Meet an Anthem Judge: Emily Barfoot
Emily Barfoot is the Global Brand Director for Dove and BPC Health & Wellness at Unilever. She’s also a new judge for The Anthem Awards, and will be reviewing this year’s purpose & mission-driven entries. Learn more about Emily’s work below.
- For those who are unfamiliar, can you tell us a bit about yourself and the work that you do?
I’m a storyteller and brand crafter with a personal pursuit to make consumer products, campaigns, and services that improve the health and wellbeing of people’s everyday lives. My current role is as Global Masterbrand Director for Dove at Unilever in which I lead a team to create healthy, caring products and drive the brand’s commitments to help people have a positive relationship with beauty, build self-esteem, and innovate for a more sustainable future. I believe that the for-profit world is powerful and essential for positive change, and I’m grateful to lead in a company that knows this and acts on it.
- What expertise are you bringing as a judge for The Anthem Awards?
My academic background is in the sciences and business, which I combine with skills in understanding what motivates people and developing ad campaigns through my roles at Unilever. Having been with the Dove brand for a number of years, I have learned from many incredibly talented marketers, agency creatives, scientists and others about translating an idea into execution with rigor and magic. My work also requires an ability to bridge across functions, which is essential in making a tangible impact within a complex problem.
- What are you looking for in Anthem Awards entries?
I’m looking for craftsmanship in the execution, a clear link between the root problem being addressed and the activities that were done, and appreciation for tangible and intangible impacts: both measurable results metrics alongside the often immeasurable value that comes from changing a narrative, driving awareness, or inspiring others.
- What does it take for a project or campaign to cause real-world change?
There are many reasons that contribute, but for me three critical areas to (lasting) change are:
- Close link of the project to the brand/company/product’s identity and role in people’s lives
- Single-minded messages that connect to a core human insight or tension
- Focused commitment over time
- What social impact campaign, grassroot effort, fundraiser or project has recently inspired you?
There are so many great projects out there. A recent one within the broader Unilever community is from Vaseline, which launched a program called See My Skin; it’s a partnership with digital tech firm HUED to provide a database for people of color to search skin conditions particularly relevant to them and be connected to expert care. With health inequities high in the US for people of color, I love this effort for its ability to impact individuals’ lives and its deep connection to the brand.
