Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.

Marketing Brew

Coworking

Kelsey Sutton

marketingbrew.com

Each week, we spotlight Marketing Brew readers in our Coworking series. If you’d like to be featured, introduce yourself 

Sophie O’Rourke is senior director, influencer marketing, Dialogue New York. She has also worked at Full Picture and at d2 publicity.

 One of my favorite and most creative campaigns I’ve worked on was for our five-year client, Little Spoon. Leaning into the nostalgia of the ’90s, we developed and executed a viral influencer program in support of their Lunchers launch (a build-and-eat array of healthy meals and snacks for big kids) that blanketed social media, driving home the overarching message that you’ve changed since the ’90s, why hasn’t your kid’s food? Our multi-tiered strategy engaged iconic ’90s celebrities, traditional macro influencers, and parent tastemakers via a range of personal, strategically timed partnerships, including paid campaigns, UGC content collaborators, and widespread gifting.

 I loved what the team at Crown Affair drummed up for their launch of the Finishing Spray. From the ode to ’90s New York to the newspaper PR mailer and movie-night screening of 

 in NYC, this campaign was creative, inspiring, and most importantly, stayed so true to their identity. They leveraged custom photography, graphic design, comic writers, and original artwork to deliver a 360-degree campaign that touched editorial, digital/social and OOH activations, effectively flooding the feeds of their target consumer and driving huge swell at launch. Such brilliant work.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile:

 I’m currently taking French lessons! While I studied it throughout my early schooling, I’m more determined than ever to speak fluently after spending a summer in Paris last year (and realizing how much of the language I’d forgotten in the years of disuse).

What marketing trend are you most optimistic about? Least? 

The influencer space has grown at such a colossal rate, and because of that, we’ve begun to see “influencer fatigue,” which is an indicator that real change needs to happen—and I’m excited for that change. At Dialogue, we’ve always believed in authentic storytelling and building impactful relationships with influencers, agents, clients, etc., but I’m excited to see more creator-led content driven from an authentic love for the product and mission over traditional “hashtag ads.”

I’m not pessimistic about any of the current trends, but I’m a little wary of AI-generated influencers, or virtual influencers, and the impact that could have on the industry. Talk about the wild, wild West!

What’s one marketing-related podcast/social account/series you’d recommend?

Coworking with Sophie O’Rourke

She’s senior director, influencer marketing, Dialogue New York. 

Coworking with Sophie O’Rourke 

Lisa Hurst is chief client officer of Amp (Advantage Marketing Partners). She was previously at Upshot, which is now a part of Amp, for more than 20 years.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in marketing?

 I lead teams that create innovative solutions to meet client needs—ideas and activations that enhance brand relevance and influence consumer behavior. This could manifest as a Super Bowl advertisement, a trending TikTok challenge, or even a billboard. At the core of my job is a deep understanding of consumers—sometimes even better than they understand themselves—and finding the best ways to connect with them during meaningful moments.

 One of my favorites is the Nick Offerman “

” campaign for regenerative farming. We took a complex issue—soil health and cover crops—and brought it to life through playful storytelling and humor. Nick literally plays the soil, going from tired and worn to renewed, and that surprise, combined with education, made it stick. It’s the kind of creative work that teaches, entertains, and inspires—and it also went viral!

” Super Bowl spot from 2024. It was such a smart use of the moment—taking the biggest ad stage of the year and turning it into something people could immediately interact with. They hid a promo code in the commercial and offered to deliver everything advertised during the game—cars, snacks, even mayo. To me, it blurred the line between awareness and conversion in a really clever way. I think that’s where we’re headed: more work that fuses brand-building with commerce creative. It wasn’t just entertaining; it gave people a reason to engage immediately.

 I began my career in research and development at Procter & Gamble, leveraging my degree in biology. It wasn’t a typical path to advertising, but I developed a passion for transforming consumer insights into creative ideas. This combination of science and storytelling has been the foundation of my career.

