The Innovator 25:

Stephanie Smith

Chief client development officer

MSLGroup

"#FirstSevenJobs: babysitter, salesperson, office assistant, desk assistant, production associate, assignment desk editor, producer."

For being among the earlier wave of journalists who successfully went into PR and built viable content teams that operate like true newsrooms. Smith's editorial approach is evident in her work as the lead on Netflix overseeing some of MSLGroup's smartest campaigns for the iconic brand, like the clever work around how 'binge-watching' has impacted spoiler etiquette.

Describe what you do.
I have a dual role working with some of our largest existing clients as well as on global new business.

Where are you from/hometown?
Garden City, NY

Where are you based now?
New York, New York

In what area of marketing/PR do you see the most innovation?
Creative storytelling & Content

How would you describe the communications/PR industry's level of innovation?
About the same as other marketing disciplines

What is most important for the PR industry to do to foster more innovation?
Disrupt the agency business model

How do you define innovation?
A new approach that has the opportunity to transform.

Most innovative PR/comms campaign you've seen in the last 12 months?
The Swedish Number

What brands and/or agencies are most innovative when it comes to marketing/PR?
Under Armour and Jet Blue.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider 'innovative.'
Producing video content for the web before "viral video" was a thing.

Something — not PR/marketing related — that is innovative.
The field of self driving car technology.

Please give our readers an idea of something that can inspire innovation — this can be a book/movie/podcast/activity/article.
Hamilton. Talk about transformative--it has revolutionized how we look at music, Broadway, politics, democracy.

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

#FirstSevenJobs
babysitter, salesperson, office assistant, desk assistant, production associate, assignment desk editor, producer