Photo: Courtesy of Aja Bradley-Kemp
How she got her start: Bradley-Kemp has been creating consumer experiences and driving revenue through marketing communications initiatives for beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and tech brands globally for over 20 years. "I got my start at Ketchum, an agency where I was on the award-winning creative team that developed groundbreaking cause-marketing initiatives for Levi's," she explains. "Since then I have worked at other agencies and in-house for brands like MAC Cosmetics, Expedia, and Sunglass Hut."
Although the scope of Bradley-Kemp's work covered all areas of marketing campaigns, she found she was most excited while launching events and activations. She decided to launch Conversate Collective in 2016, while she was living in Atlanta.
"My vision was to be able to give both established and newer brands access to amazing talent who were not all based in New York or Los Angeles," she remembers. "For our team, my vision was to create a company that gave them, especially working mothers, a flexible environment that allowed them to work from anywhere. We were working remotely before the world had to work remotely."
The company was initially focused on providing a range of marketing services. Then, "in 2017 we got a request to produce an event that reignited my love for events all over again. Since then, our mission became purely to help brands develop lasting relationships with their audience through the power of shared experiences in an ever-changing digital world," she says.
What innovation means to her: "Innovation means finding new ways to tell a story or connect with an audience in a way that will move them—either move them to take action or move them emotionally and have an impact," Bradley-Kemp explains. "Having an innovative mindset is a journey, and it’s been a key driver in my career. It has helped me embrace change, be collaborative, and be nimble. Innovation is how our industry survived the pandemic and how we’ll survive the next bump in the road."
She also finds that innovation is a key factor in business growth. "One of our values at Conversate Collective is to support BIPOC and small businesses in the various markets we work in, so we can help fuel innovation at the regional community level," she says.
How she stays inspired: When she's looking for inspiration, Bradley-Kemp makes a point to step away from her computer. "I enjoy being out in nature. When I’m not working, I love being a guest at someone else’s event—watching and meeting new people," she says. "I’m also fortunate enough to have two elementary school children who are a constant source of ideas and opinions."
Memorable moments: Bradley-Kemp describes her most memorable activation as one that she worked on for Virgin Mobile and Sir Richard Branson, who she describes as the "stunt king." "It was early in my career, and we came up with an idea that involved him flying through the rafters of his Times Square store, which at the time was the largest music retail store in the world," she remembers. 
During the Cantu influencer trip, guests participated in a community giveback activity where a donation was made to a local nonprofit that supports people of color living in Hawaii.Photo: April Amelia Photography
A more recent favorite was for the launch of Cantu’s Guava & Ginger haircare collection. Dubbed the Great Guava Getaway, the launch invited 10 content creators to Hawaii, where the Conversate Collective team produced seven events in just four days.
"Conversate Collective designed an itinerary with experiences that were educational, communal, and emphasized the collection ethos 'Feel the Relief,'" she explains.
The first day included a helicopter transport to the picturesque Kualoa Ranch—where films like Jurassic Park were made and where Guava & Ginger is harvested—for a traditional Lei Po’o-making workshop.
On day two, guests visited a local farm for an immersive education session on Guava & Ginger, along with a community giveback activity where a donation was made to a local nonprofit that supports people of color living in Hawaii. On the final day, there was a boat cruise and farewell party, where each guest received a custom postcard that captured a moment of the creator's experience during the trip.
"In between excursions, the brand captured product testimonials, insights, and content from each of the creators," Bradley-Kemp adds. "The wonderful feedback and positive vibes from all attendees were nothing short of amazing, considering most of the women in this group had never met before. Most importantly the response from their followers at home proved the influencer trip is not dead! Additionally, we were able to hold true to our company values by engaging a long list of local and Black small businesses to help pull this off."
Her favorite thing about the experiential industry: "I think it’s the instant and tangible satisfaction I get from the work we do as an industry," she says. "At a basic level, we generate smiles and happiness. I enjoy meeting and speaking to customers, and experiential is one of the few marketing disciplines where you can witness in real-time the positive effect your work has had on someone."
Back to the full list: 20 Experiential Experts Changing the Future of Consumer Events
