Atomic 212°’s new head of content, Kellie Holt, is on a mission to change the marketing mindset.

“So many of us, whether we are agencies or clients, wear a marketing hat. This can be quite limiting because we have a preconceived notion of what is and isn’t marketing. Instead, we should be thinking like creators, journalists, filmmakers, educators and entertainers, developers and, of course, like marketers as well. We need to engage people who are not just numbers on a screen. We are humans talking to humans. Sometimes this can become lost when we put our marketing hat on.”

Holt has joined Atomic 212° after six years in New York City, working with some of the leaders in the media and entertainment industries. She will work closely with the agency’s creative and media people, in line with Atomic’s rejection of departmental silos.

Kellie Holt

Atomic 212° Chief Executive Jason Dooris commented, “There has been a buzz in the office since Kellie started. She has a unique way of solving client problems, and her approach to content is one of the most innovative I’ve ever seen. Not only that, she is highly energetic and incredibly intelligent. She is the embodiment of everything we stand for at Atomic.”

Before her recent return to Australia in April, Holt had been director of branded entertainment at Havas Media, New York for the last three years. Prior to that she was client director & producer, brand experience at Jack Morton Worldwide and project manager, integrated marketing at Naked Communications. She has worked for clients such as Moet Hennessy, Volvo, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 1800 Tequila, American Airlines, Dell and Citi.

Kellie began her career as a journalist, which sowed the seeds of her current plans to shift the industry away from marketing and into creation.

“Journalism as a profession has evolved considerably, in part because the business model that underpinned the major media operators has been disrupted by the digital revolution,” she explained.

“At the same time, the world’s most successful brands are acting more like media operators than ever before.

“Content is about research, finding the right angle, storytelling, creation, distribution, having an opinion, understanding your audience and delivering something of high value.

“In today’s landscape, we are dealing with people who are savvier, more opinionated, more motivated and more connected than ever. We need to discover, and speak to, fundamental truths we can leverage to engage people and inspire action.”