Ro Patrick of the Ad Council on Building the Plane While Flying It

Transforming a blue-sky idea into reality

With more than 20 years of campaign development experience, Ro is currently SVP and group campaign director for the Ad Council. She leads the development, implementation and evaluation of national public service initiatives, particularly on critical efforts to reduce gun violence and address the overdose crisis. Prior to joining the Ad Council, Ro held senior roles at FCB and Ogilvy.

We spent two minutes with Ro to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired. 

Ro, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in Hong Kong, spent my early career in NYC, then moved to D.C. for a couple of years. Now, I live in Savannah, Ga. with my husband and our pup Rusty.

How you first got interested in health.

My interest in health education and public service started when I was at Ogilvy in the early 2000s, working on the national youth anti-drug media campaign with the Office of National Drug Control Policy. That was my first time doing social impact work and PSAs. I found it far more interesting and fulfilling than selling products. For the next seven years, this new passion led me to follow the campaign across three agencies—Ogilvy, Initiative and FCB. These experiences made me realize that health education and public service were my true calling.

One of your favorite projects you’ve ever worked on.

“Real Deal on Fentanyl.” This one is extra special to me, because it ties back to why I got into health education in the first place. My journey began with an anti-drug campaign. And now almost two decades later at the Ad Council, I’m working on overdose prevention once again with the same client. The evolution of drug prevention messaging from then to now is fascinating— and heartening. While the goal of reducing risky behavior among youth hasn’t changed, how we approach it has evolved to give youth more agency. We’ve moved away from abstinence-based messages to focusing on harm reduction and safety. 

A recent project you’re proud of.

The Ad Council’s “Agree to Agree” campaign, which we’re approaching through a health lens and starting from a place of common ground. Ultimately, it focuses on the idea that conversations about gun violence don’t always need to end in arguments or an “agree to disagree.”

Together with health systems across the country, our creative highlights the fact that gun injuries are the number one cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. and empowers everyone to be part of the solution to help curb this crisis. With all the divisiveness our country is experiencing, “Agree to Agree” feels timely. We can apply this mindset to tackle more than just gun violence. I believe this is a step towards fostering unity and collective action across our communities.

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One thing about how health is evolving that you’re excited about.

Lately, the health industry has really started to recognize how important it is to take care of our minds, not just our bodies. At the Ad Council, we’ve been putting a lot of effort into our mental health initiative, which focuses on connecting people with the support and resources. Consumers are talking more about mental health, and it’s becoming a normal part of health conversations across the industry. This shift means we’re taking a more complete approach and integrating mental health into everyday wellness talks, which is amazing to see.

Someone else’s work, in health or beyond, that you admired lately. 

I wish we’d created this Sandy Hook Promise campaign from 2023. It is such an effective and ingenious use of comedic talent. So chilling but powerfully on brief about knowing the warning signs and taking action.

A book, movie, TV show, or podcast you recently found inspiring.

Recently, I’ve been moved by the TV show The Pitt. The series naturally weaves in social issues, and each episode feels like it has mini-PSAs that blend seamlessly with the storyline. The show tackles big topics like gun violence, the overdose crisis, reproductive rights and human trafficking—all while staying true to its storytelling.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

Andrea Campos is an illustrator and artist that I met last year at Cannes Lions. She is truly a delightful human. Her work is so playful and fun, yet purposeful—a ray of sunshine in my social feed. 

Your favorite fictional character. 

C.J. Cregg from The West Wing because she epitomizes competence and grace. I aspired to be her when I was just starting out. 

Someone worth following on social media.

I am a big fan of dog accounts, like WeRateDogs and The Dogist. But my favorite account in the entire social universe is @trailsandbears—Rachael is a photographer who takes rescue and adoptable dogs from the shelter on beautiful hikes and outdoor adventures. While they’re out, she takes their photos and shares them on her channel to make them more adoptable.  She also fosters many of the dogs. Her content brings me unmeasurable joy.

Your main strength as a marketer/creative. 

I love building the plane while flying it. My strength as a marketer is recognizing when a blue-sky idea can become reality, and then using my skills and relationships to rally support and operationalize it into a viable product.

Your biggest weakness. 

As an eternal people pleaser, saying no—especially to people and agencies that I have tremendous respect for—is a difficult skill that I’ve had to work on over my career. It’s still not my favorite thing to do. But learning to say no with empathy and humanity ultimately leads to better outcomes.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in health.

I would have chased a career in fashion. My college days were filled with a love for the industry, which led me to land an internship at Louis Vuitton. That experience ignited my passion for advertising and steered me towards the path I’m on now.