Lucky Generals

In 2025, Cressida-Holmes Smith was named Chair of the IPA’s Effectiveness Leadership Group. She was chosen because of her long-held passion for this subject and in her inaugural address, she said that:

“Effectiveness is the most important conversation we can have as an industry. It’s not a side hustle; it’s the main event.” Given that, it’s fitting that this is exactly what she delivered in 2025, for her own clients and agency. Specifically, in a zero-growth economy, the Lucky Generals CEO helped the agency to: • Grow revenues by 39%, to an all-time high • Boost average revenue per client by 60% • Increase headcount by 49% (including some very senior, strategic hires) • Win 6 out of 6 pitches, to hit the #1 spot in Campaign’s new business table • Lead the industry on a host of big issues, from climate change to grief management • And, most importantly, deliver some great work and record-breaking results for clients like Yorkshire Tea, Virgin Atlantic and Heineken Cress’ passionate belief in effectiveness was at the heart of this success: “When we combine logic with magic and risk... we don’t just create better ads. We create better outcomes for the whole industry.”