Talent strategy as a growth lever

Lately, I’ve been thinking about talent strategy as a growth lever for brands.

When talent embodies the values and needs of your customer, you don’t need to manufacture relevance — it’s already there.

Two brands getting this right:

1️⃣ SET ACTIVE’s “Icons” campaign spotlighted powerful women across industries for International Women’s Day — including Katie Welch from Rare Beauty — who helped curate their latest drop. It felt thoughtful, aligned, and rooted in influence that goes beyond traditional fitness aesthetics.

2️⃣ Knix’s “Out of Office” campaign featured iconic founders like Alli Webb, Deepica Mutyala, Katie Sturino, and Babba (Canales) Rivera The focus? Storytelling — not just about swimsuits, but about the businesses they’ve built and the confidence they bring into every room.

Honestly? The talent alone in these campaigns made me want to buy.

I loved how each partner shared their story in a meaningful way — and how the brand amplified it with BTS content. 

Take Deepica and Katie for Knix, for example: they weren’t just cast because they’re crushing it right now (although yes, they are!) — they were cast because of the lived experiences with swimsuit shopping they had shared online. That became part of the brand’s narrative.

And as consumers, we want to see ourselves reflected in marketing. 

When talent strategy is treated like brand strategy, it unlocks deeper levels of audience trust and emotional connection. That’s the unlock.

Original post on LinkedIn here.