by N6A Team6 Insights from N6A CRO Patrick Brady
Our “6 Insights” series continues with Patrick Brady following his appointment to Chief Revenue Officer at N6A. Patrick joins N6A with more than 15 years of experience in agency sales, having previously served as the Senior Vice President of Business Development for MikeWorldWide Public Relations. We sat down with him to learn more about his experience, goals and industry insight.
1. Welcome to N6A! What attracted you to this agency in particular? What sets N6A apart from other agencies you’ve worked with?
Thank you! I’m extremely happy to be here!
My attraction to the agency came in waves. I was initially attracted to N6A by the Outcome Relations focus towards overall strategy and execution; as you can imagine, this alone is unique within our industry. I then met several members of the senior team and was inspired by their commitment to the agency and staff. I then learned more about the larger North Sixth Group investments and the involvement with Italian football. As a football fanatic, let’s just say I was sold!
Each one of these things are unique on their own and compelled me to join.
2. We want to get to know you a little better. What would your perfect day in NYC look like?
A perfect day in NYC for me would start with a long walk from the Financial District to the West Village. The vibrant, subtle differences you experience as you walk through each of these neighborhoods reminds me of how truly dynamic NYC is. But I wouldn’t walk for too long, as I’d need to catch the latest Liverpool FC game at one of my favorite supporters bars dotted across the city.
Then I would head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to help balance my day with a little highbrow culture. One of my favorite things to do is listen to a single album from start to finish during a walk through the museum. The blending of beautiful art and beautiful music creates a truly ethereal experience.
By this point, I would be extremely hungry and would head to one of my favorite Japanese sushi houses to enjoy the chef’s omakase menu. From there, I would head out to see some live music and hopefully experience a new sound.
3. You’ve been working in agency sales for more than 15 years. How has that experience prepared you for this role at N6A?
Fifteen years has taught me a lot about the ever-changing world of PR and digital marketing and, most importantly, the value these disciplines bring to companies at every developmental stage. This understanding allows me to bring perspective, vision, and a value-driven mindset to the agency.
4. The last 20 months have been one of the most disruptive periods in modern communications. We’re all familiar with the challenges this created; tell us about a key opportunity.
One of the trends I’ve noticed over the past year is the ever-evolving role of the CMO. At one point, CMOs were focused solely on corporate marketing practices, but are now working across organizational departments like finance and HR. I always ask myself how to bring the most value to CMOs given the expansion of their responsibilities and how to drive the outcomes needed to benefit their organizations. The opportunity lies in having deeper conversations that go beyond the formative asks of PR and marketing and are more aligned with the larger goals of the organization. Outcome-focused curiosity is the opportunity.
5. What’s one industry trend that will be critical in determining PR success in 2022?
This is more of a macro business trend than an industry trend, but there is a higher demand for brand storytelling, brand core value communications, and social responsibility and purpose communications. Given all that has happened during the past two years, brands are being held to task on core value alignment and showing impact vs. promises.
6. As CRO, what is your top personal goal for 2022? What is your top goal for N6A as a whole?
For both, I am razor-focused on building and continuously nourishing a culture of growth that allows N6A to deliver more value to our current and future clients.