The AME Grand Jury members have a reputation for being creative and strategic leaders who are innovators in the industry. They represent global agencies and prominent brands who deliver ground-breaking creative and effective campaigns.Their ability to recognize distinctive creative work that solves a problem, inspires action, and delivers results truly sets the bar for this year's AME Awards competition.
2022 Grand Jury member Courtney Berry is Managing Director,at Barbarian and oversees all Account & Project Management and People & Culture. She has the ability to merge vision-setting, brand level goals with practical plans for digital transformation. Running global business is a thrill to Courtney, who has worked out of both NYC and Paris and led initiatives from California to China. She believes that diversity, equity & inclusion has a direct correlation to producing more effective solutions for clients’ business challenges. She is the executive sponsor of Barbarian’s gender equality organization, Foundation, and was the guardian of Barbarian receiving 3% certification.
In the interview below Courtney shares her perspective on the attributes of award-winning creative advertising, the evolution of brand positioning and voice, and mediums dominating 2022 and more.
AME Awards: What stand-out attributes do you recognize in award-winning creative effective advertising?
Courtney Berry: Insight, craft and innovation. When these three things are achieved in concert with one another that’s when you start going from good to great.
AME Awards: Why are effectiveness competitions like the AME Awards important?
Courtney Berry: Our industry can let ego and the allure of a shiny object get in the way sometimes. Our primary role is to solve business challenges. Results come in many shapes and sizes, but results are the difference between doing our job well and noise.
AME Awards: Speak to the evolution of brand positioning, values, and tone of voice during the past few years.
Courtney Berry: What I love about the push for purpose over the last few years is that, at the very least, it has pushed brands to have more of a point of view on the world. Powerful brands know exactly who they are and aren’t shy about leaning into that, regardless of whether everyone agrees with it. A strong positioning and voice is all about making choices and saying no, which is one of the more difficult challenges in a world of opportunity.
AME Awards: What innovations are changing the way agencies engage consumers on behalf of brands?
Courtney Berry: As we cross into a world where virtual and physical merge in the mainstream, the human connection evolves. Our biggest pivot is towards seamless experiences instead of “campaigns”. People are more loyal when the full experience is optimal. The challenge is that so many organizations allow complex internal structure to show itself externally with broken experiences. Moving forward, I think it’s the agencies that are willing to partner with their clients to break down those silos and support change management who will be most successful.
AME Awards: What mediums will be front and center in 2022?
Courtney Berry: The Metaverse buzz isn’t going away because we haven’t even reached a true metaverse state yet. So, as brands lay out their long term plans for a presence and role in the metaverse they will also realize opportunities for digitizing their brand and customer experience. Brands need to start connecting the platforms and channels that exist today to be ready for the future.
AME Awards: Why did you agree to participate on this year’s AME Grand Jury and What do you hope to learn by viewing entries into this competition?
Courtney Berry: I love any chance to be inspired. That’s always the reason I like to sit on a jury.