McCanners of New York: Regan Mason
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 Regan Mason, senior community lead at McCann New York.
Q> Why did you decide to pursue a career in Advertising?
Regan> I grew up thinking I'd work in the fashion industry but as time passed, I started getting into graphic design and was obsessed with social media (back when social was becoming more and more important for brand presence). I realised advertising was a great way to merge the two interests in some capacity and the rest, as they say, is history.
Q> What was it about social media that sparked your interest?
Regan> Honestly, it was simply just fun - and still is! It was a vehicle for self-expression, almost like I was creating the life I always wanted. I posted what I thought was cool, started a (short-lived) blog, followed people with similar interests, all of that. The internet and social media has always been a fun outlet for me - it just so happens my career revolves around it now as well.
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?
Regan> Yes! I do nails in my free time, my clientele is growing. I've been a nail girlie forever. My mom was a hair stylist, so growing up in a black-owned salon influenced my life and style in so many ways. I feel like working in this industry, there's an element of creativity you need to have. Thinking of new ideas and always finding a creative solve, both of those apply to advertising and being a nail tech.
Q> Can you share a project or campaign you've worked on that you're particularly proud of?
Regan> I work on the Mastercard account and most recently, our second half campaign featured The Ripped Bodice - an independent bookstore devoted to the celebration of romance novels. They're woman-owned and queer-owned and that love we got on that video was amazing. It really hit home with the niche community on book-tok and showed how important it is to monitor and consider different sub-cultures in our content.
Q> What advice would you give to someone aspiring to pursue a career in advertising, especially at a large agency like McCann?
Regan> 1: Don't be afraid to cold message people on LinkedIn to ask about their experience if you're interested. I know someone that got a job from a coffee chat that started from a LinkedIn message.
2: If a role presents itself, even if it's not the exact one you want, take it. Take the role, be a little sponge willing to soak up all the info and learnings you can. So that when a role opens that is more aligned with what you want to do, people can vouch for you cause you're already an all-star. Trust me, I started in production and made my way into social soon after.
