Inspiring Inclusion with Razorfish Health

Written by: Nina Rupp, Associate Director, Growth (she/her)

International Women’s Day (IWD) is the global celebration of women’s achievements across social, cultural, political, and economic benchmarks. Occurring annually on March 8, IWD essentially reminds all of us that while much progress has been made, there is still a ways to go—and more work to be done—when it comes to achieving gender equality.

2024’s IWD campaign theme is Inspire Inclusion, which not only celebrates diversity and empowerment, but also underscores just how vital inclusion is to achieving true equality. It further invites us to foster spaces where all women, including and especially those from marginalized communities, are welcomed, valued, and respected, and empowers us to dismantle barriers and stereotypes that continue to impede progress for women everywhere.

At Razorfish Health, we are committed to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive view of the world—a view that goes hand-in-hand with the aim of IWD. To honor this year’s celebration, we talked to Erica Nardello, Vice President, Digital Strategy (and one of Razorfish Health’s best and brightest!), about encouraging inclusion and celebrating women—especially as it relates to our industry—to achieve equality.

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Erica, give us a bit of background: How long have you been in the industry, and why did you choose to pursue a career in advertising and marketing? 
I knew I wanted to pursue a creative and collaborative career path, but I had no idea what that might mean. Social media was a nascent business when I was getting my start over a decade ago, so I was fortunate to learn and grow my skills as the industry was changing and growing.

This year’s IWD theme is “Inspire Inclusion.” How do you think the advertising industry as a whole could better inspire inclusion?
I’m no expert about the most effective policies and programs for encouraging inclusion, diversity, and belonging, but I know what’s helped me (individually) feel accepted by others: empathy. Empathy is about taking the time to understand and validate someone else’s perspective. It seems like such a small thing, but it makes the biggest difference. We see the impact every day when we bring empathy to our assignments to help patients or providers and find that it makes the work better and more meaningful. And when we approach our colleagues with openness and validation, we can create a trusting community in which everyone feels welcome, seen, and heard.  

Thinking on “recruiting, retaining, and developing female talent” (an action area outlined by IWD.com), how do you personally #InspireInclusion here?
“Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels, but old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.” I think about this quote—from Albus Dumbledore at the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix—far more often than I ever expected. The mentors who have supported me and shaped my career always found ways to help me see the bigger picture, while reminding me that they didn’t always have the knowledge and foresight that they have now. I try as much as I can to do the same: to help where I can and to never forget the way it felt to be afraid to speak up, to be unsure of my next move, or to wonder if I’d ever “figure it out.”

One action area for this year’s IWD theme is around helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health. Given that we work in healthcare advertising, can you tell us a bit about any women’s health initiatives you’ve worked on, or your personal experience contributing to this topic? 

I haven’t had the opportunity to work on women’s health initiatives yet, but in the men’s health efforts I’ve been part of, I’ve seen the important role women play in supporting male partners, family members, and friends as caregivers. It’s been empowering to find ways to support those women as they navigate the logistical and emotional tasks needed to support their loved ones after a heartbreaking diagnosis. 

Building off the previous question, can you share your thoughts on how advertising works into helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health? 
Advertising works best when it helps people—especially when it comes to their health. Delivering important content to the patients and providers who need it can reshape the way patients and caregivers live their lives. It feels great to be even the smallest part of empowering someone to take action and advocate for themselves and their health.

What is one piece of advice you would share with young women who want to join the advertising industry? 
If you’re looking for a career opportunity that’ll let you learn from and collaborate with lots of different people with interesting perspectives, advertising is a great place to start. I love that I get to work with people whose brains work in a totally different way than mine—it forces me to grow in the best way.

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If you are interested in joining the RFH team, check out our open roles. We know you are not your resume; we understand you are not your work; and we respect that you are so much more than a job description. You are you. So come be you—and do you—with us.