Editor’s Note: Welcome to “Reel Women,” our annual tribute to dynamic women in creative industries. For the month of March, let us introduce you to some very special women like Quality Meats Managing Director, Amy Edwards.
Amy is the dynamic Managing Director of Quality Meats, a creative advertising agency known for its innovative approach to branding and campaign work. With a career spanning across major cities like Chicago, San Francisco, London, and New York City, Amy brings a wealth of diverse experiences and a global perspective to her role.
Her extensive portfolio reflects her versatility and expertise in various facets of advertising and marketing. From podcasts to brand design to integrated campaigns, she has successfully navigated a wide range of projects, leaving an indelible mark on each. Her client roster reads like a who’s who of global brands, including Meta, Hotels.com, Samsung, Kimberly Clark, Kraft, Augustinus Bader, Grey Goose, Hershey’s, and Celebrity Cruises.
What sets Amy apart is her ability to seamlessly blend creativity with strategy, delivering impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences worldwide. Her innate understanding of consumer behavior, coupled with her innovative thinking, allows her to craft compelling narratives that drive results for her clients.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Amy wears another important hat as the mother of two young children. Balancing the demands of leading a top-tier agency with the responsibilities of parenthood is no small feat, yet Amy manages to do so with grace and determination. Her ability to juggle multiple roles is a testament to her resilience and unwavering commitment to excellence.
In the fast-paced advertising world, Amy stands out as a true powerhouse, leading her teams with passion, creativity, and a relentless drive for success. Her impressive track record and boundless energy are a testament to her enduring impact on the industry, leaving us all in awe of her remarkable achievements.
Let’s meet Amy!
What’s your origin story?
Minnesota born and raised. Which means, like all Minnesotans, I’m nice and funny (and modest).
How did you get into Advertising?
After a brief stint in NYC indie film (THINKFilm? anyone?) in the early aughts, I moved into advertising in Chicago.
I took a temp job at a small agency called the Norton agency. Then I met a friend-of-a-friend at a party who introduced me to the recruiters at Y&R Chicago and the rest was history. They liked that I had “internet” experience (this was ca. 2009).
Who were your mentors?
Mike Hill at Y&R taught me that you never say cheap, you say inexpensive; you never say old, you say original. And that there’s always money in the banana stand.
Katie Lee at Sunshine (London) showed me how to lead an agency with kindness, vulnerability, and humanity.
Shannon Nunn at TBWA Chiat Day NY showed me how it looks to have a manager who genuinely wants the best for you.
And there are my peer-mentors – the women who stand beside me and show me how it looks to be a bada** every single day, pick me up when I don’t believe in myself, and send many many digital hugs in the forms of .gifs: (my work wife) Paola Ortega, Nancy Maloney, Kat O’Meara, Erin Rentenbach, Colleen Vail, Brittney Mitchell, Autumn Childress, Celeste Toffanello, Jamie Stark, Emma Delorm, Carrie Kieffer, Emily LaVaca, Ursula Underhill, Nimi Raja, and Camilla Mathis.
While there will be others, what do you consider your biggest achievement to date?
Birthing 2 humans.
What drives you to create?
A tricky question to answer as an account “guy.” But I want to create a great place to work. Right now, I am learning lots of on-the-job lessons about how to do that (and often, how not to). Some of them are more painful than others. But I believe in Quality Meats and our ability to cut out the BS that you find in bigger shops.
What is a product or service you dream of doing a campaign for?
This might be a wonky answer but Insurance. First I’ll say I don’t really believe in any category being better than another in terms of the type of work you can create. But Insurance feels like the ultimate brand-building gig.
Award you crave, but haven’t won
We haven’t won an Effie yet at QM and I’d love to make that happen.
Coffee, Lunch or Happy Hour
Coffee with Jacinda Ardern
Lunch with Beyoncé
Drinks with Tina Fey
It’s an election year, what is keeping you up at night?
The election itself, is that too obvious?
Favorite movie and TV show of 2023
Leave the World Behind and The Last of Us. Wait, is the apocalypse what’s keeping me up at night? Oh, and The Holdovers.
Song you absolutely go feral for
Robyn, just any Robyn.
What’s your theme song for 2024?
Used to be Young, Miley Cyrus
To see who else is a Reel Woman, click here.
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