A word of advice to anyone who thinks he or she can close a deal with American Express by offering Nancy Smith courtside tickets or a meeting with a star athlete: Unless you're prepared to make those offers to American Express customers, those Jedi mind tricks just won't work.
As vice president of global media and sponsorship marketing at American Express Co., Smith has had those carrots waved in her face before but has never been sucked in by the sexy allure of big-time pro sports. Known as a firm but fair deal maker who never takes her eye off American Express' ultimate objectives, she spends more time creating exclusive events for cardholders than watching games from the 50-yard line.
"This is a business," said Smith. "It doesn't give me any particular extra high."
Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., Smith was president of her high school athletic association and was a self-described "crazy" New York Rangers fan, owning season tickets in the rowdy green section for nearly a decade. But when Wayne Gretzky's final NHL game became the hottest ticket in New York last month, Smith passed on using a spot in the American Express suite for herself. Instead, she reserved it for a key client.
"She's tough," said Joe Cohen, executive vice president of Madison Square Garden, where American Express is a major sponsor. "She's got a job to do and represents her company well and intelligently."
Smith was a 22-year veteran of the Young & Rubicam advertising agency before joining Time Inc. as publisher of the Parenting magazine group in 1992. She later served as publisher of Your Company Magazine, a Time-owned American Express service publication for small businesses, a position that paved the way to her joining American Express as a vice president in the advertising group in 1995.
During her stint at Time, she volunteered to serve on the board of directors of New York Race for the Cure, which raises money for breast cancer research. It gave her a first taste of sponsorship marketing.
"What we were confronted with there was the same thing I now see from this side — how do you become more than a logo? How do you provide value?" Smith said.
Two years after joining American Express, she assumed responsibilities for sponsorship marketing. As she was adjusting to added assignment, she was facing adversity at home that no one would ever want to bear: Her husband, Bill, a New York advertising agency executive, was stricken with a rare blood infection and went from being perfectly healthy one day to fighting for his life the next.
Strep A bacteria had gotten into his foot and bloodstream, probably while he was snorkeling in the Caribbean. His kidneys and practically every vital body function shut down, and ultimately, the lower portion of his right leg had to be amputated. He was on life support for two weeks and remained in the hospital for a month and a half.
At the time, American Express was going through a major transition with sponsorships, embracing the customer-service approach to event marketing and putting the appropriate portfolio in place. Smith continued to represent the company in tough negotiations while also spending as much time as possible at Bill's side.
With her support, his recovery came more quickly than anyone expected.
"The end of the story is that he's fabulous," said Smith. "He started working from home two weeks later. We now live a normal life."
Today Smith spends much of her time with her husband at their weekend home in Connecticut, although she says she will always be a New Yorker first. She travels extensively, both for business and pleasure.
At American Express headquarters in New York's financial district, much of her time is spent reading the literally thousands of sponsorship proposals that land on her desk each year. Unlike executives at many other companies, she responds to every single one.
"It's important that we give the American Express sort of treatment to everyone," she explained. "You never know who will be your next customer."
