SMI’s Kristy Martino Champions Human Creativity at CopyCon 2026

SMI’s Kristy Martino Champions Human Creativity at CopyCon 2026

by | May 19, 2026 | Uncategorized

Each year, writers, marketers, strategists, and creatives unite at CopyCon, “the largest event dedicated to the power of words to build business.” This year, SMI’s own Creative Lead Kristy Martino delivered the keynote speech, “Who’s Afraid of Creative? The Staying Power of Human Creativity.” I sat down with Kristy after the conference to talk about storytelling, creative work, and rejecting mediocrity to make way for abundance.

The theme of this year’s CopyCon conference was “AI versus Humanity.” How did you interpret that theme? 

I thought it was interesting that they intentionally said “versus.” What I’ve been hearing and reading from our industry is a reluctance to take a side. And I don’t think CopyCon’s intention was to force people to take sides; they just wanted to acknowledge the fact that there are these two entities that people are arguing about, and two different kinds of approaches to creative work.  

So, I interpreted it as, “What if one of those elements was taken away?” So, what if there was no AI, or what if there was no humanity–what would creative work look like? That was kind of my starting point. 

So what do you think it would look like if one of those was taken away? 

Well that’s what made me take the side of humanity. In my opening keynote, I set the tone for the day: I’m going to take a stance; you don’t have to agree with me, but I believe very strongly in the power of human storytelling, and that, to me, is something that AI at this moment cannot replicate. Nor do I think that it will ever be able to replicate it. So, why is that important, and why is that critical for the work that we do? Why is storytelling still powerful? 

In my experience, the stuff that really sticks with people – that changes people’s minds and changes their perception of the world around them – comes through stories. It doesn’t come through statistics. It doesn’t come through super polished white papers or even advertisements that are devoid of emotion. The stuff that really works and moves people is rooted in human storytelling. So if that went away, A) the world would just be incredibly boring for me and B) I think we would all lose connection and the desire for connection. There’s no upside for me on that. 

 

You spoke on a panel about AI with Harendra Kapur, David Levin and Tim Tucker. and Lorraine Forrest-Turner. Can you tell us a little bit about that discussion? 

Both Harendra and Tim were adamant supporters of AI. They use it very often in their work, in very specific ways. David Levin was kind of on the fence and you know hadn’t really brought it into his work. So everyone had a really interesting perspective. I think the biggest eye-opener for me came from Harendra when he was talking about how his use of AI allows him to play so much. He was lamenting this loss of being able to present clients with risky, weird stuff. So he started taking that on for himself and developing things and making stuff in AI that was super out there – things that he could play with and do quickly and it helped his workflow and process in terms of creative thinking. That wasn’t necessarily a generative output, but it was a way for him to play in a sandbox that wasn’t going to be judged or rejected. It was just something that he can stretch his muscles into. I found that really captivating. And it didn’t make me say, “Oh! I’m going to do that too. I’m going to adopt that practice.” I have a different set of criteria around using AI or not using it. But I appreciated how he approached it.

Do you think there’s a way for creatives on opposite ends of the AI-use spectrum to coexist or collaborate?

That’s a great question and falls in line with one of the questions that was asked by the audience. They had asked, “How do I talk about this at work? How do I even broach the subject of whether we should use AI, how we should use it, etc.?” 

My position isn’t that I want to dictate to everybody around me to either use it or don’t use it. But it is being intentional and transparent about how we use it and about how we collaborate on things. I don’t have those specific ideas for how to collaborate. What I would like is to be clear on when someone is using it, and how I enter into that collaboration. We’re still in the beginning phase of this technology, where folks are either a little embarrassed or ashamed to admit that they’ve used it. Anytime there’s anything opaque, I think that’s where things get iffy. 

I certainly think there are ways of collaborating, and that’s a challenge for me. How do I work with people like Harendra who’s doing interesting things with AI? I wouldn’t want to say no to collaborating with someone like that. 

 

Personally, where do you think the use of AI is leaving humanity? 

My concern around AI is not necessarily centered on the ways in which people use it–creatively or not creatively. I think my concern is this strategic messaging from the people who control these platforms, saying, “If you don’t use this and adopt it, you’re going to be left behind.” I think that’s disingenuous, and I think it’s dangerous thinking. Especially for young people that are just starting their careers, I think they are feeling as though they have to spend more time learning how to prompt this machine than learning how to be curious about something, how to research well, how to dive into psychology. And I’m sure there’s pushback from people saying, “AI can do all those things for you.” Okay, but what do we lose out on when we’re not thinking about how to craft a question, or where to look, or stepping outside of a screen, or stepping outside of a platform that is designed to please you. I think that’s dangerous and it degrades the quality of culture. I think it’s that big. 

