Hello everyone. Welcome to Question Everything, a podcast all about learning from the successes and the failures of those who dared to, well, question everything. This podcast is part interview, part therapy, and part price is right. We have our own game board stacked with questions that will make even the most successful CMO totally sweat. I'm your host, Ashley Walters, CMO and partner at Curiosity.

On today's episode, I sit down with Michelle Hillman, chief campaign development officer at Ad Council, the national nonprofit that mobilizes the energy and talent of the communications industry to make a measurable impact on the most critical social issues of today. In her role, Michelle brings together leading creative agencies, corporate partners, media and technology platforms, and nonprofit and government clients to drive public education awareness and action.

Today, Michelle Hillman shares From Elmo to the Pope why having a trusted messenger strategy is critical for activating a campaign. What you need to do to catch the attention of an ethics judge, and why a creative review board might be the difference maker in your next campaign.If you're into some of the most iconic advertising work ever produced, I mean, hello, Smokey the Bear.

This episode is for you. Let's get started.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Michelle’s Introduction

Michelle Hillman serves as the chief campaign development officer for Ad Council. She manages Ad Council's Creative Review Committee, made up of nearly 30 of the ad industry's top agency leaders, focused on making a significant impact for critical social issues. She has enacted change around social issues like opioid abuse, gun safety and girls in Stem. She has been with the Ad Council for 24 years.

And did I mention she won a Daytime Emmy? Michelle Hillman, welcome to Question Everything.

Ashley, thanks for having me.

Absolutely. Okay, so I have two questions out of the gate. These aren't even on the board, but why have you been in on council for 24 years? I'm so fascinated. And I got to know about this Emmy.

So the 24 years I get that question all the time, I can say this is the first time that someone has asked me that. Pretty much every time we interview anybody and they go, check me out on LinkedIn, that's the question. But you know what? I really have one of the best jobs in advertising. I get to work with the best and brightest people in our industry that are donating their time and talents across media, marketing, advertising and tech for social good.

Because they care about the issues that we work on and we are surrounded by such incredible partners and we change as the industry changes. So it's like my job changes all the time anyway, but I happen to do it with the best people in the world on the most important issues in our country. So you can't really beat that.

So that would be why I'm still here. And you know what the Emmys is for our vaccine education campaign, one of the biggest campaigns in our history in helping the country move through the pandemic and really getting people to face their hesitancy, get the information they needed, and then make a choice, to go get a vaccine. 

And so we had an incredible campaign that we worked on, with many, many partners, 300 partners, several hundred pieces of content and really saw all the work help in that fight to get the country back to where they needed to go. So pretty proud moment.

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Michelle Hillman: Winning A Daytime Emmy

Wow. That's incredible. Were you at the Emmys?

I was not at the Emmys. No. I don't even know if they had the Emmys in person that year, to be quite honest. Of course. you know, it is a prestigious award that you like to add to your your bio, for sure.

Wow, that is really impressive and very important work. I am so excited to dig into your 24 year career, and maybe even some moments before then because, you will, your resume and your experience is, it's so profound and moving, and the work that you're doing is really changing lives and saving lives. And I can't imagine something more important to put our time and our talent and our treasure behind.

And so I'm excited to dig in with you and kind of unpack some of these amazing journeys that you've been on. Well, let's do it. I'm excited too and I'm glad that you guys are part of our, so you're along for the journey. And, you know, thanks for having the conversation. Absolutely. Yeah. We have absolutely loved working with you. And your team on the bus driving work, so I can't wait for that to go out live soon.

As to some of the best work we've ever done on the issue, so hopefully we'll win some awards there. So together. Love that. Let's do that. All right. We're going to pull up the game board. So as you know we've got 12 super spicy questions on our game board I don't know what's behind. you don't know what's behind. So we're just gonna have a little fun together. So maybe we start with your favorite number.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Walk In Your Target’s Shoes

All right, let's do lucky number seven.

Lucky number seven. Okay, so Ad Council campaigns are known for expertly using emotion to change consumer behavior. What advice do you have for brands to create effective emotional advertising? You know, I think sometimes I'm not going to say it's easy, but the emotion is there in the issue. But deodorant brands or food brands, it's a little harder for some of them.

