In our latest Digital Women interview, Kerry Meakins, Marketing Director at PMG, explains why the creator economy is opening doors for female talent…
From your perspective, where are the biggest opportunities for women in digital media right now?
I’ve been in influencer marketing for the past few years so, from experience, I think one of the biggest opportunities right now is the creator economy. It’s one of the few digital areas where women are really well represented, both on the creative side and within the marketing and agency teams around it, which makes it a really strong environment to grow and build a career.
I’d also say AI and tech as it really is changing how we work. If you don’t get comfortable with using it in ways that allow you to do better work, faster, there’s a risk of being left behind. Getting familiar with AI now is a really good opportunity for anyone trying to expand their skill set.
What sort of thing helps women build careers in the industry?
There’s real value in joining membership groups and industry councils. I manage the Global Influencer Council (managed by Digital Voices, a PMG company), and although it’s a mixed group, I have to say the female members are often the most engaged.They’re the ones building connections, contributing ideas, asking questions, and supporting each other.
That kind of network can make a massive difference to your confidence and career progression.
Where do you still see challenges for women in the industry?
I probably have a bit of a politician’s answer on this because, honestly, I’ve been very lucky. My last role at Digital Voices was made up of a team that was nearly all female, including at leadership level, so I haven’t personally experienced a lot of the challenges people often talk about.
We had a really strong CEO in Jennifer Quigley-Jones, and working in that environment has definitely grown my confidence. There’s a lot of autonomy, encouragement to bring forward ideas, and a strong focus on accountability and empathy, so everyone feels like they have space to contribute.
But now that Digital Voices has been acquired by PMG, which is a much larger global marketing business, there’s naturally an adjustment to a more gender-balanced environment. It is still early into the integration, and a core focus has been to actively take up space – not just physically being in the room, but also making your voice heard.
What kinds of support structures do you think companies should be putting in place?
I think companies need to think carefully about how they create space for different voices. The best ideas don’t always come from the loudest people in the room.
Simple things can make a big difference. Things like sharing agendas before meetings so people have time to prepare, using round-robin formats so everyone gets a chance to contribute, and giving people opportunities to follow up afterwards if they didn’t feel comfortable speaking in the moment.
It’s also important to celebrate wins properly and make sure everybody’s work is recognised. That’s not just about women. It’s important for everyone.
And training opportunities are huge. I’ve been lucky enough to do executive coaching through previous companies, and that’s massively helped me build confidence and authority. Things like that really help prepare people for leadership roles in larger organisations.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about women in media and marketing?
One thing I still hear a lot is the idea that women are overly emotional in professional environments. But in reality, everyone brings emotion into work; it just shows up in different ways.
Personally, I’ve often noticed that in high-pressure situations it’s actually men who are more likely to raise their voices or react with anger, whereas women are often calmer, more focused, and more solution-oriented. So I think that stereotype is a huge misconception.
Was there anything about the digital industry itself that surprised you once you started working in it?
I think there’s an assumption that everyone in digital knows everything all the time. But the reality is things move so quickly that nobody can know everything. And that’s okay. You can learn on the job, experiment, fail, improve, and keep building your knowledge over time.
Digital marketing is such a broad space, made up of loads of different specialties. The important thing is staying curious and continuing to learn.
What advice would you give to women starting out in digital today?
Definitely get familiar with AI. Use it to streamline your work, save time, improve output and, importantly, demonstrate that impact back to the wider business. Being able to show results is really valuable.
I’d also say invest in relationships. This industry runs on trust and collaboration, and building strong relationships will help throughout your career.
And finally, just stay curious. The industry changes constantly, so keep learning from people, trends, tools, and new platforms. That willingness to keep adapting is what will keep you ahead.
