KDSP’s Mollie Partesotti on Where Advertising Is Headed Next
September 30, 2026
Mollie Partesotti is co-founder, strategy, at Kirby, Dryer, Sullivan & Partesotti (KDSP), an agency she launched late last year with fellow Wieden+Kennedy alums Brock Kirby, Jeff Dryer and Scott Sullivan.
Partesotti was previously global chief strategy officer at FCB and has also held senior strategy positions at MullenLowe and Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Earlier in her career, she held key strategy roles at TBWA\Media Arts Lab—helping to launch the original “Shot on iPhone” campaign globally—and W+K on campaigns including Delta Air Lines’ “Keep Climbing”.
She has also worked at agencies including Hill Holliday, Modernista, Venables Bell & Partners and Trumpet.
As part of our 10 Questions series, we spoke with Mollie about building KDSP, keeping strategy close to the creative work and what modern brands really need from their agency partners today.
Mollie, tell us … your first job in advertising, and your current job.My first advertising job was as an apprentice at Trumpet in New Orleans, where I fell in love with the industry. Today, I’m co-founder and strategy lead at KDSP, an independent agency I started with three people I’ve known and worked with for more than 20 years. Somehow, we still really like each other.
An ad or campaign that inspired you coming up in the business.Nike’s “If You Let Me Play.” I grew up playing sports, and that campaign showed me that advertising could do more than sell a product. It could articulate something culturally true, change how people saw the world, and make a brand matter far beyond its category.
The last ad or campaign that made you jealous.Vaseline’s “Verified.” It found a behavior already happening in culture and gave the brand a useful, credible role within it. The idea is simple, the product is essential, and the system can keep generating work. Annoyingly good.
Read her full interview on Ad Age!