Christa Larkin

Campaign Story & Execution:

Every year at midnight on November 1st, the internet collectively holds its breath for one moment: Mariah Carey declaring It’s time!, the unofficial kickoff to the holidays. We saw an opportunity to move Kay Jewelers from a participant in the season to the brand that starts it. By embedding the brand directly into this cultural ritual, we transformed a passive, viral moment into an ownable entry point for holiday gifting, positioning Kay at the center of the conversation during the brand’s most competitive window.

ROLE:

Led concept development, pitching multiple creative territories to Mariah Carey’s team rooted in her iconic seasonal transition moment. Helped shape the strategic sell-in to Kay Jewelers, building the case for Mariah’s enduring cultural relevance and the power of her “It’s time” moment as a brand entry point. Partnered closely with both teams to ensure the integration felt seamless and narrative-driven, not additive, so the brand lived naturally within the cultural moment rather than interrupting it.

Impact:

• 2025 Webby Award Winner (Social/Celebrity Fan)

• 2025 Shorty Awards Nominee (Brand Partnership)

• 149MM+ Organic Only Video Views

• 1.3B Earned Media Impressions across sixteen different outlets including Good Morning America, People, The New York Times, Billboard, Rolling Stone, and more, this campaign became the single most successful digital campaign in the brand’s history.

• 27% Lift in Brand Favorability (5.6% Benchmark)

• 30% Lift In Brand Consideration (6% Benchmark)

• 37% Lift In Purchase Intent (6.7% Benchmark)

Credits:

• RhythmInfluence: Christa Larkin (Creative Lead), Deanna Marzillo (Sales), Melody Brunell (Creator Activations), Katie Paulsen (Strategy), Erin Simmons (Strategy).

• Publicis: Mia Voehringer, Ann Marie Kennedy, Erin Vogel, Shari Schraber

• Kay Jewelers: Erica Scott, Brandy Gadd