I am optimistic about the merging of brand-building and commerce, where creative work not only entertains but also drives immediate action. However, I am least optimistic about the dominance of performance metrics. Overly focusing on clicks and conversions can risk stifling bold, long-term creative ideas.

 with Scott Galloway. He’s provocative, sharp, and unafraid to take a strong stance. I don’t always agree with him—and that’s the point. He makes you think differently about business, marketing, and culture. His perspective goes well beyond advertising, which is part of what makes it so valuable.

Coworking with Lisa Hurst

She’s chief client officer, Amp. 

Victoria Bachan is SVP, creators, at Wasserman, a sports marketing and talent agency. She was previously president of Sixteenth, the Whalar Group-owned creator talent management company, and she has also worked for the producers of the Vans Warped Tour, Coachella, and Governors Ball.

 One of my favorites has been launching Nonipup, the wellness brand from internet sensation and client Doug the Pug. Expanding the world’s most famous pup into a pet lifestyle and wellness brand was such a meaningful challenge. We spent over two years in R&D, and Doug tried every single product we put out, so it was a launch journey full of love and personal experience, and we hope every single customer feels that when they are buying the product for their four-legged family member.

I’ve had the privilege of building alongside other incredible creators, too, like helping Ashley Alexander bring her DTC matcha brand Nami Matcha to market, which now has over $2m in sales and is available in 139 countries. It has been the honor of a lifetime to be an AAPI executive working alongside an AAPI client to launch an AAPI-founded brand.

” just goes to show that, even within communities, there is such vast diversity, and it is so important to welcome that. Maybelline did a beautiful job bringing such a diverse group of AAPI trailblazers together. As a young girl, I would’ve loved to have this, and I am grateful the next generation does—and that brands, when taking an intentional opportunity to connect, can truly nail it.

 Since starting my career on the Vans Warped Tour to now, I have been to all 50 states and six continents. Travel awakens our ability to appreciate culture in ways you can never think of, and I genuinely feel it has made me a better leader and talent representative to take myself out of what I “know” and to be open to learning every day. While you can probably tell from my LinkedIn that I’ve worked on some of the biggest festivals and brands in entertainment, what it doesn’t show is how much those experiences taught me about resilience and problem-solving in unconventional settings, like troubleshooting backstage at a festival with tens of thousands of people counting on you.

What marketing trend are you most optimistic about? Least?

 I’m most optimistic about the fact that the creator economy has fully stepped into entertainment. Creators are now talent, producers, and often platforms themselves, with communities that rival traditional media. I see this firsthand working with clients who have built direct-to-fan businesses that feel as powerful as traditional entertainment and consumer brands.

I’m least optimistic about the obsession with short-term metrics. Constantly chasing clicks or trends can dilute storytelling. Longevity comes from consistency and deeper brand building, not just the latest viral moment. We always tell our clients to strategize remaining on trend without being trendy. Stick to your voice and your foundational pillars and ride the waves, and ultimately the vision will win out over the ever-changing trends.

When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead

 by Simon Sinek. For newsletters, I recommend 

Coworking with Victoria Bachan

She’s SVP, creators at Wasserman.

Michael Lamp is chief digital and social officer at the agency Hunter, where he has been for nearly two decades.

 I help brands figure out how to make their (often) old business models feel native to a digital audience, blending traditional methods with emerging technologies to meet people where they are online, engage them (first), and sell to them (second).

 The first project that pivoted my career from traditional PR to digital was back in 2009. I’d been with Hunter for one year and was an account executive on the food/bev team working on the Grey Poupon biz at Kraft. Fox News was making news out of President Obama’s burger order (adding Dijon mustard), calling him an elitist and not “of the people.” So we wrote an open letter, riffing on our brand heritage, urging Obama to “pardon” those who believe in free choice when choosing condiments. This was during the primitive days of social and digital, so we developed a microsite and pitched it to the media. The results were great and ranged from 

,” from the 3G rollout of Apple’s iPhone. I love anything that successfully blends utility with entertainment. This built off that tension perfectly, positioning these then-new devices as more than just phones but keys to solving daily problems and on-demand entertainment. The concept of time-shifted anything was still a very premium novelty (like TiVo!), so all of this in one’s pocket was game-changing. And apps propelled this further, showing how they’d easily sustain innovation over time.

