Miami University students had the opportunity to hear from advertising leader, Cliff Schwandner, a former senior executive with Leo Burnett in Chicago and the former president of Orchard Digital Marketing, during the latest MJF Speaker Series event. 

Schwandner has worked for major brands such as Nestle Purina Petcare, Philip Morris/Altria, the Art Institute of Chicago, DHL Global Shipping, and ALDI U.S. He spoke candidly to students about his experiences through leadership, creativity, industry evolution, and the role of artificial intelligence in marketing. 

Schwandner opened the conversation by reflecting on his path through the agency world. As he advanced from creative and account roles to an executive leadership role, he said he had to “step into discomfort” and learn to see advertising from a broader perspective. He explained that leadership requires an ability to understand the entire system, rather than just one task. 

“You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room,” Schwandner said. “You can learn from what others have to say.”

He emphasized that taking risks on people, staying curious, and simply being kind have shaped his role as a leader throughout his career. 

Students asked about the rise of artificial intelligence. Schwandner noted that AI became more relevant in the marketing world before he left Orchard. He remains cautious when making predictions, however, he stated that AI is already proving to be an efficiency tool across the industry. 

He stated that “it will shorten the distance between two points,” adding that tasks like writing a creative brief may require only two people someday instead of four. He believes that there will always be a need for human judgment in brand building and performance marketing, since AI will never have a handle on what is objectively true or false. 

Looking ahead, Schwander said that in order to stand out when interviewing for a marketing position, candidates should share outside knowledge from personal reading materials. He believes it is important to continue reading throughout your career in order to enhance your knowledge. It is important to challenge the interviewer as well with your own questions and explain why certain readings are compelling or not compelling at all (Shwandner shares that the book on his nightstand is Our Man by George Packer). 

Schwandner concluded his lecture by reflecting on how his time at Miami shaped his career path. Even though he enjoyed studying history and policy, he ultimately realized that he wanted to pursue a career in a completely different direction. The research, writing, and academic challenges he encountered at Miami prepared him for the demands of a global advertising career. 

“Be honest with yourself and try things,” Schwandner advised students.