Jessica Williams Moved From Credit Cards to Coinbase

It’s not every day you’re part of the team that created the most memorable ad in the latest Super Bowl—and it’s rarer still to do so as part of a brand that’s leading the charge into a new technology revolution. But that’s a day in the life of Jessica Williams, director of brand and partnerships at cryptocurrency platform Coinbase. With a degree in forensic psychology, Williams initially intended to pursue a career working with troubled kids or as a prison psychologist. But at the end of her graduate schooling, she fell in love with technology and data marketing analytics, which carried her through data-centric roles at Yahoo, agencies like W2O Group and eventually Visa, where she spent more than seven years and grew into the role of senior director of global brand marketing. But after working for these established companies, Williams sought a new challenge—and found Coinbase. “I jumped ship to go market with a whole new category, to build a new brand and inspire trust, security and excitement,” she said. Williams pointed out that Coinbase’s marketing strategy is not dissimilar to her work at Visa, but with a key difference—one reflected in the brand’s Super Bowl 56 ad, which showed a simple QR code bouncing like a screen saver on a black background. “Coinbase is willing to take risks on the marketing side, as you can see from the Super Bowl ad,” she said. “There isn’t the same desire to stay within the lines.” The move paid off: The brand received 20 million site visits within the first minute after the ad aired. Taking risks like that while maintaining a strong, trustworthy foundation requires a critical balance: “staying true to crypto natives, while also tailoring our message to appeal to the masses,” she added. Williams sees endless potential for marketers to make an impact on cryptocurrency in the future. “There's still a lot of opportunity in this space because the consumer experience is not great yet,” she said. “The fundamentals of marketing can help build trust and awareness.” Big mistake “Staying at Visa for too long. I got really comfortable there. I told myself that … this was the best job I was ever going to get because it was stable," she said. "While I loved my time there and I learned so much, I think staying too long hindered my growth as a professional.” Lesson learned “If you wake up in the morning and feel like you can do your job with your eyes closed, that’s the time when you really should take stock of what you want in your career and what you want out of the company that you work for.” How she got the gig With a foundation built at Yahoo and Visa, as well as agency experience, Williams stepped into her role at Coinbase equipped with a unique blend of tech, finance and marketing expertise. Pro tip “Educate yourself about the opportunities within crypto and NFTs and blockchain," she advised marketers interested in the field. "Open up a wallet, open up a trading account, buy an NFT. Understanding the motivations and fears that drive [crypto natives] can help quell some of those fears.”

Leadership & Talent

Jessica Williams Went From Credit Cards to Cryptocurrency at Coinbase

Her experience in technology, finance and agency life prepped her for a cutting-edge challenge

Jess Zafarris

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Jess Zafarris