 My first “internship” in college was actually the College Program at Walt Disney World. I was very good friends with Pluto and Eeyore (IYKYK), and that’s where I learned the art of IRL animation and honed my early presentation chops.

 Funny enough, both are tied to AI. I’m most optimistic about LLMs and their impact on communications, specifically our ability to drive better discovery of non-paid content (notably earned coverage and earned-on-owned social content). I’m least optimistic about where we are with the generative creative side of AI. The rapid innovation has not been dually met with rapid regulation, and I think creative is the longer-term threat to disinformation than the written word.

Coworking with Michael Lamp 

He’s chief digital and social officer at Hunter.

Nikki Maizel is president of Leo New York. She’s also served in lead roles at Publicis New York, McCann New York, and Grey Group.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in marketing? 

I help brands solve business problems with the power of creativity and technology. And sometimes, I help them solve problems they didn’t even know they had! Think of it as a mix between a firefighter, orchestra director, and artist, all in service of driving a client’s business forward. And did I mention, I get to do it with some of the best humans on the planet that I’d happily be stuck on a stranded island with? Seriously, you should see our group texts.

Recently, our Subway win has been incredibly fulfilling. We beat some of the biggest names in the industry by demonstrating how the combination of human insight and ideas combined with our bench of data and technology capabilities can unlock exponential creativity for the brand. Watch this space!

” film by Fallon London remains a masterclass in unexpected emotional connection. Gets me every time. I’m equally excited by work that proves effectiveness and creativity can amplify each other—like the 

 work for Walmart, which seamlessly blended entertainment with commerce in a culturally and contextually relevant, shoppable content series.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: 

I love cars and would have been a race-car driver in another life. There’s something about the precision, strategy, and split-second decision-making that parallels what we do in new business—everything has to work perfectly together to win, and we move at lightning speed.

I’m most optimistic about the staying power of human ingenuity when amplified by the right technology. We’re proving that AI enhances rather than replaces human creativity. I’m pessimistic about agencies that talk about AI integration without actually demonstrating it in their work and results (hence, using it as a catchphrase only).

What’s one marketing-related podcast/social account/series you’d recommend? 

 is my daily morning commute listen. It keeps me connected to broader business transformation discussions among the movers and shakers of industry. Marketing sits at the center of so many corporate challenges today—hearing these real-time interviews and discussions before I walk in the office always gives me something provocative to think about before I’ve even had my first sip of coffee (and those who know me well know it’s a trenta Starbucks iced, daily!).

Cutout of a woman, Nikki Maizel, president of Leo New York, centered on a templated blue background

Coworking with Nikki Maizel

She’s president, Leo New York. 

Brit Starr is CMO of the creator marketing platform CreatorIQ. She previously worked at the influencer marketing analytics platform Tribe Dynamics, which was acquired by CreatorIQ in 2021. She has also had stints as head of marketing at Verve Coffee Roasters and at the Austin-based creative shop McGarrah Jessee.

I’m the hype girl behind the powerful creator community that drives brand and business growth, and an enabler for the teams that make it happen. My job is part creative direction, part strategic foresight, and a lot of real-time storytelling. I help brands tap into the influence and authenticity of creators to build trust, relevance, and results.

 In the early days at CreatorIQ, we ran scrappy, high-impact quarterly events in key markets, unveiling new research, creating a space for real connection, and capping it off with a happy hour. With a team of ~20 and a shoestring budget, we all pitched in: planning, executing, and engaging directly with customers for a valuable on-the-ground experience. The hands-on experiences gave us deep insight into our audience and laid the groundwork for our events strategy and overall marketing playbook. Today, we’re bigger and more polished—our LA tentpole event draws 1,500+ attendees—but the DNA is the same. Our team still shows up on the frontlines, owning every customer-facing moment.

