What Would A Brand Builder Award Winner Say?

January 24, 2012

5 Questions for CKE Restaurants CMO and visionary Brad Haley.

Our industry is teeming with experienced leaders and visionaries, people from whom we all have much to learn. In continuing with our series highlighting some of these leaders, today Blogging Out Loud speaks with Brad Haley. Brad has served as Chief Marketing Officer for CKE Restaurants, Inc. since 2011. He joined the company as executive vice president of marketing for Hardee’s in 2000, and he took on the marketing responsibility for Carl’s Jr. in January 2004. Before joining CKE, Haley’s experience included marketing stints for companies such as Clorox, Foster Farms and the California Lottery. While working for Jack in the Box in the 1990s, Haley received the Brand Builder Award from Brandweek magazine for his work that helped the chain’s turnaround following an E. coli outbreak. Blogging Out Loud caught up with Brad to discuss the lessons he’s learned and what he sees in the future for his brands and for all marketers.

What do you see as the biggest challenge marketers currently face and why?

We’ve had a long protracted recession, and that sort of redefined “value” as “affordability”. We’ve weathered the storm but I think that’s been the biggest challenge for marketers in recent years, and I think it will be a challenge for many more. The key is finding the way consumers define quality, so that it’s something they’ll be willing to pay for despite the tough times they face.

You recently changed advertising agencies for the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s businesses, and you’ve been part of the team that has made changes in your brands’ outside resources in the past. Can you describe the tangible and intangible factors when deciding it’s time to look for a new agency?

Obviously a lot of factors come into play. One is the relationship itself. Do you find your agency partner is one you enjoy? The creative process is one that needs to be nurtured and developed, and that doesn’t happen if the relationship is not an open and trusting one. Then, there’s the quality of the work. The biggest challenge clients have with creative agencies isn’t in dialing them back. They either have it or they don’t. You want to find someone who understands the brand and the target audience. Some people can do great work for certain categories, but they may not be able to do that for others. It’s key to find a partner who understands your specific business.

It seems the real worth of a working relationship is tested during periods of turmoil. Earlier in your career, you were tossed into the perfect storm when an E. Coli outbreak occurred. What did you learn from that experience? Did it affect how you currently work with both internal and external resources?

I had a little experience with crisis management from my Foster Farms days, because, while I was there, there was a salmonella outbreak — not at Foster Farms, but nonetheless, it made big news. It was a terrible time. You have to remain calm. You have to boil the problems down to their essence and articulate them to the rest of the organization. When people are under pressure, they develop tunnel vision. Focusing on one or two things is key.

What are your go-to resources — whether they be on the streets, in print or online — for keeping up with trends?

We do a lot of our own proprietary research. Our agency partners are huge resources for that. They track the pulse of our customers through a variety of channels. One of the most valuable: I get copied on every guest comment — it’s a time sponge, but it’s worth it. It’s a real-time feel for what our consumers are experiencing, how they’re reacting to products, how they’re reacting to ads. It gives me a real world look at what our customers are thinking and feeling all the time.

What marketing and promotional campaigns and tools are you most excited about now? How has new and social media — namely YouTube — helped your campaigns?

Mobile is huge. It isn’t new for us but it’s continuing and still growing. We were one of the first in the industry to launch a location-based loyalty app, and we’re continuing to expand the penetration of that app. The [smartphone] screen is always with consumers, it’s what they have closest to them at the point of purchase.

We put a lot of effort and energy into social media, although traditional media is still the most powerful one we use. The majority of our focus is on Facebook, because everyone’s there, and it allows for a conversation that not all media affords. YouTube is part of our digital outreach because we make an effort to produce media that’s edgier and appeals to a younger male demographic. YouTube is a great medium for that.

“5 Questions For” is a new and occasional feature in which Blogging Out Loud interviews influential industry leaders on current and future marketing trends.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo: Brian Corll

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Posted by JJ Nelson

R U Ready 4 Mobile Marketing?

January 17, 2012

Consumers prefer SMS to email when receiving promotional deals.

