Kelley Barrett Talks Creative Disruption and the Work That Changed Her Career

Weeks after being named one of the top copywriters in the world by D&AD, Leo Burnett’s Kelley Barrett reflects on the formative experiences that have fostered growth in both her career and personal life.  

One of Kelley’s earliest memories that foreshadowed her creative career was her obsession with an arts instruction television show called Pappyland, which encouraged children to draw and send in their art to be displayed during the end credits.   

“For weeks I tried to perfect one of my scribbled ‘masterpieces’ to send to the show,” she says.  “Then, one morning, there she was. For two seconds at 5:30am on a random local channel. I felt like I had won an Oscar. Like I had finally made it. Anyway, it turns out I wasn’t that great at drawing, but I would consider my morning trips to Pappyland some of my first attempts at creativity.” 

A full circle moment, Kelley’s name has shown up across multiple creative credits including Bank of America’s Roval 400 NASCAR radio campaign and award-winning campaign The Lost Class. Working on The Lost Class campaign grounded Kelley in the importance of creative disruption – she stated that “it’s one thing to have an idea but the execution is vital.”  

“Working on The Lost Class has impacted me in so many ways,” Kelley says. “Manuel and Patricia Oliver are two of the most inspiring people I have ever met. They’re not afraid to creatively confront, disrupt, or do whatever it takes to get their message across and they’re not going to stop until change is made.” 

Read the full article via Little Black Book here.