CB Hot Suit Takes: Emma Dalton, General Manager, Pitchblack Partners
CB Hot Suit Takes is our new Q&A series for extremely busy CEOs and senior leaders across the industry ~ covering careers, creativity, challenges and the song that sums it all up. Next in the hot seat is Emma Dalton, General Manager, Pitchblack Partners.
1. What made you get into advertising?
I’ve always been both creative and commercially wired. At 16 I watched What Women Want with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt playing creative directors and thought “that’s a bit of me”. From there it was pretty intentional. I studied Marketing & Advertising and haven’t really looked back. The people, the rush of getting great work made and the ability to continuously learn about new categories and audiences makes it pretty addictive.
2. Which pieces of work are you most proud of, and why?
This is an oldie but I’m still really proud of Quit For Your Pets for Quitline. Based on a global research study which found that pets are twice as likely to get cancer if their owner smokes. We found an insight that hadn’t been leveraged previously – that people will often do more for their pets than themselves. It was simple, emotional, and worked incredibly hard on a small budget. The result, record quit registrations, global and local effectiveness and creative award wins, and it is still used as a strategic example today by many universities.
More recently, leading the transformation of the Barfoot & Thompson brand. Modernising the brand from the ground up.
Working in true partnership across the entire business, we uncovered a defining insight: for many New Zealanders, their most significant wealth-building moments come through property. The role of the right real estate partner is pivotal.
From that, we launched the “Do Big Things” platform, refreshing the brand and rolling it out across the business. It’s now actively shaping how the brand shows up and connects with a boarder audience and improving the strength of an already well-known brand.
3. What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role right now?
At the moment there’s a lot of momentum which is great especially coming out of the last few challenging years. Clients want more, faster so we’ve been working on simplifying structures, cutting unnecessary layers out of the process and working much more collaboratively with our client partners to deliver work that will deliver long term growth at pace.
4. What’s the most recent thing you’ve learned?
How to effectively integrate AI into workflows while doubling down on the value of human thinking.
When used properly, it doesn’t replace creativity, it elevates it. It accelerates output, sharpens thinking, and frees up time for higher-value work.
At the same time, it’s never been more important to stand out for the things AI can’t replicate, taste, instinct, creativity, and emotional intelligence.
I’ve even been talking about it a lot with my daughter (she’s currently studying law). The next generation will need to master both right from the graduate level to make a meaningful contribution.
5. What song best sums up your career so far?
Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G . Aside from being an absolute anthem, it’s all about backing yourself and putting in the work. That journey from ambition to results and feeling comfortable you have mastered your art definitely resonates… although I’m not quite sipping champagne when I’m thirsty just yet.
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