The past decade has seen cell phones grow sleeker and “smarter”; most boast bells and whistles such as cameras, email, Internet accessibility and even video cameras. Yet for all the technological advancements, one cell phone feature has remained virtually the same: the text message. In November 2011, ComScore estimated 234 million Americans ages 13 and older own mobile devices (globally, that number is at 5.3 billion). Of the U.S. subscribers, 72.6% send and receive text messages. According to CTIA, the mobile industry trade group, some 3-5 billion text messages are sent and received every year, and 97% of those messages are opened. When compared to the 33% of U.S. mobile users who use their devices to access social media websites and blogs, the obvious is revealed: it might not be the fanciest trick in the bag, but SMS, or text messaging is an effective and popular way to engage consumers. Or, as Naushad Huda, from Vertical Marketing Network’s mobile marketing partner agency Textopoly adds: SMS should be part of every brand’s mobile strategy. “It’s more of a promotional tool than a branding tool,” he concedes, but “it’s a driver. It drives consumers to a mobile campaign.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like cell phones and mobile marketing campaigns have a lot in common. While once they were accessories, now they are necessities.

SMS (short message service) enables cell phone users to exchange information, but it also can act as a gateway for consumers to learn more about a brand or promotion. Huda used last year’s VitaminWater campaign featuring none other than Gary Busey playing Fantasy Football lawyer Norman Tugwater as an example of how far a SMS campaign can reach. The VitaminWater campaign launched with a billboard in Times Square, which prompted fans to text message a code to receive a reward. That “reward” was a phone call from Tugwater himself, followed by a text message back that contained a link to an online video featuring Busey as the fictional Tugwater and real-life football star Adrian Peterson (there’s even a cameo from Shaq). At the close of the video, consumers had the option of sharing the video on social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. In other words, the SMS was a gateway to a multi-faceted mobile marketing campaign. It created brand awareness, it entertained, it engaged consumers and it prompted them to share their enthusiasm, all via their cell phones. But not all mobile marketing campaigns need be so involved. Vertical Marketing Network is currently working on a client campaign that will be more basic in structure, but suits the needs of the brand by promoting retail and special events. Research shows that SMS promotions such as these are effective. The Direct Marketing Association recently conducted a study that found that among mobile users text messaging remains the preferred vehicle for receiving promotional offers: 33% prefer text messaging; 21% prefer the Internet; 11% prefer mobile apps; and 8% prefer voice mail.

Mobile marketing: 160-character messaging, and a clutter-free marketer’s dream.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo: Anthony Dodd

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Posted by JJ Nelson

Back Talk: What Marketing Trends Make Your Radar?

January 10, 2012

Trends come and go, but these days, more trends seem to be coming – and staying – than going. Case in point: the marketing buzz building as we head into 2012 leans heavily to the mobile and social side of things. It makes sense: last year, Pew Research Center estimated 42% of consumers use smartphones to stay connected. And no longer are they only using Facebook. Burgeoning social networks such as Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and even Google+ continue to generate fuss among consumers and marketers alike, as they create new ways to document and share information. Meanwhile, savvy brands ranging from Chik-Fil-A and Oreo to Sephora and Walgreen’s have given themselves modern makeovers, complete with mobile apps, interesting social media campaigns and – perhaps most importantly – an obvious commitment to engage consumers in meaningful (read: personal) ways. My Vertical Marketing Network colleagues and I have pointed to some trends we think matter most now, but there will surely be others. Is your marketing radar ready?

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like today’s trendsetters are tomorrow’s marketing tools. Never underestimate the potential of a new product.

Which begs the question: What marketing trends are on your radar for the near — and distant — future? What trends would you like to see take off this year?

As always, we encourage your comments in the section below. Or, head to Vertical Marketing Network’s Facebook page to join the conversation.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo: freeimages.co.uk

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Posted by JJ Nelson

5 Marketing Predictions For 2012.

January 4, 2012

Keeping track of the ever-changing course leads to new success.

Marketers start your engines; if 2011 was any indicator (and surely, it was), 2012 is going to be a stellar year. Digital media, social media, the livelihood of traditional media — my Vertical Marketing Network colleagues and I wound down last year reflecting on these trends and more. And while we’d be remiss to predict whether this will be the year Google+ makes headway on Facebook, or whether 2012 will be the year QR codes really connect with the consumer consciousness, it’s hard to ignore what’s being said. It’s also safe to assume that certain talking points from yesteryear will build momentum going into the future, and they could help redefine what it means to be a marketer now. To ready you for the new year, Blogging Out Loud spent the waning weeks of 2011 compiling the below list of trends that we think will matter most in the coming days and months. Are you on your mark?

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems as if successful marketing doesn’t necessarily mean winning the race, but rather, success means keeping pace with the ever-changing course. A new year is the perfect time for a tune up.

