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 MP&F‘s, Mary Elizabeth Davis.
Mary Elizabeth is a trailblazing figure in the world of marketing and communications, known for her transformative leadership at MP&F, a Nashville-based full-service agency. As the agency owner, she has overseen a remarkable evolution, steering MP&F from a traditional PR firm into a dynamic, full-service creative agency. Under her guidance, the agency has experienced unprecedented growth and success, emerging as a leader in the industry.
With $26 million in revenue under her purview, Mary Elizabeth leads marketing strategies for some of the southeast’s largest and most influential companies. Her client roster includes esteemed organizations such as BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Pinnacle Financial Partners, The University of Tennessee, Roam Delta 8 Seltzers, and the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. Through her strategic vision and innovative approach, Mary Elizabeth has positioned MP&F as a trusted partner for clients seeking impactful marketing solutions.
One of Mary Elizabeth’s most significant achievements is the complete transformation of MP&F into a full-service creative agency. In this endeavor, she has overseen the agency’s largest growth period to date, leading the transition from a male-dominated leadership team to a fully female-owned agency. Her leadership has been instrumental in driving this transformation, propelling MP&F to new heights of success and recognition.
Prior to her role as agency owner, Mary Elizabeth served as the agency’s first-ever director, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic acumen. Under her tenure, she achieved remarkable results, growing department revenue by 86%, nearly doubling the staff, and implementing a comprehensive branding strategy that set the agency apart in the competitive marketplace.
Recognized for her outstanding contributions to the industry, Mary Elizabeth was named a partner at the age of 35, becoming the youngest partner in company history. Alongside three other female owners, she continues to lead MP&F with vision and determination, driving innovation and excellence across all aspects of the business.
Mary Elizabeth’s impact extends beyond her role at MP&F, with notable accomplishments during her tenure at Southern Living, where she served as managing editor. Here, she played a pivotal role in directing brand operations and overseeing editorial content, navigating the evolving landscape of advertorial-style advertising and spearheading efforts to generate new revenue streams.
Let’s meet Mary Elizabeth!
What’s your origin story?
Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Attended college in Mobile, Alabama, then made my way through Birmingham and eventually back to Nashville. Full circle, I guess you could say.
How did you get into the advertising, marketing, PR industry?
My interest in the ad industry started when I was in high school. I was a chronic doodler which led to studying Graphic Design at Spring Hill College – a small, liberal-arts school in Mobile, Alabama. From there, I moved to Birmingham, Alabama to intern for Southern Living Magazine where I cut my teeth in the production department.
I consider myself fortunate (as crazy as that sounds) to have started my career in the height of the 2007 recession. I was cheap enough and hard-working enough to make my way up the ladder – eventually to Managing Editor. As the editorial business evolved and we explored new ad formats, my interest in advertising deepened, leading me to MP&F where I leveraged my leadership skills, creative background, and business acumen to propel the creative team into growth mode.
Who were your mentors?
I followed the good advice from a friend to build a “personal board of directors” and it has served me tenfold. That board consists of mentors that I’ve accumulated throughout my career. A special shoutout to Candace Higginbotham, former Managing Editor of Coastal Living and Southern Living and Deana Ivey, President of Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. who are both headstrong, motivated women who remind me to take risks and enjoy the rewards.
I’m also inspired daily by my three business partners – Jennifer Brantley, Knight Stivender, and Kate Chinn – who are all incredible businesswomen but also wonderful mothers.
While there will be others, what do you consider your biggest achievement to date?
I’m proud of my family – my husband and three boys. I’m especially proud to show them that women can be executives, run companies, and can drive change.
But also, I think that maintaining a positive mindset is a big accomplishment…Believing in myself. I truly believe I can accomplish anything that I set my mind to.
It sounds crazy, I know, but we live in a world where self-doubt is lurking around every corner and it’s becoming harder and harder to advocate for and believe in yourself.
What drives you to create?
In a world full of noise, to be able to create something that is thoughtful, honest, tells a story, and makes an impact on someone else, is something that will always be a motivating factor for myself. How can I create something that positively affects another? If I can do that, then I’m doing my job.
6. (If in advertising) What is a product or service you dream of doing a campaign for?
I love to create campaigns for women-owned companies. I would love to work with scrappy founders like Jocelyn Gailliot, Madeline Grayson and September Votta of Tuckernuck, a huge retail and lifestyle brand that started in a garage apartment. Or I’d love to go all in on women’s sports activations and sponsorships. I’m a tennis buff with dreams of going wild at the US Open.
Award you crave, but haven’t won
Awards are great and all but, for me, it’s the process to get there that I love. That being said, I would be honored to win AdAge’s prestigious Small Agency recognition as a hat tip to our incredibly talented and diverse team.
Female-directed franchise films such as Star Wars or MCU constantly get called “woke” by Internet trolls. Why?
I’ve never understood why someone decides to be an internet troll. They’re the worst, right? Women are changing the status quo. We are seeing more women in industries that have previously been male dominated. It’s empowering. From directing and producing films to the WNBA and beyond, women are going to continue to shatter glass ceilings, trolls be damned.
Coffee, Lunch or Happy Hour
Coffee – Nancy Myers
Lunch – Ina Garten, preferably at her home in the Hamptons
Happy Hour – Heather McMahan
It’s an election year, what is keeping you up at night?
Love is Blind Season 6. Right now, we all need a distraction.
Favorite movie and TV show of 2023.
Movie – As the mom of three young boys, I have to say that the new Wonka movie does not disappoint.
TV show – La Pitchoune: Cooking in France – it’s amazing. Makenna Held bought Julia Child’s home in France and turned it into a recipe-free cooking school.
13. Song you absolutely go feral for
Lake Street Dive is in regular rotation on my Spotify.
14. What’s your theme song for 2024?
Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em. It’s a good reminder that evolution is good. Evolution + creativity is great.
To see who else is a Reel Woman, click here.
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