McCanners of New York: Katie Henry

Welcome to 'McCanners of New York', a series that delves into the lives of the talent behind McCann New York's greatest work. Featuring employees across departments and various roles, this series is an exploration of their personal stories, side-hustles, passions and the projects they cherish.

'McCanners of New York' offers a glimpse into the lives of these talented advertisers, showcasing both their professional and personal journeys.

In this edition, we’re getting to know Katie Henry, content creator, McCann New York.

Q> Why did you decide to pursue a career in Advertising?

Katie> To be honest, I did not pursue a career in Advertising. I worked in the sports industry for a few years after college and wanted to make a change in my career. I interviewed to be an executive assistant here at McCann almost 16 years ago, not knowing what I wanted to do within the industry. I didn’t know my options, I dabbled in photography on the side which my boss at the time knew about. One day we were chatting and he asked what I wanted to do here, how could we find a place within McCann where I truly fit. Without hesitation, I told him that I’d love to incorporate photography into my job - I wasn’t sure that was an option but I mentioned it anyway. Two weeks later, a creative here at McCann asked if I would come to his shoot and capture some still images in between scenes for Joe’s Crab Shack to use on a new app called Instagram that was apparently the next best thing. I happily joined him on set, captured far too many angles of lobsters and one of those images was one of our clients very first posts on Instagram. After that, my career drastically changed for the absolute better.

Q> Outside of work, do you have any personal interests or hobbies that you're particularly passionate about? Has this hobby/passion influenced your work in advertising at all? 

Katie> Photography and travel have always been a passion of mine. Travelling the world is such a privilege and I’ve been able to go to some incredible places for work, something I never take for granted. Seeing new cities, meeting new people, and experiencing the beauty of the world influences every part of my life including work.

Photography has always been a part of my life, for as long as I can remember my dad was never without a camera in his hand. He documented his time in the Vietnam war, it’s wild he was able to capture what he captured. 

When he purchased my first 'real' camera he asked me if I was going to take this seriously, I said yes and I never looked back.

Q> Can you share a project or campaign you've worked on that you're particularly proud of?

Katie> I just wrapped on the Stand Up 2 Cancer social campaign for Mastercard, launching in June, where I was directing and was interviewed as a Cancer Survivor. Everyone in front of and behind the scenes had been impacted by cancer in some way and we wanted to bring attention to that. The conversations had in pre-production and on set were incredible and show not only how many are touched by this disease in some way but also the strength of humanity. It’s rare you can work on a campaign that makes a difference in people’s lives.

Q> What advice would you give to someone aspiring to pursue a career in advertising, especially at a large agency like McCann?

Katie> Ask questions. Every person has something to teach you so when you come in contact with people in the industry ask them about their jobs, experiences, and their mistakes they learned from the most.

Q> What is your favourite area in NYC and why?

Katie> I don’t think I could choose one place in NYC. I love it so much as a whole. I love walking around different areas and taking pictures of the people and some of the smaller hideaways that generally go unnoticed. It was an insane experience walking around in the early days of covid when the streets were empty, I have shots of Times Square and The Met totally vacant of humans, it was surreal and sad especially knowing how vibrant the city usually is.

Q> If you could recommend one hidden gem in NYC that not many people know about, what would it be?

Katie> I’m not telling you. 😉