With that in mind, here are the top 5 marketing predictions for 2012:

1. Mobile Money Makes Sense — Sure, mobile money apps were a marketing hit in 2011, but 2012 will really be their year. While apps like Google Wallet and the AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon-backed Isis allow consumers to shop — and pay — with the aid of their smartphones, other apps — like Mint — aim to help consumers keep money in the bank. Consumers are buying it; marketers should, too.

2. Pictures Make a Push – Pinterest — the bulletin-board themed social networking site — has generated a lot of, well, interest, from curious Facebook users, media writers and venture capitalists, who’ve invested $27 million in the project. In August 2011, the site had 1.2 million users. Today, it has over 4 million, and they are changing the ways consumers — and brands — share visual information.

3. Apple Turns Square  — Rumors popped up late last week that 2012 could see the release of Apple’s “iTV”, which could drastically rock the way content is distributed. As of press time, the rumors remained just that, but the potential for the medium is as exciting as it is vast. And knowing Apple, it will have major cultural impact, to boot.

4. Brands Branch Out — Many are speculating 2012 will see the face-off between the world’s largest social network and the world’s biggest Internet company get serious. With 800 million users worldwide, we think Facebook still rules the numbers game — especially for brands and businesses. But Google’s trying to change that, and some think it can ultimately succeed. Whether or not that’s true remains unseen. But for marketers, the implications are clear: it’s never a bad time to expand your social circle beyond the obvious Facebook and Twitter, even if it means learning other lingo. Circles, anyone?

5. Optimism Reigns Supreme — Between this summer’s Olympic games in London and the upcoming Presidential election, opportunities will abound this year for marketers to tap the emotions and excitement of the public. Consider now how you can be involved, and plan something meaningful. Affiliations aside, events such as these rally people. For consumers, they inspire passion, and for brands, they create opportunities. Be aware.

And be ready. These are just a few of the many exciting changes we’ll see this year. Hopefully, they’ll fuel your thinking for a better — and more profitable — 2012. See you at the races!

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo: ph-stop

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Posted by JJ Nelson

5 Marketing Hits & Misses From 2011.

December 13, 2011

Not every trend turns out to be a hit, but even this "misses" can inspire. From Foursquare and Google+ to digital media and mobile money apps, 2011 was good for brands and marketers.

Deeper discounts, QR codes, web video. Many of the trends that emerged this year will continue to bewitch consumers and inspire marketers in 2012, while many we’ll be happy to take a break from (fingers crossed) in the coming weeks and new year. At the top of that list is Facebook, the social networking party that’s become so big it can no longer be described as one party, but rather several miniature mixers inside one gigantic rec room, albeit a virtual one. Google+ continues to attract consumer attention; Google boasts that its social media answer to Facebook attracted more followers this year than LinkedIn and Twitter combined, which sounds more impressive than it is. At press time, user numbers looked like this: Facebook: 800 million, Google+: 43.3 million (as of mid-October), LinkedIn: 135 million, and Twitter: 380 million. For my colleagues and me at Vertical Marketing Network, a little competition is a good thing, and no matter the social network, brands and businesses will continue to log on and engage. After all, it seems engagement is the marketing buzzword of the moment. Whether it’s in stores, online or via television, marketers are forever challenged to connect with their brand demographic in meaningful and authentic ways. And with so many tools at our disposal, we have plenty to look forward to.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like yesterday’s micro trends are tomorrow’s everyday occurrences. Marketers can learn plenty from cultural hits and misses, and possibly influence a little sway.

Below, Blogging Out Loud’s Top 5 Marketing Hits & Misses from 2011 (OK, maybe not misses, but we’ve certainly had our fill):

Hit: Foursquare – The darling of the location-based social networking scene has redefined what is means to “check-in” and check businesses out. More than 10 million users can’t be wrong.

Miss: Google+ – No matter that they say (see above), the little social network that could has a long way to go before playing with the big boys.

Hit: Digital Media – Television may still be the preferred medium for old school adverts, but this year saw online advertising outnumber print for the first time ever. And it’s going to continue.

Miss: Augmented Reality – Not so much a miss, but rather: Let’s stop predicting its future and make AR what it’s going to be — not just the Next Big Thing, but the future.

Hit: Mobile Money – New mobile apps enable consumers to shop with ease and empower small businesses to operate like big ones with little to no cost. Will mobile money render the paper stuff a thing of the past?