I don’t want to be another person that says, “Well, it’s here. We need to deal with it.” It’s here, and if we don’t want to deal with it, we have to investigate why we don’t want to deal with it, and why is everyone else feeling like they have to use it. 

We should start with that question. I feel like we’re not allowed to ask that. You’re not allowed to raise your hand and say, “But why?” Because it’s efficient? That’s not proven. And in many cases it’s incredibly inefficient. 

 

What were your key takeaways from your CopyCon experience? 

I’ll tell you what the number one takeaway was. There was all this conversation about how people use AI, should they use it–tons of really fantastic, stellar, top-notch panelists and workshops. But there was an absolute energy the whole day. And you know, it’s a virtual conference. 

I’ve done virtual workshops, but I have never done a virtual keynote before. So I’m used to being in front of people and really responding off of that in-person wavelength. So I was a little worried about that, but I still felt it and I could see it in the chat, in the comments, and people were incredibly active, and posing really good questions and pushing back, and just being really curious. So that was my big takeaway of gathering with a group of people who are struggling with the same things that you’re struggling with, enjoying the same things that you’re enjoying–it’s such a fulfilling experience. And everybody felt that way. Everyone was like, “This was such an uplift.” And that has nothing to do with artificial intelligence. 

Yeah, that’s why we were there, because that was the theme of the conference, but the reason why we felt that way was because of each other. Because of the humans that we were interacting with. Not because we were super psyched about Claude, right?

 

That energy lasted for days. LinkedIn was blowing up with people talking about your speech and how it moved them and made them think. 

I think people are moved because it’s rooted in story and in a human experience, and it’s not trying to present facts and figures. I could have presented a whole half an hour on research, and studies that people have done. But you know when you talk about what’s really happening, and how I feel about what’s happening in my career–and the thing that I love, copywriting–it sticks with people more.

 

Do you think you’ll attend this conference again?  

Absolutely. It was really incredible. Very well-produced. And very thoughtful. Titling it “AI versus Humanity” felt really intentional. They were trying to confront really hard things, but be respectful of everybody’s point of view. And you can’t ask for anything more than that from a conference. 

 

Understanding Today’s Core Listening Audiences

Understanding Today’s Core Listening Audiences

by | Apr 8, 2026 | Uncategorized

A winning audio strategy begins with understanding who is actually listening—and how they engage. Today’s most dynamic growth audiences include Black Americans, Hispanic/Latinx listeners, Gen Z, and single women. These groups are culturally influential, highly-engaged audio consumers whose listening habits shape reach, frequency, and impact across radio and streaming environments. 

Black Americans: The Most Engaged Audio Audience

Black listeners remain among the most powerful and consistent audio consumers in the U.S. Radio is the #1 reach medium in this audience, reaching roughly 92% of Black Americans monthly, higher than any other platform. 

Radio accounts for about 73% of daily ad-supported audio listening among Black adults, significantly higher than the general population. Black listeners also spend more time with radio than any other group, reinforcing audio as a daily habit rather than occasional media use. 

Urban formats (Urban, or Urban Contemporary, as defined by various radio networks) dominate, capturing about half of all radio listening among Black adults, with especially strong engagement among women and adults 25-54. Listening is heavily mobile and occurs largely outside the home—particularly in cars—making audio a powerful channel for influencing real-world action and purchase behavior. 

For marketers, this audience represents cultural connection and responsiveness, with Black listeners more likely than the general population to try products promoted through local radio. Historically, Black Americans have led cultural shifts and trends more than any other group, an added bonus for wise brands looking for return on ad spend and lift.   

Hispanic/Latinx Listeners: Young, Growing, and Mobile

Hispanic audiences are one of the fastest-growing listening segments in the U.S., skewing younger and more digitally integrated than the general market. Their audio behavior blends traditional radio with streaming and mobile listening, creating a highly reachable, cross-platform audience. According to Edison Research, 43% of U.S. Latinos are monthly podcast listeners, a figure that has grown dramatically in recent years, reinforcing how digitally connected this audience is across platforms.

