Hi! I’m Barbie.
I’m Barbie Koelker, a marketing leader known for elevating brands, engaging audiences, empowering teams, and exceeding expectations. For over 20 years, I’ve fostered growth in tech and media, helping B2B and B2C brands grow 10X, launch new products & solutions, drive tech adoption & subscriptions, host sellout events, improve their marketing ROI, and flourish.
I’ve driven growth at every stage — from bootstrapped & raises through scaling & exits — and have done so for a myriad of companies across ad tech, AI, insights, gaming, IT, and more. As a seasoned strategist & marketing generalist, I’m adept at developing fully integrated marketing systems that connect brand to product, data to narratives, content to campaigns, and upper funnel interest to engaged customers.
Most recently, I have been serving as fractional CMO and marketing consultant to startups in tech, media, sustainability, and others. Prior to this, I served as the Global Head of Developer Marketing for InMobi, an AI powered mobile advertising platform at the forefront of the surface economy. I also served as the VP of Marketing for Spiketrap, an NLP AI audience intelligence and contextual advertising platform serving the gaming & entertainment industries, from its seed round through its acquisition by Reddit.
Notably, I have also led marketing at consumer insights platform DISQO, served as the head of marketing for advertising agency AUDIENCEX, and led developer marketing at ML AI powered mobile advertising platform AdColony.
Committed to meaningful audience engagement, I hold a Master’s in Communications Management from the University of Southern California and was a President’s Scholar at Cal State Fullerton, where I attained my Bachelor’s in Communications.
I am an active member of CHIEF, the private network for women in leadership, and also a member of The Women in Programmatic Network and the International Game Developers Association.
Today, I’m looking for the next brand I’ll elevate, for the next complex problem to solve, and for the next chapter in this journey. Let’s chat!
- Marketing Experience 23 years
- Leadership Experience 16 years
- Brand Marketing 23 years
- Content Marketing 23 years
- Communications 23 years
- Engagement Marketing 21 years
- Product Marketing 17 years
- Public Relations 15 years
- Performance Marketing 15 years
- B2B Marketing 18 years
- Tech Marketing 13 years
“Barbie is a big picture thinker, she understands how all digital marketing channels work together and what needs to be done in order to create a cohesive message.”
“When I think of a marketing leader — one who is well-rounded, strategic, and insanely knowledgeable — Barbie comes to mind.”
“Barbie has the unique blend of intelligence and compassion rooted to a ‘grind it out’ work ethic, making her the ideal marketing and comms lead.”
“I learned a great deal about the finer points of marketing strategy by working with Barbie. Her presence and mentorship has aided my professional career immensely.”
“Working on Barbie’s team, I benefitted greatly from her clear direction, unrivaled organization, and patient visual design coaching.”
Experience
iDigress
Apr 2022 — Present
Founder & Fractional CMO
- Founder of creative studio and marketing consultancy serving media & tech
- Serving as fractional CMO and marketing advisor for clients in tech, gaming, & other sectors
- Helping brands improve their positioning, narrative, presence, reputation, and growth
- Editor-in-chief for an undisclosed TTRPG publishing project
InMobi
Jun 2022 — Oct 2024
Global Head of Developer Marketing
- Led developer marketing for an ML AI mobile platform doing $1B+ annually
- Created unified solution narrative & marketing strategy to drive over $5M ROI quarterly
- Led product GTMs to garner 1000+ new SaaS clients for a key launch
- Led multi-channel marketing programs to grow SDK adoption over 20%
- Transitioned from consultant to FTE in Q2 2023
Spiketrap
Aug 2020 — Sep 2022
VP of Marketing
- Led marketing from seed to acquisition for an NLP AI audience intelligence & contextual ad platform
- Led nimble team to drive over 100% marketing led growth in SaaS adoption, API usage, & DaaS
- Owned & directed brand positioning, thought leadership, PR, & content strategy to elevate presence
- Led product marketing, GTMs, ABM campaigns, SEM, & CRM to acquire clients with $150,000 ACV
- Crafted media strategy & bespoke insights for bands & agencies in gaming & entertainment.