Miss: Recession Marketing – Since we’re in the midst of the biggest holiday shopping season in recent memory, let’s stop talking “recession” and adopt a new and necessary sensitivity to the needs of average consumers.

Hit: QR Codes – Since we explored their potential a mere 3 months ago, Quick Response codes have gone from being “those bar code thing-ys” consumers barely understand, to stand-alone advertisements that connect brands and consumers on multiple levels, all with the help of a smartphone.

Miss: QR Codes – Still, has anyone seen a campaign that really truly works? And, more importantly, just how many consumers are using them?

Hit: Crowdsourcing — Thanks to the Internet and social media, never before have consumers had so much influence over brands and businesses. The trend will surely continue, but how will it shift?

Miss: Green Marketing – Everybody wants to save the planet, but we still have a long way to go in reducing media waste. Have any green campaigns caught your eye?

Blogging Out Loud will return Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012. From our family to yours, happy holidays and best wishes for a safe and prosperous 2012.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: Stock photo

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Posted by JJ Nelson

Back Talk: What Can We Learn From Small Business?

December 6, 2011

Many small businesses do things differently than big box retailers. Do marketers have something to learn from them? Chime in below in the comments section.

By all appearances, the holiday shopping season keeps getting bigger and better; by lunchtime on Cyber Monday, news of this year’s record sales numbers were circulating widely to the tune of “For the Love of Money.” But the Ghost of Christmas Future is singing another carol. It’s message: think small business. While the National Retail Federation was reporting a record $52.4 billion in spending over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend (that’s Thursday through Sunday), and Cyber Monday sales were up 15% over last year, the American Express-sponsored Small Business Saturday was celebrating its own tiny victories. This year’s event, which encourages consumers to shop local, saw the credit giant offering card members a $25 credit for any $25 spent at qualifying small businesses nationwide, and the event’s Facebook page boasted 2.6 million “likes,” more than double last year’s numbers. In the spirit of the season, leading software developer Intuit finally jumped on the e-commerce trend; yesterday, the company announced Intuit SimpleStore for Facebook, which allows small business owners to accept debit and credit payments via the social network, and perhaps more impressively, automatically syncs a merchant’s website with its Facebook page. In August, the company partnered with Verizon Wireless to sell its smartphone credit card reader GoPayment, another nod for small businesses.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like Small is the new Big. With more ways for small businesses to engage consumers, marketers best take stock and adapt accordingly.

Which prompts the question: What can marketers learn from small businesses? Has a recent campaign or effort inspired your marketing mind?

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: Emily Carlin

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Posted by JJ Nelson

What Would a Marketer of the Year Say?

November 29, 2011

5 Questions For Bill Weintraub — industry veteran and visionary.

For Bill Weintraub, the strategy behind successful marketing has not changed much over time: know your product, know your audience and communicate effectively.

Our industry is teeming with great leaders and visionaries, people from whom we all have much to learn. Bill Weintraub is one such person. After all, he’s been BrandWeek magazine’s Marketer of the Year and was named Outstanding Chief Marketing Executive by Frohlinger’s Marketing Report. He’s served as Chief Marketing Officer at Tropicana and Coors Brewing, and prior to that, he managed brands for the Kellogg Company, where his leadership fostered new success for Kellogg brands and marketers alike, when he championed efforts to allow food products to make health claims and thus ushered in a new era in food marketing. Before that, he managed iconic brands such as Scope, Prell, Sure and Crest for Procter & Gamble. Bill is currently a faculty member at the University of Colorado and an executive mentor to M.B.A. students at the University of Denver. We caught up with Bill last week and — not surprisingly — he had plenty of knowledge to share from his own storied and successful career in marketing and how it relates to current trends in marketing and popular culture.

Blogging Out Loud: You’ve seen a lot of changes over the years. How do you identify passing fads from lasting trends? Is there a secret?

Bill Weintraub: I really don’t think the underlying principles of communication and persuasion have changed that much since the times of Aristotle. Too many people — in the media, especially — get hung up on fads. Fads, or fashions, they come and go. For me, it’s the underlying principles of communications and strategy that matter:

– Understanding your product and/or service
– Identifying the consumer group for which its benefits are important
– Utilizing communication to demonstrate that

Some people don’t understand these basic principles. They get hung up on the fad.

BOL: What are your go-to resources — whether they are on the streets, in print or online — for keeping up on trends?

