Me in Merkle - Sharon Curr

Me In Merkle is a series of interviews that showcase the incredible individuals who make Merkle a unique and diverse place to work. This week we chatted to Sharon Curr, Brand experience strategy director at Merkle B2B.

1. Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

Only child, married to Clare, two furry babies called Blaine and Rosie (adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniels). I grew up just outside Glasgow and now I live in Islington, London (but take regular trips back to the homeland for proper fish suppers and Lorne sausage).

2. What drew you to your current career?

After graduation, doing a placement in a legal department reinforced my suspicion that the law wasn’t for me. I moved across a range of departments, trying to find something that felt right and when I got to marketing I knew it was something I’d enjoy getting up to do every day. One Postgrad later, I landed in the agency world and have never looked back.

3. What opportunities do you see coming from the newly merged DWA + gyro into MerkleB2B?

The bringing together of all the disciplines bolsters our capabilities, we have all the expertise we need under one roof to give our clients the right solution. That could be a creative solution, a media solution or a combination.

4. What advice would you give to somebody pursuing a career within Strategy?

Three things: 1) It’s a cliché, but my main advice would be to be curious. I’m fascinated by people and what motivates them, and when I look at potential strategists I’m looking for people who share that. 2) Read, but not just marketing books, all books and articles – it gets you into people’s heads and ensures you are exposed to  perspectives other than those formed by your own values and experiences. 3) Learn from the best – I’m a product of all the wonderful strategists I’ve ever worked with, both those from my agencies and other agencies I’ve been lucky enough to work with when working on a cross-agency team.

5. B2B may not be the home of the ‘sexy’ brands, but what would you tell somebody considering pivoting from B2C?

It’s more intellectually stimulating. The complexity of the decision making units (both those buying your clients’ products or services but also the stakeholders on the client side). Learning about products and services that you hadn’t known existed and certainly hadn’t purchased or experienced yourself so can’t fall back on personal knowledge/lazy assumptions. The range of business challenges that your clients trust you to help them resolve.

6. Are you involved in any of our DEI pillars? If so, which ones?

None, but many of the initiatives they push forward have benefited me.

7. What is your greatest accomplishment?

My friendships.

8. Tell us a bit about your experience so far with MerkleB2B?

I started just as lockdown happened so didn’t get to go into the agency until recently but was lucky to know quite a few people already. And everyone was in it together so making such a big effort to check in. World Courier was my first main client and it was amazing to be tangentially involved in medicines continuing to move round the world during a global pandemic. I spend my days interviewing stakeholders from around the globe so at no point did I feel isolated, it expanded my horizons and deepened my cultural understanding. What could have been awful timing was actually a gift. I’ve also had the opportunity to steer our ABX offering, to work with some amazing brands and some lovely and very talented clients and colleagues.

9. What inspires you about MB2B’s workplace culture?

It is so inclusive and has a family feel. I’ve been incredibly lucky to work at a few agencies across the years where the people were consistently nice and this one is right up there.

10. What was your dream job growing up?

I was a huge LA Law fan and had no doubt that I was going to take the legal world by storm. The seeds may have been sown when watching the news as a young child and it was announced that judges had had a pay rise and were now the highest paid people in the UK…

11. Why would somebody want to work in your team?

We all get on. And we all learn from each other. It’s a nurturing environment.

12. How do you like your eggs?

I can’t stand the concept of them. The texture is the main issue. But I’m perfectly happy with their role in French Toast.

13. What are you currently watching on Netflix/Prime?

Last thing I watched on Netflix was Schitt’s Creek, for the third time. That’s the way the world should be. I can’t even remember the last time I watched Prime. Currently watching the final season of A Discovery of Witches on Sky.

14. What’s your guilty pleasure?

Thornton’s Vanilla Truffles – takes me back to childhood and getting a bag every week as a treat to eat while watching Saturday night telly with my parents.

15. What is your dream holiday destination?

Carvoeiro in Poortugal – we’ve been going there for decades and it’s my happy place. First place we went to when the travel ban was lifted.