In conversation: Mariana Tuis and Vanessa Sanchez

Lessons learned from working on WPP's UN Women partnership

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Wunderman Thompson Mexico Business Lead, Vanessa Sanchez, and Executive Vice President of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Mexico, Mariana Tuis, are part of the cross-WPP team that work on WPP’s UN Women partnership. They discuss career paths, lessons learned from working with UN Women, and the importance of building a work family.

Mariana Tuis, Executive Vice President, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Mexico:

Did you always know that you wanted to work in advertising?

Vanessa Sanchez, Business Lead, Wunderman Thompson Mexico:

Actually yes. When I was little I would watch TV but mainly for the commercials not the shows. I then studied marketing and went to work client side. I don’t know how my CV got to JWT but I’ve stayed agency side ever since and have no intention of going anywhere else! And you?

MT: Not at all – I studied to be a diplomat with a focus on international relations and economics. But in the last year of my degree I took a political communication class and loved it. I had no idea what PR was or anything about Hill+Knowlton but I fell in love with the job. 

The frustration, the early wake-ups, it’s all worth it because it means you truly have a passion for it

VS: And what challenges and obstacles have you faced along the way?

MT: Being a woman in a country like Mexico can sometimes make it difficult to be taken seriously. Things are definitely improving though.  

VS: I completely agree. Although I think that on my side one of the biggest challenges has been the range of completely different clients and sectors I’ve worked on. The work I’ve done with the UN Women team has taught me a lot about avoiding stereotypes, the gender equality agenda and working with government.

UN Women is one of the clients that we have worked on together. Has the experience of working with UN Women been different from other clients for you? 

MT: "No Es de Hombres" is one of the campaigns that has made the biggest impact on me over the course of my career. Working on UN Women has truly made me feel like I am part of something bigger. 

It is so important that we keep raising awareness on this day because it's all about the fight for equality and we aren’t finished with it yet

If you could go back to the beginning of your career, what advice would you give yourself?

VS:  I would tell myself that it’s all worth it and to stick with it. The frustration, the early wake-ups, it’s all worth it because it means you truly have a passion for it.

MT: How would you characterise your relationship with your team? 

VS: I see my team as a diverse working family.

Has how you see International Women's Day changed since you’ve worked with UN Women?

MT: Absolutely. It is so important that we keep raising awareness on this day because it's all about the fight for equality and we aren’t finished with it yet.