BBH’s Karen Martin Is on a Mission to Reignite Creativity in Advertising Under Her IPA Presidency

BBH's CEO Karen Martin has stepped into her new role as president of the IPA as of March 27th with unshakable conviction: the advertising industry must return to its creative roots. In her inaugural address, she painted a stark picture of an industry that has lost its way, tangled in short-term perspectives, budget pressures, and an over-reliance on data. However, her message was not one of despair, but of revival.

A Rallying Cry for Creativity

For Karen, the heart of advertising has always been creativity. “It’s why consumers buy stuff and behave differently,” she says. “It’s why I wanted to get into this industry in the first place.” However, she argues that the industry has allowed research companies and AI to dictate success metrics, rather than trusting in the power of creative ideas.

She sees creativity not just as a differentiator but as an economic powerhouse. The creative industry contributes over £40 billion to the UK economy and supports four million jobs, many of which are outside of London. “This is something we should all feel pride in, but more importantly, a genuine responsibility for.”

Four Key Pillars to Bring Creativity Back

To reclaim creativity’s central role in advertising, Karen has suggested and outlined four key initiatives that she will focus on throughout her two-year presidency:

Celebrating Creativity: The IPA will actively champion creatives and ensure they have a seat at the table. Despite driving the industry forward, creative leaders have historically been absent from the IPA Council. Now with Karen at the helm, she vows to change that and push for more creative directors to speak out about the shape of the industry's future.

Training Creatives: Karen will introduce the IPA Creative Essentials Certificate, a program designed to provide young creatives with the same level of foundational training currently offered to strategists and account managers. She also plans to improve how ideas are evaluated and approved to make sure that the creative process is protected from conception to execution.

Attracting New Talent: She is passionate about widening access to the industry through initiatives like BBH’s Barn programme, which offers paid training for young creatives. By expanding and prioritising these sorts of programmes, Karen hopes to attract a new generation of talent from diverse backgrounds.

Awarding Creativity: In a long-overdue move, the IPA will introduce a creative award within the IPA Effectiveness Awards. This will recognise not just the impact of creative work on brands and business success, but also the craft and innovation behind it.

Tackling Industry Challenges Head-On

Though Karen is optimistic with what she has set out to achieve during her presidency, she also acknowledges the hurdles ahead. One major concern is the declining number of women in creative departments, despite a rise in female leadership at C-suite level. “We need to make sure we’re hiring correctly, retaining, promoting, and celebrating female creatives,” she says.

She also recognises the growing influence of AI but remains firm that human creativity must lead. “AI has incredible potential, but should we be using it where a human hand could have done the same?” It’s food for thought, and instead of fearing AI, Karen urges the industry to embrace new technology while also maintaining a firm commitment to human ingenuity.

A Legacy of Inspiration

As she enters her two-year presidency, Karen already knows she wants to leave behind a legacy where creatives feel championed and celebrated. She dreams of a future industry where creative excellence is protected, nurtured, and rewarded. So, she’s committed to improving the work and restoring the inspiration behind advertising to engage audiences in unexpected and delightful ways.

Creativity is not just a ‘nice to have’ – it’s the very foundation of advertising. “Let’s protect it and put it back at the heart of everything we do,” she concludes. “And can we all just have some fun as well? Please.”

With Karen at the helm, the IPA is set for a dynamic shift – one that places creativity firmly back where it belongs: at the centre of everything that we do.