Make Them Remember You: Suzanne Darmory’s Guide to Standing Out and Leading Boldly

On April 14th, AdLab had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Suzanne Darmory, an award-winning creative leader and the fearless President and Chief Creative Officer of The AGNCY, for an inspiring session with students. With over 25 years of global experience in advertising and marketing, Suzanne shared her journey and revealed how to thrive by combining creativity, strategy, and a bold sense of risk-taking.

A proud BU alumna, Suzanne’s career path has taken her from a BS in Communication to top leadership roles at R/GA, JWT, Zeta, and L’Oréal, working with clients like IBM, Bloomberg, and First Response. Now at The AGNCY, Suzanne leads a dynamic team that delivers bold, innovative brand experiences for clients.

One of Suzanne’s key pieces of advice for students? Do something that makes you stand out. For her, it was creating pencils with her portfolio URL and delivering them to agencies across Boston during her post-grad, showing that creativity can come in many forms. “What’s your hook?” Suzanne challenged students to discover one standout quality or skill that makes them irresistibly unique, something they can lean into to make their mark in the industry. For her, it was combining her fine arts background with her expertise in copywriting.

Suzanne’s career is a testament to her creative genius, with over 100 advertising awards to her name. She’s not just crafted campaigns, she’s transformed entire industries, from fintech to beauty, leaving an indelible mark on every brand she touches. Her work has graced the pages of Adweek, Forbes, and CNN, and she’s been celebrated as one of Refinery29’s “29 Most Powerful Women in Digital,” solidifying her place as a true trailblazer in the advertising world.

Her career advice didn’t stop there. Suzanne encouraged students to “work smarter, not more,” emphasizing that success isn’t about grinding endlessly but about focusing on what matters most. Suzanne also emphasized the crucial role that kindness and mentorship play in building a successful career. She encouraged students to not only focus on their own growth but also be mindful of the relationships they nurture along the way. According to Suzanne, the advertising industry is small, and the connections you make, whether with peers, mentors, or even people you help,can have a lasting impact.

A true advocate for the next generation, Suzanne mentors students through programs like Miami Ad School and Shoptalk Meetup for Women, giving back to the creative community that helped shape her own career. Her visit was a powerful reminder that bold ideas, thoughtful leadership, and a spark of creativity can take you far in the advertising world. As she told students, “Success is being able to do what you once thought was impossible.”

Thanks, Suzanne, for showing us how to stand out, think differently, and lead with heart!