What’s it really like to work at Chicago’s innovative companies? Blue Sky’s Inside Job lets people on the ground tell us in their own words.
Emily Williams, 34, Associate Creative Director at The Mx Group
We are a B2B marketing agency. Our clients are companies that sell products and services to other companies, rather than to a consumer.
One of the best examples is Tempur Sealy. We help market them to hospitality chains and resorts, so you wouldn’t see any of our advertising if you were shopping for a bed for your home. “What does Marriott have in their hotels?” That’s what we’re worried about.
We have a huge offering of, we informally call it DigDev, or digital development. It’s building websites, creating video content. Our big focus these days is DemandGen, or demand generation, which, at its highest level, is running a program that keeps customers interested, engaged and loyal. It’s getting emails in front of people in an automated way, at the right times, and with the right types of offers.
A lot of my time goes to, “What is the big idea? What is this new campaign going to be all about?” My job is pointing us in the right direction.
I have seven on my team, including me: two senior copywriters, one copywriter, one junior copywriter and two proofreaders. Just this year, we broke 100 employees.
I live down the street from Wrigley Field. I’m always knowing if people are happy or not with whatever the score is. I drive out here (to Burr Ridge) and back. I make sure my car is very comfy and full of podcasts, and that it always has coffee.
Interestingly, or boringly, I used to be a book editor. I majored in philosophy and minored in creative writing with a publishing focus at Gettysburg College (in Pennsylvania). At the time, it felt like a really fluffy liberal arts major, but it was a skill set I ended up really needing and one I draw from now: Look for the deeper understanding of someone’s opinion. And if I don’t share their opinion, how do I understand the pieces of it, so I can maybe align our thinking a little bit more. And that’s what marketing really is.
Right after graduating, I got an internship at a publishing company called Rodale. I was there about four years. I moved here because I was looking for a city environment. When I found this job, they were advertising for a proofreader, so I was able to bring my editing skills into a marketing setting, even without a lot of marketing experience.
I came in here the first day and couldn’t believe just how comfortable everyone was. They were just so at ease in their jobs. It was really easy for them to just take a minute and come find the new person and say hello, offer to help me with something I didn’t even know I needed help with. I felt like I was walking into a very well-adjusted group environment.
We have a committee, the Mx Groupies. They come up with these great activities we do to break the tension of deadline pressure. We have a lot of office competitions. I have trivia and cupcake-making trophies. I baked Snickers cupcakes, with melted peanut butter and caramel. We’ve had food-eating competitions. I have seen people eat more sushi than I ever want to think about again.
We did Office Olympics, which is very much like Office Olympics on the show “The Office.” You know, races around the office on wheeling desk chairs. We’ve done volunteer work at food banks. It’s getting to see the other side of the people you work with, which is really the goal.
After eight years here, for me, I have always felt heard. Our management team has built a culture of constant feedback, so you can voice your questions, your recommendations, your concerns. And someone will hear them.
This used to be high, plain-gray cubicle walls, where you could not see anything, where it was hard to be collaborative. That (feedback) led to this, where it’s open concept. There’s constant spinning around in your chair and having those crucial, in-the-moment conversations.
As told to freelance reporter Erin Chan Ding. Stories are edited for length and clarity.
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