Kin Community Australia has today announced two key hires, as momentum builds for the premier lifestyle-focused content brand and creator community.

Highly-experienced media executive Lisa Ballard (pictured below) has been appointed integrated marketing manager of Kin Community Australia; and fashion marketing specialist Cathy Xu (main picture) has been appointed as partner strategy manager.

Kin Community Australia launched in September 2016 as a partnership between Kin Community and Allure Media. Kin Community uses short-form video, delivered predominantly via social media channels such as YouTube and Facebook, to inspire and inform young women with lifestyle content including food, home and self- improvement categories. The Kin Australia team works with leading brands and creators across the country to create original content targeted at millennial women on their journey to define home.

Ballard brings a wealth of experience in women’s lifestyle publishing, with 13 years’ experience in Sydney and London. Specialising in digital and print, Ballard has been at the forefront of the evolving media landscape, delivering creative commercial ideas and strategy to the market across lifestyle categories including fashion, beauty and auto.

Most recently Ballard was group brand manager, beauty and fashion at Pacific Magazines and previously honed her creative strategy skills in London by developing engaging content for the world’s premier luxury fashion destinations Net-A-Porter and MR PORTER.

Xu is a passionate digital marketer having worked most recently as the Australian marketing lead at British luxury brand Burberry and Ipoh shopping experiences. Xu has valuable experience and connections having worked with influencers and media personalities across events, activations and digital campaigns.

“We’re thrilled to have Lisa and Cathy joining Kin Community Australia,” Kin Community managing director for Australia, Liz Ferguson, said.

“Lisa’s depth of experience in concepts and execution of creative branded content across digital publisher sites will be invaluable in this rapid growth period for Kin Community Australia.”

“Cathy brings with her a fresh and innovative focus from her background in-house with luxury brands and will help deliver audience growth for our roster of creators and brands alike.”

Allure Media CEO Jason Scott said: “Lisa and Cathy are great hires. They have proven track records for delivering commercial solutions using digital media entertainment and influencer collaboration. Both appointments underline a commitment to world-class ideation, strategy and execution of branded content campaigns for Kin Community and Allure Media.”