You joined Gain Theory earlier this year – what attracted you to the company and what do you hope to achieve in your role?
There were a few key factors that drew me to Gain Theory: the company culture, impressive client base, and leadership position in marketing measurement and optimization.
The culture here is truly fantastic – I’m having fun coming to work every day in a positive and energetic environment, where everyone is supportive of each other’s growth and committed to continuous improvement.
Collaborating with ambitious brands has always been something I have enjoyed, and I’m able to do that here. I really enjoy working with brands that are smart and passionate about driving growth through effective marketing.
Knowing that Gain Theory is recognized as a leader in marketing measurement and optimization by Forrester also gave me the confidence that I was going to join a team at the forefront of the industry, and one that our clients genuinely enjoy and find value working with.
I’m excited to use my skills and experience in marketing analytics to help Gain Theory grow in North America and empower clients to achieve their goals.
What’s the most important question our readers should be asking themselves currently?
In today’s fragmented and rapidly evolving marketing landscape, I think the most critical question is: “Am I maximizing the impact of every marketing dollar through continuous, data-driven optimization?”
It’s no longer enough to execute campaigns and analyze results annually – the speed of change that exists today demands a more agile approach. The good news is you can leverage real-time data to continuously test, measure, and refine marketing strategies, which enables key metrics like ROI and incremental sales to be optimized with speed and accuracy.
By asking yourself this question, you’re challenging yourself to unlock the full potential of your marketing investments, course-correct when results fall short, and stay ahead of the competition.
With consumers spending more time on digital and social platforms, and many advertisers shifting their budgets accordingly, how does linear TV fit into a media strategy currently?
While digital and social platforms are undeniably crucial, linear TV remains a vital component of a holistic media strategy. Crucially, it plays a key role in driving short-term results and building foundational, long-term brand growth.
Digital and social excel for targeted campaigns and delivering measurable short-term results, which are often a necessary part of any media plan. However, there’s no question that linear TV still delivers unmatched reach, particularly for building broad awareness and brand loyalty over time, which is essential for driving long-term growth.
Smart measurement can help brands to optimize their marketing plans by leveraging the strengths of both channels. In my experience, I’ve rarely seen an optimized plan completely remove linear TV from the mix. When brands do tend to cut it – usually for budgetary reasons – we often see sales and market share suffer, and both of these are tough to recover from, especially in a competitive market. Ultimately, a balanced approach ensures brands achieve both short-term conversions and lasting brand resonance for long-term success.
What’s the most innovative campaign you’ve seen recently?
There are two campaigns that have stood out to me for their innovative approaches.
Uber Eats’ Super Bowl campaign featuring Matthew McConaughey was brilliantly clever. The campaign cleverly played on the inherent connection between football and food, using double meanings of football terms and player names (like CJ “Ham” and Jerry “Rice”) to create a memorable and humorous message about the “conspiracy” to make people hungry during games. It was a smart, engaging way to leverage a cultural phenomenon.
I also consistently admire e.l.f. Beauty campaigns for their ability to tap into cultural moments and trends in a fresh and authentic way. They’re masters at cutting through the clutter with fun, disruptive creative that always makes me smile.
Their willingness to take risks and innovate in unexpected spaces, like the New York subway, is particularly impressive. I really enjoyed their humorous video ads with Jennifer Coolidge, capitalizing on her popularity from The White Lotus.
Contact Kelly to discuss any of the issues raised in the Q&A.