So any advice that you can share?

Yeah, I mean it's a good point you make. I think, you know, we do have the easy job. I guess I'll put it in quotes, even though the issues are so complex and, you know, our issues are inherently emotional, as you said. But, you know, I think for us with the Ad Council, every story we tell is grounded in immersive research and insights from our target audience.

And so I think really, truly understanding and feeling what it's like to walk in our target shoes. And for us, it's on, you know, some of the most critical issues that America faces today. Right? So we have to tell authentic, human-centered stories that are going to change behavior on things like asking gun owners to responsibly store their guns at home to reduce gun violence, or raising awareness of the deadly dangers of fentanyl among teens.

And so sometimes it's empathy, sometimes it's humor. And it really depends on what truly is going to break through with new information or a new way of thinking about things. And I think for us, it's really we spend a lot of time with the people we're trying to reach to really understand how to deliver that new news. I think you guys are, you know, incredible at that curiosity, the way that you've brought humor, into the new category with Dude Wipes, I think it is, exactly the right way to figure out what is the emotion that's going to connect to a brand, a category, a value proposition.

So, you know, we do it on some of these meaty things. And I think you guys do it super well.

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Michelle Hillman: Do An Informative Research

I love that. I think that's really good advice for the brand managers in particular that are listening. I mean, we do a lot of research in general, read a lot of studies, do a lot of surveys. But spending time with your consumer is so important, and that's what can lead to those human insights. Even I think about things like grocery shopping, like going grocery shopping with shoppers and seeing how their purchasing decisions, that they're making it shelf, and then applying some of those insights into your work can make the work more emotional and less functional.

Absolutely. I think for us, some of the, you know, most important informing research we know is when we really do spend time in people's homes or, you know, you spend time with people when they're leaving the bar on an issue like bus driving to really understand. Right, like what is what is the thought process? How are people making decisions, how do they feel?

And then how you can intercept them with a message from your brand to make them think about something different, like great advice. And that doesn't have to cost a ton of money either. Or take a ton of time. Right? Okay. Good advice. All right. Let's go back to the game board. Let's do we're going to go vertical and do number three.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: What It Takes to Win

All right. Number three. So you've served as a judge for the fees and for advertising weeks and impact awards. We all want to know what grabs your attention. How do we win? What does it take?

It's a great question. I feel like we're talking a lot about got to win awards. I get to judge awards. So that's excellent. And you know what? I think those two that you highlighted, I think for me, it's really about impact, right? Like there is such an exceptional amount of talent in our industry. There are so many compelling and creative campaigns to choose from.

When you're a judge in these really highly esteemed competitions. So for me, I'm always looking for, you know, what's the new insight or the new media or new marketing tool or approach that really delivers the deep impact? And how does it like, how does it do it in a way that viscerally sticks with me? I think for me, I don't know what you do, but when I am judging, I typically do two rounds of review even though it takes such a long time.

So I kind of go through and I do what we're supposed to do, and then I go back to the ones that really stuck with me, that really make a deeper impression and really try to unpack those a little bit more. Because I think the ones that have the staying power, because they've brought new news or they've done it in a fresh way, are really the, you know, those things that rise to the top for me. That's great.

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Michelle Hillman: The Work on Bus Driving

All right. So we need new innovation, something that's never been done before. We call them MBDB’s here. So finding something that kind of stands out and then showing the impact is the way to win.

Absolutely. And I mean, I know we talked a little bit about our work together for, you know, bus driving. But I think, you know, as we head into awards season for next year, I think, you know, the real and cinematic storytelling that you guys have done on this issue and really tapping into the right audio cues around the sounds of life for a very, you know, hard to reach and motivate male target of 21 to 34 years old.

Like there's no reason that men should not get home safely after a night of drinking, right? We have so many solutions right now. And I think the way that you've brought the work to life in such an emotional, real way really stands out to me. And some of the work that we've done for bus driving. And so fingers crossed that, you know, next year when I'm back, we can talk about our own awards.

That's right. Thank you for saying that. All right. Let's get back to the game board.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Having A Review Committee

Oh, perfect. Let's do 11. We're gonna do a little tic tac toe situation.

