Rebecca Pollock believes AI is most powerful when it enhances human ingenuity, helping people move faster from ideas to action, insight to innovation, and vision to impact. Real transformation occurs when organizations move from isolated adoption to a core operating capability, embedding intelligence and trust into how work gets done, decisions get made, and innovation scales. As Director, Frontier Transformation at Microsoft, she leads integrated marketing focused on helping organizations navigate this shift.
Pollock’s career spans agency and brand-side roles, B2C and B2B marketing, and just prior to Microsoft, global brand leadership at Logitech. That range has taught her to approach challenges from multiple angles while keeping one conviction at the center of her work: The most powerful ideas begin with human insight.
Named to our Marketers to Watch list, Pollock shared how AI is creating more room for human judgment and creativity, why an overwhelming volume of content will raise the stakes for brand building, and how empathy and decisiveness can help leaders guide teams through change.
What book or podcast do you recommend to marketing leaders?
For the Culture by Dr. Marcus Collins is a masterclass in understanding what makes people take action and how culture influences behavior. It shows the importance of deeply understanding the people you are trying to connect with. Reading the book reminded me why I chose a career rooted in the belief that ideas move people.
How are you and your team currently using AI?
Over the past year, we have been continuously testing and experimenting with AI in our daily work. I regularly use it to synthesize research, identify patterns across large volumes of customer and market data, create initial drafts of content, and accelerate insight development.
I also use purpose-built agents to review and strengthen work. This frees up more time for the strategic thinking, judgment, and creativity that still require a human.
What’s a prediction you have for marketing over the next few years?
Brand building will become increasingly important. As AI makes it possible for anyone to produce content, the sheer volume of material in the world will become overwhelming. The technology will also amplify whatever brand foundation is already in place.
To win, brands will need to show up with clarity, conviction, and consistency. For marketers, a deep understanding of their brand, paired with judgment and taste, will become critical.
What leadership muscle is most important for marketers to exercise?
A combination of empathy and decisiveness. The unrelenting pace of new tools and expectations, layered on top of daily delivery, is placing a significant burden on teams. They need leaders who can acknowledge that burden honestly while having the courage to make hard decisions about what must stay and what can change.
What’s the most game-changing piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Early in my agency days, I was told that if I didn’t have a point of view on the creative work, then I didn’t belong in the room. It still stands as one of the best bits of career advice I’ve ever been given. It taught me to be diligent in thinking more critically about the work, how to write better briefs, how to better evaluate ideas based on business objectives and strategy. It taught me to look for more than if a concept checked the boxes on the brief. I learned how to communicate what was working in early iterations, how to spot nuggets of inspiration, and how to guide teams in shaping work that will breakthrough.
What gives you energy and inspiration outside of work?
Being outside and moving. Whether it is a hike, a run, or simply a walk around my neighborhood, the combination never fails to clear my head. It gives me the space to be more present, both at work and at home.
Marketers to Watch is a recognition series that spotlights highly innovative and forward-thinking marketing leaders in the community. If you have someone you’d like to nominate for the series, apply here.
