Global CEO
Steve Harding is leading an agency, which he describes as “on a mission to redefine activation from something blunt and unsophisticated to something more precise and effective.” He is championing this vision internally and externally while working to ensure its success by promoting the application of data, insights and creativity to the activation space.
Steve serves as the Global CEO of Geometry Global, the world’s largest and most geographically complete activation network. He was appointed to this role in conjunction with the launch of the company, formed in June 2013 to combine the strength and talent of three well-known WPP-owned brands-- G2, JWT Action and OgilvyAction. He oversees 4,000 experts in 56 markets throughout the world, bringing together complimentary expertise in shopper marketing, digital activation, consumer promotions, experiential marketing, relationship marketing, and media planning & buying.
He believes that striving for innovation for every client and project is critical today. He explains, “This could be a new creative or technological solution or a new a way of working or of going to market. For Geometry, innovation means coming up with a fresh idea or approach that is made real and effective because it is relevant to those for whom it was conceived and delivers value.”
Geometry’s solutions are extraordinary, wide-ranging and individually developed. One terrific example is an activation for Lifebuoy soap in India at the Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious festival attended by 100 million people. The brand dramatized the importance of handwashing with soap, as poor hygiene kills over 1.1 million children annually in developing countries—something the Lifebuoy believes to be preventable. Geometry created a heat stamp to print an “edible message” directly on the Indian bread, or roti, served at the festival, asking: “Did you wash your hands with Lifebuoy?” Over the course of a month, 100 promoters in 100 festival kitchens stamped over 2.5 million fresh rotis. For a total investment of $36,000, more than five million people were directly impacted-- for a cost per contact of less than one cent.
Another example is an activation for Huggies diapers, tied to the celebration of Friendship Day in Argentina. Huggies created the friendship crib designed for two newborn babies and presented it to the local maternity ward. The brand brought together two babies at birth, so that each had their very first friend. Huggies also created a moment their parents would never forget, while also capturing the hearts and minds of Latin American moms and dads through web impressions and social media.
Geometry devised an ingenious concept for IKEA through the development of “the world’s smallest store.” With the increased migration to cities, living spaces are becoming increasingly limited. IKEA wanted to dramatize that no matter how cramped your space, there’s always a solution. To demonstrate this, Geometry built an entire IKEA store in a 300 x 250 pixel web banner. As with full-size IKEA stores, shoppers were able to browse by department, choose and buy any products on display.
According to Steve Harding, “The need to innovate has been driven by digital technology and the fact that the consumer’s path to purchase has grown more complex and non-linear. From Pathfinder– our industry-leading proprietary methodology for identifying, quantifying and segmenting purchase decision journeys– to the award-winning creative solutions that we are applying to this field, we are truly at the forefront of our industry. More and more clients are recognizing the value of this approach, which encourages us that we are on the right path.”
He adds, “We operate in a dynamic and fast-changing world, and it is essential that we constantly innovate across our business. Innovation's role is thus central and broad.” Geometry Global addresses increasing client demand for activation, which with the emergence of digital and mobile media, now results in reaching people both inside the store and outside the retail environment more effectively.
A native of the UK, Steve is constantly on the move. He jokes that according to his passport, he has visited 50 countries of late. ”One thing you learn when you travel so extensively is that absolutely every country is unique, sometimes obviously so and sometimes in subtle ways that could easily be overlooked. When executing global programs, it is critical that they are appropriately adapted to suit each local market’s subtleties in order to be successful.”