We’re rounding off our Pitch 100 Superwomen list with Hannah Stein, Senior Account Manager, New York.
Hannah, congratulations on being named as one of Pitch Magazine’s 100 Superwomen!
We’d love to get to know you a little better…
Firstly, please could tell us a bit about yourself and your role at JKR
When did you join the agency?
January 2nd, 2018
How would you describe your job?
The majority of my time is spent on the client services team, specifically supporting my colleague Jenna on partnership projects. Beyond that, I also support Rob on some content-specific projects. Primarily, I consider the strategic thinking behind the content we make.
What does a typical working day look like?
Typically, I have a number of client calls to align on priorities for the week, crits, and planning.
Tell us about a time when you felt totally unstoppable at work?
Foot Locker is a leading retailer of sneakers and streetwear, operating in more than 3,000 locations globally. But in 2018, while both the men’s and kid’s wings of the business were thriving, the U.S. women’s proposition was struggling to connect with sneaker aficionados.
Foot Locker approached us to consider the name, brand identity and retail experience of ‘Lady Foot Locker’.
It was a tricky task: we needed to design a brand identity that would resonate with modern women while feeling harmonious with the overarching Foot Locker experience.
We also had to take into consideration wider gender-related trends, as well as the category’s pivot away from physical, sporting lifestyles towards fashion and street culture.
Sneaker culture lacks conformity and our design concept purposefully followed suit. By incorporating dazzle-inspired stripes, we were able to successfully challenge the premise of traditional female-marketing tropes!
For a brand that was ostensibly stuck in the ‘90’s in the way it communicated to women, I found it so empowering to change the narrative of how Foot Locker plays a role in shaping women’s sense of identity today through their look, feel & tone.
Why do we need to champion more epic Superwomen in the creative industry?
In short, because women aren’t always recognised for their contributions to the creative field. Giving this recognition reinforces the hard work that is coming from all members of our studio.
What was your reaction to being named a Superwomen?
Humbled! I had no idea this was coming and it was such a surprise and made me feel quite valued (and a little bit confused!).
Who was the first person you told?
Jenna (JKR Group Account Director)
If you could nominate the next JKR Superwoman, who would you choose and why?
This might sound cliché, but Jenna for sure as well as Ana Camargo.
Jenna, because she’s the best boss I’ve ever had. She cares and gives autonomy when it’s warranted and knows when to step in when I need support. She's also super dedicated to ensuring that each client's needs are met, while simultaneously upholding the creative team's vision.
Ana because she’s a boss. Ana, because she's a boss. She's ever-upbeat and is always pushing to make sure we're asking the right questions of both the client and creative team. Also, she's just a badass storyteller.