Perfect. I love this question. So Ad Council's creative review committee. And for anybody that doesn't know, this committee is stacked with legendary advertising execs like, I don't know, Cindy Gallup, Susan Creedon, Margaret Johnson. So, what specifically are they looking for when they're evaluating an idea? And then can you give any tips to CMOs who maybe don't have a review committee like you do but still want to review some of the work before it goes into market?

Yeah, I mean, we are so lucky to have, as you said, some of the most creative and strategic leaders in our industry work with us pro bono as our creative advisor. So, you know, for us, the origins of that is that our clients and partners work so hard to raise money for these social campaigns. To save lives, to change people's lives.

And we take that investment really seriously. And for us, you know, we're trying to work, create work that is iconic and breakthrough and memorable. That's really going to change a behavior that's probably pretty entrenched in a lot of cases. And so you know, when you're asking people to learn about complex and emotional topics, like thinking about their own bias and checking their own bias or, you know, again, I go back to one of the hardest things we do, asking gun owners to store their firearm safely or someone to reach out for mental health support.

We really need work that is going to sort of, you know, transcend creativity as we know it today to break through for consumers. And so the Creative Review Committee for us works with our partner agencies and really makes sure that our creative platform, we are pushing it as far as we can. We are breaking stereotypes. We have a really unique place in the industry where we do work with so many different people, and we have an opportunity to break stereotypes, really create diverse and authentic multicultural advertising, and we're bringing this group of leaders together to work with our partner agencies really helps us evolve the work.

I think for us, it's kind of part of our special sauce with the council, honestly, because we get to work with incredible agencies like Curiosity on an issue. And then we get to sort of huddle with the best and brightest that are also joining us on behalf of a call. So, I feel really lucky to be a part of that.

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Michelle Hillman: Forming A Passionate Team

I think as far as others, the amount I think that, you know, there is no shortage of talent in our industry and there really is a coalition of the willing of incredible leaders, up and coming leaders that are superstars. And the creative agencies that we work in that are really looking to delve in on things that they're really passionate about.

So whether it's, you know, social issues or it's brands that they're super passionate about, we find that if you bring together additional groups of advisory members or like an executive council, you might form with creatives that you have a lot of respect for, in the industry that are really leading the charge on something specific. Whether it's, you know, could be AI, it could be sustainability, whatever it is. There's really an additive process if you make space for everybody.

That's great. So I don't even think I ever told you this, but I got to sit on one of your review committee meetings, and I took a screenshot of all of us in the room, and, like, I want to remember this moment in my career. It was so profound. And it was awesome because I got to see our creative team and our strategy team talking to that team and explain all of the research and the work, and then them reacting and giving like real-time feedback, which is an absolute gift.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: The Importance of Collaboration and Learning From Each Other

So I've since then just been thinking like, how do I recreate that for our agency? Is there a way for me to put together a review committee? And then I imagine on the brand side, there could be an opportunity to pull some of those advisors together and just make the work even better.

First of all, that's so funny. You have to send me the I want the screenshot of my in it. I don't know if I'm in it, but you have to send that to me. But I do think it's also, you know, for young talent and young creative talent. Even within the agency, to be able to sort of get an extended mentorship, from leaders that have worked on, you know, countless brands on countless issues and to really sort of have that dialog and get to the heart of what creativity really is about.

Right? I mean, agencies are competitive. Absolutely. But collaboration and learning from each other is fantastic. And so anything you can do to sort of make that safe space for people to share ideas, I think is, you know, awesome. So you'll let me know what you do?

Yes, I will, a safe space to share ideas. That's the goal. Great advice. Sounds good. What are we going to do next? Let's do all nine for my Virgo.

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Michelle Hillman: Working With Influencer Networks

Love that. That's my favorite number. So when we think about Ad Council work, I think a lot of people will often go to the beautiful, emotive film that you create. And I'm just kind of curious how is Ad Council today thinking about influencers, creators? any thoughts or success stories that you can share with us?

Yeah, I mean, I'm so glad that you asked that because I do think there is, you know, a certain idea about an emotive film that sort of does, you know, enter people's mind space as soon as you talk about the Ad Council. And honestly, you know, for ten years we've been working in the creator space really deeply.

