DeWERS
MAKING MY IMPACT: A LIFE SHAPED BY ADVERTISING & PURPOSE
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hen I look back at my career, I realize making an impact rarely follows a straight line. Sometimes it winds through humbling detours, unexpected decisions, and moments when someone takes a chance on you that you never thought to take on yourself. My path has taught me that meaningful work isn’t about the industry you land in – it’s about showing up where you’re needed, over and over again. My journey began with a book. I was a straight-A student in high school; school came easy to me and I coasted through classes with ease, which is a nice way to say I was utterly bored out of my mind. My marketing teacher, Mr. Eric Peterson, noticed. One day, as I trudged out of his classroom, he stopped me and handed me a book: Ogilvy on Advertising. “I have an extracurricular assignment for you,” he said. He told me to simply read the book, absorb it, and then tell him what I thought about it. Simple, yet profound (he was a great teacher). I don’t think either of us realized it then, but that moment changed the trajectory of my life. The book, written by advertising legend David Ogilvy, introduced me to the transformative power of creative work. Two stories in particular stayed with me. The first was about Volkswagen, the struggling car manufacturer attempting to get a foothold in the automobile market in post-World War II Germany. Because of the role Germany played during WWII, the world ignored German products, and Americans especially wanted nothing to do with them. But Volkswagen dared to ask Ogilvy for help. The result? A bold ad featuring a yellow Volkswagen Beetle with the word “Lemon” emblazoned across it. The
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By Robyn Damaris Director of Operations Phoenix Dental Agency
self-deprecating humor was unexpected and brilliant. But what was most impressive? It worked. That single ad didn’t just sell cars – it revived an entire country’s economy. Manufacturing opened, the job market began to stabilize, and Germany went from financial despair to renewed hope in a single campaign. One ad, one idea, made an undeniable impact. The second story in Ogilvy’s book was about Puerto Rico. At the time, perceived as dangerous and undesirable, the island was in an economic crisis, unable to attract tourism. Ogilvy again stepped in. Through a series of ads, he showcased Puerto Rico’s beauty — its beaches, culture, and vibrancy. Tourism exploded. Puerto Rico became a destination for American beachgoers. Again, advertising changed lives. When I read these stories as a teenager, I realized something profound: I wanted to do that. I wanted to create work that made people think, that solved problems, that changed lives. I decided then and there that advertising wasn’t just a job – it was a calling. After earning my degree in advertising, I landed a job at Young & Rubicam, one of the largest ad agencies in the world. I got to work on the Hot Wheels account. It was my dream — until it wasn’t. On my fourth day, the agency lost a major client, and since I was the newest hire, I was the first to be let go. I’ll always remember the humiliation of walking out of that office with a check and a letter in hand, my dreams temporarily shattered.
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