She broke another taboo by receiving the iconic Lion of St. Mark at the World Advertising Festival in Cannes, a lifetime achievement award that had previously been reserved for men only.
Mary Wells Lawrence, born in 1928, was the first woman founder and president of an advertising agency, Wells Rich Greene – known for its innovative and original campaigns – and the first female CEO of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Breaking the rules
In Mary Wells Lawrence's portfolio is the iconic "I ♥ New York" branding campaign, with graphics by Milton Glaser, which marked the resurrection of the city's image, the vibrant Alka-Seltzer campaigns, and the positioning of Braniff Airways as the exclusive airline for the jet set, involving Emilio Pucci for the luxurious interiors and uniforms.
It was this campaign that solidified her as an idol in the advertising industry, a triumph that later led her to found her own agency in 1966.
She had already broken the first taboo by choosing to study for two years at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1940, where – in addition to meeting her future husband, Burt Wells – she fell in love with industrial design and its creative power.
From there, her career developed in the leading advertising agencies worldwide before founding her own.
After racking up a series of recognitions and awards, in her 2002 book *"A Big Life in Advertising"*, which later became a "bible" for all professionals in the field, she proudly and humorously tells and celebrates her success, becoming a true icon in the world of advertising.
Breaking taboos
Aware – and proud – of being the first woman in many areas, she served as a role model, not only with her public life but also with a website launched in March 2008, with the emblematic name "wowOwow," later incorporated into PureWow.
A role model who has always promoted dialogue, collaboration, and teamwork: her famous quote is
"You can't rely only on yourself. You have to multiply yourself. You must read and educate yourself on things you know nothing about. You must travel and go to places you never thought of visiting. You must meet all kinds of people, and only in the end will you arrive at what you know."
Far from being a solitary woman at the top, Lawrence was a pioneer of what is now considered the duty of every successful woman in America: to "let the elevator down."
A leader capable of sharing her successes and inspiring new generations.
