Advertising wasn’t the first place Neale Abshire thought she’d use her creative mindset, but once she got a taste of the industry, she never looked back. As VP of Client Partnership at Ammunition, she now leads a portfolio of B2B and B2C clients, with relationships ranging from traditional creative to digital marketing and website development. In the six years she’s been with Ammunition, she’s led seven Addy-winning campaigns and brings her problem-solving attitude and ability to merge technology and creativity to each of her clients.
Since being elected to Worldwide Partners’ Next Gen Council in July 2024, Neale has leveraged her creativity and passion to help refine and relaunch Young Indies, giving this brand-new-in-2024 creative competition a fresh approach for its second year. (More to come in April and May when we’ll announce the Young Indies shortlist and winner!)
We asked Neale ten questions to learn more about her background, what excites her about the advertising industry, and what independence means to her.
WPI >> Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
Neale >> I grew up in South Carolina, Chicago and Atlanta! I now live in Atlanta with my husband at our two dogs. It is definitely home for us!
WPI >> Three words to describe your personality.
Neale >> Eager, competitive, driven
WPI >> How did you end up in the advertising industry?
Neale >> I knew very early on that I wanted to be in the creative field and went through a design major in college. As most college students do, I had a "Do I really want to do this?" moment and a mentor introduced me to the world of advertising. After one day of shadowing, I knew this was what I wanted to do. And the rest is history!
WPI >> What excites you about the advertising industry? What pisses you off?
Neale >> I love the constant change; No day is the same, no project is the same, and there's always a new trend, technology, or challenge that needs tackling.
What pisses me off? The "No, we can't do that" mindset that often trickles into conversations. We have to look at how we can do something, not why we can't.
WPI >> What was your first job and what did it teach you?
Neale >> My first job was as a hostess in high school. Ironically, it taught me many skills that transferred into my career. It taught me to juggle multiple things simultaneously (the guest asking for a booth, the phone ringing, the manager asking me to clear the table...), patience (I'm still working on this), and, most importantly, client service.
WPI >> What is a book, movie, TV show or podcast that you find inspiring?
Neale >> I enjoy listening to the Agency Dealmasters podcast. They feature a new guest from either the brand or agency side on each episode, and it's a great way to get a fresh perspective. It's easy to get trapped in "your way of doing things", so it's important to look outside of your agency.
WPI >> What is one of the favorite projects you have worked on at your agency?
Neale >> I've loved working on "A Better Foundation" for our client, Westlake Pipe & Fittings. This is a brand that's not sexy and a product that's overlooked, yet it affects how we live our day-to-day lives. This was one of those ideas that didn't come from a brief but just an organic problem we saw in the world around us and a story that needed to be told. Check it out: ABetterFoundation.com
WPI >> What do you hope to get from being part of the Next Gen Council? What do you hope to accomplish?
Neale >> I'm excited to work with other young leaders and, as I mentioned above, gain an outside perspective. I've been with Ammunition for almost six years and always want a fresh perspective on how we can lead for our clients. I'm also excited to bring these ideas back to our team and implement them with the generation after me.
WPI >> What does independence mean to you?
Neale >> Being able to do the right thing for our business and our clients. We don't need to answer to anyone but ourselves.
WPI >> What would you be doing if you weren’t in advertising?
Neale >> I'd probably be an interior designer. That's a creative outlet for me outside of work; I love rearranging my house and could happily do that for others for a small fee.
This article is an installment in a series where Worldwide Partners speaks with members of our Next Gen Council. Check back for more interviews with our council members.