In episode 9 of this season's Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian welcomes Bee Pahnke, Head of Voice at Grey London, to discuss the critical role good copy plays in branding and the importance of authenticity and diversity in driving connections between brands and consumers.
Bee’s work ethic and drive for change has led her to break boundaries early on her career, leading her to become a recipient of the “Adweek Young Influential 2022 and Campaign Future Leader 2022” award. She explains to Ian how, in following her passion for creative writing, she has carved out an entirely new career path in the industry and assumed a role that had not previously existed - “Head of Voice” – at multiple companies.
Bee acknowledges that, despite its importance in branding, copywriting is not always seen in the same light as other creative roles. She believes, however, that strong copywriting is needed to tell compelling stories and create personal connections with consumers, ultimately leading to stronger brand loyalty. Bee explains how a cohesive brand voice is vital for reaching consumers seeking to make connections to brands.
Advertising not only reflects culture, it influences it. Bee discusses the genuine power advertising has on society and the importance of taking that power seriously. She believes that diversity in advertising is extremely important, but equally as important is pursuing diversity in an authentic way. Since it can be nerve-racking for brands to venture away from what they are accustomed, Bee talks about how Grey pushes brands to be more diverse while adhering to key aspects of authenticity.
To learn more about Bee Pahnke and Grey London, listen to the full Digital and Dirt episode available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and other podcast platforms!