BW: I’m a big believer in magazines, whether I’m reading them on my iPad or physically. I read AdAge, Adweek, Business Week and Fortune. But I’m also a big believer of keeping track of pop culture, by reading magazines like People and US Weekly. That’s what people are interested in, so for me, it’s more important to keep in touch with pop culture.

BOL: When teaching, how do you balance new platforms, such as social media, against tried and true tricks of the trade?

BW: I don’t think social media — or, any one medium — is that important. Social media may work for some brands, and it may not for others. Television is still the dominant medium of our time — it accounts for two-thirds of spending among major advertisers — and the reason why is you can tell a story and dramatize something on television that you can’t in other mediums. That’s not to say social media, outdoor media, radio, and newspapers don’t have a place.

The key point is what advertising causes you — as a consumer — to switch to another brand from your current brand. That’s what effective marketing is about; it’s no more difficult than that. What causes brand switching? Does that advertising give the consumer some inclination to say, “You know what, I’m going to switch…” Does it provide some motivation? It’s mundane stuff. You have to understand pop culture, and a little bit of psychology. Think out how real people act. That’s how people make decisions.

BOL: What social media platform do you find most exciting and why?

BW: I go on Facebook and I follow some Twitter [feeds], but I don’t think it’s that important. If there’s a strategy that communicates some advantage to some group of consumers for whom that message resonates — that’s what important. Being cool isn’t that important. Look at what Pepsi did last year when they tried to be “cool” and shifted monies from television to social media; they really screwed up…

BOL: What marketing and promotional campaigns/tools are you excited about now?

BW: I don’t consider myself a dilettante of what’s good. If it builds business, it’s good. For you or I to judge advertising before we know the results, it’s very risky. There’s no correlation between what consumers like and effective advertising. It might be a little different in terms of promotions because you have the element of price, particularly in this economy, when people are more concerned about price. I think PR works the same way. In a sense, social media can be a vehicle for good PR, as long as there’s a strategy.

“5 Questions For” is a new and occasional feature in which Blogging Out Loud interviews influential industry leaders on current and future marketing trends.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: Stock photo

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Posted by JJ Nelson

5 Social Media Platforms Worth Thanksgiving.

November 15, 2011

Top brands go online to promote their name, spirit of the season.

The Thanksgiving "place mat" of social media platforms is as varied as our celebrations. Below, Blogging Out Loud shares 5 platforms worthy of Thanksgiving and your marketing consideration.

For the next 10 days, many U.S. consumers will forgo visions of sugar plums in favor of Thanksgiving, that delicious kick off to the holiday season’s biggest shopping events — Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Both in stores and online, social media is proving to be Santa’s preferred little helper, with smart brands promoting coupons, incentives and sales via Facebook and Twitter. According to a recent study by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research, 58% of Fortune 500 companies have an active Facebook presence and 62% are utilizing Twitter. Still, some surprising brands are turning to social media to promote both their name and the spirit of the season. John Deere, long associated with farming and, in recent years, trucker caps sporting their iconic green and gold logo, has used social media to launch Project Can Do, a food drive of sorts in which 300,000 cans of food will be used to construct a model of a John Deere tractor before turning to stock a food bank in Illinois. The campaign — designed to raise awareness of the role farmers and ranchers play in producing healthy food for the growing population — largely uses Facebook to engage both consumers and the agriculture businesses it celebrates. The brand’s Facebook page features a “design a can app” and other features such as live streaming, photos and forums to engage farmers, who John Deere notes, are eager to engage consumers in new ways. That “can-do” attitude inspired my Vertical Marketing Network coworkers and me to consider other social media platforms that celebrate the season’s most social holiday.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like the potential of social media is as diverse as the brands the consumers who use them. A greater number of platforms can only mean more ways to inspire and engage.

Below, 5 social media platforms worthy of your Thanksgiving and marketing consideration:

1. The Ever-Expanding Twitter-sphere – Social media’s equivalent of a chat room has reached more than 100 million global active followers, with an additional 400 million unique monthly browsers, up 70% since the beginning of the year. Just as impressive, 55% of Twitter’s active users rely on cell phones to engage.

 2. Tumblr, minus the “e” – The micro-blogging site is said to be the best thing since WordPress, and millions of users agree. Brands are starting to jump on board, too.

3. Sonar Power – Our favorite new mobile app  shows hidden connections we share with strangers nearby. Whether they be friends, friends of friends or like-minded strangers, Sonar connects consumers using shared connections, such as mutual Facebook friends and fan pages, common Twitter interests and more.

