Building Complex Marketing Campaigns That Work

With Marketing and Communications Specialist, Kateri Karp

You’ve managed campaigns across both agency and in-house environments. What’s one process or mindset that’s been essential to successfully executing complex campaigns in both settings?

One mindset I’ve carried with me from agency life into in-house roles is the importance of getting crystal clear on stakeholder expectations, especially around what the final product is going to look like. When a campaign gets the green light, there’s often a rush of excitement and a tendency to just dive in and start executing (and spending!). But I’ve seen too many times where one person’s definition of, say, a “livestream” is hitting record on an iPhone, and someone else envisions a $30,000 production with a full crew. That’s a big difference! So, before anything goes live, I take time to map out every element of the campaign and ensure we’re all aligned on what success looks like. That alignment upfront saves time, money, and tears!

When you’re developing an integrated campaign strategy, how do you balance creativity with the need to achieve business objectives?

I’m a big fan of a good brainstorm, but it must be well-briefed. My first question in any brainstorming session will be: What’s the business objective? Then, I would like to know what the elements are that we have to work with. Any celebrity talent? The budget? Any key dates we can look at? From there, I like to bring in members from different departments or create small brainstorming pods, each focused on a different creative direction. The best ideas are usually the simplest. Something you can explain in a single sentence and that can live across multiple formats. If an idea checks those boxes and drives toward the core business goal, that’s a winner.

Can you walk me through a campaign where cross-functional collaboration was critical? What were the keys to making it work smoothly?

One standout was Glamour magazine’s 2016 initiative to get more women registered to vote, in partnership with Facebook. It involved live events across the country, Facebook Live streams, editorial leadership, event producers, social media, PR, and more. Early on, I realized we were scrambling before every single event, even though we were essentially repeating the same process. So I created a master checklist—everything from “Do we need a photographer?” to “Who’s handling social media?”—and made sure all stakeholders were looped in from the start. We planned ahead, assigned roles, and got aligned. That checklist became our secret weapon.

The lesson I learned is that you must address the moment. Your messaging can’t ignore reality, or you come across as tone-deaf.

You were in marketing roles during the pandemic, and now we’re experiencing a turbulent economic situation with tariffs. What’s your approach to rapidly pivoting campaigns in response to unexpected challenges?

I started a new job the same week the world shut down on March 16, 2020. I was tasked with elevating the creator marketing division at Fullscreen, but all our in-person plans suddenly disappeared. We pivoted fast, launching influencer campaigns like “Two Minutes for Good,” where creators made uplifting videos, and we donated to the charity of their choice instead of paying them directly. The lesson I learned is that you must address the moment. Your messaging can’t ignore reality, or you come across as tone-deaf. You also need a nimble team that can ideate and execute quickly. Long approval chains kill agility. Stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.

How do you ensure consistency of messaging and brand voice when coordinating campaigns across multiple channels and platforms?

You need a clear messaging architecture: one central statement that defines the campaign, plus two or key points that appear consistently everywhere. I also believe in reviewing everything. Whether it’s a tweet, an email invite, or a paid ad, I like to ensure the messaging is tight and consistent. Everyone on the team—across departments—should be briefed together and given space to ask questions. Siloed teams are the enemy of consistency.

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Influencer marketing has been a big part of your background. What’s the most surprising lesson you’ve learned about integrating influencers into broader, multi-layered campaigns?

Coming from a PR background, I was used to tightly scripting messaging. But influencers are their own mini creatives. You’ll get the best results by giving them a loose brief and letting them interpret it in their own voice. For example, instead of saying, “Say this,” I might say, “Create a two-minute video about self-expression using this product.” When you let go of control, you often get content that’s more authentic (and far more engaging) than anything the brand could produce in-house.

With so many stakeholders involved in large-scale campaigns—clients, internal teams, external partners—how do you keep everyone aligned in order to achieve the outcome you’re looking for?

Internal updates are just as crucial as external updates. Of course, clients need regular progress reports since they are paying. They need to be updated on things like timelines, budgets, obstacles, etc. But just as important is keeping your internal stakeholders energized and informed. I’ll send out an announcement about the campaign, make sure key dates are blocked off on calendars, share talking points, and make sure everyone knows what’s going on. If it’s a big campaign, I’ll push for a company- wide memo or social post to build buzz and alignment. Visibility is everything. Make sure you’re not looping in your internal stakeholders the day before a campaign launches and expecting them to get excited. They will likely be upset that they weren’t included and didn’t have a chance to contribute, which could have made it even better.

Then, at Glamour, I got to work with Kimberly, a total powerhouse who came in brimming with confidence. She had so much that she lifted everyone around her. Insecurity was not in her vocabulary. That changed me.

When it comes to working on a marketing team, what’s the best advice you’ve received and how have you applied it?

It wasn’t advice so much as an example. Early in my career, I had bosses who seemed threatened by me and tried to put me down. Then, at Glamour, I got to work with Kimberly, a total powerhouse who came in brimming with confidence. She had so much that she lifted everyone around her. Insecurity was not in her vocabulary. That changed me. As a manager since then, I’ve always strived to be that kind of leader: one who believes in their team, gives them opportunities to shine, and helps them grow. That kind of leadership builds loyalty and performance way more than putting people down.

Looking ahead, what trends or innovations do you think will most impact the way marketers create and execute complex campaigns over the next few years?

AI is the obvious one. It’s already reshaped how I work. Drafting press releases, writing copy, and building decks. What used to take days now takes hours or minutes. It frees me up to focus on strategy and big ideas. But I also see a counter-trend coming: as AI-generated everything floods the market, people will crave authenticity. That could mean more IRL experiences, more “unpolished” content, and a renewed focus on trust. We’ll need to balance efficiency with emotional resonance.

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About Kateri Karp