The people in Times Square who watched Richard Branson fly through the rafters of his Times Square Virgin Mobile Store may have wondered who concocted such a fanciful marketing stunt. After all, it’s not every day you see one of the richest moguls in the world dangling from the rafters of a building to promote a mobile phone plan.
The creative mind behind the stunt was experiential marketing expert Aja Bradley-Kemp. Bradley-Kemp has over two decades of experience crafting events and experiential marketing ideas for some of the world’s biggest brands. From tech startups to Expedia Australia/New Zealand, Bradley-Kemp has spread the idea that, when it comes to marketing, it’s all about the experience.
The natural connector
Anyone in the marketing industry needs to be well-versed in making connections. Bradley-Kemp thrives on being a natural connector with an innovation mindset.
“Having an innovative mindset is a journey, and it’s been a key driver in my career,” she told BizBash. “It has helped me embrace change, be collaborative, and be nimble. Innovation is how our industry survived the pandemic and how we’ll survive the next bump in the road.”
Starting her career with agencies and crafting memorable initiatives for brands such as Levi’s and Sunglass Hut, Bradley-Kemp struck out on her own with Conversate Collective in 2016. The very notion of kicking off a marketing company of this size and scope that wasn’t based in LA or New York City was groundbreaking. “My vision was to be able to give both established and newer brands access to amazing talent who were not all based in New York or Los Angeles.”
Crafting a team made up of visionaries just like herself, Bradley-Kemp built Conversate Collective around the idea of the power of collective experiences. “Our mission became
purely to help brands develop lasting relationships with their audience through the power of shared experiences in an ever-changing digital world.”
Her team worked remotely from the beginning of the company, even before the pandemic. Many of the people working for Conversate Collective are working mothers, just like Bradley-Kemp. “For our team, my vision was to create a company that gave them, especially working mothers, a flexible environment that allowed them to work from anywhere. We were working remotely before the world had to work remotely.”
Elevating voices
Being a BIPOC business leader, Bradley-Kemp is well-aware of the need to elevate certain voices in the business space. “One of our values at Conversate Collective is to support BIPOC and small businesses in the various markets we work in,” she explains.
For example, her company recently helped launch Cantu’s Guava & Ginger haircare collection. The product launch, highlighting products specially made for those with textured hair, invited 10 content creators to Hawaii. Conversate Collective put on seven different events in just four days designed to highlight collaboration, community, and education around the product launch.
“In between excursions, the brand captured product testimonials, insights, and content from each of the creators,” Bradley-Kemp told BizBash. “The wonderful feedback and positive vibes from all attendees were nothing short of amazing, considering most of the women in this group had never met before. Most importantly, the response from their followers at home proved the influencer trip is not dead! Additionally, we were able to hold true to our company values by engaging a long list of local and Black small businesses to help pull this off.”
Limitless possibilities
By focusing on experience and meaningful connections in an increasingly disconnected age, Bradley-Kemp and her team are changing how people view the marketing industry. When one is only limited by their creativity, the possibilities can be endless.
Bradley-Kemp is all about focusing on brand love, first and foremost. Her favorite thing about her industry is the gratification of a bold idea brought to fruition. “I think it’s the instant and tangible satisfaction I get from the work we do as an industry,” she says. “At a basic level, we generate smiles and happiness.”
Going forward, Bradley-Kemp is all about continuing to take risks and disrupt the marketing status quo. She continues to be fueled by connecting people, finding common ground, and engaging consumers in real, tangible ways.
