Katie Barber

Hello. I'm a marketing strategist with over 25 years experience of connecting brands with audiences.

 
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Experience

A highly commended woman in marketing, according to Marketing Magazine's 'Digital Mavericks' report, I believe that brands, marketing and branded content can positively shape, inform and be a part of culture. I help brands create meaningful connections with audiences, and help businesses and individuals empathise and organise around their audience's needs and expectations. 

I'm inquisitive and driven, constantly looking for new creative opportunities. As a strategic marketing consultant, I help brands find their marketing voice and purpose. As owner and director of a clothing, music and accessories store - Albion Stores, I help customers discover brands and products that suit their lifestyle and values.

Areas of expertise:

  • Business development

  • Brand strategy

  • Digital strategy

  • Comms strategy

  • Content strategy

  • Social strategy

  • Product & service development

  • Influencer marketing

  • Workshop facilitation and training

  • Mentoring
     

Portfolio

I've held senior marketing roles both client side and for agencies, delivering marketing strategies for globally recognised brands across multiple categories including tech, FMCG, travel, finance, fashion and beauty, publishing, communications, film, music, automotive and public sectors. I’ve developed products and platforms to facilitate collaborations with influencers, media and editorial partners, and publishers and bring audiences closer to the content and brands they love.

These are some of the brands I’ve worked with, at a local or global level.

 

DANONE: ACTIVIA ‘IN SYNC’

CAMPAIGN, INFLUENCER & SOCIAL STRATEGY

CHALLENGE

For 25 years, only the functional benefits of Activia were communicated - a yogurt that helped digestion. But people expect more from brands, they need to associate with the brand purpose and values. And Activia needed to connect with their audience emotionally as well functionally.

INSIGHT

The insight was that women often have an inner critic, the voice that tells them they’re not quite good enough to achieve their goals. This doubt can come from the gut. And that in order to reach your dreams and live your life to the fullest, you have to feel good on the inside as well as the outside.

SOLUTION

We developed a series of films and online content focusing on successful women and the challenges they’ve faced and overcome by trusting their inner strength. One of the films featured breakout ballet star Ingrid Silva, and explored how she trusted her gut and overcame self-doubts to achieve success. The story was shot as a moving 360-degree film of Ingrid’s life. It traced her story of perseverance, from growing up in a poor neighborhood in Rio de Janiero to her becoming a principal ballerina in New York.

RESULTS

“Activia InSync Stories” was Danone’s biggest launch in five years and touched an immediate nerve with audiences around the world. Released in 27 countries. it achieved 20+ million online views and an 8% increase in the engagement rate.

The Ingrid Silva film also won a Cannes Silver Lion for Film Craft.

 
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MICROSOFT PIVOT: AI AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PLATFORM

BRAND, INFLUENCER & CONTENT STRATEGY

CHALLENGE

We needed to show Microsoft’s credentials as a thought leader in digital transformation and AI, connecting the brand to business leaders in Western Europe. We needed a platform to inspire c-suite audiences to consider how Microsoft technology can engage their customers, empower their employees and transform their products.

INSIGHT

The impact of AI and digital transformation can be fully appreciated when viewed from alternate perspectives.

SOLUTION

We developed a new thought leadership webcast platform to launch a content platform on AI and digital transformation. We decided to capture and retain attention by transforming the typical webcast experience. Microsoft Pivot was an interactive webcast experience, with six experts, having three concurrent conversations. Microsoft Pivot enabled the viewer to pivot their perspective, switching between conversations on the most important topics in AI and digital transformation, and retained attention by putting a time-poor audience in control of the experience.

RESULTS

932 registered. 454 watched. 83% stayed for the full hour. Pivot connected Microsoft with 700 businesses, 88 of which were high priority targets.

 
 
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UNITED AIRLINES: AMERICA WITH A SMALL “a”

CONTENT & SOCIAL STRATEGY

CHALLENGE

United Airlines is a brand that is well known in the US, but has little brand presence in the UK. Managing their UK social platform, we were speaking mostly to an audience with a keen interest in aviation. But to gain greater brand awareness, we knew we had to reach a much wider audience. We were tasked to create a content strategy and content that would appeal to key target audiences and grow audience and engagement on social.

INSIGHT

Brits travelling to the USA don’t want a sanitised or glitzy version of America, we want the real America. the one seen in the TV, films, entertainment, art, literature, food and sport that Brits have taken into their daily lives. We want America with a small ‘a’.