Family, culture, and community play a strong role in media habits, and audio—especially radio—remains a shared and daily touchpoint. Hispanic listeners often listen to audio throughout the day, particularly during commuting, work, and household routines, making consistent exposure a key advantage of audio campaigns. Research also shows Hispanic audiences divide their listening across platforms, with AM/FM radio still capturing over half of ad-supported listening time while podcasts and streaming continue to grow, highlighting their blended audio behavior.

This audience’s growth trajectory means their importance will continue increasing over time. Younger Hispanic listeners are especially influential in shaping music trends, platform usage, and bilingual media consumption—factors that drive both reach and cultural relevance in audio strategy.

Gen Z: The Multi-Platform Audio Generation

Gen Z approaches audio differently than previous generations, but they remain highly engaged listeners. They move fluidly across radio, streaming audio, and podcasts, often combining platforms rather than replacing one with another. Edison Research finds 47% of Gen Z are monthly podcast listeners, demonstrating how deeply audio is embedded in their daily media habits.

While digital platforms are central to their media lives, radio still plays a meaningful role—particularly in cars, shared environments, and music discovery. Audio’s mobility and immediacy align well with Gen Z’s always-on lifestyle, allowing brands to reach them during key daily moments rather than only during screen time. Even with the rise of digital media, most Gen Zers still listen to traditional radio, underscoring radio’s continued relevance in this generation’s media mix.

Gen Z also responds strongly to authenticity, personality, and culturally relevant messaging. Audio formats that feel personal—local radio, personalities, and culturally aligned music formats—tend to resonate most deeply with this audience.

Single Women: Influential and Consistent Listeners

Single women are among the most stable and influential listening audiences across many formats, particularly Adult Contemporary, Urban AC, and lifestyle-driven programming. Their listening patterns are consistent, often centered around commuting, daily routines, and in-car listening—prime moments for brand messaging.

Research consistently shows radio delivers dependable reach across demographics, including women, and remains one of the most consistent daily media habits in America. Among key multicultural audiences, for example, radio reaches over 90% of listeners monthly, reinforcing its reliability as a mass-reach medium.

Beyond reach, single women are key household decision-makers and influential purchasers across categories such as retail, healthcare, financial services, and lifestyle. Their consistent media habits make them especially valuable for campaigns focused on frequency, trust, and long-term brand building.

The Takeaway

These audiences share one defining trait: they listen deeply, consistently, and daily. Black Americans drive cultural influence and time spent, with radio reaching 92% of Black audiences and accounting for nearly three-quarters of daily ad-supported audio listening. Hispanic audiences fuel long-term growth. Gen Z shapes future media behavior. Single women deliver dependable reach and purchasing influence.

Audio is the ideal channel for targeted campaigns reaching these audiences. As Senior Account Manager, Jenn Benowitz explains, “With a variety of options outside of just terrestrial radio, advertisers can hyper-customize their creative to speak directly to various groups of listeners who may have different listening habits and expectations. Plus, this strategy is much faster, easier, and cost-effective for marketers to execute and iterate, particularly compared to more production-intensive channels like traditional TV.”  

For advertisers, understanding how these audiences listen—not just who they are—turns audio into a strategic advantage. And by the way—if listeners feel ignored? 72% of them say they will actively avoid buying from the brands that do so. It’s wise business to not only know your audience but speak directly to them as well. 

The next step is turning that knowledge into action by partnering with an agency like SMI to harness the power of these audiences. We are obsessed with making high performing ads and we know just how impactful representation can be for these particular audiences. Whether it’s thoughtful and selective voiceover talent, relevant and compelling messaging, precision media placement—or all of the above—we can make sure that you not only reach listeners but convert them into loyal customers. 

SMI Attends SXSW

SMI Attends SXSW

by | Mar 9, 2026 | Uncategorized

Hero image courtesy of SXSW

SMI Attends SXSW

Every March, the worlds of tech, film, music, education, and culture collide at the South by Southwest Conference & Festival, and this year, SMI will be right in the middle of it. 

From March 12th-18th, SMI heads to Austin, Texas, joining innovators, creators, and industry leaders for one of the most influential gatherings in media and entertainment. The event will feature industry panels and sessions, live music and comedy, film and television screenings, professional development and networking opportunities, awards ceremonies, and more. SMI’s CEO Jeff Small will attend, along with Vice President of Strategy Brooke Murray, Director of Business Development Bob Leonard, and Podcast Strategist Lisa Risk.

