From Brand-Side to Agency-Side: Jennifer McQuaig On Her New Position at FCB/SIX
Last month, FCB/SIX made a splash when it announced the arrival of Jennifer McQuaig. A name synonymous with brand success – with a resumé that includes experience with the likes of BMO, Samsung, and Loblaws, as well as an 18 and a half year stint at LoyaltyOne – this move signals the agency’s desire to transform its marketing department and build upon its immense reputation in data-driven creativity.
Representing Jennifer’s first position on the agency side of the industry, she’ll be utilising her past experiences and affinity for creativity to drive consumer success for FCB’s clients across Canada. And while there’s much work to be done, from leading strategy to building meaningful customer relationships with the aid of data and technology, the new vice president’s hunger to push the boundaries of what’s possible spells exciting days ahead for the IPG agency.
To learn more about what the early days have been like, and how she’s building uponFCB/SIX’s already-strong strategic product, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Jennifer for a chat.
LBB> Jennifer, congratulations on your new position at FCB! What inspired the decision to join, and what does this appointment mean to you?
Jennifer> Thank you! I'm thrilled to be joining FCB/SIX. What truly inspired me was the agency's commitment to creating stand-out experiences that are both personalised and seamlessly connected across all channels. This aligns perfectly with my own passion for leveraging data and technology to build meaningful customer relationships.
Overall, this appointment represents a fantastic opportunity to contribute to FCB/SIX's continued success and to help shape the future of marketing in a dynamic and evolving landscape.
LBB> What are you hoping to accomplish in your new position, both on a personal and agency-wide level?
Jennifer> On a personal level, I'm eager to learn from the talented team at FCB and contribute my expertise to elevate and continually advance the agency's capabilities. On an agency-wide level, I'm focused on building a culture that embraces data-driven decision-making, fosters creative innovation, and brings leading technology expertise to bear. Our goal is to enable our clients to be at the forefront of delivering unique and market-recognised experiences for existing and prospective customers. I believe that by embracing these principles, we can drive significant growth and proven economic impact for both FCB/SIX and our clients.
LBB> And what have the early days been like? How’s the settling in period been?
Jennifer> The early days have been incredibly energising! The team has been incredibly welcoming, and I've already been impressed by the level of talent and passion here. I'm excited to be diving into the projects alongside this talented bunch.
LBB> Let’s talk a little more about the business. How would you describe the state and ethos of FCB’s strategy and marketing approach prior to your arrival, and how will this be blended with your own experiences to take it to the next level?
Jennifer> FCB/SIX has a strong foundation in creative excellence and a deep understanding of customer behaviour. We are known for delivering compelling and personalised experiences at each point along the customer journey. My role is to build upon this foundation by integrating advanced capabilities that allow us to create even more personalised, dynamic, and scalable experiences. This means delivering campaigns and platforms that resonate on a deeper level with customers, and that drive economic impact for our clients.
LBB> To this end, after a long career on the brand side, you’re bringing your skills to the agency side. Has your way of working changed because of that? What does a day at FCB look like?
Jennifer> Brands are operating in highly complex environments with ever-changing customer expectations. To navigate this successfully, brands must put the customer at the centre of what they do. My approach at FCB will be grounded in this, leveraging customer data to drive meaningful connections between brands and their customers, ultimately delivering results.
What’s exciting is the opportunity to put greater emphasis on creativity, marrying it with the data, to elevate the experiences we build and drive even greater impact for clients. My day is filled with collaboration, brainstorming and a constant focus on pushing the boundaries of what's possible. It's a fast-paced environment, but it's incredibly rewarding to see ideas come to life and make a real impact for our clients.
LBB> What are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned which will be influencing your approach at FCB?
Jennifer> There are three important lessons I’ve learned. The first is the importance of understanding the customer journey holistically. To influence customer behaviour, you need to be relevant at every part of their journey, from first interaction to the final purchase. And to build next level engagement, it’s critical that strategies are connected across all channels and touchpoints.
The second is the importance of deriving and applying insights as the basis for our solutions. From understanding market and customer behaviours to building complex experimentation approaches, in-depth measurement, and optimisation, data insights allow us to take a never-finished approach to driving results.
The third is that all of this can fall flat if it doesn’t stand out in-market and in customers’ minds and hearts. The magic comes from data plus technology plus creativity, at every customer interaction.
LBB> As part of the work, you’re also collaborating with a very strong leadership team at the agency. What does this partnership look like? How do you help bring each other’s output up?
Jennifer> I'm fortunate to be working with a truly exceptional leadership team at FCB, and it has been very easy for pieces to fall into place. We each bring unique and complementary strengths and expertise that I have no doubt will propel the organisation forward. We challenge each other to think differently, to push boundaries and to continuously improve. This collaborative approach is essential for staying ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving marketing landscape.
LBB> You’ve touched on it a few times, but the importance of utilising data and technology in order to create personalised marketing experiences is clear. Why is this so important to you, and what can FCB gain from leaning more into this application?
Jennifer> In today's digital landscape, customer attention is divided as they are bombarded with messages. To cut through the noise and truly connect with them, we need to deliver experiences that are relevant and valuable.
We see data and technology not just as the table stakes to meet customers where they are, but as the enabler to differentiate. It goes further than leveraging data and technology to gain a deeper understanding of audience preferences, behaviours and motivators to tailor messaging, content and offers at an individual level. We can also adapt, in the moment, based on how they are interacting with us and the world around them. And we can do this in any or all channels, at any time. As new capabilities come online, FCB/SIX can continue to separate itself, leading the market developing highly targeted, connected, adaptive and creative campaigns.
LBB> Finally, can you give us some insight into the state of Canadian marketing at the moment? What are audiences looking for, and how do you ensure you’re always innovating to match the times?
Jennifer> Audiences are increasingly savvy and demanding. They expect brands to be authentic, transparent, and to provide value. And there is no one-size-fits-all approach that will win. They want every interaction to be personalised, engaging, and to make their lives easier.
With the pace of change accelerating, it puts pressure on all brands to be constantly innovating and adapting. For FCB/SIX, we are focused on staying attuned to the latest market trends, embracing new technologies and creative approaches to push the boundaries on what we can deliver, and creating a culture of experimentation internally and with our clients.
