In feature 023 of Conversations Behind The Campaign we interviewed Molly-Slater Davison who started her marketing career at Nestlé and has now grown to Senior Brand Manager at Sipsmith and Founder of her own community, These Girls Run.
In our interview, Molly goes on to share how she got into marketing, the idea behind The Sipsmith Express pop-up in Covent Garden, why pop-ups have become so popular, advice to those looking to start their own community and so much more.
1. Can you please share your story on how you got into marketing? When did your marketing career begin, what is your current role(s) and what role(s) have you previously had within the industry?
I started my Marketing career at Nestlé – I joined their Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship Scheme straight out of A-Levels at 18 and worked my way through and up the business until I left after an amazing 6 years. This scheme gave me the foundations of business (I worked across HR, Sales, Supply Chain and Marketing during my first 2 years) and meant I gained a Degree in Business Management, and a qualification from the Chartered Institute of Management, after 3 years. In my third year on-scheme, I chose to specialise in Marketing and was thrilled to begin working my way across various Assistant Brand Manager and Brand Manager roles (BM on Rowntree’s and Polo was my favourite!) Now, I work as Senior Brand Manager at Sipsmith – which is an amazingly varied role, and has allowed me to explore more of the Events/Activations/Partnerships side of brand building too!
2. What was the reason behind the Sipsmith Express 2024 Christmas pop-up in Covent Garden?
Getting closer to current and potential audiences is always super important for Marketing teams – and Sipsmith have always done an exceptional job of this. We focus on building Awareness and Consideration by creating unique and meaningful experiences, bringing people closer to the brand and introducing them to the way Sipsmith does things – the proper way! Our pop-up in Covent Garden was the epitome of this, taking over a section of the iconic Covent Garden piazza to make people’s Christmas truly magical – whether that’s a Hot Mulled Sloe Gin with friends, having a seat inside our renovated 1950’s bus/bar, or finding the perfect gift for a loved one in our gift shop, we tried to tap into all areas to bring the full experience, and – it was only 7 miles down the road from our Distillery in Chiswick!
3. Why do you think pop ups have become popular among brands and what is one piece of advice you would give to other brands and marketers on how to create a successful pop up experience?
Pop ups are a great way to really showcase your brand to audiences. Building something tangible, that communicates your brand and drives value for consumers, will always appeal. And, when done right, not only does it drive awareness to those visiting or passing – but there’s also a massive opportunity to drive Earned Media! Some of our best coverage this year has come off the back of our pop-up at Covent Garden – people love to share something unique on Social Media!
As brand owners, we all have so many good things to say about the incredible brands we work for. Pop ups are a fantastic opportunity to bring that to life for consumers; allowing them to interact in a meaningful way, with the potential to further push awareness and advocacy outside of the immediate location too!
4. Sipsmith is also an official sponsor of Wimbledon. How has Sipsmith’s partnership with Wimbledon enhanced the brand’s visibility and alignment with British culture?
Wimbledon and Sipsmith go hand in hand – our audiences are so well aligned, it’s the perfect match (pardon the pun!). It’s an incredible partnership for us to leverage – and a fantastic way to share equity from such a prestigious British sporting occasion. And, the stats show how well we’re aligned. I can’t wait for our 5th year of the partnership in 2025!
5. You’re also the Founder of These Girls Run. Can you share the reason behind starting this business and what is your mission?
I started These Girls Run 3 years ago, with an aim to try and help women feel safe when they were out running. I myself had numerous incidents that didn’t make me feel safe when out running on my own, and this was always exasperated as we headed into Autumn and Winter. So, I had an idea to try and meet some women in my local area, run with them – and hopefully make some friends on the way! Now, we have over 10 locations across the UK, and have had thousands of women join us to run for free this year. It’s a huge part of my life, and I feel very grateful to have found such amazing women through leading TGR over the last few years. There’s still a long way to go to improve safety and representation of women from all backgrounds in running, but hopefully TGR has helped some to feel less alone and find their people (as it has done for me!)
6. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to start their own community?
Make sure you’re passionate about it. You HAVE to do it for the right reasons. I run TGR outside of my day job, which – being completely honest – is incredibly difficult and stressful at times. But, my passion and love for it has driven me through the dark moments where I’ve wanted to give up. If you know it’s going to be worth it, then take the leap – and build a support system around you. A community has to be lead by a community – I have an assistant, Bronagh, who helps with the day to day and we have a team of almost 200 volunteer Ambassadors keeping us going across the UK. And, I’m always happy to chat and share any advice! Good luck x
7. Where can our audience follow and engage with you and Sipsmith on social media?
Sipsmith: @sipsmith
