Kat Sladden

What triggered your interest in campaigns and communications strategy?

I actually started my career in PR but my ambition was to work in international development and I soon moved across to charities, working for the National AIDS Trust and the ONE Campaign. I had the media role and I saw how you could use storytelling to effect change and learnt about how influential the news is not just in shaping public opinion but in influencing decision makers too.

It was a natural journey for me from media into campaigning, I see crafting powerful narratives, spotting compelling stories and jumping on news moments as central to campaigning. And my early training in PR always comes in handy when anticipating how decision makers might respond to a campaign action.

What did your experience at Change.org UK as founding Campaigns Director teach you about the social impact space and how has it influenced Breakthrough?

I learnt so much at Change.org. When I started there online petitions weren’t really a thing! We saw how if you put the tools of campaigning into the hands of people most affected by issues, they can affect huge change.

The petitions that did best always had a compelling personal story, a very specific ask – we called it the ‘little big thing’ – like when Caroline Criado-Perez campaigned for a woman on a banknote, it was a simple ask but also galvanised debate on a much bigger issue about how women in our history are recognised.

And petitions also need a sense of urgency, why do they matter now? If you’ve got those three things you’re halfway there.

Breakthrough has supported on some incredible campaigns like #HandsOffOurVote and Coventry Youth Activists. Can you share a project that you’re really proud of and what type of work goes into a campaign like it?

I think the campaign that’s had the biggest influence on me has been supporting Grenfell United, the bereaved families and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire. One standout moment was ahead of the 2nd anniversary of the fire. The Government was ignoring the fact that thousands of homes were covered in flammable cladding just like Grenfell and the media wasn’t reporting it. With the help of some incredible creatives Conrad Swanson and Alex Bingham and the families, we came up with an idea to use tower blocks around the country like billboards and project warnings on them about dangerous materials on them. We had 3 weeks to pull it off. We got residents across the country onboard. When the projections turned on it was a very powerful moment to be standing alongside families.

At midnight we rushed back to the office, edited the photos, cut a video for social media. At 3am I was emailing the press release to news desks and emailing our supporters. It ran as frontpage news for two days and the Minister was door-stepped, asking why he hadn’t done more to get the cladding down. Within months the Government was forced to put more funds into the issue.

We just had the 5 year anniversary for Grenfell and there is still a long road to justice, but the families have achieved a lot and they work tirelessly so that no one else has to go through what they went through. Their determination inspires me.

Where do you draw inspiration from when you’re working on such campaigns?

Right now I’m inspired by so many young activists – especially on YouTube and TikTok. I think what Kwajo has done by simply filming the conditions some social housing tenants are living in and posting those has been amazing to see. There’s an authenticity that cuts through.

What are the key things that go into a winning impact strategy?

My top five tips would be:

1. Have a compelling personal story.
2. A clear, simple ask – don’t forget the power of the ‘little big thing’.
3. Design a moment of cut through – jump on a news hook or create one.
4. Get people involved! Campaigning is about action – so what actions can supporters take to help?
5. Read the room – understanding who has the power to make the change you want, and who influences them is essential to make sure you hit the right target.

What are the key elements people should think about in order to communicate impactfully in a way that actually rallies people together?

I think brands can draw so much inspiration from people powered movements. Successful movements use inclusive language – they are about how we can make change together. They have a clear vision of how they want the world to be and clear values – which they can articulate. And most importantly communicate momentum to keep supporters engaged. Every small win on the journey should be shared and celebrated, winning inspires action.

Are there any brands or organisations that you admire for their work in the social impact sphere? What makes them so good / stand out?

I love the work of Bloody Good Period – the period poverty charity. They’ve got a distinct tone of voice that speak their values loudly and they’ve made a mark on the sector in a very short space of time.

What’s next for Breakthrough?

We’ve launching our first training programme for activists in late-summer and we’ll be opening our second social impact accelerator soon after. We’re also looking to partner with purpose driven brands who want to back the next generation of activists working on climate, social justice and equality. Any brands listening get in touch!