“The team is excited for the opportunity to meet in person with our many publisher representatives,” says Jeff. “We will also attend panels featuring industry experts and new marketing brands. We hope to gain fresh perspectives on their approach–including the challenges they’re facing and the solutions they’ve found.”

“These conferences are a great way to connect with our contacts, some of whom we have worked with since we started podcasting over 10 years ago,” says Lisa. “For me, the biggest benefit is the in-person meetings, but it’s also great to see updates on industry trends and how they compare to what we are seeing on our side.” 

The conference is an opportunity for SMI to establish “deeper relationships with our partners–all in one place,” says Brooke. She is especially looking forward to meeting John Allen, host of MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories, and with whom SMI has been partnering on our podcast campaign for Pocket Hose. “I love True Crime!” says Brooke.

“Podcasting continues to evolve rapidly, and we don’t attend conferences like this just to observe–we go to engage,” says Bob. “It’s an opportunity to collaborate with other leaders in the space, deepen our understanding of how technology is reshaping audio, and to refine the attribution models and strategies that drive measurable results for our clients.” By contributing to the broader conversation while gathering insights from innovators across the industry, we ensure our clients benefit from the most informed, forward-thinking approach to audio advertising.

New to SXSW is the incorporation of Podcast Movement Evolutions. Previously a separate conference bringing together thousands of podcasters and industry professionals, Evolutions 2026 will connect the podcast world with the wider creative community. SMI attended Podcast Movement Evolutions last year and is excited to participate in the new event format. “This will be the first Podcast Evolutions taking place during SXSW, and it is also the first Evolutions since Sounds Profitable merged with Podcast Movement,” says Jeff. “In addition to meeting with publishers of key podcast content, we are looking forward to meeting with our industry partners and forging new relationships, as our podcast footprint has grown exponentially.”

If you’ll be in Austin, we’d love to connect.
Schedule a time to meet with Jeff at the conference.

Connect with Jeff
An Interview with the Podcast Hosts of National Park After Dark

An Interview with the Podcast Hosts of National Park After Dark

by | Mar 4, 2026 | Uncategorized

When Danielle LaRock and Cassie Yahnian of National Park After Dark first started their podcast, “we thought it was going to be a true crime podcast,” says Cassie. But it became something more. Their tagline reads, “a podcast for the morbidly curious outdoor enthusiast.” While it focuses on the outdoors, explains Cassie, under that umbrella “can be anything from dark history to animal attacks to True Crime to survival stories–it’s just intriguing stories that take place in the outdoors.”

SMI began connecting advertisers with the podcast in 2021, the same year it launched. Since then, the show’s audience has nearly doubled. Skylight Frames was our first client to advertise on National Park After Dark, running ads on the show alongside advertisers like Rocket Money, McDonald’s, and Shopify. Our current client sponsors include the plant protein bar IQBar, and the organic bedding brand Coyuchi. 

SMI’s Podcast Strategist Lisa Risk says National Park After Dark is top of mind when we are looking for ways to reach female listeners. “We find that when we have a show that is working for one client, it tends to perform well for others too as it’s a responsive audience and the audience trusts the hosts,” she says. Lisa often recommends National Park After Dark to advertisers looking for a cost-effective way to test into True Crime.

I met with National Park After Dark hosts Danielle and Cassie to talk about the work that goes into having a number one podcast, what they look for in their show’s sponsors, and what makes their podcast great.

SMI: You have the #1 True Crime + Nature podcast. How long have you held that reigning title?

Danielle: I think that reigning title fluctuates. I don’t know if we have ever been truly number one in True Crime because that’s such a huge category. But in our niche of outdoor True Crime, I would say yes. It’s interesting because our show was one of the first–if not the first–to overlap those two areas of interest: the Outdoor world and the True Crime world. We have found success in the podcasting world because we tapped into that so early. And it wasn’t even really done intentionally. We were just talking about things that we found interesting. That existed in our friendship before we formulated a show and structured those conversations into a show. So that probably lends itself to being among the top-rated shows. It’s just a natural interest; it’s not forced. It’s something we would be discussing anyways. 

SMI: You two have so much chemistry, and your friendship is probably one thing that draws listeners too, because your podcast gives listeners the feeling that they’re just hanging out with friends. How did you two meet, and what were some of those shared interests that made you create this podcast?

