Marketing and campaigns consultant with 19 years’ experience in charities, creative agencies, and on purposeful brands.
I’ll untangle your thorniest strategy and messaging challenges in hours or days.
Jobs I could do for you:
turn audience insights into strategy
identify gaps in insights, commission and analyse new research
messaging /positioning analysis and evolution
creative strategy development
creative brief development
commission and oversee creative development.
I work as fractionally as you need - for a few hours’ consultation, 1/2 or whole days.
Email me about a free initial 30-min consultation here: harriet.bailiss@gmail.com.
My experience across commercial and charity sectors, agency and client-side, means I develop brands and campaigns that both stand out creatively and have tangible impact in the real world. My specialisms are:
social impact / attitude and behaviour change campaigns
DEI (particularly gender and ageing)
sustainability
brand / company / organisational purpose, mission and values
brand or campaign creative strategy.
Who am I?
A seasoned agency-leader (ex adam&eveDDB, Revolt, Head of Client Services / Third-Sector clients), I am well-schooled in getting to the heart of new problems and audiences quickly and thoroughly, distilling thoughts into action, and bringing people - the crucial part in all of this - along on the journey.
For three days a week, I run charity Centre for Ageing Better’s anti-ageism attitude and behaviour change campaign, Age Without Limits, and balance the rest of my week between family life and consulting. I love meeting a variety of clients and getting my head quickly into a range of subjects, so this work suits me - I will run headlong at your marketing or campaign challenge and get to answers quickly.
I believe in working quickly and imaginatively - I have zero interest in billing for more time than is necessary!
Kind words from people I’ve loved working with:
Alex Lewis, Founder and CSO, Revolt London:
“Harriet’s gifts are manifold. She is a true client partner, and has stewarded many of our standout client relationships - producing what remains our best piece of communications work to date. She can quickly identity what needs to happen to make progress, and brings this unique skill to every project. And throughout all of this she inspires those who work into her onto greater heights.
Beyond our commercial clients, Harriet delivered some of our most impactful work in the social sector, for iconic charities such as Stonewall and the Social Mobility Foundation. Her commitment to action, impact and measurement were clear and meant the work was able to go over and beyond the initial brief time and again.”
Ian Spooner, Brand Director, One Water:
“Harriet was instrumental in helping us develop a crucial rebrand for One Water, and putting the right process in place to get there.
From consumer research, creative strategy and creative agency selection, through to the new look and brand messaging, Harriet was an invaluable partner throughout, providing thoughtful insight and creative instinct.”
Case studies
Age Without Limits - behaviour and attitude change campaign
Role: Head of Campaigns, Centre for Ageing Better (my current, part-time role).
Brief: change attitudes about ageing to tackle ageism, the UK’s most widespread (but often overlooked) form of discrimination.
Action: developed a mass-reach national campaign including paid ATL, PR, events and ongoing commentary. Spokesperson for campaign as well as influencing programme to change ageism in the media and creative industries.
Results: after 2 years, awareness and understanding of ageism at their highest level to date; over 10,000 involved in national events on annual awareness day; reports from Women and Equalities Committee and ASA demanding action on ageism.
One Water - consumer insights and rebrand
Role: Consultant, for One Water (onewater.org.uk).
Brief: re-brand One Water to highlight its 20+ year commitment (and impact) in delivering clean, safe water to over 5 million people globally since its foundation, alongside its best-in-class work on sustainability.
Action: overcome the challenge to cut through in an increasingly busy ‘ethical drinks’ market. I reviewed all past insights, then recommended, commissioned and analysed new consumer research, building a new picture of our audience. I turned this into a creative strategy for the re-brand whilst running an agency pitch process. I briefed the agency and oversaw the new brand development through to delivery.
Results: a new, bold brand that appealed to the contemporary ethical consumer whilst building on the brand’s powerful past.
End Laptop Poverty - awareness campaign for the Social Mobility Foundation
Role: Head of Third Sector Projects, Revolt London
Brief: raise awareness of the fact almost 1m kids had no device to join remote learning in lockdown - and increase donations of laptops.
Action: find the barriers to donations through research, develop a brand (End Laptop Poverty), including social channels and website; develop a national ad campaign (securing a pro bono OOH campaign from Ocean Outdoor), a stunt at the Houses of Parliament.
Results: incredible media coverage raised awareness (ITV, ES, Guardian), an open letter from Siobhan Donoghue MP raised the issue with parliament, and across our 2-week live period the charities we promoted our website saw a 50% increase in donations (as well as 1500 laptops sent directly to the SMF via our campaign).
Life Unseen - social impact programme and brand for PepsiCo
Role: Senior Business Lead, Revolt London
Brief: use PepsiCo brand Lifewtr’s platform and budget to raise awareness of underrepresentation in the arts in the US.
Action: commissioned research on the extent of the issue, built strategy and creative for programme ‘Life Unseen’; created advertising, website, and PR plan to promote it, including partnership with actor and director Issa Rae who would mentor the emerging artists.
Result: marketing KPIs exceeded, with benefit of additional coverage from The Daily Show with Trevor Noah amongst others. The programme put at least $260k into the hands of underrepresented creators during the campaign through new work.