Beyond the Desk: Ruth Kim, Associate Director of Planning
Welcome to Beyond the Desk by dentsu X, a new series that is designed to highlight the stories of dentsu X and dive deeper into the people, passions, and talents that make its agency so special.
In July’s edition, we hear from Ruth Kim, an associate director of planning at dentsu X US. Read on for Ruth’s insights on the value of negotiation skills, creating an empowering working environment for her team, and the skills she learned at her first job that she still uses today.
Q> What is one skill they do not teach in school that you use every day?
Ruth> I use negotiating every day. Because I am in a media planning role, I talk to vendors and am always trying to get the best deals for our clients. I will say, this has also come in handy outside of work as well. I feel like there is always an opportunity to utilise strong negotiating skills.
Q> What was your first job? What was the most important skill/lesson you learned?
Ruth> My first job was in high school, and I worked at a café. Working at the cash register involves being face-to-face with a lot of interesting people and personalities. I think that I learned to extend grace to people and understand that everyone is working through their own situations, and I have carried it into my work today. I always try to be kind and understanding toward the people around me.
Q> How has your career evolved since you first joined dentsu X?
Ruth> My career has evolved in some ways, but also many elements have stayed the same. In other words, I started in media planning and that is still my main role, but now that I am an associate director, I have a bigger leadership position and I see different elements of the business than before.
Q> Tell us about an accomplishment you're most proud of during your time at dentsu X?
Ruth> I have been at denstu X for a little over six six years, which is crazy to say. I have worked on two CPG accounts, doing really innovative work for all the brands, and it has been an amazing experience to be on the front lines of those product launches. I would say that I am super proud to have been a part of such cutting-edge campaigns and see the success from the client business point of view when we get told that we’ve exceeded revenue goals. That being said, what has been equally rewarding is the culture we have created on the team. I hold the community to a very high standard, and I always want to make sure that every person on my team feels comfortable and safe.
Q> What is something unique about you, your background, or your role that you bring to the dentsu X community?
Ruth> Something that I bring to the dentsu community is that I am an Asian American woman. I do not think there is enough representation in broader media. When I started working with my current boss, who is also Asian American, watching her progress in her career empowered me to have confidence and know there are no limits to what I can accomplish. I’m proud to play a part in showing that, in corporate America you do see people of different nationalities, colours, and backgrounds.
Q> “The dentsu X experience is powered by ______ ?”
Ruth> Its people!
We are a team of Thinkers, Makers and Doers – committed to defying convention and creating unparallelled experiences for brands. Interested in learning more? Check out the denstu X LinkedIn page here.