DISQO
May 2019 — Aug 2020
VP of Marketing
- Led B2B marketing for a consumer insights & ad measurement platform
- Crafted & led thought leadership & content marketing strategy to increase brand health by 117%
- Led ABM & digital marketing strategies to drive 110% marketing-led revenue growth.
- Developed solution narrative & led GTMs to generate 300+ SQLs for SaaS & managed services.
- Overhauled narrative & brand positioning for B2C subsidiary with over 10M MAUs.
AUDIENCEX
Jun 2018 — May 2020
Head of Marketing
- Led marketing for a digital advertising agency providing both managed service & self-serve SaaS
- Redefined and elevated brand positioning & sales narrative to help drive a 130% CAGR
- Led team & digital strategy to deliver a 7X ROAS via effective full-funnel marketing campaigns
- Empowered sales team with air cover, messaging, & materials to double close rates
- Served on strategy committee to improve campaign performance for a multitude of clients
AdColony
Dec 2014 — Apr 2018
Director of Marketing
- Led developer marketing for an ML AI mobile ad tech platform during a period of 46% CAGR
- Oversaw marketing budget of $6M and globally distributed team to drive 300% growth
- Developed & led product marketing & GTM strategies to drive 2X SDK adoption
- Elevated CRM, social, & events to improve engagement, nurture CLV, and improve retention
- Led research, thought leadership, & content marketing to elevate presence & garner 200+ press hits
- Developed guides for user acquisition & monetization leveraged by thousands of mobile publishers
PCM
Mar 2014 — Dec 2014
Brand Marketing Manager
- Led content marketing for an enterprise tech brand and its B2C subsidiary
- Oversaw global social & content team to drive a 5X engagement increase across B2B & B2C brands
- Revamped partner marketing program to host weekly webinars & generate 100+ SQLs per event
- Developed communications stylebook to unify brand voice across matrixed marketing organization
Hero Level Productions
Oct 2011 — Mar 2014
Director of Marketing
- Led B2B & B2C marketing for an esports production studio serving the gaming industry
- Led campaigns to increase subscriptions 4X and sell-out events with up to 5,000 attendees
- Crafted pitches driving $10M in revenue & funding from investors, media, studios, & sponsors
CRN Solutions
Jan 2009 — Sep 2011
Director of Marketing
- Led B2B & B2C marketing teams for wholesale & retail brands
- Successfully launched multiple ecommerce subsidiaries, generating 30X ROAS
- Led PR, CRM, SEM, content strategy, product marketing, & sales enablement to drive 230% growth
Protelligent
Jan 2007 — Jan 2009
Marketing Specialist
- Executed all marketing initiatives for an IT firm during a period of 4X growth
- Led product marketing, positioning, & GTM strategies to promote SaaS & managed services
- Developed content marketing, CRM, & event marketing strategies to elevate engagement
- Elevated web presence & sales enablement materials to improve inbound leads & conversion rates
Century Quality Management
Aug 2011 — Jul 2008
Marketing Assistant
- Aided marketing & communications for a property management company
- Contributed to multi-channel marketing & PR, helping 400 unit property achieve 100% occupancy
- Improved community engagement, satisfaction, & retention via newsletters, CRM, & events
Experience
Founder & Fractional CMO
iDigress
Apr 2022 — Present
- Founder of creative studio and marketing consultancy serving media & tech
- Serving as fractional CMO and marketing advisor for clients in tech, gaming, & other sectors
- Helping brands improve their positioning, narrative, presence, reputation, and growth
- Editor-in-chief for an undisclosed TTRPG publishing project
Global Head of Developer Marketing
InMobi
Jun 2022 — Oct 2024
- Led developer marketing for an ML AI mobile platform doing $1B+ annually
- Created unified solution narrative & marketing strategy to drive over $5M ROI quarterly
- Led product GTMs to garner 1000+ new SaaS clients for a key launch
- Led multi-channel marketing programs to grow SDK adoption over 20%
- Transitioned from consultant to FTE in Q2 2023
VP of Marketing
Spiketrap
Aug 2020 — Sep 2022
- Led marketing from seed to acquisition for an NLP AI audience intelligence & contextual ad platform
- Led nimble team to drive over 100% marketing led growth in SaaS adoption, API usage, & DaaS
- Owned & directed brand positioning, thought leadership, PR, & content strategy to elevate presence
- Led product marketing, GTMs, ABM campaigns, SEM, & CRM to acquire clients with $150,000 ACV
- Crafted media strategy & bespoke insights for bands & agencies in gaming & entertainment.
