Advertising, Under Review

I want an agency that is creative enough to help me reinvent my total business. Lots of agencies understand brands and how to reinvent them, but I'm not seeing the kind of big-picture thinking that will help clients take advantage of the multiple ways in which people experience brands. Beyond that, the other challenge that keeps me up at night is keeping a really big brand vibrant. We're pretty good at coming up with new products and reaching out to new consumer groups. But how do I grow a big kahuna like Pepsi?

Today, the average American receives more than 3,000 marketing messages a day, and I would argue that advertising has never been more relevant. As people's attention spans shorten, there's an even greater need for an enduring brand. Of course, the challenge is creating campaigns that will last a decade. The future of advertising lies with passionate brand advocates who not only bring ideas to their clients but also help them figure out how to communicate those ideas in a truly integrated way.

Dawn Hudson has been overseeing Pepsi-Cola's brand strategy and marketing for its North America division for the past four years. She is also chairman of the Association of National Advertisers Inc. and has been named to Advertising Age's "Power 50" list twice.