Caroline Kinneberg is head of POLITICO Studio, the in-house creative studio of POLITICO Europe. She joins from The Economist Group, where she developed the group’s branded content capabilities in EMEA from the ground up.
As a writer, Caroline has contributed to publications such as the New York Times, New York magazine, and the Boston Globe, and has lectured on visual culture and innovations in storytelling at the Sorbonne. Originally from the States, she is currently based in Paris, France.
Brandingmag sat down with Caroline to discuss her views on branding and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead:
Brandingmag: What do you believe is the role of branding within organizations?
CK: Branding is the red thread that links all the different parts of a business, making them identifiable to consumers as one and the same, and giving employees a guiding light in their work. This is vital in a modern media business with diverse offerings, from editorial to events, content, consultancy, and more.
Bm: What is your opinion on trust and brand purpose?
CK: POLITICO’s purpose is to connect and empower our audience through nonpartisan news and actionable intelligence about European politics and policy. We aim to facilitate the debate. Trust in this mission is essential to keeping and building our audience as well as our client base.
Bm: What are the three (3) most essential brand assets and why?
CK: Tone of voice is one brand asset that I think is often overlooked, or underappreciated. It’s one of the main reasons that people open our Playbook newsletters every morning. The content is personable and fun while also smart. It’s hard to strike the balance between entertaining and informational but the Playbook writers and editors do so masterfully.
Bm: What do you believe will be the next game-changer for brands (perhaps beyond web 3.0)?
CK: For me, the first game-changers that come to mind are honesty, transparency, and action. They’re all linked. Brands can talk about diversity and sustainability but if they’re not walking the talk, doing the real work, they’ll be called out. Consumers and employees demand more.
Bm: What do you expect to achieve in your new role?
CK: It’s incredibly exciting for me to support a trusted news organization in its growth. I’m looking forward to helping expand and enhance our content capabilities for partners, within the Studio and beyond. Now that Politico is ‘one brand’, I’m also aiming to help achieve more alignment with the US side of the business, learning from each other and partnering together.
Bm: What advice would you give to the person taking on your previous role?
CK: My advice would be to reach out to colleagues that you might not have an excuse to interact with in your day-to-day or you might only interact with on a superficial level. Take advantage of working alongside such smart people; learn more about their work and their challenges.
Bm: What will this new position give you that you didn’t have before?
CK: Previously I was at a legacy publication with a lot of people who had quite defined roles. A newer company not only allows me to apply the knowledge I gained working at a more established player, but it also gives me room for more expansiveness in my work. I find working in a more integrated, entrepreneurial manner very inspiring.
–
This new series of interviews aims to answer the same questions from different perspectives, giving you a better sense of where branding stands and how your peers think. Keep an eye out for the next one.