Our program is called Creators for Good, and that is our in-house talent engagement arm. We partner with digital content creators, traditional celebrities, athletes, musicians, really anyone in the entertainment industry to further the reach and impact of the campaigns. And really, in the last few years, we saw this with vaccine. And I'll talk about that example in a minute.

It's one of my favorites, but we really broadened it to be inclusive of all trusted messengers. So we really call it our trusted messenger strategy now. And for us, that includes faith and community leaders, physicians, subject matter experts, really anybody who is extending our message and highly credible and culturally relevant ways. So we do some direct outreach, as it's appropriate with our campaigns.

And then we also work really closely with influencer networks like influential and well, we work with Black Girls Digital, Kensington Gray. We bring a lot of authentic, multicultural voices to the work that we're doing. And I love to talk about our vaccine education ever because for me, that was like a best-in-class example over the life of the campaign.

In the year and a half or so, we had over 1200 influencers. We created over 1700 pieces of content, and we reached 55 million people with an incredible engaged engagement rate. And I love my favorite talking point is included, everybody from Elmo literally to the Pope, like it was the most. I mean, imagine reviewing content from Elmo one day and, you know, talking to parents about why they should, you know, think about the vaccine for their kids.

And then, literally, we worked with the Vatican to record the Pope in the same vein. And so that was incredible for us. And so since then, nearly every campaign we work on has a creators for good element, the really a brand ambassador for our causes. And we know that their authentic voice on their platforms really contributes to our overall reach and media strategy.

So for us, it's like an absolute inclusion and everything we do because that's great.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Trusted Messenger Strategy

Trusted messenger strategy. I've never heard it like that, but I think you could you can put creators and influencers and a lot of the work that we do on social into this idea of having a trusted messenger strategy, I think I'm going to use that.

Yeah. What do you think about it? I mean, you're, you know, you're talking to people in their communities about things that they care about and the spaces where they trust, you know, people outside of their family, right? It's their pastors and their physicians and their teachers and all of those people together have a voice that, you know, really influences the way that we behave.

And so it's not just, you know, the expected celebrities or the sports people or even the the micro influencers, but how do you build an ecosystem of trusted, valued voices around the topic that you're covering?

That's great. Thanks for that. You're all right. Back to the board.

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Michelle Hillman: The Challenges of Addressing Many Issues

All right. So I'm going to go with 12 because you know it's my birthday. So we'll go there.

All right. Number 12 okay. So in your 24 years at Ad Council you've tackled many topics including gun violence, fentanyl awareness, suicide prevention. I would love to know what is your best advice for leaving work at work, especially when it can get really heavy? These are some really heavy topics.

They are, and as you pointed out again for 24 years. I'm just so proud of you. That's a lot of baggage. Imagine being in my family. We have so many roles and so many issues that we need to sort of uphold as being an Ad Council family. But you know what? You're right. It's challenging to work on such important and heavy issues. you know. I'm a mom, I have two teenagers, and I often find myself kind of with, like, anxious feeling in my heart.

Right? You know, or I'm in a meeting. We're talking about statistics around gun violence being the number one killer of kids. Or, you know, one of the most profound moments for me, we started working on our fentanyl awareness campaign, and I was on a conference call with the dad who runs Song for Charlie. And he was talking about losing his son to fentanyl.

And he was really educating the broader Ad Council team and the creative agency about the prevalence and impact of fentanyl on overdose deaths in teens. And I literally was, you know, grabbing my phone off the charger and texting my daughter under the table while she was, you know, in her college class about all the things she needed to know.

And keep in mind. And, you know, you sort of takes a minute, right? You sort of take a deep breath and then I try to, you know, remind myself. I try to personalize it and remind myself that at work, at the Ad Council, I really do have the privilege of using my time and talents with all the partners we work with to really make an impact, to help kids and teens and families, veterans.

There's so many people in the country that need hope and need help. And like, you know, I get to play a small role in that as part of my day job. And that's pretty excellent. So, you know, you get through the day and then you sort of turn it off and you know, you focus on what everyone focuses on. My family, our health, my community, and, you know, like I said, we probably have a few more rules and watchouts around here. I always tell people, if you were to, you know, support every, every issue and behavior that the Ad Council works on behalf of. Like, that's like a really high bar for anyone to live up to but we try our best over here.

