Every International Women’s Day, I feel more and more proud to be a woman in marketing. That might not seem like a big deal. So what? Well, like in many industries, women in marketing used to be a rarity, but I’m so happy to say that we’re now taking our places firmly in the space. And a decade into my career, I couldn’t be happier to be working with such an incredible team of marketing women.
To celebrate, I spoke with the KAYBE ladies to find out their experiences as women in marketing. We chatted about the obstacles we’ve all faced, and the advice we’d give to women and girls thinking about starting a career in marketing. Read on to hear our thoughts…
Women in marketing? Big deal!
Actually, it is a big deal. Back in the 60s, 70s and 80s – I mean, let’s be honest…the 90s, too – men dominated the world of comms. And women… Well, have you seen Mad Men? I actually almost cried when Peggy finally got her role as Junior Copywriter.
However, nowadays, women make up the majority of marketers in the UK – 58% women vs 42% men, showing that we’re clearly drawn to the industry – and that our creativity deserves to be seen and heard. To see the scales tip like that is incredible.
Meet the KAYBE women in marketing
KAYBE co-founders Christiane Pidde and Kris Britton have always held a strong stance: everyone, no matter their gender, race, background, or age, is welcome at KAYBE. It’s about who can do the job and fit in with the team, not about the rest. And it’s refreshing to see a company where the leadership is joint male and female.
Christiane Pidde – KAYBE co-founder
Meet one half of KAYBE founders and total marketing powerhouse – Christiane Pidde. After starting out with a particular interest in IT, Christiane quickly discovered her passion for B2B marketing, and spent the next few years following that passion, working with well-known companies in the healthcare and location intelligence sectors.
But one thing was clear: she wanted to start her own business, where she could help other smaller businesses achieve – and even exceed – their goals through clever marketing methods and unique campaigns.
She says, “When I met my business partner, I knew the time was right to get started…and that was where KAYBE was born. But I also knew I didn’t want KAYBE to be just any other marketing agency. For me, it’s always been important that we’re customer-centred, always putting our clients first and getting them incredible results.
Skip forward several years, and we now have a strong team of industry experts, bringing a wide range of skills that will help drive your business.”
Talking about obstacles she’s faced as a woman in marketing, Christiane says, “I never felt discriminated against in my direct environment or relationships, but when I started my career, I remember very clearly, I was working on the stand at a trade show.
My male sales colleagues asked if it was OK to look after the stand for ten minutes and, while they were gone, a male visitor, in his 40s or 50s, came over. I asked if I could help him, and he said, ‘no, I want to speak to someone that knows the product’. Despite my reassurance that I could help, he chose not to accept it. It wasn’t that I felt offended that I was being “judged” on being a woman, but more that someone was judging me without knowing me.
That experience was a turning point. From then on, I wanted to make it clear to people, when I was speaking to them, that I had expertise in the product.”
So, what’s Christiane’s advice to women and girls considering a career in marketing? “For me, it’s short and sweet: surround yourself with people that believe in you and bin the others off!”
Emma Harris – Campaign delivery executive
Up next is KAYBE’s campaign delivery exec, Emma Harris, who’s relatively new to the world of marketing, but is taking it by storm! So, how did she get into this crazy industry?
She says, “It wasn’t something that I’d actively done before. I’d started my own business a few years back, so I had a brief understanding of it, but it was only really because someone said, ‘You’re creative and inventive, and I genuinely think this is your niche.’ That’s why I’m here. Kris Britton saw huge potential in me.
It is mind-boggling how much stuff there is to learn, but I’ve started a college course in digital marketing, which leads really nicely into the role I’m doing. Having that ability to learn on the job is good for me, as I’m the kind of person who can get bored very quickly. I need to have something that’s ever-evolving – and marketing really is ever-evolving.
My role requires me to run multiple campaigns, daily, each with a different target or focus, which keeps it really varied. I can be so many different Emmas, which I love. Being in this role, and wondering what I’ll be doing in 2 years, excites me. Even coming from a non-marketing background into a creative role, I’m being heard here at KAYBE.”
In terms of obstacles she’s faced – and those she sees other women facing, regularly – she says, “It’s managing home life and work life. Being a mother, work is secondary to home life but, in reality, you need to be able to work to earn money to survive and provide. Finding that balance, where you don’t feel guilty for wanting to give your all to a position you’re in at work, but also then trying to find out how to give your all as a mother at home is hard. Thankfully, the world has evolved since COVID, and there’s a bit more of a focus on work-life balance.
Marketers tend to have strong personalities and the ability to overcome challenges and adapt. When I run a campaign, it’s about accepting that I might run something, and it might fall flat, but you just have to come back to the key goal, reconsider the messaging and adapt to that. Women, naturally, have to do that a lot. We have to constantly juggle.”
