“One of my managers was just laughing at me and said, ‘Oh, you're just a lesbian.’” Noy overcame painful obstacles to rise through the ranks among ad companies and establish herself as a veteran expert in digital marketing.

Noy Elimelech of Adcore understood that she was part of the LGBTQ community when she joined the scouts and met her first girlfriend at 16. What started out as a close friendship soon became a three-year love story. “Nobody knows, not our friends, not our families,” says Noy. 

Her passion for advertising was born when she was a copywriter at the national LGBTQ student group while at university. One day she noticed that their posts weren’t getting enough impressions. Noy couldn’t get over this issue and started to investigate. “I discovered this weird thing called PPC (Pay-Per-Click advertising). And I found myself getting very excited,” she explains. 

So she tried to run her own campaigns, which failed miserably. Noy figured there was more to this and sought out a job where she could learn how to leverage PPC. She started working at an agency in Beer Sheva, from where she eventually moved to Tel Aviv. “I did many roles from PPC campaign manager to team leader. And today I'm here at Adcore as the head of the digital advertising department,” says Noy with a smile. 

Coming out 

“She just asked me, “And do you have a girlfriend?” And I was like, “She knows. Oh my god, everybody knows.” And I cried for 30 minutes.” 

Like all Israelis, Noy went to the army at 18 and served for two years. That’s when her relationship with the girl from the scouts ended, and she was still holding everything in. She remembers, “If you ask my mom, she will tell you that I couldn’t suffer this situation anymore.” 

“So one day she took me to Aroma (an Israeli cafe chain).” Here, Noy’s mother quizzed her about whether her friends were in relationships. “And after that she just asked me, “And do you have a girlfriend?” And I was like, “She knows. Oh my god, everybody knows.” And I cried for 30 minutes.” 

Noy’s mother ended up being “the coolest person on Earth regarding this issue.” She recalls her mom saying, “I will tell your father, but you have to tell your brother and sister.” That meant Noy had to fly all the way to China to tell her brother in person, as he was based there at the time. 

Challenges in the workplace 

When asked about challenges in the workplace Noy says this: “In previous places I worked, I was sometimes the subject of jokes because I'm lesbian. One day, one of my managers was just laughing at me and said, “Oh, you're just a lesbian.””

Many years previously, when Noy worked in the restaurant industry, some of her colleagues talked to her in a similar way. She recalls them telling her, “I'm not listening to you because you are lesbian. I'm not listening to you because you're that.”

Still, Noy stays optimistic about society. She feels that people are getting more tolerant regarding this issue, saying, “Today it's not so similar to my experiences anymore. Teenagers don’t have to face the challenges that I did. Society is slowly progressing on the issue and not pushing us back.”

How can the rest of us support LGBTQ people in a more meaningful way? 

Noy feels that “the first thing that all of us should do is stop using the “gay” word as a curse.” In her experience the most common insults revolve around this term. “And nobody stops for a second to think whether someone in their environment is gay. If they didn't come out of the closet this might keep them there,” fears Noy. She believes that all of us can change our language, “Just don’t make it a big issue. It shouldn’t concern anyone what my sexual orientation is.”

An LGBTQ source of inspiration

Noy doesn’t have to think twice, RuPaul is her biggest inspiration. His TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” brought the diverse LGBTQ world into everyone’s living rooms. In the eighth grade, Noy watched the first season religiously. “I was learning a lot about my community,” she adds. Noy feels that this show opened the door for the LGBTQ community, helping outsiders “get familiar with us, to see how colorful we can be.” 

LGBTQ inclusion and advancement in the workplace

“Just don't put us outside. We are part of everything.”

When asked about her experience working at Adcore, Noy says, “Here I am, I'm part of the LGBTQ community, and I'm one of the leaders of the company. So I think that this is a good start.” She adds that she has never felt different or less equal because of her sexual orientation at Adcore. 

Noy feels that her workplace is very supportive, “I can see that they are not just doing it to show it off. I know that my managers care about me. My managers support me being part of this culture and this community.” She thinks that, “this is the best thing you can do to support the LGBTQ community. Just don't put us outside. We are part of everything.”

How to keep innovating

Bringing innovation to Adcore’s digital marketing strategies is a top priority for Noy. She has a deep appreciation for AI and machine learning, and sees huge potential for them in advertising: “AI has the power to revolutionize how we target, personalize, and optimize campaigns in real-time. It can anticipate consumer behavior, optimize bidding strategies, and deliver hyper-targeted ads.”

The future of digital marketing 

When looking ahead, Noy explains that one of the key trends she anticipates “is the continued growth of AI-driven marketing solutions.” As AI advances, she predicts increased automation and personalization in ad campaigns, which will “allow us to deliver highly targeted and relevant messages to consumers across multiple channels.”With the way the industry is going, Noy foresees that there will be a greater emphasis on multichannel marketing strategies, as consumers increasingly expect seamless experiences across online and offline touchpoints. “Adcore will continue to help our clients engage with their audience wherever they are, delivering consistent brand experiences that drive engagement and loyalty.”

Noy believes that, given the current climate, sustainability and ethical marketing practices will grow in importance. “As consumers become more conscious of environmental and social issues, brands need to adapt,” she explains. “I would love to see Adcore lead the way in promoting transparency, authenticity, and responsible advertising practices.”

Areas of expertise 

Noy is a deeply driven and passionate person. “I think that my passion for PPC has never subsided. Every day, I fall more in love with PPC, the platform, the tables, the numbers. There is nothing that excites me more than seeing clients happy with the results,” she explains. PPC allows her to scale up and reach a larger, more diverse audience.

Noy feels that if these subjects don’t create such enthusiasm among others, perhaps PPC is not the right direction for them. To Noy, her energy and motivation is the driving force behind her work, “If you're asking me what I'm passionate about, first of all, it's the results.”

She recommends that marketers ask themselves if they know how to use the major ad platforms, and how to combine them. To her, it’s about learning how to use Google Ads and then completing the circle with Facebook Ads, Criteo, RTB House, Outbrain, Taboola, etc. Noy explains, “Today it's a very big industry with huge innovation each and every day. It's a very good place for me to be in because I'm never getting bored.” 

Tips for someone who wants to master PPC

Noy feels that believing in yourself is the first step. She adds, “Be curious about how your ads work, how your audience responds,” and recommends staying on top of the numbers and latest trends. However, she understands that not everyone has a passion for these aspects of marketing. Noy remembers a saying from her time in the restaurant industry, “Not everyone can carry a tray.” 

Advice for LGBTQ people who are starting their careers

“The power is in our hands, we should give the world our colorful and meaningful selves, no matter what.” 

“You are no different,” says Noy. “You might even be better than those around you because you had to go through some events that no one should have been through.” 

When it comes to job interviews, Noy suggests that those who are LGBTQ should keep calm, stay strong, and be themselves. She never felt the need to hide in interviews, explaining that “I always said that I'm lesbian because I wanted to see how my future employers respond to that.” When they didn’t respond the way she wanted, Noy wouldn’t continue with the interview process.

She adds that, “The power is in our hands, we should give the world our colorful and meaningful selves, no matter what.” 

This article was written in cooperation with Adcore