But you also have the Pope on speed dial. So you're doing great. Do I do actually I could I can reach out to the Pope.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Working With the Government on Public Service Campaigns

Thanks for that. I love that you also have to make dinner at home at night, too, like the rest of us.So absolutely. Leave that at home office and and walk down to the kitchen. So. All right, let's go back to the game board.

All right. Let's go for two. Number two. Okay. We all want to know what is it like to work with the government on public service campaigns. Does it add any pressure?

Well, I could ask you that question because you've worked with the government on public. So much pressure. You know, I guess it's all we, you know, have been working with the government since our inception in the 1940s. Right. 

We sort of came out of World War 2 and every administration since then. And I think that we really hold ourselves accountable to where the government is digging in on data and trends and where they feel like they can really help improve the lives of Americans.

And, you know, sometimes it's tough because there's a little bit more bureaucracy than there might be on some of the other work we do. But, you know, I think when you're working on life-saving issues, right, like making sure men don't get in the car and drive buzzed, or you're talking to parents about making sure their kids are in the right, you know, seat belt, or you're working with FEMA and the campaign and you're helping people prepare for weather emergencies and natural disasters as those increase in occurrence like it's always for the absolute right reason.

We're saving people's lives. We're taking the best of what the government as a resource, has to offer to take care of the American people and bring through communications access to those resources and getting the issues, you know, on their on their radar. So sometimes it's a little bit challenging. but, you know, it's for the right reasons.

And we work with wonderful, wonderful partners that really, again, help us focus on the target audience. What do they need? How are we going to save their lives or give them new information to do better for themselves or their families around the issues we work in? So, it might take a little bit longer and there's a few more layers, but I think it's all good in the end.

So basically, it's like working with Procter and Gamble. Exactly. You said that I love Procter and Gamble. I love working with the government. Right. Everyone, you know, every everyone you work with has their own process. But as long as we're doing good work and we're impacting people's lives and we're working with incredible partners, you can't beat it.

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Michelle Hillman: Working With the Right Agencies

Couldn't agree more. All right.  Well, we're crushing this board. All right, I'm going to need ten because I kind of like the finish the row thing.

Let's finish the row. I love that you got this one. Okay, so you just said this Ad Council works with some really impressive agencies. Your roster of agency partners is incredible. So for any agencies out there listening to this who would love to be considered, how do you make the list?

Great question. You know what we are again, we're so lucky. We work with incredible agencies. We work on so many different issues. And, you know, for us, it's really about finding the right marriage, right? We want to work with an agency that is super passionate about the causes that we really believe in. They really want to lend their time and talents to, you know, not only working, you know, Procter and Gamble or their paid business during the day, but they really want to make an impact on the world in the social issues that we work on.

And they really have to be at the forefront of where are the industries headed, really making sure they're doing excellent creative work, that they're really leveraging media insights, that they have a diverse representation at their agency, and they're really working on behalf of the industry to break stereotypes and create authentic communications. And then we really just like people that also want to have a lot of fun.

That's why we love working with you guys. I feel like, you know, we've spent a lot of time together on these campaigns. They're really meaty and heavy issues as you said. And so just working with incredibly talented and passionate people. And, you know, I'm lucky enough to have the job where I can, you know, be a liaison to, to the industry.

And so if anyone's interested, you know, reach out. We'd like to get to know people and figure out what they care about and what their superpowers are, the stories that they want to tell as an agency, and then really look for the right marriage, to bring a campaign to life.

Awesome. I think I maybe told you this once, but so my three business partners myself, Trey and Jeff, we've always said, you know, you'll know you made it when Ad Council calls. And it's always just kind of been in the back of our mind, you know, our long-term vision. And then I think we have to give a shout-out to our mutual friend Pete Carter here, who introduced the two of us.

Absolutely big shout-out to Pete, and I'm glad we could make your dreams come true. I think for us, you know, every time we make a good match and we get to know another incredible agency that really does the type of work that you all do to move the needle. I think that's a huge win for us.

