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Katie Hicks

Katie Hicks is a senior reporter for Marketing Brew covering culture, social media, and influencer marketing. She is a co-host of the Webby Award–winning podcast Marketing Brew Weekly. Previously, Katie worked at Vox and Axios in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

a Polaroid billboard on Coney Island Beach reading "go jump into some water before the data centers drink it all up."
Brand Strategy

Inside Polaroid’s provocative, pro-analog marketing strategy

“We’re tapped into something that is rather culturally relevant now,” Patricia Varella, creative director at Polaroid, told us—which is why the brand brought the message back for a second year.

Hinge audiobook on phone screens
Brand Strategy

The story behind Hinge’s first audiobook campaign

For the third iteration of “No Ordinary Love,” the dating app is sharing love stories in a new format.

Headshot of Nadya Okamoto
Social & Influencers

The perks of being a creator executive

Social networking and events platform Pie brought on entrepreneur and creator Nadya Okamoto to lead its marketing efforts as CMO. Here’s what that looks like.

Screenshots of Tinder Events on phones
Brand Strategy

How Tinder is getting people off the app and into the wild

The dating app is expanding Tinder Events globally, with plans to be live in 26 cities by the end of September.

Collage of social post screenshots from Sourmilk
Social & Influencers

How yogurt brand Sourmilk is making its mark on- and offline

The brand is using IRL marketing and founder-led stories to drive social relevance as it looks to scale its operations.

Stills from the Anti-Recidivism Coalition's scripted social series, arranged on various mobile phone screens with a hand holding up one of the phones
Social & Influencers

How the Anti-Recidivism Coalition brought social series to the nonprofit world

“There’s no reason why a nonprofit shouldn’t think of their marketing and media strategy the same way that a brand does,” Ben Lear, director of communications at the ARC, told us.

Collage of people drinking Aperol spritzes
Social & Influencers

How Aperol is working to make the spritz a year-round drink

After making its presence known in Europe, the brand is going cross-country to get more people in the US drinking the orange beverage.

Screenshots of posts from Kevin Durant
Social & Influencers

CeraVe’s Kevin Durant campaign led to a 43% sales lift—here’s how

The brand’s “New Face of Legs” campaign was part of a social-first effort to get men to moisturize. It seems to have worked.

Photo collage showing two hands holding up a phone taking a photo of a beach with palm trees framing the image.
Cannes

Creator marketing trends to watch at Cannes Lions 2026

Marketers tell us they expect more creators, more content—and potentially more closed-door conversations.

Image of a car at a gas station pop-up for T-Mobile
Brand Strategy

Why T-Mobile is going all-in on customer rewards

As some brands pull back on freebies for customers, the telco—which is celebrating 10 years of its T-Mobile Tuesday discount program—is leaning in even further.