We recently sat down with Caroline Smee, our new Content Strategist. Having made the leap from Account Direction to studio, Caroline has got stuck in to this year’s projects, and is a valuable member of the team. To find out more about Caroline, read her interview, below:
What does a typical day at work look like?
Tea, tea and more tea, which I actually get to drink while it’s still hot (parents will know!). My daily Wordle to get those synapses firing. Which inevitably opens the flood gates on spirited joshing and witty GIFs over Teams. Followed by a Willy Wonka-esque mix of client calls, consultancy, strategic and creative story development, and even concept ideation with our creative studio. I often feel like a kid in a candy store.
How did you get into your role? What made you want to become a Content Strategist?
I’ve actually only recently taken the leap from my previous role in client services, as Account Director, into the land of business storytelling. I’ve always taken a more active role in my clients’ communications, whether that be facilitating discovery workshops or defining messaging frameworks, but time rarely allowed for me to develop those into truly succinct and compelling pieces of content. A Content Director from a past life once gave me the compliment of “if I ever wanted to join her team, she’d find me a desk” … I’ve finally taken her words to heart. And Maxwell Rogers couldn’t be a better place for me to stretch my creative legs.
What would you say is the best thing about your job?
Collaborating with people – clients and our creative and strategic teams alike – who are open to, and celebrate, new ideas. There is always something fresh to get your teeth into.
Any advice for someone wanting to become a Content Strategist?
Listen and ask “why?,” a lot. That question will be your best friend, in creating truly customer-first communications.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I live for musical theatre. Both watching it in the West End and treading the boards myself. I was singing since before I could talk. Maybe that’s where my love of stories and ‘presentation’ stem from?
Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t know from reading your CV?
I can play the digeridoo.
When you’re in charge of the office music, what is your go-to playlist?
Bruno Mars, Scouting for Girls, Maroon 5, Selena Gomez, James Arthur. Any laid-back pop, with a bit more bounce on a Friday.
What is your favourite font and why?
Open Sans. It’s simple, lightweight, and easy to read.
If you could spend the day with any cartoon character, who would it be?
Olaf. Because he likes warm hugs.
What is your favourite Pantone colour?
Pantone 286 reminds me of a dazzling blue Australian sky (I was born in Oz).
