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Ellie Bamford of VML on Rooting Out Real Problems
She helped Reddit score in 5 seconds on the Super Bowl
Ellie is chief N.A. strategy officer at VML. With 20 years in marketing, Ellie has worked with Nike, Samsung, Pepsi, Uber, Spotify, Sephora, Rockstar Games, AmEx and more. Earlier in her career, Ellie was the global head of media and connections at R/GA.
We spent two minutes with Ellie to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired.
Ellie, tell us …
Where you grew up, and where you live now.
Mount Gambier, South Australia. It’s a tiny town famous for its volcanic crater Blue Lake, which has no bottom. I found this fascinating growing up. Since 2008, I’ve lived on the Upper West Side in NYC.
How you first realized you were creative.
As a kid, I read everything from Arthur Koestler to Jilly Cooper. I would then act out my favorite scenes with costumes for the disgruntled enjoyment of my mum.
A person you idolized creatively early on.
Tina Turner. Her music and reinvention in life was a revelation—and her legs. Plus, Nina Simone, Dorothy Parker, Billie Holiday, Joan Didion. Women who faced horrendous personal experiences but endured and blew up social conventions and norms.
A moment from high school or college that changed your life.
My favorite teacher Mrs. Pearson told me if I couldn’t explain my idea in two lines and provide an argument for it in two minutes, I didn’t have an idea. She had a sticker on her notebook with the Shakespeare quote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”
A visual artist or band/musician you admire.
Vivienne Westwood. Natalie Merchant (Tigerlily is a Top 3 album for me). Freddie Mercury.
A book, movie, TV show, or podcast you recently found inspiring.
The podcast The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos is brilliant. It’s based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale. She covers the latest scientific research on what makes humans happy. I feel quite hopeful after listening.
One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.
The five-second ad for Reddit in the Super Bowl. The idea was simple. We made it in a week. It won a Cannes Lions Grand Prix. I am proud as hell of that.
Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.
“Tooheys Dry Beer.” This made me want to be in advertising.
Someone else’s work you admired lately.
Marina Prieto from JCDecaux. Simple ideas always win with me.
Your main strength as a creative person.
Figuring out the real problem to solve and not being afraid to say it.
Your biggest weakness.
A second martini.
A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.
Tom Morton. He is one of the smartest people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. He made me braver.
How you’re paying it forward with the next generation of creatives.
By advocating for the value and power of strategy to create work that works. Effectiveness matters. Otherwise, we won’t have clients or a job.
What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.
Gardener or theater critic.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
