GMR promotes Krista Hansen to the role of Chief Creative Officer, placing her in a key creative leadership position within the company.
In a sector known for fleeting stays and continuous turnover, Krista Hansen stands out. With an impressive 20-year tenure under her belt at experiential marketing agency GMR Marketing, she's a rare gem. Now, she's made history yet again - becoming their first-ever female Chief Creative Officer, a title she snatched after Ken Black's departure in May 2024.
Hansen embarked on her GMR journey back in 2002 as a designer, drawn to the agency's focus on interactive brand encounters: "I'm all about getting people engrossed, partaking, creating lasting memories with that brand," she said.
Housed in Wisconsin, GMR is an agency that specializes in experiential marketing, often combining live events, digital activations, and social media. Big names like the NFL, Nissan, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Hershey’s, and Stryker trust them to deliver.
Over the past two decades, Hansen has left her mark on GMR, filling almost every creative role in the book, from art director to creative director, and even holding the titles of executive creative director and most recently, chief design officer.
"I've had a wealth of growth opportunities presented to me," she said, "and I've sought them out myself. I've had the chance to wear multiple hats in our creative team. It's been a journey of exploration as a leader."
As one of the first women to hold many of these roles, Hansen mentioned that her experiences have molded her leadership style. "I've had to trailblaze and take the reins, demolish barriers, and channel authentic leadership," she said.
Mentorship and a safe psychological environment are cornerstones of Hansen's creative leadership approach. "The best creativity emerges from people who feel trusted to express their stories," she said. "When we center human experiences, our workers become advocates. Teams fight for ideas, not just paychecks."
One of her most proud moments at GMR came during a Super Bowl activation in 2015, when they constructed a massive crop circle spelling "XLIX" near Phoenix, Arizona. "It was almost visible from the airplane window," she chuckled.
As GMR's CCO, Hansen plans to keep leaning into human experiences to connect brands with informed consumers who can spot insincere emotions or misguided motives. "Human experiences are the currency that earns us trust, loyalty, and emotional engagement," she asserted.
In her role as the first female Chief Creative Officer at GMR Marketing, Krista Hansen aims to continue fostering growth by prioritizing human experiences in fashion-and-beauty, technology, and lifestyle-centric marketing campaigns. Her leadership approach emphasizes mentorship and a supportive psychological environment, believing that the best creativity arises from individuals who feel trusted to express their stories.
