Leveraging Celebrity Co-Founders: Once Upon a Farm's Marketing Success Story
by Katie Marston
What you'll discover
when watching Katie's story
- Data-driven decision-making and regular deep-dive analyses of consumer personas are essential for staying relevant and anticipating market trends.
- Creating a purpose-driven company culture with transparent information sharing and equity for all employees can be a powerful retention tool.
- For aspiring marketers, being willing to make lateral career moves to gain diverse experience can lead to faster long-term career growth.
- Embracing new technologies like AI can enhance marketing efforts and improve customer service when implemented thoughtfully.
- A strong brand identity and consistent values are crucial for making a lasting impact across all marketing channels.
- Research is foundational to effective marketing strategy and should be invested in heavily, even for small companies.
- Innovation in product development can be a powerful driver of growth, even during challenging economic times.
Meet Katie Marston - CMO @ Once Upon a Farm
Katie Marston is the Chief Marketing Officer at Once Upon a Farm, a company revolutionizing children’s nutrition with organic, cold-pressed food products. She joined the company five years ago, drawn by its mission to create systemic change in children’s nutrition.
Katie’s journey began in sports marketing, combining her love for journalism and sports. Her career has been marked by saying yes to growth opportunities and exciting challenges.
At Once Upon a Farm, Katie has played a key role in the company’s growth and innovation. Under her leadership, the company is set to deliver its millionth meal to underserved kids in rural America through a partnership with Save the Children.
Katie is passionate about data-driven marketing, brand building, and fostering a purpose-driven company culture. She emphasizes the importance of research, consistent brand identity, and embracing new technologies like AI in marketing strategies.
Check out Katie Marston's thoughts on research, innovation, and branding in modern marketing
When it comes to retaining top marketing talent, Katie shares:
"Everyone is a stakeholder. The company ensures everyone has equity, and we are also very heavy on information sharing—far beyond what I’ve seen as normal in other organizations. As a result, each member of the organization feels deeply tied to our mission."
She also shares how she approaches AI in marketing:
"We have since prioritized working with partners who are leaders in this space and utilizing AI effectively. We’ve walked away from partners who are not leveraging AI as a tool to improve their business or what they can offer us."
And how important research is in marketing:
"Research comes first and foremost. We heavily invest in it and have been doing so since we were very, very small. Once you understand your TAM, every dollar you spend in marketing will work harder for you."
Get exclusive business growth tips from our top thought leaders
Subscribe and get weekly tips on growing your successful business.