Gabor Harrach: Branded Content and Community-Led Storytelling

In Part 4 of our mini-series, 'How to Shape a Legacy'  we wrap up the season with a story about legacy at work. In Part 1 we started to define legacy, in Part 2 we talk what it means for business, in Part 3 we discuss legacy in culture....in Part 4, we're taking a look at the creative legacy BRC enjoys.

As we've discussed a lot on this show, a story is many things at once. But a story does not exist without a storyteller. Today's episode is about the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves, that in turn, define who we are.

In part III of our mini-series, 'How to Shape a Legacy' we're leaning into legacy as it applies to community and more broadly, culture. In part I we started to define legacy, in part II we talk what it means for business, and in part III we're leaning into how people—one by one, bit by bit—feed the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. How do these stories shape our collective identity and how do each of us contribute to these narratives in meaningful ways?

In Part II of our mini-series 'How to Shape a Legacy', we focus on legacy as it applies to businesses and brands. In this episode, Maya talks to BRC Chief Creative Officer, Christian Lachel, about the closest thing a brand can have to having a soul: a set of values, that lend to a series of decisions, actions, and events that become the lessons we impart, and hopefully, the stories that we tell when we feel like shedding light.

If there's one thing kids do better than adults, it's play. As the playwright and political activist George Bernard Shaw once said, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." Who needs Botox when you have Barbie dolls? Speaking of Barbie... can you think of another brand that has evolved as much over the past 65 years? Barbie is unique in that, over those 65 years, she has transitioned from representing just one of us to representing all of us. Today, Barbie does more than just model; she's President. But today's episode isn't about Barbie. It's about leadership, legacy, and how one woman's personal passion for childhood and commitment to learning through play has enabled many of the world's most iconic toy brands—from American Girl to Polly Pocket, and of course, Barbie—to stay relevant and evolve with the times. Krista Berger is the Senior Vice President of Barbie and the Global Head of Dolls at Mattel, where she leads Product and Brand Marketing for Mattel's Dolls category globally. Krista's career at Mattel began 16 years ago in the Dolls division, where she developed a strong foundation in intellectual property, licensor management, and commercial expertise across the Dolls portfolio and the U.S. Barbie business. When Mattel acquired Mega Brands in 2014, Krista was a key member of the integration team, spearheading the Mega strategic rebranding initiative, which led to increased distribution and impressive double-digit sales growth in the construction category. In 2017, Krista returned to the Barbie team, helping drive record-breaking performance with a 60% increase in the toy business. Notably, Krista's vision and leadership were instrumental in re-establishing Barbie as the #1 global doll property. Her contributions and dedication have earned her several industry recognitions, including the Ad Age 40 Under 40, Brand Innovators 40 Under 40, and the Women in Toys Wonder Women Award. In this episode of Masters of Storytelling, Maya talks to Krista about the importance of play, localizing global brands, and the careful listening required to sustain a brand as iconic as Barbie.