And really, you know, the Ad Council is like a convening space where good people come together and introduce other good people to bring their time and talent. So we had a long, long history with Pete. And, you know, connecting the dots between us was just another value ads. So we're happy about it. So I Love that. 

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Making A Difference Through Storytelling

All right. I think we've got time for maybe two more questions. All right. Let's do number one. Okay. Number one, which public issue has been the most challenging to build awareness for and why? 

That is a tough one. This is a therapy session. I referenced it a few times in our conversation. I think one of the most challenging and most important things that we're working on today is really around this issue of reducing gun violence in our country because this is truly an American problem. The numbers are going in the wrong direction, and we're really seeing a toll being taken on our kids, both with lives being lost with injuries, as with long-term anxiety and depression effects.

And, you know, we are not the Ad Council or a 501(c)(3). So all the issues that we work on, we're never going to be in the political discourse, right? This country is more polarized than ever before. And so for us, we really need to take this issue and make it a human issue. And really a lot of that work requires talking to gun owners about really common sense storage, things they can do at home.

We just launched a new campaign, a week or so ago around propose or red flag laws, in Illinois. Where we're just talking about making sure people understand there's another tool in the market around giving people time and space to heal. If a crisis comes up in their lives and there's access to a firearm and what does that look like?

And so I think it's a really delicate dance. And, you know, threading the needle on really complex issues that could be perceived politically. But the Ad Council does a really good job of threading the needle and really focusing on people, what they can do and really humanizing through some of the things we talked about with emotion and storytelling to make a difference.

So it's a big opportunity to be part of a campaign like that and really try to help change the culture in a big way. But I think it is really challenging because you have to really be cognizant of, you know, keeping it like centered on the humanity of the issue.

And I imagine another challenge is just like the timing of it all. Like you want it to change today and that kind of work just takes so much time and consistency.

It does. And I think I think that's a great point. Right? I think there are things that you can work on where it is, you know immediate right. You're driving sales or you know, sometimes we are talking to people about something that is, you know, a quick thing they can do. But I think when you are talking about truly, deeply systemic issues, like we know that we have to stick with those for the long haul until we see the data change.

And for us, just building a bigger tent of partners and continuing to go at it, like you said, with consistency and authenticity and new news and new ways in added into the mix. I think that is, you know, a big part of the formula in trying to make a change. Will you guys definitely know how to do that? I mean, some of your campaign campaigns that have been going on for a very long time have shown that consistency pays off so well.

That's Smokey Bear's, exactly. His 80th birthday is on August 9th. and so that is the longest running PSA campaign in history. Actually, you know, we always say it's incredible because we've worked with FCB the entire time. So he works with an agency for 80 years. Right? That's kind of unheard of these days. But he has been very consistent in his message and continues to indoctrinate a new generation of kids and people that really understand the role that they can play in trying to minimize humans, start wildfires.

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Michelle Hillman: Advice On What Is the Best Mentorship

All right. Last question. All right. Let's do this before. Okay. I had a feeling you were going to cross that row off. I know. I'm so predictable.

So, even outside of Ad Council here, I would love your perspective on this. I know that one topic you can totally nerd out on is mentorship. So any advice that you can give us on what does best in class mentorship look like from both the mentor and the mentees perspective?

Yeah, I mean, I'm super passionate about mentorship. I think I was lucky enough when I started growing up in the agency business to have incredibly strong women that were just like, peel back the onion mentors, but they, you know, pull you aside and teach you those lessons that, like your parents teach you, you know. Like if you're not going to touch your own horn, who else is going to toot your horn?

Or like, you know, you always want to be looking at what your boss's job is and be trying to take things off their plate so they can take things off of their boss's plate like little, just little anecdotes that I think, for me, were really very critical to kind of forming the foundation of my career and seeing strong women stay strong roles, in the agency business and then really putting in extra effort to take other people under their wing.

And I think that's really something I've tried to build on. I think for me, you know, I have a lot of people in the organization, our organization and outside that I informally mentor. And I just think that, you know, understanding what's on their mind, sharing the things that you really struggle with. Right? Like, I spent a lot of time talking to people about imposter syndrome, right?

