Sage Announces Owen Barnard as new Senior Director of Digital Strategy

Sage Media Planning & Placement is pleased to announce the promotion of Owen Barnard to Senior Director of Digital Strategy, alongside updates on the continued strategic investment in its digital practice.

Owen has been a pivotal figure in the growth of the digital practice at Sage since 2021. His innovation in tactics and technology has been recognized by multiple Pollie and Reed awards, highlighting his aptitude for delivering impactful campaign outcomes from the local to national levels. Owen has extensive experience leading multi-million dollar media programs across digital and linear media. He spearheaded planning and placement for large-scale Super Tuesday digital programs, working to secure the nomination of now-President Joe Biden. Following these efforts, Owen was a lead planner and buyer of the African-American paid media program for the Biden-Harris campaign. In his new role as Senior Director of Digital Strategy, Owen is set to drive Sage’s success further through his client-centric approach and comprehensive political acumen.

Complementing Owen's promotion, Sage is continuing the ambitious expansion of its digital practice. Throughout 2022 and 2023, Sage has invested in building an in-house programmatic trading desk, allowing for unparalleled control over our digital media placements and inventory. These efforts have already powered high-profile victories across the country, rebuilding state legislative majorities and expanding access to reproductive healthcare. Additionally, the digital team has expanded its list of voter data providers, leveraging best-in-class research and AI-powered modeling.

Luke Hartman from StackAdapt said, “Owen has been instrumental in setting the gold standard for digital political campaigns on StackAdapt. I am excited to deepen our partnership with Sage under his leadership and continue the incredible and important work that gets done by their stellar team.”

Sage Founder and President Janet Katowitz had this to say about Owen: “We look forward to many new developments and innovations in our digital program under Owen’s leadership. Owen is a supremely talented strategist, crafting creative solutions for our clients and delivering critical victories in races from local to national.”