Lost in Found: Katie Riddle

Crafting Clarity in a Cluttered World

As marketers, it’s our job to help potential customers by cutting through the clutter with simple, powerful ideas that will spark their imaginations. And that’s exactly what the latest episode of the LOST IN FOUND podcast is all about. Our guest is Katie Riddle, Executive Creative Director at Mono, an award-winning creative agency with offices in Minneapolis and New York City.

Keep It Simple. And Human.

"We make the complex simple," says Katie. Every time they get a brief, the strategists at Mono peel back the layers to find the simple truth inside the problem. This approach can take you to some very strange places, like the back of a van, following furniture around a city. Wait, that definitely needs some explaining.

To celebrate the first birthday of their New York flagship furniture store, furniture company Blu Dot wanted to answer a simple question: “What is good design?” In a provocative marketing stunt produced by Mono, Blu Dot's “Real Good” chairs were dropped all around New York City and tracked by GPS as people took them from the curb to their homes. The team then rode through New York City in the backs of vans to stalk the chair takers, and caught the whole thing in a brilliant film that proves the power of good design and human connection.

A Drop of Epicness

In a world driven by data, Katie says it’s all about creating content that people genuinely care about. But marketers also need to know when to pivot to solve a business problem in a new way. In 2022, the world was facing one of the worst blood shortages in over a decade. And with blood drives cancelled and college campuses struggling to reopen, it was nearly impossible for Gen Z to donate blood. Mono partnered with the American Red Cross to reach young people with the DROP FOR DROP program.

Joining forces with three legendary streetwear designers: Eric Emanual, New York Sunshine and Warren Lotas, Mono used blood as currency by offering one of three custom, limited-edition merch “drops” for free in exchange for a single unit of blood. The result was enough blood to save 1,000 lives. And 84% of the donors were first-timers.

Tok Talk

Katie credits TikTok with keeping her up to the second on what audiences want. It’s also a daily reminder of the speed of content creation today. Katie’s husband, a real estate agent, has embraced TikTok as a way to connect with his audience and that has in turn inspired Katie to think about the medium in new ways.

“Sometimes he'll [show me one of his TikToks and ask], ‘What do you think about this?’,” says Katie. “And I have my marketer brain on and I'm like, ‘I would never post that. Why would you do that?’ And he's like, ‘No, my people will love it’ because he knows his audience so well, so it's just like a very fascinating tool that people can tap into. I just love it.”

It’s a great reminder that, as marketers, we need to embrace the authenticity and relatability of new platforms. In a world where consumers are increasingly skeptical of polished corporate facades, authenticity is our most potent weapon.

Don't miss this compelling conversation with one of the industry's most forward-thinking leaders. Here’s the link to the full episode – a must-listen for every modern marketer. And if Katie's insights inspire you, or if you have your unique perspective to share, I'd love to hear from you at tom@catchandrelease.com.