SOLUTION

We decided to appeal to our need to know the real America, and developed content strategy and content that wold help Brits feel more connected to authentic culture. One example was Talk American: To get our audience speaking like a local, we created a series of posts translating regional slang into English. Another was Destination for Adventure: We created posts promoting United’s wide range of US destinations, such as Las Vegas, Idaho, Jacksonville and Sacramento, and the adventurous things our audience can do when they get there. We also disrupted the advertising content by promoting fare sales through content depicting the other side of cultural experiences in Washington DC away from politics.

RESULTS

Year on year growth in follower growth and engagement rates since 2015. Reach growth by 321% with follower growth at 87%. And way above industry average engagement rates for travel/leisure pages.

SYMBOL FROM NEM

BRANDING, MARKETING & LAUNCH CAMPAIGN STRATEGY

CHALLENGE

NEM is a community-driven blockchain platform for building decentralised applications. The original blockchain from NEM launched in 2015, managed then by NEM Foundation - a non-profit organisation that promoted the adoption of blockchain technology across the NEM ecosystem. But the NEM foundation didn’t have a reputation amongst the business technology community.

INSIGHT

Business decision makers reference cost, complexity and lack of trust as barriers to implementing new technology. NEM’s new blockchain would reduce these barriers and become the trusted secure value exchange network designed for business.

SOLUTION

A new incarnation of the NEM was needed. We created a new brand platform to launch the new blockchain - “Symbol”, with its foundations in NEM - “from NEM” a technology platform that would “power possibility”. This required a new name, logo and identity, audience segmentation, messaging framework, communications guideline, brand guideline, marketing assets, press coverage, editorial, influencer engagement and a launch campaign to deliver the new technology and brand into market.

RESULTS

Month on month growth in audience reach, website traffic and engagement rates. Social engagement averaged at 7%, way above industry average engagement rates for technology category. The associated crypto currency - XYM - increased in market value by $0.50 over the three months of launch campaign.

 
 
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SHELL HELIX: #MYCAR

CAMPAIGN & CONTENT STRATEGY

CHALLENGE

Shell Helix wanted to tap into the huge passion people have for their cars, so we developed a campaign targeted to motoring enthusiasts for a chance to win a VIP weekend to the 2014 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix, including flights, accommodation, entry to the Scuderia Ferrari garage, trackside seats and a meeting with race legend Kimi Räikkönen.

INSIGHT

The passion that keen motorists have for their cars mirrors the passion that goes into the development of Shell Helix.

SOLUTION

We developed a global platform which allowed people to share their passion for their cars. Users were asked to post a photo or video that shows the passion they have for their car and tag it with #mycar. Each new piece of content will gain another opportunity to win the ‘money can’t buy’ experience. A responsive campaign site was developed to aggregate all the content where visitors can browse through all the entries in the competition and share those they like. Along with a high-energy online film, and bespoke reward videos to outstanding entries featuring Kimi Räikkönen himself.

RESULTS

53,000+ submissions. 1.5 million+ video views. 660,000+ social interactions. 270,000+ website visit. 1.25 billion+ online impressions. 223 million+ people reached.

 

Resume

I have been fortunate enough to spend nearly 30 years in an industry that is constantly evolving. During those years, I have built a considerable digital skillset, which allows me to apply my knowledge both strategically and creatively to any business challenge.  

Experience

Head of Marketing & Communications
TreeBR
Aug 2021 to Nov 2021

Head of Marketing
NEM Software
Apr 2021 to Jul 2021

Freelance Strategy Consultant
Jul 2018 to Mar 2021

Head of Content Partnerships
Wunderman UK
May 2016 to Jun 2018

Strategy Director
Wunderman UK
Jun 2014 to May 2016

Senior Strategist
Wunderman UK
Mar 2010 to Jun 2014

Snr Comms Director
Digital Outlook
Apr 2007 to Mar 2010

Snr Product Manager
AOL UK & EU
Oct 2003 to Mar 2007

Snr Project Manager
MP3.com Europe
Sep 2001 to Jul 2003

Website Producer
Universal Music
Oct 2000 to Aug 2001

Digital Producer
Abbey Road Interactive
Feb 1999 to Sep 2000

TV, Video & Multimedia Producer
Workhouse Ltd
Jul 1994 to Feb 1999

Education

B.A. Hons English with American Studies
King Alfred's College
Sep 1991 to Jun 1994