Cassie: We originally met because we were vet techs together. We are both from Southern New Hampshire originally, and we worked together there. We quickly found that we were each other’s outdoorsy friends in our vet clinic community. You had the people you went out and got drinks with, you had people you talked about movies with. But Danielle and I discovered that we both really loved the outdoors and hiking, and we kind of bonded over that. When we would be going to these places, we would talk about stories that happened there. Sometimes we would be on a couple-hour car ride to the White Mountains, because that’s where we grew up and recreate. And we would be searching for stories set at the location we were in, and discussing it the whole time.

Danielle: Another thing about our friendship and how it translates the show is we’re not experts. A lot of outdoor podcasts are hosted by these incredible, amazing athletes that are the top of their game. They’re scaling K2, they’re free soloing El Cap. And while we admire those people and we admire those feats, that is not us. We enjoy being outside and we are interested in what happens in these spaces, but when we’re talking to each other, and the way that we’ve garnered an audience is–yes, we’re friends–but a lot of the people we’re talking to are at our same level, so it feels more relatable. They can see themselves in us and our conversations–we’re not professional athletes in any way. 

SMI: Is there a very wide-ranging demo for your podcast, or do you think it’s mostly women? Who do you think is out there listening? 

Cassie: It’s definitely mostly women. Not all–but I would say the majority is women. Our demographic ranges from 18 to 65. Some people listen with their families; some people listen while they’re trail running and while they’re taking a walk through the city with their dog. The highest number of listeners is probably between 25 and 45, but it goes younger or older and is spread across the country. We see people from all over the United States are listening. 

Danielle: And we can see those numbers. We have backend statistics analytics. But when people write in and tell us, it goes across the board. Some people are like, “I’m indoorsy. I don’t like being outside, but I love exploring the outdoors through listening to the show.” So that’s really cool. And like Cassie said, some people are exploring national parks with their young children and toddlers. And there are other people who are single female solo adventurers who are going out in their van for the first time and exploring. It just runs the gamut. It’s cool to see because it feels like our show is niche, but it’s really not, because it can be enjoyed by so many different types of people. 

SMI: Where do you get ideas for your podcast, and how much time do you spend researching and putting your podcast together every week?

Danielle: It depends on the episode as far as how much time it takes. There are some cases that are just so involved that they either need to be multiple-parters, or it’s two hours worth of information. So we would say, probably a good thirty or so hours per episode. That involves a lot of things. Depending on the content, there’s almost always a book that has to do with the material. We would feel like we’re doing a disservice to the episode if we didn’t read that material, so we’re always going to read a book if one exists. Documentaries. Going through any sort of Records, whether they be archival newspaper clippings or court documents and records, affidavits–if those exist. A huge resource we lean on is the National Park Service website. Not only do they have information about the park, trail closures, and whatever is going on at present in each of the parks–they have a huge archive that goes back for hundreds of years. They’ve scanned documents and that’s a treasure trove of information. So if it exists, we need to make sure we review it. 

As far as ideas, they come in a lot of different ways. Sometimes people request particular things, and that’s easy. We’re like, “Oh, great idea! We can look into it.” But other times, through our own personal travels–whether we’re together, or independently–always making sure we’re on the lookout for any sort of signage, a memorial, a plaque, a kiosk that has any sort of information, a footnote in other books. Cassie has done quite a number of episodes that have come from finding a single footnote sentence in another entirely different episode content. There are stories everywhere.

SMI: That sounds very time intensive. What do you do for fun when you’re not preparing for the podcast? 

Cassie: What do you mean? 

[Danielle and Cassie laugh.] 

Cassie: We both read a lot. I think we’ve both been leaning into listening to books recently because we both read for the podcast pretty extensively, and listening is a little easier to combine with our everyday activities. But we both like to enjoy the outdoors on our off-time too. We try to enjoy hobbies outside of just heavily researching every day, but recently I think that’s mostly what we’ve been doing. 

Danielle: It ebbs and flows as far as what we’re able to balance. When we get overwhelmed, we always take a moment to be like, “But this is a good problem to have.” The show is doing really well and we’re grateful for it. 

I really like going to historic properties on my off-time, either museums or historic mansions–I love that. That’s what I do on my off-time: pretend I’m in a different time.

SMI: That’s very fun. Do you listen to other podcasts, and do you have any favorites? 