Another obstacle Emma’s noticed is that we’re told all too often as women that we’re emotional. She explains, “If I care, I’m emotional. If I’m showing no emotion, I’ve checked out, and I don’t want to be there. So, actually, my emotion is my strength.”
Her advice to women and girls who want to work in marketing? “Be too much! You’ve got to be willing to change and evolve, so be too much.”
Steph Oliver – PA to the KAYBE directors
Superstar Steph keeps everything ticking along smoothly here at KAYBE, but how did she get into marketing?
She explains, “I didn’t actively seek out a role in marketing. I heard that a PA job had come up, and I looked at it and thought, “I could do that!”, despite not having worked in marketing before. I had a call with Kris Britton, and the rest is history.
Before starting at KAYBE, I had an idea of what marketing was but, since then, I’ve learnt so, so much. I kind of fell into it, but now I love it and can’t imagine myself doing anything else ever again!”
It’s clear that Steph’s found her dream job, but what is it that she loves most about working in marketing? She says, “The best part, for me, is getting the brief from the client and then watching what happens in the background to the point of delivery. It’s also great to hear our clients’ positive feedback when they see the finished project. There’s so much that we do behind the scenes that clients don’t see.”
So, what’s the biggest obstacle she’s faced as a woman? Steph explains, “So many employers are not flexible when it comes to their employees having kids. After having my first child, I was told point-blank that I couldn’t go back part-time, so I had to give up that job. I didn’t want to put my 10-month-old baby in nursery 5 days a week, 8am to 6pm. I know that times are changing, but I still don’t think a lot of businesses do enough to support working parents. I even missed out on a bonus once because of one of my children was sick, and I had to stay with her until my husband got back from dropping my son off at school. Even though I more than made up the time I’d missed, my ex-boss wouldn’t have it.”
Her advice for girls and women considering a career in marketing? “Go for it! Be a sponge and soak up as much as you can; you’ll thank yourself in the long run. There were so many things I didn’t know when I first started out, like all the acronyms, such as ABM (account-based marketing). Learn and be open to learning. You can never have too much knowledge when it comes to marketing; it’s ever-changing! Oh, and never be afraid to ask questions. No question is a stupid question.”
Emma Hall – Outbound Telemarketing Executive
Next up is our second Emma of the article – the lovely Emma Hall. So, how and why did Emma get into marketing?
Emma states, “I’ve always had a passion for building relationships with people from all different walks of life that I may not necessarily come across every day. This passion led me to explore the world of marketing, where understanding consumer behaviour and finding creative ways to connect with the crowd is crucial.”
As with most women, Emma too has had to overcome her own obstacles. She says, “Overcoming self-doubt has been a personal obstacle of mine. Along the way, I lost confidence in my abilities. But, having great mentorship, and celebrating achievements along the way have helped me overcome this challenge.”
While she’s had to overcome her own challenges, having found a job she loves, Emma’s advice to other women and girls wanting to work in marketing is “First and foremost, believe in yourself. Have confidence in yourself and your abilities, and don’t be afraid to voice your ideas and opinions.
Embrace challenges, step out of your comfort zone and take on that new challenge. You may just surprise yourself! Learn from others, surround yourself with those that can offer guidance and support. Be resilient, and remember that every set back is an opportunity to learn and come back stronger. And the main thing is to support other women, celebrate their successes and make their voices heard too. Women are dominating the marketing world!”
Vicky Palmer – Content Marketer
It feels weird to be writing about myself, but here goes. I knew as a child that I wanted to be a writer; I just hadn’t been introduced to content marketing at that point. Fast-forward past a uni degree in Media Communications, several years teaching English as a Foreign Language, blogging in my free time, and an internship in content writing, and I felt the pull of a career in marketing. So, I listened to my wordy wiring, and stepped to it. And, honestly, I haven’t looked back.
Since then, I’ve spent a decade working with a wide range of companies, both B2B and B2C, to create fun, well-researched content that drives sales, creates awareness and educates, and it STILL excites me.
What advice would I give to the women and girls out there who want to work in marketing? Go.for.it! If you’re a creative person with an analytical mind, you’ll love it. It can take a while to figure out the direction you want to go in (i.e. content marketing, SEO specialist, digital marketer, social media marketer…) and even the industry you want to work in, but don’t let that put you off. Try it all. There are loads of apprenticeships now that just weren’t around when I was starting out, so give it a go.
Full disclosure: you’ll meet a lot of men in suits who’ll want to dismiss your ideas (and a lot of great guys who totally believe in you, too), but if you believe in those ideas, hold your head high and don’t be put off speaking your mind. Your ideas are just as important as theirs, and should be listened to. You’ve got this!
I hope this article gives at least one woman the self-belief to go out and get that career in marketing they’ve been considering. It isn’t easy, but if you find a business that truly cares about all its employees’ well-being and needs (men and women alike), you’ll never look back.