” to really stand out.

Panelist Advice

Kari: Find five people with your dream job and ask for informational interviews. Study the roles they had before that and the skills they built, and work backward to understand how to get there.

James: Lean into your extracurriculars, hobbies, or niche skills. Figure out how you can apply them to a role you want and use it to network authentically.

Sara: Work on your presence and active listening skills, especially for interviews. Know your elevator pitch by heart and be honest.

After the panel, the room buzzed with conversations as students networked for over an hour—a clear sign of how motivated the younger generation is to break into the industry. 

Thank you to our speakers and to Pete Howard for hosting The Ad Club. Thank you to our attending companies: Gupta Media, Colossus Agency, Arnold Worldwide, A&G, MK3, Digitas, HATCH, and DraftKings.