I mean, I still have imposter syndrome when I'm getting up in front of a group of people. I think there's things that, especially in this remote culture, that younger people never get to see, that they don't know, that other people experience and feel. And I think just being really vulnerable with people sharing your experiences and then really, you know, you'll love this as Curiosity.

But I think really just asking questions and getting under for people what they're struggling with taking the time to just ask them like what's on their mind, what came up for them in meetings that they felt uncomfortable about, like really digging in and getting to know people personally and suggesting things that, you know, ways that you might handle something, and role-playing with people.

Like, I think it's really important to take the time out, whether it's during the work day or outside of work, to really invest in the next generation of leaders, especially women leaders in our industry.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Keeping It Real with Other People

Well, it's important. I'm so glad to hear you say all of those things. I've both experienced incredible women in my career who have helped me and also tried to pay it forward. So, Robin Fuller just told me the other day, and I was just telling some other people that she said, you give feedback to the people you care most about.

And that just really stuck with me because it's so true. It's you want the kind of feedback that your mom's going to give you, even in your career. And not everybody has the courage to do that.

Yeah. I mean, you got to be real with people, right? I think just really kind of like letting people be honest with people and being honest about your own faults and your own challenges and things that you've been through. I just think I was such a long way to mentoring and connecting with people and, you know, really forming relationships.

So, I just had an author on the podcast. His name's Todd Henry, and he spoke about the difference between imposter syndrome and self-awareness. And that's kind of what you're talking about here, and how self-awareness is actually the antidote to imposter syndrome. If we just kind of sit down and think about all of the reasons why we're in the room, or why we have the opportunity and the things that we actually bring to the table, and less about what we don't or what others are bringing.

Read about the iconic moments during the interview of Michelle Hillman on the Question Everything podcast

Michelle Hillman: Just Focus On Your Goal

One of the best pieces of advice I've gotten from a colleague. A few years ago, we were at Cannes and I was getting ready to do a panel and, you know, you get, you know, a little, you get in the groove, you get a little bit of nerves. Right? And she said, you know, I just stand. You do such a good job.

Like, what are you actually nervous about? And I said, I don't know. I just think sometimes I work, I'm going to go up on the, you know, the stage and nothing's going to come out of my mouth. And she said, has anyone ever not come out of your mouth? Have you ever been in any conversation in your entire life on the phone, on a podcast, on a stage where actually someone asked you a question and nothing came out and I was like, no, obviously not right?

And I kind of remind myself that every time I go to do something like this because it's so silly, but you could just get in your own head, right? And that's the kind of thing I like to share with people, because I think, you know, you look at where people are in their career or you see someone up on a stage doing panels or doing things at Cannes and you think, oh, like, they're not ever going to be in their head about it. So I think that's, you know, that's the kind of stuff you got to share with people. Okay.

Well, so this has been incredible. We have one final question for you, Michelle Hillman. This is the dart fun question. And it's a little this or that. So super speed style, you have to pick one or the other. And whatever comes to mind first. What do you think? Okay. All right. Here we go. This or that. Okay, 

So, Effies or Emmys? Emmys. 

Political season or cherry blossom season? Definitely cherry blossom season.

National air and space museum or the international spy museum. Oh, definitely the international spy museum. Very intriguing. Love that.

A 32nd spot or a social media takeover? Social media take over.

Puppies or Kittens? Oh, definitely puppies. Love puppies. Allergic to kittens. I'm team puppy too.

Check out how Michelle Hillman and her team at Ad Council created an impact on people’s lives

Michelle Hillman: Connect With Michelle

Michelle, this has been so much fun. Thank you for coming on the podcast. What's the best way for people to kind of follow your story and connect with you?

Well, first of all, thank you for having me. This was great fun. It flew by. I can't believe we're finished talking. And yeah, people, you can reach out to me on LinkedIn, or reach out at AdCouncil.org and anyone who's interested in joining us, take a bite. Sort of the crisis of humanity that we're all living in these days.

The more the merrier, because we can't do what we do without, you know, everyone in our industry coming together. Thank you.

Read about the iconic moments during the interview of Michelle Hillman on the Question Everything podcast