Champion for Good: Lucia Knell
Upworthy’s mission is to tell stories that make the world a better place — which makes them a perfect partner for the Ad Council. Over the past several years, they’ve provided fantastic media and editorial support to a number of Ad Council campaigns. They’ve profiled the seniors served by volunteers for Meals on Wheels, invited their readers to experience life through the eyes of a child with learning and attention issues, and demystified food labels to help reduce food waste.
These partnerships come to life thanks to the work of Lucia Knell, Account Strategist for Upworthy. We’re pleased to honor her as a Champion for Good for devoting her time, talent, and support to advance social causes.
Ad Council: Smokey Bear or McGruff?
Lucia Knell: Smokey Bear
AC: What’s on your desktop home screen?
LK: Beyoncé and Solange Knowles as babies
AC: Android or iPhone?
LK: iPhone
AC: Favorite social platform?
LK: Instagram
AC: Favorite social good ad campaign?
LK: Love Has No Labels!!!
AC: In a nutshell, what’s your job/what do you do?
LK: I run digital media campaigns for Upworthy, executing against native advertising editorial and video campaigns with our amazing partners, including Ad Council.
AC: How do you think advertising can be a force for good?
LK: Ads are everywhere. I always say that working in the advertising industry has changed the way I view the world. Because once you notice ads you can’t really ‘un-see’ them — sure, they’re in obvious places like billboards and bus stops, but they’re also present in subtle ways that ultimately influence the ways we make choices as consumers, members of our communities and citizens of the US. All that being said, ads are incredibly influential in the choices we face daily — so if there’s a way to take advantage of those platforms to put the right sorts of messaging in front of people, for everything from fire safety to equal rights, it’s an exciting and powerful way to incite change.
AC: What’s the best professional advice you’ve ever been given?
LK: Be a self-starter when you can but if you can’t, don’t wait or be shy to make your needs heard.
AC: Who’s been your greatest influence?
LK: Beyoncé is a source of inspiration for most everything in my life… and my career is no exception. She’s the best example of a businesswoman who’s turned her own industry on its head. From guerrilla marketing tactics (hello, surprise album) to being unabashedly outspoken about topics she cares about in her music and on social media, she is constantly reinventing the way she presents herself and her work to the world in a way that flawlessly gets her fans coming back over and over again … and always on her own terms.
AC: What have you gotten out of working with the Ad Council?
LK: Ad Council serves as a force for good in the advertising world in the ways listed above. Every campaign they run works for a cause that’s on the right side of history — and I’m so proud to be a part of it.
