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Nikki Maizel is president of Leo New York. She’s also served in lead roles at Publicis New York, McCann New York, and Grey Group.
How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in marketing? I help brands solve business problems with the power of creativity and technology. And sometimes, I help them solve problems they didn’t even know they had! Think of it as a mix between a firefighter, orchestra director, and artist, all in service of driving a client’s business forward. And did I mention, I get to do it with some of the best humans on the planet that I’d happily be stuck on a stranded island with? Seriously, you should see our group texts.
Favorite project you’ve worked on? Recently, our Subway win has been incredibly fulfilling. We beat some of the biggest names in the industry by demonstrating how the combination of human insight and ideas combined with our bench of data and technology capabilities can unlock exponential creativity for the brand. Watch this space!
What’s your favorite ad campaign? The Cadbury “Gorilla” film by Fallon London remains a masterclass in unexpected emotional connection. Gets me every time. I’m equally excited by work that proves effectiveness and creativity can amplify each other—like the RomCommerce work for Walmart, which seamlessly blended entertainment with commerce in a culturally and contextually relevant, shoppable content series.
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One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: I love cars and would have been a race-car driver in another life. There’s something about the precision, strategy, and split-second decision-making that parallels what we do in new business—everything has to work perfectly together to win, and we move at lightning speed.
What marketing trend are you most optimistic about? Least?
I’m most optimistic about the staying power of human ingenuity when amplified by the right technology. We’re proving that AI enhances rather than replaces human creativity. I’m pessimistic about agencies that talk about AI integration without actually demonstrating it in their work and results (hence, using it as a catchphrase only).
What’s one marketing-related podcast/social account/series you’d recommend? This is boring but true. CNBC’s Squawk Pod is my daily morning commute listen. It keeps me connected to broader business transformation discussions among the movers and shakers of industry. Marketing sits at the center of so many corporate challenges today—hearing these real-time interviews and discussions before I walk in the office always gives me something provocative to think about before I’ve even had my first sip of coffee (and those who know me well know it’s a trenta Starbucks iced, daily!).
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