4. The Plus-side of Google+ – Social media’s NBT hasn’t proved to be quite that, logging 40 million users to Facebook’s 800 million. Still, Google+ and its +1 feature are maintaining interest and redefining the ways consumers talk about media contact. No wonder experts say the battle’s not over.

5. Vimeo, for other video – Just like Google+ is no Facebook, Vimeo is no YouTube. Last week, the video-sharing website reported 150,000 paid subscribers, making it the 13th online video destination according to comScore. Still, the platform continues to draw a highbrow creative audience who share an interest in both video making and community.

Now that’s something marketers should be thankful for.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: Care Networks

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Posted by JJ Nelson

15 Years, 15 Marketing Insights — Part II.

October 18, 2011

Sincere communication and connections give rise to creativity.

In honor of Vertical Marketing Network's 15th anniversary, team members reflect on -- and share below -- marketing insights and lessons from the last decade and a half. Can you add to the list?

Marketing is an ever-changing, yet rewarding business. Successful marketers must have their fingers on the pulse of not just popular culture, but also shifting trends within specific industries, from beauty and entertainment, to auto, packaged goods and technology. Marketing, some could say, is the “Renaissance” profession of our hyper-specialized modern world — it encompasses all. That said, the past 15 years have especially seen rapid changes in technology, having given birth to marketing and networking tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. October marks the 15th anniversary of Vertical Marketing Network, and while many of my colleagues acknowledge these are exciting times — fast-paced and full of possibility — they are not without challenge. In addition to looking forward, marketers must also honor the basics, and communicate and connect in thoughtful and strategic ways. These are two tenets of Vertical Marketing’s philosophy. The third is to create, which is where that aforementioned cultural pulse comes into play.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like — in marketing — true creativity depends on successful communication and meaningful connections. Marketers must focus on the latter to nurture the former.

To celebrate Vertical Marketing Network’s “Big 1-5,” Blogging Out Loud asked agency associates to reflect on their top marketing insights and/or lessons learned since 1996. Last week, we explored the challenges of identifying and maximizing quality sourcing, the concept of the remarkable, and the importance of reflection. Below, 8 more ideas for your consideration:

1. The Power of One — Vertical Marketing President Phil Saifer says empowerment is the key to the success of any service business. “Placing experienced professionals on a client’s business is the most valuable asset an agency has to offer. And when you empower your professionals to run their accounts as if it is their business, you achieve the best of the best in client service.” You also bolster brand loyalty.

2. Mentorship – Everyone needs someone to guide them, especially at the start of their career. Project Manager Alice Lin believes quality mentorship prepared her to handle what she calls the “projects within projects” puzzle. “No detail is too small,” Alice says, “and organization is key.”

3. Sincerity — Organization also helps Assistant Account Executive Cristina Vazquez build close and sincere relationships with clients. “Treat your client well,” she says. Listen to them and respond to them. Cristina suggests: “Send a birthday note or get well card — anything that shows they’re always top of mind.”

4. Like Family — Financial Administration Coordinator Tiffany Gann says not only should clients be top of mind, but so should your coworkers. She shares: “The biggest thing that I’ve learned at Vertical Marketing is how close everyone is. The genuine care that everyone has for each other and the business is evident.” Responsibility and empowerment seem to go hand-in-hand.

5. Face Time – Senior Creative Director Jeff Courtney sees actual one-on-one time with clients as a renewed challenge. While he’ll admit that he and his clients quickly warmed to time-savers such as email, instant message and text message, “we can all too easily slip into the mistaken impression that simply being virtually available anytime our clients need us is enough. It is not.” We agree.

6. Talk the Talk – Vertical Marketing’s Executive Director of Insights, Betsy Berman, knows a lot about, well, a lot. Still, she says one of her greatest marketing lessons is admitting otherwise. “If you are unsure,” she says, “ask. It’s better to feel foolish than to really make a fool of yourself and/or make a big and — most often — costly mistake.” Walking the walk starts with talking the talk.

7. Assimilation – Perhaps no other person has experienced the changes in our technological world over the past 15 years more than Group Financial Director Meryl Kotin. It seems laughable to think that a decade ago accounts were managed and reconciled manually. Meryl shares: “With any changes there are growing pains, but being part of creating new systems is rewarding.”

