As Lucky Generals’ NY President, Hollie Alexander Is on a Mission

In the wake of a period of significant growth for Lucky Generals in New York, the agency has promoted managing director Hollie Alexander to president. 

Since joining the agency back in 2021, Hollie’s time has coincided with a period of double digit growth - not least including its appointment by Universal Orlando Resort to help launch its Epic Universe theme park, set to open in May 2025. It’s a shop that aims to maintain a steady focus on people - both in the sense of crafting human-centric work, but also in elevating its own. Hollie’s story is emblematic of that, stepping up into a senior leadership role at an agency she’s always admired. 

Now, she’s setting her sights on continued growth - and doing so whilst leading with the heart. To reflect on her plans for the year ahead, and her plan to turn Lucky Generals into a “true contender in the US”, LBB caught up with Hollie… 

LBB> Hollie, congrats on the new role! What’s exciting you most about stepping up as president of Lucky Generals NY?

Hollie> Thank you! I’m truly humbled to be stepping into this role – and to LBB for the recognition. This promotion is, in many ways, a reflection of our agency’s journey as much as my own. What’s exciting me most is what this promotion signals to our clients and the industry. Lucky Generals NY is very much on a mission - we believe in our talent and are investing in our future. Moreover, this industry continues to hold space and recognise the need for diverse talent amongst its leaders. I hope my new role inspires future leaders to stay true to themselves and their values as they hustle and trust in their ability.

LBB> And what does ‘success’ look like to you in the role?

Hollie> It’s funny… so often a new role signals change. And while there’s some truth to that, in many ways, our success will come from us doing more of what we do best – just in bigger and better ways. I’m hopeful Lucky Generals will take its place as a true contender in the US. I believe in this company, and the ambition our three founders wrote on a Post-t 11 years ago back in the UK – a Creative Company for People on a Mission. 

Whilst we’ve been transatlantic from day one (our very first assignment as a start-up was a US brief from Pernod Ricard to help relaunch and revitalise Kahlua), with four Amazon Super Bowl spots along the way (all voted to be in the American public's top five, and one of which won the public vote), we’re now at a point where Lucky Generals NY has the ambition and capabilities to continue taking on its own clients. Clients on a mission to make an impact in this market - and success for me sees both us and those clients win as a result.

LBB> Lucky Generals has seen some great growth in recent times. What’s your explanation for that - what have you been doing that’s allowed you to thrive in challenging economic times?

Hollie> First and foremost, a focus and genuine care for our clients. We’ve grown all our existing client business in the past year. They have been our biggest supporters; we share their ambition for their brands and owe it to be their best partners and deliver exceptional work.

Now, to tell you the secret ingredient?! Ha, honestly, I’m happy to, as more people need to hear it <steps on soapbox>. I believe in the Lost art of Account Handling. We’re in the business of people, and I feel empathy is the greatest skill we possess. In recent times, I worry the industry has pushed it to the sidelines in a world of tech and innovation. Genuine understanding, partnership and trust leads not only to great work, but also to that work making it into the world and becoming successful. At Luckies, we pride ourselves on being an extension of our clients’ teams. We are not ‘the agency’, and I can say with confidence our clients feel the same. We genuinely care about our clients as people, their business, and of course, ultimately, the work. And that’s a value I instill in my team – it's non-negotiable, heart is necessary to do this job any justice.

LBB> You mentioned that Lucky Generals’ culture is part of the reason you admired the company even before joining. Now with your experience on the inside - how would you define that culture?

Hollie> It’s the perfect balance of hard work, ambition and heart. Lucky Generals is a company made of people who know the harder we work, the luckier we get. But hard work alone only gets you so far. What I love about this place is it’s powered by people with strong (collective) creative ambition, and a care for the craft and each other. That latter point is important. It makes the energy here palpable, and it’s a ‘LFG’-with-a-cheeky-smile kind of energy that brings excitement and optimism to what we do. Ask my team how they’re feeling about 2025, and they’ll tell you, ‘the vibes are immaculate’.

LBB> What do you think are some characteristics of brands that are truly going to thrive in 2025?

Hollie> Bravery, integrity and empathy (I’m going to use that ‘e’ word a lot, and unapologetically). 

Being brave is key to creativity, and reaching your full potential as a brand, and standing out amongst a sea of others competing for the same attention. It’s not the time to play it safe, and bravery in this instance, for me, is taking calculated risk - not being bold for the sake of it. 

Which leads me to Integrity. Stay true to your brand. People are smarter than we sometimes give them credit for - they see through the bullsh*t. So, find that one thing about your brand that will connect with your audience in a surprising (brave) and meaningful way.

You can only do that if you truly understand that audience. Have empathy for the people you’re trying to engage. Not just as data in a spreadsheet, but who they are as humans - their experiences, how they feel, and how you can create a genuine impact in their lives.

LBB> To what extent would you agree with the following statement: “It’s never been more difficult for brands to cut through the noise and be heard than it is in 2025”?

Hollie> Absolutely 100%, and the noise isn’t just that of other brands. We’re constantly bombarded with information from all angles, even when we don’t welcome it. It feels like the volume just turned up to max, and we’re all getting a headache. It’s not just about being heard in 2025, but, as I believe, more about being ‘felt’. Attention is table stakes, but for brands to thrive, they need to deliver on something more meaningful that makes consumers into fans and advocates. Trust will be the antidote to the noise.

LBB> How did you first know what kind of leader you wanted to be - and how would you describe your leadership style?

Hollie> Candidly, as I always am, it was never about what I wanted to be, but more about discovering the type of Leader I was meant to be. I don’t mean that to sound too lofty or ethereal. Coming up in this industry, I rarely saw leaders who looked or sounded like me, and I didn’t want to be them. I wanted to prove that I could be successful being authentically me.

It has taken the right working cultures to bring that out of me… and the wrong ones too. Realising what doesn’t work for me has been equally important. I’ve had some amazing champions along the way - most recently the awesome founders at Lucky Generals who may never have encountered a ‘Hollie-like object’ before, but took a chance and gave me the autonomy and their unwavering belief to prove I could make this office work. Plus, special shoutout to ADCOLOR and my fellow 2024 leaders (bless up Cohort 24K!) for officially helping me come off mute last year!

As to my type of leadership, I’m a big empath, so the psychology of the job has always interested me as much as the creativity. I‘ve worked my backside off for everything I’ve achieved to this point. So I guess my style can be summarised as ‘heart and hustle’. I believe in building genuine trust with my teams and my clients, bringing empathy to all that I do, and inspiring relentless optimism and drive leads to the most meaningful work.

LBB> Finally, imagine we were to have this conversation again in a year’s time. What do you think we’d be talking about, and why? 

Hollie> The work, the work, the work. I want to be talking more about what Lucky Generals NY has put out into the world in 2025, and the incredible people behind it all. The business is doing well, and the energy and motivation amongst the team is killer right now. I just know in my bones this will be a great year for us. I can’t fricking wait!