Member Interview with Elektra Vais

We are delighted to bring you a Member Interview with Elektra Vais, Client Success Director at Always Be Content

What’s your golden rule?

Empathy is the foundation upon which strong connections are forged. 
A large part of the job working in client services is building relationships and if there's one thing I've learned it's that showing up with kindness and genuine interest is the key to making those relationships last. Remember that clients have bad days just like you. Taking the time to understand what matters most to them. Making small, thoughtful gestures like complimenting a new haircut and showing up with a smile. It all goes a long way.

Who has been your biggest influence?

My former boss, Meliza Visvardis, Managing Director at my very first agency job, was the first woman in a leadership role I’d seen lead with such grace and strength. I think it's rare to find someone who excels both in their craft and in people management, but Meliza does just that. She's an incredibly experienced marketer, and she took the time to teach me the ins and outs of advertising, support me both professionally and personally, and help me find my true path. I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without her. And to this day, she remains a dear friend.

What is your most hated business expression?

Anything being labelled as "disruptive". It so very rarely is and marketers are guilty of using the term so often, that for me it's lost all meaning. 

What’s the smartest business idea you’ve ever had?

I’ve always liked this quote from Barack Obama: "Learn to get stuff done." Over the years, I’ve worn many hats—journalist, copywriter, social media manager, digital strategist. Along the way, I’ve become detail-oriented, adaptable, and always eager to take on new challenges, even when I’m stepping outside my comfort zone. Accumulating diverse skills and staying hungry to learn have been one of the smartest decisions I’ve made for my career. It’s helped me become a trusted advisor to my clients—someone who doesn’t just identify problems but proactively solves them.
Last year, when I began working with a new client, I was able to use my background in social media and digital strategy to guide our annual plan. I identified past delays and created a system to streamline feedback and reduce bottlenecks in our creative team. I then suggested a more focused content strategy with a "Less is more" approach— fewer but higher-quality pieces tailored to each stage of the customer journey. All this resulted in better performance, smoother processes, and a stronger relationship with the client, who now sees me as an integral part of their team.
So, my advice: learn to get stuff done, lots of them, wear many hats, and view every experience as a lesson that brings you closer to mastering your craft.

Which leader do you admire most and why?

Syl Saller is literally the "who I want to be when I grow up"! They say never meet your heroes, but I had the privilege of meeting her at a Marketing Society event last year, and she was just as inspiring in person. Her career, leading some of the world’s biggest brands, serving as president of the Marketing Society, and receiving a CBE, is nothing short of remarkable. While I’m sure it hasn’t always been easy, she makes it all seem effortless. 

What is on your mind the most right now as a marketing leader?

I think about the state of the world and how I can use my role to make a difference. With so much happening globally—from climate change to politics to the ongoing abuse of women—it feels overwhelming, and it’s difficult to know what the right thing to do is, both as a marketer and as a human being.
But I feel like there is hope. We have the power to drive change and make a positive impact. Campaigns like Glamour’s Stop Image-Based Abuse, which led to legislation protecting women from deepfake abuse, or initiatives like Sinead Burke’s Tilting the Lens, championing inclusion, show just how marketing can shape a better society. Our own Always Be Content "Nature Calls" campaign for Scottish Water not only raised awareness about the environmental harm caused by wet wipes but led to a ban on wipes containing plastic in Scotland. Even though it's easy to despair I try to think about those powerful examples of how we can help shape a better society and a better world.

Why is being part of The Marketing Society important for your career?

I didn’t start my career in marketing until my late 20s, and with little formal training and few industry connections, I felt like a bit of an outsider. But through the Marketing Society, I’m getting the opportunity to connect with other marketers, sharing ideas and experiences. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of something larger, knowing that those around me have been or are in the same place, and share the same journey.

Why does marketing matter to you?

Marketing to me is a fascinating mix of strategy, creativity, and psychology, that thrives on complexity and endless possibilities. In my mind, it's sort of the intersection of science and art. The scientific side—research, metrics, strategy,—ensures that we’re reaching the right people, with the right message, at the right time. But the artistic side—creativity, storytelling, and emotional engagement—ensures that the message resonates. In its final expression, marketing is not just about what you sell, but how you make people feel. When you get the right combination of data, messaging, visuals, and narrative, it can touch people on a deep, emotional level, whether that’s sparking joy, curiosity, or even challenging perceptions. It feels important to me to be part of that. 

Tell us something that’s not on your CV

Believe it or not, I didn’t always dream of being a marketer—I actually wanted to be a writer. My dad is a painter, which is probably how I ended up studying Art History instead of Marketing (though that might have been a more practical choice, in hindsight). I remember though that when I was little, I used to "design" posters for his exhibitions and write press releases for him. Looking back, it’s funny how I always seemed to have a marketer inside me, even if I didn’t know it at the time!

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Published on 19 February 2025