Speaker Q&A with Donna Harvey, STV

Can you tell us a little about what your day to day looks like as Lead Campaign Manager with STV Creative?

Lots of coffee, meetings and even more emails! I head up the Campaign Management team at STV Creative, so alongside managing the team I’m responsible for our creative client services across commercial brand partnerships. In a typical day, that means taking client briefs to get to the heart of their campaign objectives, managing conversations with internal stakeholders and other third parties, providing feedback on creative, day to day client comms and helping make sure our team has the information we need to make fun, engaging and effective work for all of our lovely clients.

As team captain, how are you going to motivate and inspire your team (hopefully to victory!) at the Creative Challenge?

I’d like to think I’m a bit of a natural born cheerleader, so I’ll be bringing lots of enthusiasm, positive vibes and competitive spirit to my role as captain. The stakes are high, but we’ve got a strong team, so with a solid plan in place and our goal set I’m confident we can bring home the win for the Client team this year!

Our theme for Amplify this year is ‘marketing for good’ what does this mean to you?

For me, ‘marketing for good’ is all about working together to make sure the work we do has some sort of positive impact. If you don’t work specifically on a big social change campaign it can be easy to think you don’t have an opportunity to do good with your marketing. I think it’s about making the effort to look out for the opportunities you have in your own sphere of influence. That might be pushing for more sustainable choices in ad production, or championing diversity and inclusion in your team, or it might be looking out for opportunities to give back outside of your day-to-day role. We all have a part to play in creating positive change so it’s really important we all make an effort and work together, that’s marketing for good.

Tell us about a career highlight for you

I’ve been lucky enough to have a few highlights in my career so far! Not sure I can pick the best one so I’m going to be cheeky and give you my top three:

• Leading the Avanti West Coast launch campaign back in 2019, delivering two sizeable ATL brand campaigns in just over six months.
• Being named CIM’s Education Ambassador of the year two years running for my voluntary role as Vice Chair of Education.
• Having our Specsavers and STV Subtitles brand partnership shortlisted for a Marketing Society Star Award!

Can you share any recent brand campaigns you’ve seen that have made a lasting impression?

I’d have to say the Cycle Scotland Campaign ‘Leave Space For A Life’. It’s a great piece of creative showing cyclists out on the street, with images and videos of their lives being projected next to them, to remind drivers out there that it’s not just a bike you’re overtaking it’s a person! It’s one I remember every time I drive past a cyclist so would have to say for sure it’s had a lasting impression on me.

What keeps you inspired, in your personal and professional life?

My mum. Might be a bit of a cheesy answer, but she’s my biggest cheerleader and she inspires me all the time. She’s fun, she’s friendly and she’s really one of a kind. She’s always been one for doing good in her community and changing things for the better in whatever way she can. Despite being in her 60s (don’t tell her I told you…), I often get a random WhatsApp pic of her out on adventures, taking on a Tough Mudder, cycling cross country, or ziplining from sickening heights. She taught me the value of hard work, the importance of having good people around you (friends, family, colleagues), to never let others set your limits for you, and most importantly, not to take yourself too seriously. Thanks Mum!