Interior Design Certificate
London Interior Design School
Sep 2006 to Jul 2007

Professional Courses

Storytelling in Digital Planning

Management training

Personal Development Planning

Finance for Non-Finance Managers

Negotiating and Influencing

Mentoring

Presentation skills

Interior Design

How I've been described

Tenacious

Committed

Communicative

Empathetic

Collaborative

Curious

Responsive

Creative

Authoritative

Inspiring

 
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Testimonials

Katie is a very experienced planner having worked across local and global accounts across many client verticals and a vast range of brief types.
She’s led some incredibly tough assignments and has shown amazing determination to get the projects delivered.
Katie brings a wealth of digital knowledge, connects the work to real digital behaviours and cuts quickly through any nonsense to the key issues.
Katie has helped develop and run new capability teams at Wunderman such as the Social Team and subsequently the Content team.
— Matt Redman, Product Innovation Lead Wunderman Thompson
Katie was an absolute delight to work for. She was warm, responsive and expertly communicated United Airlines’ UK content strategy with ease and authority - which in turn made my job much, much easier.

I hope to work with Katie again in the future and thoroughly recommend her services to any client/agency looking for the safest pair of hands for their strategy development/implementation.
— Rudi Haig, Copywriter and Proofreader
I worked with Katie on a couple of specific projects with News UK, and she was brilliant. From strategic oversight through to workshop facilitation and preparation, Katie is a natural and someone who clients immediately warm to and trust. Her digital and customer lifecycle know-how is particularly impressive. The best thing though is that she’s a lovely, collaborative person who is a pleasure to work with.
— Jim Dyer, Managing Director Pulse Creative London
Katie is one of these unusual people that can take on new innovative projects while applying a commitment to delivering quality work with attention to detail - a valuable asset for any business looking to grow quickly without losing sleep along the way.
In the years she worked with us she performed a great job developing new social services, doing so with a smiling demeanour regardless of how challenging or unreasonable the requests - a fantastic quality in any agency!. For all of these reasons she was a hugely valued, trusted member of the team, and would be a great asset to any organisation.
— Craig Hill, Formerly CEO Digital Outlook
Katie works with great tenacity to solve every problem, understand every issue and create the best experience for her audience. Katie knows everything you need to know about the entertainment industry on the internet and thinks strategically. She’s great to work with, fun and at the same time always reliable. I’d trust Katie to work on any proposition.
— Eloise Grey, Digital Consultant and Researcher

Albion Stores

Below is a feed of the content from my retail business - Albion Stores. As owner and director of a clothing and lifestyle store, I'm responsible for the business operations, finances, marketing, advertising, buying, business planning and strategy.

 

Adventures In Paradise

I own and manage an independent record label - Adventures In Paradise. As label owner and manager, my role is A&R, marketing and promotion, financial management, distribution planning, creative management and production quality control. 

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Soma World feat Falle - Want This (feat Ray Mang remix)

For the third release on the label, Soma World teamed up with Falle to create an energising track that folds high life, funk and Kwaito house into a potent blend given voice by the infectious singing of Falle. As well as the original version of 'Want This', the release features two remixes by Ray Mang, who dubs the track out into a simmering, bass-rooted groover.

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Dedication featuring Danielle Moore - Show Me Love

The first release on the Adventures In Paradise label is Dedication, featuring Felix Dickinson, Tsuyoshi Kosuga of Cro-Magnon. "Show Me Love" is a rich spread of instrumentation with Danielle Moore of Crazy P fame providing the vocal. 

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Smith & Mudd - The Distance with Ron Basejam remix

The second release on the adventures In Paradise label, Benjamin Smith and Paul "Mudd" Murphy - The Distance. Featuring a vocals by Quinn Lamont, an instrumental on the A-side, and a remix by legend and consummate production ace - Ron Basejam. 

DJing, Broadcasting and Event Promotion

I've had a long and varied history as a DJ, radio DJ and promoter. I caught the DJ bug back in the early 90s but things really kicked off for me at the tail end of the decade with a residency for Patrick Forge and Phil Asher’s highly influential Inspiration Information nights at the Notting Hill Arts Club. Since then I've performed and held down residencies at a myriad of festivals including Glastonbury, The Big Chill and Croatia’s Garden and Love International Festivals, clubs such as The End, Fabric and Plastic People, and nights like Need 2 Soul, Faith and Co-Op. I am a founder member of the all-girl DJ collective Ladybugz, and run my own nights Adventures In Paradise and TBC as well as host radio shows on Radio Margate, and previously Hoxton FM, Ministry of Sound and Rinse FM.

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Radio Margate

Mar 18

Recorded live, one of my regular monthly radio shows.

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Spiritland

Nov 17

I am a regular guest DJ at London's finest audiophile bar.

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Adventure #6

May 17

As my Adventures in Paradise DJ moniker.

Contact

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