kelly_wlnWe recently talked with Kelly Thompson, Director of Brand Planning at Carmichael Lynch, about her work, quirks, and life.  Kelly is one of the many extraordinarily talented women of IPG – read on to see where she draws her inspiration, how she relaxes, and what her joys and frustrations in the workplace are.

Do you have a favorite quote?

“Get ‘er dun” – in our industry, and in our culture, we can often get trapped in the spin cycle of opinion-making rather than action-taking. I love this quote for its down-to-earth call to action!

Any hobbies? Don’t be shy – we accept all types.

  • Hanging out with books – reading –anything and everything in old school book form (just can’t get on the electronic book bandwagon).
  • Hanging out with plants – from gardening to hiking in the woods.
  • Hanging out with animals – whether with my dog and cat, the deer up at my cabin, or taking action to help organizations like the Humane Society, Animal Legal Defense Fund or MN Voters for Animal Protection.

What’s the one thing you couldn’t live without?

My family – they ground me, feed my soul and remind me what is important in life.

Whom do you most admire?

My mother – she has been a constant source of inspiration in pushing me to stretch myself – from instilling in me a love of learning from a very young age to cheering me on as I take on new challenges as an adult.

If you could be any brand, what brand would you be?

Tom’s Shoes – they’ve cracked the code on a virtuous relationship model – altruism, connection, community and style are all baked into the brand in an authentic manner.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

The “tear-down” without the “build-up” – we all do it, offer criticism without a solution or build, but think about how much more we could accomplish if we try to catch ourselves on this nasty habit just a little more often!

If you had to be in a talent show, what would you do?

I would put my dog to work on that one – we have been working on a “sit like a gopher and catch a tennis ball” trick lately!

If you were to write your own brief bio, what would you most want people to know about you (i.e. previous job, school attended, city relocated from)?

I’ve spent the majority of my life and career in the beautiful Twin Cities. I attended Macalester College in St. Paul where I majored in Theatre (Directing) and English (Comparative Lit) with a minor in Sociology. After a brief career acting and directing in the local theatre scene, I began my career in marketing, which led me to work at great agencies like Campbell Mithun and space150, and currently at Carmichael Lynch.