Ad Age Ad Block

Judy John, global CCO at Edelman, talks about making it in advertising as a shy, socially awkward person who hates small talk and public speaking. She also weighs in on her favorite football team, her love of Kanye West and what she would eat for her last meal.

Joan Creative CCO Jaime Robinson keeps both a spinning wheel and a loom in her closet so she can spin yarn and knit blankets and sweaters, “like the lady in Rumpelstiltskin.” She also reveals her favorite Joan and goes deep on the allure of “Russian Doll” and her childhood memories of the Sears Wish Book.

Lenny Stern, founding partner at SS&K, talks about working on political campaigns for Democratic candidates, from Mondale in 1984 to Obama in 2008 and 2012. He also weighs in on Trump's chances at reelection, his love of multitasking and why ‘mainstream media’ is a lazy phrase.

Melissa Hobley, CMO at OKCupid, describes the obstacles facing people who are undergoing in vitro fertilization. She is currently pregnant with her second child conceived using the technique. The process is stressful, time-consuming, painful and expensive, and it involves plenty of uncertainty. “It’s one of those things that so few people talk about, for obvious reasons.” She also weighs in on the best and worst couples, the allure of live TV and mixing politics and family.

Kristen Cavallo, CEO of The Martin Agency, talks about traveling to all seven continents with her children, beginning before they were teenagers. After hitting four continents, the family decided to visit them all, a feat they accomplished recently with a trip to Antarctica on an ice breaker that culminated in a polar plunge while on the lookout for hungry orcas. She also weighs in on the limits of casual conversation, going off on tangents and that time an angry customer called her a “fem-nazi.”