8. Know Yourself, But Know Your Client More – Phil Saifer shares an appropriate anecdote: “I took home five varieties of a food product from the test kitchens to prepare at home. After doing a tasting, my wife and I concluded the product was a dud. Flash forward two weeks later, when we conducted taste-testing focus groups in the middle of the country, and the target audience loved everything — the taste, the texture, the ease of preparation.” We are not always the target audience. Phil adds, “Always open your eyes to other perspectives before making a final recommendation to a client.” Well said, boss.

Whether you’re new to marketing or a weathered veteran, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the above and the past 15 years. Please share in the comments section below, or on Vertical Marketing Network’s Facebook page. And, as always, continue to create, communicate and connect — with us, with others.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: aoife mac

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Posted by JJ Nelson

15 Years, 15 Marketing Insights.

October 11, 2011

Team members share lessons learned over past decade and a half.

October marks the 15th anniversary of Vertical Marketing Network. In addition to celebrating, team members have reflected on -- and share below -- some of their key insights and marketing lessons.

Smartphones. Google. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. YouTube. They are brands and services that dominate the daily lives of most consumers, and for marketers, they’ve become tools we rely on to reach broader audiences and connect with our peers. It’s hard to imagine that 15 years ago they were but figments of the imaginations of visionaries such as Steve Jobs, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey. October marks the 15th anniversary of Vertical Marketing Network. When Phil Saifer started Vertical Marketing Network in 1996 he could not have imagined the agency would one day be blogging and building social media campaigns (as part of its integrated marketing work) for some of the nation’s leading companies in the toy business, home entertainment, packaged goods, construction products and the casino industry. And yet, here we are. What an adventure it’s been! Yet, when asked to consider some of their top marketing insights and lessons learned over the past decade and a half, many of my Vertical Marketing Network colleagues were surprisingly nostalgic, not necessarily for years past, but for the authentic dialog that is often associated with “simpler” times. However, many acknowledge that by harnessing technologies such as those listed above, modern marketers have been able to redefine the ways we create, communicate and connect. May we continue to do so!

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like time is the best indicator of influence. Today’s technologies are merely extensions of previous trends; tomorrow ‘s successes are rooted in the present.  

To honor Vertical Marketing Network’s 15th anniversary, Blogging Out Loud asked agency employees to reflect on their top marketing lessons since 1996. Here are 7 things they had to say:

1. Remarkability — Group Account Director Danielle Conte borrows from marketing guru Seth Godin, who famously said: “The thing that’s gonna decide what gets talked about, what gets done, what gets built is: is it remarkable?” Danielle sees his challenge: “We need to regularly ask ourselves this question.”

2. Sourcing – In our media-saturated world, quality information ranks high with several Vertical Marketing employees as an issue of importance. Word of mouth, says Account Executive Kate Clarkson, is the best way to get your message across. And while these days that happens more often than not with the help of social media, Kate says, “There’s nothing stronger than the opinion of a trusted friend.

3. Reciprocality – The ability of many to work together toward a common goal has long been the secret to success, as Marketing Services Coordinator Paul Domen knows. “Being able to work together with my teammates here at Vertical, I am able to help and be helped in an un-selfish manner.” This not only applies to in-house relationships, but especially ones with clients.

4. Forward Motion – Project Manager Joanne Hilton has witnessed changes in the field and technology from the get-go, and where some may be cautious, she’s learned to embrace inevitable change. “Transition is an electrifying experience,” she shares. We couldn’t agree more.

5. Honoring Basics – Fundamentals can be easier in theory than practice. Account Supervisor Karen Linderman stresses the value of basic communication: “Listen to your customers and prospects and communicate with them in a personal way. They are your best advertising.”

6. See and Scene – “To be a successful marketer, you need to get into the markets and the stores, ” says Account Director Nicco Mouleart, “and meet the target consumers you are going after.” Blogging Out Loud often takes to streets in the name of research. Go out, see and experience the scene.

7. Reflect – Vertical Marketing Network Vice President Diane Solem ponders daily the changes shaping the industry. Her greatest insight is one we offer back to you: With the myriad changes facing the industry and communications as a whole, “is a personal relationship as important as we think? Is viral marketing moving us away from one-on-one marketing?”

Next week, we’ll return with 8 more marketing lessons and insights from the Vertical Marketing Network team. In the meantime, please share your thoughts on the above in the comments below. Ideas, as we often note, are nothing without sharing.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: stephen_gunby

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Posted by JJ Nelson

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