The Innovator 25:

Cindy Gallop

Founder

MakeLoveNotPorn
IfIRanTheWorld

"Seek out, welcome, embrace, champion, celebrate and reward the talents, skills and creativity of women and people of color."

For telling it like it is when it comes to industry's discouraging track record around promoting women to leadership positions and fostering cultures that are welcoming for men and women of color. When former Saatchi & Saatchi executive Kevin Roberts targeted Gallop for her activism this summer, she asked people on Twitter to share their own stories of discrimination and reiterated the simple — yet powerful — statement: "Break the closed loop of white guys talking to white guys about other white guys."

Describe what you do.
I like to blow shit up. I'm the Michael Bay of business.

Where are you from/hometown?
Brunei

Where are you based now?
New York

In what area of marketing/PR do you see the most innovation?
I don't see enough innovation in our industry. I'm trying to make a great deal more happen.

How would you describe the communications/PR industry's level of innovation?
About the same as other marketing disciplines. Every marketing discipline is as bad as every other when it comes to innovation.

What is most important for the PR industry to do to foster more innovation?
Seek out, welcome, embrace, champion, celebrate and reward the talents, skills and creativity of women and people of color

How do you define innovation?
The result of many diverse perspectives, insights, mindsets, experience, backgrounds, worldviews, all coming together in constructive creative conflict to get to a far more innovative and disruptive place than any of us could have gotten to on our own.

Most innovative PR/comms campaign you've seen in the last 12 months?
KENZO WORLD - The new fragrance

What brands and/or agencies are most innovative when it comes to marketing/PR?
Not enough.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider 'innovative.'
I believe in communication through demonstration. I'd prefer you ask that question of other people who observe what I'm doing.

Something — not PR/marketing related — that is innovative.
http://makelovenotporn.com/

Please give our readers an idea of something that can inspire innovation — this can be a book/movie/podcast/activity/article.
Diversity

Least favorite time of day?
Love them all

Most innovative place in the world? This could be a city, a venue, a neighborhood, etc.
Tokyo

#FirstSevenJobs
Temp secretary
Theatre director's assistant
Theatre publicity and marketing officer (two different theatres)
Advertising executive (four agencies)