Brand marketers must have a roadmap but also be able to take a detour when a moment presents itself. Being entrepreneurial and highly opportunistic has been key to our marketing success at the Human Rights Campaign. – Anastasia Khoo
Anastasia Khoo is the Chief Marketing Officer for the Human Rights Campaign. Her role is responsible for driving forward the HRC’s work in the areas of digital media, advertising and public relations. Khoo is a widely-sought commentator on marketing and digital media issues giving interviews in a wide variety of publications including The New Yorker, Washington Post, Stanford Social Innovation Review and Marketing Power. She’s given celebrated presentations at conferences like The Guardian’s Activate London Summit, Mashable Social Good and SXSW. And she continues to volunteer her time to share what she’s learned with other socially-minded nonprofits and brands.
Khoo has been on our radar for years, but never more so than during her record-breaking “red equal sign” campaign in 2013. As historic marriage equality cases reached the United States Supreme Court, Khoo developed a strategic campaign to give HRC supporters an opportunity to show their support for marriage and be a part of history by changing their Facebook profile picture to a red-and-pink version of the HRC logo. In just a few short days, as many as 10 million people used the image on social media–including celebrities, major corporations and leading politicians. The logo was named 2013’s “Symbol of the Year” and Facebook declared the campaign the most successful viral effort in the site’s history.
What role do you see Influencer Marketing playing in brand marketing strategies in 2016?
Influencer marketing will only continue to grow, but I think authenticity in any relationship is key. The Human Rights Campaign is ahead of the curve on this front as we’ve been fortunate to build incredible partnerships with some of the top LGBT and allied influencers. In 2015, we handed our social keys over to top influencers, resulting in some of the most powerful stories and the highest engagement that we’ve ever had. Brands need to continue to evolve; having great partners to help expand your voice can help you do that.
What is the most widespread mistake you’ve seen brand marketers make in 2015 that you hope they learn from in 2016?
Reluctance to taking a risk. Brand marketers must have a roadmap but also be able to take a detour when a moment presents itself. Being entrepreneurial and highly opportunistic has been key to our marketing success at the Human Rights Campaign.
What word do you hope is officially banned from marketing vernacular in 2016?
Signal boost. Speaking of inauthentic….
What marketing events are you most looking forward to in 2016?
I loved VidCon. It’s like a whole other world to experience screaming teenagers chasing their idols and a real eye opener about the power of the YouTube creators. I also loved the frank conference last year held at the University of Florida. It’s inspiring, intimate and really, really fun.
Want more from Anastasia? Follow her on Twitter, or connect with her on LinkedIn.