” by e.l.f. Cosmetics is hands-down my favorite campaign. It was bold, disruptive, data-driven, and brutally honest. It called out that more men named “Dick” sit on US public company boards than entire underrepresented groups. It was the perfect collision of creativity and activism—it sparked conversation, challenged power structures, and proved that creativity can drive real cultural change.

I’ve got two boys who are three and five, and like most working parents, I wrestle daily with the balance of showing up fully for both my job and my family. It’s something I try to give myself grace for every day. I was also raised with a “no-thank-you bite” rule: try everything once. That mindset has shaped my life—from quitting my job at 28 to travel the world for a year, to landing in San Francisco with just a carry-on and no plan, to taking a chance on a tiny influencer marketing startup that turned into a defining career move.

I’m bullish on creator marketing and creator-led media. There’s never been a more exciting shift toward real, relatable content that resonates with actual communities. Today, people own brands, not the other way around, and as a marketer, that’s thrilling. I’m more skeptical of marketing that chases novelty over substance—campaigns that go viral but lack long-term resonance. In a world of noise, depth wins.

. It’s a selfish plug (I host it!), but the guests on the other side of the couch (or screen) are some of the smartest, most generous leaders out there, and I walk away from every 30-minute convo with new insight. Beyond that, there are two LinkedIn accounts that I am always energized by: 

 at e.l.f.—her commitment and unapologetic enthusiasm for the work and purpose behind it are inspiring (and slightly intimidating)—and 

 at OK Cool–he gives great takes on some of the boldest breakthrough creative from brands today.

Cutout of a woman, Brit Starr, on a templated background with large 'Q' and 'A' letters.

Coworking with Brit Starr

She’s CMO, CreatorIQ. 

Ben Geheb is global chief experience officer at VML, where he has been for nearly 10 years. He was previously at the business consultancy Innosight, and he started his career as an electrical engineer.

For years I have worked closely with Ford, from helping design their 2030 corporate strategy to reimagining their entire digital and experience ecosystem. Part of that was being at the forefront of their electrification strategy. As such, I had the amazing opportunity to help reimagine the electrified experience ahead of the Mustang Mach-E launch. We were so early in the process, the vehicle was still being debated, yet we knew the experience had to push the norms of vehicle ownership and reinvent how Ford engages their owners. This project not only led to an expansion in charging, new services, launching BlueCruise, and many others, but it also changed how Ford works in a more human-centered way. It’s amazing to feel that at some small level I had an opportunity to put my fingerprint on the future strategy for such an iconic organization as Ford.

For me and my role in customer experience, I often think of this through that lens, and as a frequent traveler, it’s my experience with Delta. Currently the full integration of their loyalty program into their app that now seamlessly integrates to the seatback screens, all while managing my trip, is one of the best examples of a truly connected experience that simplifies and removes the stress of travel.

I am a tinkerer. Call it my old engineering background, but I’m always trying new things and new tech, or trying to fix old tech.

 AI and AI. It’s both epic and amazingly terrifying. I am optimistic at the transformative power it has in the work we do and how we do it. It should make experiences way more dynamic and reactive. It should bring seamlessness and personalization to a new scale. Yet the impact on jobs, the centralization of intelligence, and the path to get there is foggy, concerning, and at times terrifying, as the use cases in the wrong hands can bring that magic to places that challenge privacy, security, and discriminating bias.

What’s one marketing-related podcast/social account/series you'd recommend? 

. I think it provides a rich daily perspective on market shifts and trends that impact our work every day. Beyond that, 

 provides a unique view into the lives of founders and organizations in ways I couldn’t imagine.

Cutout of a man, Ben Geheb, global chief experience officer at VML, displayed on a templated background.

Coworking

Coworking with Sophie O’Rourke

Coworking with Lisa Hurst

Coworking with Victoria Bachan

Coworking with Michael Lamp

Coworking with Nikki Maizel

Coworking with Brit Starr

Coworking with Ben Geheb

Get marketing news you'll actually want to read