The Fishbowl: Helen Keelan, LG Ad Solutions

The Fishbowl

The Media Leader’s interview series asks the media industry’s top salespeople 10 revealing questions, drawn from our fishbowl. The questions will be drawn at random and contain some tricky posers set by the commercial chiefs themselves.

This week: Helen Keelan, senior sales director at LG Ad Solutions.

Keelan joined LG Ad Solutions at the start of the year as senior sales director. But this is not her first connected TV role — before LG, Keelan spent over four years at Magnite, most recently as demand lead for the UK and Nordics.

Programmatic has been a key part of Keelan’s media career right from the off: she was programmatic manager at 1XL before moving to ESI Media as programmatic manager in 2018.

Why are you passionate about media?

What I love about media is the storytelling — telling old stories in new ways that are provocative and culturally relevant. Especially within the context of digital advertising, with the explosion of connected TV and AI, our industry is constantly innovating and reinventing itself to engage audiences with new ideas or in new ways. It keeps things interesting!

Secondly, it’s still very much a people-centred business, focused on making personal connections, which is important for me.

What is coming up in conversations with clients?

Attention is a hot topic as clients seek to look beyond tired click-through rate and view-through rate metrics to other indicators of media effectiveness.

Eye-tracking technology corroborates the story of TV as the best vehicle for brand-building, so it’s interesting to see that proven in the data versus other channels, combating misperceptions over the quality of free ad-supported TV.

Shoppable TV formats are also increasingly in demand as advertisers seek to meet streaming audiences’ expectations of a seamless entertainment experience — one that includes purchasing products directly from their smart TV.

What would you want the title of your biography to be?

I Dare You. We’re our own worst enemy. I recently turned 30 and had a moment to take stock: life flies by, and fear and self-doubt get in the way of so many dreams. I’m trying not to take myself too seriously and go for things outside my comfort zone.

There have been wild adventures like going shark diving, but I found the scariest things have been part of my every day, like being honest with my boss or my partner about what I want.

It feels scary, but what’s the worst that can happen? Live a little.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I was a huge fan of Project Runway and wanted to be a fashion designer; I was always sketching crazy outfits. But the dream was over when I realised I could barely operate a sewing machine: I presented my dad with my school sewing project, which was supposed to be a tie, and he said he’d treasure his new handkerchief.

What is one important skill that you think everyone should have?

The ability to listen. So many people, especially us sales folk, underestimate the value of shutting up and listening. I’m still working on this one and it’s amazing what you can learn.

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?

Less Salesforce admin! AI, please, a little help here?

Peer question: When did you fail the hardest and what did you learn from it?

I once had a job interview where I asked the CEO what his role was.

A very basic lesson learned: always do your research — even if you’re not sure you value X, Y or Z opportunity. Knowledge is power and can help you make that informed decision or convert that new business.

Question from Wayne Davison, chief revenue officer, Little Dot Studios

Peer question: Who was your first media lunch with and where did you go?

Casting my mind back, I think mine was in German Gymnasium with a lovely chap called Rich Hall who worked on the O2 team when they were at Havas. I’m pretty sure I brought my notebook.

Question from Emma Callaghan, sales and invention director, Reach

Peer question: What interview question do you always ask anyone looking to join your company and what answer are you looking for?

What are three tenets you hold dear for your personal success and how will you bring those to this role/team?

I wouldn’t be looking for any prescriptive answer — it’s just interesting to hear about a candidate’s journey to this point in their career (and life generally): how they see themselves, what they value and what they have to offer others.

Question from Dan Durling, managing director, Alight Media

Peer question: What is a buzzword that you never want to hear again?

“Ecosystem”. It’s media, not geography. I’m as guilty as the next person.

Question from Pippa Scaife, VP brand partnerships, NBCUniversal

Read more Fishbowl interviews here and see what media’s top salespeople say about working in the industry and what concerns their clients. To suggest an interviewee, contact [email protected].