5 Minutes with… Priyanka Goswami
In August 2023, Priyanka Goswami took over as president of No Fixed Address (NFA), signalling the start of a new era for the agency. Placing the power of integration and the importance of connected ecosystems and customer journeys front and centre, she rallied together the best talent at the agency to create powerful work - a trend which only grows stronger going into 2024.
A firm believer in always being destined for big things - when Priyanka was a kid, she would tell people she wanted to be the prime minister when she grew up - in many ways, this position is her calling. Combining a wealth of experience at the likes of Publicis, FCB and The&Partnership, where she’s led digital transformation efforts for brands ranging from BMW to Sobeys Inc., PepsiCo to eBay, she’s bringing this all together as she helps grow the business. And of course, along the way, she’ll be pushing its members to do the best work of their lives, and, notably, hold more agency dance parties.
So, to chat about what the early days have been like, and how the experience of being president is treating her, LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sits down with Priyanka for a chat.
LBB> The big news is that you just got promoted to president at No Fixed Address - congratulations! How are you feeling at this present time, and what does this mean to you?
Priyanka> NFA is such an incredible platform and has always had relentless momentum. There’s a sense of curiosity and a freedom to reimagine and explore, challenge the convention, and actually change up the stuff that doesn’t make sense. This spirit has contributed to its scale and success. So, that’s pretty freaking cool!
I am feeling incredibly humbled, and proud to lead this ship and the people (who have all put so much faith in me). I get the nicest messages from people, primarily women – mothers, women of colour - with support, encouragement and genuine happiness to see that there is room at the top for females and diversity. That’s a big deal!
I am in my element. This is where I was meant to be.
LBB> Stepping into this role is no small task. As such, how have you readied yourself for this opportunity? And what are you hoping to accomplish both individually, and as an agency?
Priyanka> I am totally an ‘everything happens for a reason’ person.
So, when I look back at my career, every brand, client interaction, and project – good or bad, big or small, from global to local to big integrated campaigns to deep digital platform strategy and builds – it has all intentionally culminated in this perfect sequence of events to prepare me for situations I face daily.
As for accomplishments, it’s important for me to be acknowledged as someone who leads with passion and humility, as well as someone who is kind and can help brighten a person’s day with support and laughs. So, if you ask 50 people what they would say about me, and these are the consistent themes - I would say that’s a WIN!
And as an agency, we had a tremendous amount of momentum in the back half of 2023 that’s carrying us into 2024. We have some wins, we have an incredibly talented and vibrant team, and the goal is to do the best work of our lives, continue to grow the business, and have lots of dance parties.
LBB> Notably, you’ve mentioned a belief in being born to do big things. So, is this promotion you hitting that goal? And beyond that, tell us more about your agency plans for 2024!
Priyanka> Absolutely! Being accountable to and for a group of people (and their livelihoods - cough cough, sweat sweat) - that’s a big thing!
We spend about a third of our lives at work… with colleagues. So naturally, I have the responsibility to create a space and vibe that people enjoy and feel happy with, because that happiness carries over into their personal lives. And I truly believe that makes the world a tiny bit better. That’s so important – now more than ever.
Hybrid work environments, client pressures, new generations in the workforce, and shifts in values are really changing the playbook on what culture and collaboration means in this industry. I think a lot of organisations are struggling with this post-pandemic period. We have to evolve and consider new ways to inspire and connect. After all, we create to connect.
Additionally, we are continuing to explore meaningful ways to use tools, tech and machines to be smarter and help us build more creativity and efficiency in the system. It’s additive and complementary, and we’re already seeing some interesting use cases and wins with our clients on this front. It’s necessary to push this industry forward.
Aside from that, 2024 is going to be a year of focus and good vibes. We have the best crew anyone can ask for - smart, kind, so funny. And everyone’s focused on connection and creation. No bad vibes allowed.
LBB> Let’s talk a bit more about you! You touched on this briefly, but how would you describe your leadership style?
Priyanka> ‘I am not a regular president. I am a cool president!’. (LOL)
My leadership style is very much driven by my personal values, as well as my own experiences growing up in the business with my leaders and bosses. I was lucky to be surrounded by great leaders over the years, so I always had someone to look up to and think, ‘That’s who I want to be’. And the leaders that weren’t that great - those were the real lessons learned. I work very hard to NOT be those people and fill those gaps.
A huge part of the gig, for me, is also to remove barriers for the team, and for clients. I like to be in the work – solving things together. We have to understand what’s working well, what’s not, and how we make things better. We can’t move with the times and adapt if we’re not listening. We have to chip away at the barriers, one by one.
Summing up my style, I lead with care and compassion, but am also firm and tough when I need to be. It’s very ‘work mom’ energy. Accountability is a huge thing for me (in work and life). If you say you’re gonna do something, I am gonna hold you to it!
