Barb Huggett of Captivate Canada on Capturing Attention through Innovation

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In the office that Captivate’s Toronto team moved into earlier this month, the employees never leave.  Or, at least their 3-D printed replicas don’t.  Barb Huggett, head of sales for Captivate in Canada, had the statuettes created for display in their reception area, instead of hanging more traditional staff photos (see photo below).  As Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales and General Manager of Canada for the location-based digital video network, best known for its in-elevator screens, Huggett manages both the real estate and advertising sides of the business.  Opting for innovation has become something of a trademark throughout Huggett’s career, which became clear during our recent interview.

Kathy Newberger:  What drew you to Captivate?

Barb Huggett:  About seven years ago digital out-of-home was just emerging and it was very exciting -- certainly an opportunity to do more with customization and creativity than with traditional out-of-home, which was pretty much selling to agencies.  I was drawn by the opportunity to create unique solutions for advertisers.

Kathy:  Tell us about your current role.

Barb:  I’m still passionate about the product, but my current role heading up Canada is really about the team.  We’re growing quite a bit, and breaking into the Ottawa market this fall.  There's a real appetite for expansion, and the people here are great.  I have a wonderful team, I have to say.

Kathy:  You manage the team that works with property owners to place Captivate screens in their office buildings, and you are also in charge of the advertising sales organization.  How does that work?

Barb:  Seeing it holistically is an advantage.  We're better able to understand what property managers need to enhance their properties and what the tenant experience should be.  In turn, we can develop relevant products that are impactful for our advertising partners.

Kathy:  Your 

Kathy Newberger

Kathy Newberger manages the media and entertainment category at the NY Interconnect, which is a joint venture between Altice USA, Charter Communications and Comcast, and unifies TV and video ad opportunities across all providers in the New York DMA. Her b… read more