VP of Marketing
DISQO
May 2019 — Aug 2020
- Led B2B marketing for a consumer insights & ad measurement platform
- Crafted & led thought leadership & content marketing strategy to increase brand health by 117%
- Led ABM & digital marketing strategies to drive 110% marketing-led revenue growth.
- Developed solution narrative & led GTMs to generate 300+ SQLs for SaaS & managed services.
- Overhauled narrative & brand positioning for B2C subsidiary with over 10M MAUs.
Head of Marketing
AUDIENCEX
Jun 2018 — May 2020
- Led marketing for a digital advertising agency providing both managed service & self-serve SaaS
- Redefined and elevated brand positioning & sales narrative to help drive a 130% CAGR
- Led team & digital strategy to deliver a 7X ROAS via effective full-funnel marketing campaigns
- Empowered sales team with air cover, messaging, & materials to double close rates
- Served on strategy committee to improve campaign performance for a multitude of clients
Director of Marketing
AdColony
Dec 2014 — Apr 2018
- Led developer marketing for an ML AI mobile ad tech platform during a period of 46% CAGR
- Oversaw marketing budget of $6M and globally distributed team to drive 300% growth
- Developed & led product marketing & GTM strategies to drive 2X SDK adoption
- Elevated CRM, social, & events to improve engagement, nurture CLV, and improve retention
- Led research, thought leadership, & content marketing to elevate presence & garner 200+ press hits
- Developed guides for user acquisition & monetization leveraged by thousands of mobile publishers
Brand Marketing Manager
PCM
Mar 2014 — Dec 2014
- Led content marketing for an enterprise tech brand and its B2C subsidiary
- Oversaw global social & content team to drive a 5X engagement increase across B2B & B2C brands
- Revamped partner marketing program to host weekly webinars & generate 100+ SQLs per event
- Developed communications stylebook to unify brand voice across matrixed marketing organization
Director of Marketing
Hero Level Productions
Oct 2011 — Mar 2014
- Led B2B & B2C marketing for an esports production studio serving the gaming industry
- Led campaigns to increase subscriptions 4X and sell-out events with up to 5,000 attendees
- Crafted pitches driving $10M in revenue & funding from investors, media, studios, & sponsors
Director of Marketing
CRN Solutions
Jan 2009 — Sep 2011
- Led B2B & B2C marketing teams for wholesale & retail brands
- Successfully launched multiple ecommerce subsidiaries, generating 30X ROAS
- Led PR, CRM, SEM, content strategy, product marketing, & sales enablement to drive 230% growth
Marketing Specialist
Protelligent
Jan 2007 — Jan 2009
- Executed all marketing initiatives for an IT firm during a period of 4X growth
- Led product marketing, positioning, & GTM strategies to promote SaaS & managed services
- Developed content marketing, CRM, & event marketing strategies to elevate engagement
- Elevated web presence & sales enablement materials to improve inbound leads & conversion rates
Marketing Assistant
Century Quality Management
Aug 2011 — Jul 2008
- Aided marketing & communications for a property management company
- Contributed to multi-channel marketing & PR, helping 400 unit property achieve 100% occupancy
- Improved community engagement, satisfaction, & retention via newsletters, CRM, & events
Articles
Marketers are messaging magicians, but what happens when they lie?