LBB> You’ve also previously mentioned having a deep passion for the power of integration. Tell us more about this! Where does this come from, and what does effective integration look like to you?
Priyanka> I like to think about integration from the customer perspective.
As customers, we’re not looking at channels in isolation of one another. Every interaction with a brand represents the overall customer experience and the impression we have of a brand. Whether that’s in media, in store, online, or in an email, every single interaction is a reflection of the brand. So, I am on a mission to bring the worlds of brand and experience together, which traditionally have been addressed in silos.
All this to say, it’s not just about having a list of full-service capabilities and offerings that make you integrated. It’s about ensuring that talent, offering, compensation models, and ways of working are orchestrated in harmony to create connected customer experiences. That’s integration at NFA.
LBB> Connected ecosystems are also something you believe are critical for the customer! So, how do you go about developing these throughout a campaign? What inspires your approach?
Priyanka> So much has changed in the last 10 to 15 years.
The formula used to be pretty simple: spend money on brand and advertising, buy media, drive sales. (I am oversimplifying). But now, the way customers experience and interact with brands is just so different. I can discover a brand on TikTok, and I can shop directly through an Instagram story and have it delivered to my door an hour later.
Overall, there’s exponentially more connection points with the customer to consider. And our expectations from brands are high. We want them to be good, do good, provide good things, respect our privacy, communicate with us at the right times - in the right places with the right message - engage us, entertain us… the list goes on and on, and it’s A LOT to think about.
So, we bring this all together by mapping the customer journey or ecosystem, meticulously interrogating every moment, every need, every barrier, every opportunity, every channel, and so on. When we understand the moments of influence, we can successfully connect the dots in the ecosystem, always paying off what’s next and never leaving dead ends in the experience.
LBB> And are there any campaigns from your career that represent these values especially well? Please tell us all about them!
Priyanka> The most memorable ones are always the ones that take the most out of you. This is because they pay back in wisdom and lessons, and then you’re never the same. I call these ‘career growth spurts’.
M&M’s ‘Find Red’, where we ‘hacked’ Google Street View, will always be a career highlight. There was so much new to consider and navigate – from brand to a range of social platforms, ever-changing policies, high stakes – a lot of eyes watching – it was all the things. My most important lesson learned was to listen to understand, and not listen to react and respond. There’s a difference, and there’s ALWAYS a solution. It just requires putting in the work - talking things out, exploring, gathering perspectives - there’ll be a solution. Anyway, I was never the same after this. Did I mention I was also on the cover of DM News?!?!?
Another example is the work and partnership with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. As a mother of two girls, this is the MOST important work. Last year, we delivered an integrated and immersive campaign that visualised the vast scale of the problem. Using AI, we generated 85 million unique film posters in real time, in multiple languages, inspired by real survivor stories, with one film poster being made every two seconds. The campaign included an in-person experience in New York City during the Tribeca Film Festival, and was even featured at the G7. Our work and partnership with the Centre continues to remain strong, most recently with ‘Trojan Horse’, which launched in the fall (and more to come in the future).
LBB> For any juniors at NFA looking to get to know you in your new role, is there any advice or words of wisdom you'd like to offer? What would you tell your past self about what it takes to succeed in the industry?
Priyanka> To be honest, I really feel for the junior people who are just entering this business, because hybrid work environments and ‘Zoomland’ aren’t the best for learning. We take for granted all the learning that happens through physical context and osmosis of presence.
So, my advice would be to find ways to get exposure and be present. Don’t get lost online. Show up! Find ways to connect in person. Raise your hand for things that push you out of your comfort zone, because it’s the only way to learn in this biz.
I also encourage junior leaders to think about what their actions today will mean for them when they get more senior, and what their succession plan leadership looks like. We all have a legacy to leave behind - we should think about that. It sets the path forward.
Lastly, it’s a tough business. There’s criticism and constant ups and downs. That’s the job. Important to remember that everything is temporary. There are always better days ahead. Find good people and have fun!
LBB> Finally, are there any things you like to do to unwind after a long day at work?
Priyanka> As a proud mom of two girls, who are the lights of my life and… the source of all my exhaustion, there’s not much resting happening. Rather, I usually unwind by falling asleep on the couch while watching every show we commit to. (At least I am consistent?)
We’re also a big ski family which keeps us busy and active in the winters. It’s a great time with great friends, although it's a lot more work than you think – there’s a lot of yelling to get boots and gear on, simultaneous sweating and freezing, back pain, and a lot of energy going into the perfect curation of snacks.
Other than that, I am trying to make a personal commitment to myself to get back into yoga after an eight-year hiatus. I started over the holidays, and I hope that sticks. Someone hold me accountable, please!
