Pro to Pro

7 Questions with Frankie Margotta: Why Strategy Isn’t (Just) a Creative Exercise

As we gear up for the next XLIST, we’re revisiting members of last year’s class—taking a closer look at how they think, work, and shape the industry. (You can stay in the loop on nominations and announcements here). XLISTER Frankie Margotta is Associate Director of Strategy at TRIPTK, where he works at the intersection of brand transformation, research, and experience. His work spans global platforms and cultural moments—from leading the rebrand of CES 2025 to developing Netflix’s live-event sponsorship framework and evolving adidas’ adiClub into a membership experience rooted in IRL connection. For Frankie, strategy isn’t a creative exercise; it’s a foundation grounded in rigor. Geraldine Campbell: Was your way into experiential intentional or accidental? Frankie Margotta: I kind of fell into it. I was studying graphic design at SCAD and thought that was the path I was going to follow. Then I volunteered for a 72-hour sprint where teams came together to rebrand a non-profit organization. It felt very familiar to think about systems, decision-making, and how everything connects. I realized pretty quickly that while I liked design, strategy was where I could move faster and have more impact. GC: What are you focused on right now? FM: At...