Silencing signal creates an echo chamber for platitudes and apathy. Organizations that do this die.
A more personal glimpse into who I am, in brief, from the folks at Principal Post.
Opinion piece written for Adweek exploring the narrative unfolding in gaming & what marketers must do to foster trust amid acquisitions.
Byline in Adweek discussing the video game industry’s center stage role in popular culture and how the advertising industry is finally starting to take notice.
Byline in Campaign US challenging marketers to dump their demographic assumptions and instead seek deeper audience understanding.
BizReport’s Kirstina Knight interviews Barbie Koelker on how marketers can protect their brands when advertising in high UGC environments.
An exploration into the rise and future of Among Us through the lens of audience conversations across social, streaming, and review platforms.
Byline in Target Marketing Magazine discussing the need for marketers to curate consumer confidence, channel consistency, and conserve character amid the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Feature in WWD discussing the lessons learned from a DISQO study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer attitudes, reported activities, and measured digital behaviors.
Byline in Street Fight Magazine discussing the need for market researchers to foster a relationship of trust with audiences by openly engaging people, diligently protecting their data and privacy, and fairly rewarding them for their participation.
Feature in WWD discussing the results of a DISQO consumer study on ad relevance, which illuminated the need and opportunity for marketers to make their campaigns more interesting and relevant to their audiences.
Interview with MarTech Series sharing perspectives on how the ad tech industry has evolved, advice for other marketing leaders, lessons learned from a DISQO study on the consumer voice, and more.
Interview with ExchangeWire discussing personal experiences in the industry, views on where we’ve been, where I hope we’re going, and advice for people looking to thrive in tech.
Software Proficiencies
| Adobe Illustrator | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe InDesign | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe Photoshop | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe Express | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe Premiere | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe Media Encoder | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe After Effects | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe Audition | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe Dreamweaver | ★★★★★ |
| Adobe Acrobat | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| XSplit | ★★★★★ |
| OBS | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| WordPress | ★★★★★ |
| Unbounce | ★★★★★ |
| Figma | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| Keynote | ★★★★★ |
| Powerpoint | ★★★★★ |
| Canva | ★★★★★ |
| Word | ★★★★★ |
| Excel | ★★★★★ |
| Hubspot | ★★★★★ |
| Salesforce | ★★★★★ |
| Pardot | ★★★★★ |
| Mailchimp | ★★★★★ |
| Marketo | ★★★★★ |
| Autopilot | ★★★★★ |
| Pipedrive | ★★★★★ |
| Zapier | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| Google Ads Manager | ★★★★★ |
| Linkedin Ads | ★★★★★ |
| Meta Ads Manager | ★★★★★ |
| Marin Software | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| SEMrush | ★★★★★ |
| Moz | ★★★★★ |
| Google Search Console | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| Brandwatch | ★★★★★ |
| Meltwater | ★★★★★ |
| Sprout Social | ★★★★★ |
| Buffer | ★★★★★ |
| Hootsuite | ★★★★★ |
| Qualtrics | ★★★★★ |
| Survey Monkey | ★★★★★ |
| Typeform | ★★★★★ |
| Google Forms | ★★★★★ |
| MTurk | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| Google Analytics | ★★★★★ |
| Tableau | ★★★★★ |
| SPSS | ★★★★★ |
| Power BI | ★★★★★ |
| Metamarkets | ★★★★★ |
| Mixpanel | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| Asana | ★★★★★ |
| Jira | ★★★★★ |
| Confluence | ★★★★★ |
| Trello | ★★★★★ |
| Miro | ★★★★★ |
| — | |
| Discord | ★★★★★ |
| Slack | ★★★★★ |
| Teams | ★★★★★ |
| Zoom | ★★★★★ |