Danielle: I do. Cassie doesn’t listen to podcasts. 

Cassie: Yeah, I don’t. Occasionally I listen to podcasts. 

Danielle: Don’t you listen to Climbing Gold? 

Cassie: Sometimes. Or Dirtbag Diaries I like. If I see interesting interviews for people, I will tune in for stuff like that. I also like Radio Rental. 

Danielle: Radio Rental is great. I was always an avid podcast listener, even before I helped create one. But now, I know how the sausage is made. And I know a lot of the people! Two girls, One Ghost I always listen to–Sabrina and Corinne are friends. Ash and Alaina at Morbid–we’ve met a few times, we’ve texted with them, we’ve done a podcast crossover with them before. We’ve met Payne Lindsey, who’s the mastermind behind Radio Rental. It’s like our world now. 

But I would say I love Radio Rental. Morbid is great. Tooth and Claw is one of my favorites. We work with them extensively as well. I love Girls Gotta Eat, which is totally different–it’s like sex, dating, and relationships. And how we listen to audiobooks, right now I’m in my fiction era, where it’s like, “Just bring me somewhere else. I need a break.” And that’s kind of like Girls Gotta Eat. None of their content overlaps with ours literally at all, and it’s really nice to listen to. 

SMI: For any potential advertisers, how do you choose your show’s sponsors?

Cassie: We love to highlight eco-friendly and sustainable brands. That is something that we’re always on the lookout for. The majority of what we advertise has some type of sustainable component–whether it’s clothing or household products. Things we can feel good about buying are what we like to advertise.

Danielle: And anything to do with travel. Anything that has to do with luggage or camping, hiking, accessories for being outdoors. That’s obviously always going to be a hit with our audience because it’s a bullseye. 

True Crime is a great way to reach female listeners, but, cautions Lisa, “not all True Crime is created equal.” One factor our Podcast Media Buyers take into account is how the show’s podcast ads are sold. “With True Crime, baked-in ads are great because people will go back and listen to old shows,” Lisa says.

Our Media Buyers also consider a show’s size. “We are always looking for smaller podcasts,” says Lisa. “A robust, well-rounded podcast campaign has shows of all sizes. We can test into shows that are on a growth trajectory, and the client really benefits from that.”

SMI’s Kristy Martino to Keynote CopyCon 2026

SMI’s Kristy Martino to Keynote CopyCon 2026

by | Feb 12, 2026 | Uncategorized

Kristy Martino named the opening keynote speaker at CopyCon 2026!

Strategic Media Inc. is proud to announce that our Head of Creative Development, Kristy Martino, will serve as the opening keynote speaker at CopyCon 2026!

On April 24, 2026, writers, wordsmiths, marketers, strategists, and creatives from around the world will connect virtually to explore the craft of writing that drives business results. 

Centered on the theme of “AI vs. Humanity,” this esteemed annual conference will feature a mix of breakout workshops, interactive panels, and sessions that balance practical skills, creative insight, and thoughtful discussion around the evolving role of technology in writing. 

In her keynote speech, “Who’s Afraid of Creative? – The Staying Power of Human Creativity”, Kristy aims to highlight the ethical and philosophical implications of AI in creative work, urging professionals to protect their critical thinking and creative instincts. 

“My goal is not to try to convince anyone of my point of view, but remind us that, when it comes to technology, we have a choice right now,” says Kristy. “Creativity and storytelling are both so deeply rooted in who we are—and those real human experiences are invaluable.” 

The keynote also explores the many benefits of AI in creative work—from AI-assisted writing tools to using ChatGPT to turn client ideas into concrete visions—while highlighting the unique value of human creativity.

Attendees can explore both the art and science of copywriting, including ethics, audience psychology, and building effective workflows for modern creative teams.

Offering a platform for a balanced conversation about the evolving relationship between humans and technology in the creative industry, SMI’s participation underscores the agency’s role as a thought leader in modern storytelling.

Tickets and information for CopyCon 2026 are available [here].

Kristy Martino

Kristy Martino

Head of Creative Development

With over two decades of experience as a cross-creative, Kristy resides as Head of Creative Development at Strategic Media, writing and producing ads for clients like Babbel, GoFundMe, Hims & Hers Health, and more. Formerly, as the business owner of an award-winning design studio, she’s worked with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and startups to build and launch living, breathing brands communicating to global audiences.