GO Proudly Presents 100 Women We Love, Class Of 2020

Katie Martell

Photo by Katie Martell.

“I am grateful to be gay,” Katie Martell tells GO. “That’s a phrase I would have never said out loud when I came out in 2004. But hindsight being 20/20, coming out gave me an opportunity to question the realities of life as they were given to me and the chance to figure out for myself who I was and what I wanted.” She brings this “challenger mindset” to “Pandermonium,” a book and documentary that examines how marketing strategies have targeted social movements for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. Martell, a writer and marketing consultant, notes that while such marketing strategies are signs of changing times, they can also be dangerous in providing the false comfort that our world is better — and that the companies who practice “rainbow-pandering” have no further responsibilities for their LGBTQ+ consumers and employees. “Let’s expect more from the brands we buy from and work for,” she says. “Our community needs real support and policy, not just a rainbow color treatment during the month of June.” Her outspokenness has earned her the reputation of being an “unapologetic marketing truth-teller,” and a spot on TopRank Marketing’s 50 Business-2-Business Marketing Influences and Experts to Follow in 2018. She’s also been named a Top Voice in Marketing on LinkedIn’s list in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Martell is also a frequent speaker at marketing conferences and the host of “Exceptional Truths,” a live interview series. But her most important accomplishment? Batting cleanup for her fastpitch team: the Girl Scouts. —RK


What Do You Think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *