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David Trahan
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Posts
- Jan 06, 13
Background:
The trial and error nature of social media has lead to many brands ignoring their brand strategy, expression, and goals when developing social media strategies. Now that brands have a greater understanding of the role social media plays in the customer experience, it is important for them to be on-brand and to measure the ROI to the business and brand.My assignment:
I developed brand guidelines for social media that outline the role of brand, provided a brand lens through which strategies and activations can be evaluated, provided guidance on how to apply the brand voice, personality, and messages, and developed a metrics and measurement strategy that aligns with brand objectives. This document acts as a supplement to the existing brand guidelines.Deliverables:
- Collection & distillation of social media strategy and planning documents from various business units
- Develop a brand lens that defined the customer experience in social media based on the brand strategy
- Define the role of voice and messaging in developing content and activations
- Create guidelines document encapsulating all information
- Nov 04, 12
Background:
Corporate citizenship is becoming a major differentiator for categories that are seen as largely commoditized and/or having a significant negative impact on the environment. Within the shipping category sustainability and other CC efforts are a significant driver of choice.My assignment:
UPS is not getting credit for the wide range of corporate citizenship work it does, and it’s competitors are actually receiving more credit for doing less. In order to close the gap between performance and perception, I sought to create a branded sustainability platform for UPS and develop a differentiated messaging strategy that will guide all brand communications for corporate citizenship.Deliverables:
- Consumer insights & behavioral analytics report
- Competitive strategy and messaging audits
- Strategy recommendations
- Messaging framework
- Overarching and supporting messages across major audience segments (Consumer, business, enterprise, NGO/Government, thought leaders, employees)
- May 31, 12
Background:
Corporate social responsibility has become an expected part of running a business. Consumer see this as a tablestake, but give brands that go the extra mile something in return such as brand life, recommendation, and loyalty. Because of this baseline expectation, corporate citizenship is now the approach brands must take. One CSR activity is not enough.My assignment:
J&J invests billions in corporate citizenship initiatives. Everything from developing malaria vaccines to training nurses in Africa, to minimizing their impact on the environment. My task was to conduct consumer research through social analytics that would help us to understand what CC initiatives are creating brand lift for J&J, how consumers relate CC initiatives to each other, and what they care about in the context of the CPG and pharmaceutical categories. The goal of this was to help the CCO of J&J make a case for more CC funding and to find a more strategic direction for all of J&J’s CC initiatives.Deliverables:
- Behavioral insights presentation
- Corporate Citizenship strategy considerations & recommendations
- Suggested exploratory research for additional insights based on findings
- Oct 03, 11
Background:
As air travel has become more accessible, fares have lowered, and in an effort to create cost efficiencies for customers airlines have decoupled every part of the experience and charged customers piece by piece. All additional purchases outside of the base fare are referred to as ancillary revenue. This revenue if the future of profitability and differentiation for airlines.My assignment:
In an effort to identify branding opportunities for ancillary products such as the Premier Line pass, Economy Plus, and the United Club, I sought to understand the behaviors and drivers related to each of United’s ancillary products. In addition, I analyzed online conversations to uncover perceptions and behaviors that would inform the brand strategy and communications.Deliverables:
- Customer journey map
- Customer experience analysis
- Customer insights
- Merchandising recommendations
- Digital experience recommendations
- Aug 12, 11
Background:
Digital is the modern frontier of banking, and it’s highly competitive. Innovation is driving choice in a category where banking products & services are commoditized. Much of this innovation is in digital utilities, products, and experiences.My assignment:
In order to elevate the role of digital at Capital One, and position the brand as a leader in digital innovation within the category, I sought to create a branded platform that would act as a guiding lens for current and future digital development and communicate this new business focus to consumers. To do this I interviewed senior management from across business units, reviewed research data from Capital One and partner agencies, and conducted desktop research to create a brand strategy and proposition for digital Capital One.Deliverables:
- Insights findings presentation
- Brand strategy
- Brand proposition
- Naming recommendations
- May 03, 11
Background:
Small business leaders are one of the most important customer segments for technology brands. Many brands have created online resources for small business leaders in an efforts to drive purchase and loyalty. With the rise of social media, the strategic application of social plug-ins can be a major differentiator for such online resources.My assignment:
To provide strategy recommendations for how to foster community, engagement, and utilization of resources on Microsoft’s Business on Main website.Deliverables:
- Engagement strategy
- Recommendations for strategic use of social plug-ins
- Content development recommendations
- Apr 29, 11
Background:
Now that social media has established itself as a permanent and worth-while investment for brands, companies are seeking to take disparate social media executions and unite them under one strategy that will accomplish business and brand objectives.My assignment:
To develop a social media strategy for the brand that provides direction for platforms, content and product integration across major global markets.Deliverables:
- Social brand strategy
- Platform strategy
- Communications strategy
- POVs for business opportunities relevant to social media
- Mar 14, 11
Background:
In an effort to create consumer engagement opportunities directly with the employees behind a brand, many companies are taking their social media strategies and management internal. In order to do this employees need to be trained on social media, so that they can ensure the brand is positioned well for success in social.My assignment:
I developed and executed a comprehensive social media training program for for 300+ key stakeholders within Nestle Purina and all other Nestle brands. This was executed as a 2-day off-site social and digital immersion consisting of 12 lessons as well as participatory experiences throughout the training to make the experience more exciting and engaging. This training as followed-up by a series of ongoing trainings based on relevant subject matter.Deliverables:
- Full social media curriculum presentation decks and presenter notes
- In-person interactive training experience
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Posts
- Jan 02, 13
Originally published online for the Interbrand blog
http://www.interbrand.com/en/knowledge/blog/post/2012-12-27/2013-The-Year-of-Measurable-Brand-ROI-in-Social-Media.aspxROI isn’t just sales and Net Promoter Score. If one tries to build a social media strategy around fans, likes, click-through and sales – one ends up with a social media experience that no one wants to participate in. And after all, isn’t participation what social media is all about?
Brands cannot force only traditional KPIs on social media, because unlike most other forms of communication, social media is more about brand than it is about anything else. The problem with elevating the role of brand is that it’s hard to measure ROI – hard, not impossible.
There are many ways to measure the ROI of brand. Qual/quant studies, brand valuations and tracking studies are our traditional methods. Our latest addition to this is Brand Playback– our method of listening in on online conversations to understand brand insights.
Some may think of this as “social listening,” but it’s much more than that. The idea that we can use this capability to understand the effectiveness of our social media presence and tie that back to brand performance is just one way that ROI of social media can be determined for brand.
The greatest hurdle to effectively measuring this ROI is that most brands forget brand when they enter social media. Brand architectures are ignored, brand voices are forgotten and brand messages are overshadowed by unnecessary content.
2013 could be the year that changes, if in 2013 more brands take a brand-focused approach to social media that:
- Reinforces the brand strategy
- Aligns with brand/ product architecture
- Speaks on voice
- Communicates key messages
- Employs visual consistency
- Creates a holistic brand experience
- Is set up for measurement
Somehow, somewhere too many brands forgot about who they were and what they were trying to accomplish when they entered the realm of social media. If we come back to brand in 2013, then we can start to measure our success and prove that there is ROI in social media.
- Nov 01, 12
Originally published online for Interbrand IQ: The Political Issue
http://www.interbrand.com/en/knowledge/IQ/IQ-political-issue-branding-in-campaigns-pt1.aspxPresidential candidates are brands that need to be sold to the American people like a product or service, and one of the most effective ways to do this is through carefully crafted and delivered messaging. Everything the candidates have done throughout their careers, everything about their approach to work and everything about who they are must be leveraged to build messages that drive a winning presidential campaign. Each election plays out differently, but the core campaign messages boil down to policy, capability and character.
From these three key themes, specific “proof points” that are differentiated for each candidate are then communicated to construct brand images. For example, the Obama campaign builds equity in policy talking about healthcare reform, in capability talking about the elimination of Osama bin Laden and in character talking about education opportunities. The Romney campaign builds equity in policy talking about balancing the Massachusetts state budget, in capability talking about managing the Salt Lake City Olympics and in character talking about family values.Both candidates will have strengths and weaknesses, impacting credibility in specific areas. It is the objective of the campaign to understand those strengths and weaknesses, building equity appropriately throughout the duration of the campaign.
If a challenger runs against an incumbent, as is the case in Election 2012, the challenger has the opportunity to criticize the sitting president’s record and suggest he or she will bring new ideas to the position if elected. Public perception of the president will define the strategy of the challenger, and if there are frustrations among the public, the challenger has an advantage.
Much of the Romney campaign, for example, has focused on public frustration with the state of the economy, suggesting growth has been too slow under Obama and Romney would bring business experience with new ideas to rejuvenate the economy. Yet, the incumbent has the opportunity to hear early messaging during the opposing party’s primary cycle and prepare a strategy. President Obama has focused on improved jobs numbers and a message of continuing to take the nation “Forward.”
Generally three approaches emerge on both sides of campaigns: a narrative based on past history, a vision of the future for the country and/or discrediting the opponent. We saw Romney and Obama testing their messages during the summer cycle at the county fair circuit, through stump speeches and early political advertising.
The constant flow of opposing communications can leave voters overwhelmed and yearning for relevance and clarity. Conventions then are an opportunity to hone messaging and reach new audiences.
The Conventions
Conventions are very unique campaign moments when each party gets the floor on the national stage to plead their brand’s case as a party and for their candidate brand to the American consumer (voter) without interruption. What is also unique is the candidates’ ability to borrow equity from other strong brands to help reinforce their messages. They can leverage their wives’ likability as they talk about their husbands’ character. Notable politicians can reinforce policy platforms. VP candidates are positioned as collaborators, speaking to the ticket’s capability. Conventions are a chance to tell a cohesive story about accomplishments and future plans and, essentially, express why they’re better than the other candidate.Policy
There was a lot of talk about policy during this campaign season, but the difficulty in constructing messaging around it is that the impact of policy can be abstract. How long into a first presidential term does it take to see real policy impact? There’s much disagreement.Incumbents can have a handicap in messaging around policy, while challengers can avoid specifics, talking instead, about party history. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie took the stage at the Republican National Convention to defend GOP policy on a greater scale, focusing on his own policy achievements and that of the party.
Why didn’t Christie focus on Romney’s policy history? Romney’s policy credentials come from his time as governor of Massachusetts. While Romney’s campaign does highlight balancing the state budget as a proof point for effective policy, he was a more centrist governor than the candidate he is today. Facing this challenge, Christie chose to focus on the theme of making tough decisions, declaring, “We have no other option but to make the hard choices,” believing in “demanding accountability, higher standards,” and “We must all share in the sacrifice.”
Christie constructed the narrative on his own proof points, a positive history of those policies in New Jersey. Christie balanced the New Jersey budget while lowering taxes and enacted teachers’ tenure reform with bipartisan support. His accomplishments reinforced credibility in brand GOP. It also positioned governorship as a proof point for a presidential candidate.
Former President Bill Clinton took the stage at the Democratic National Convention with a much different approach. It was vital he focus on policy, speaking from his own experience in the White House, as a spokesperson for brand Democrat and brand Obama. Clinton has the credibility of two terms to say something like, “No president, not me or any of my predecessors, could have repaired all the damage in just four years.”
Clinton had the challenge of spotlighting the incumbent’s successes while the unemployment rate loomed above 8% and we’d hit a historic $16T debt mark. Yet, Clinton, widely praised for his speech, has been dubbed “Secretary of Explaining Stuff” by many, including President Obama.
How did he do it? Clinton’s delivery of key messages, whether one agrees with all of them or not, was clear, confident and human. His speech has also stood up to the post-speech fact-checking test.
“The Recovery Act saved and created millions of jobs and cut taxes for 95% of the American people. There are 250,000 more people working in the auto industry than the day the companies were restructured,” he declared. “For the last two years, health care spending has grown under 4% for the first time in 50 years.” It was the Clinton voice at its best, distilling a huge policy into simple, digestible pieces, positioning them as benefits to the average citizen. He highlighted positive effects of the president’s policies for the voters.
Capability
Capability is something that’s hard to prove. Can the candidate handle daily requirements of the presidency? Will he/she work with others to get things done? Does the candidate have good judgment? Is she/he knowledgeable enough to make informed decisions?Vice President Joe Biden’s convention speech focused on Obama’s experience, painting a picture of a capable leader, making tough choices. Biden took the audience directly into the White House, creating images of the rooms where Obama leads the nation, connecting them to the person Obama is and not just the decisions he makes.
Biden spoke of Obama’s decisions as “smart” and “right.” He described Obama as “a strong president with a steady hand.” The most frequently mentioned proof points in Biden’s message were the auto industry bailout and bringing down Osama bin Laden.
The benefit of connecting the Obama brand and the end of bin Laden crosses party lines and translates across all 50 states. Republicans and Democrats alike shared the same sentiment toward Osama bin Laden. The auto rescue is a bit more complicated. Not everyone outside of the Midwest feel a direct impact. It’s also an achievement often referenced as a “government bailout,” which makes it harder to position as a brand Obama success. The catch phrase “Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive” ties the Obama brand and these important proof points together.
The Romney campaign’s main capability proof points are his tenure as CEO of Bain Capital, as governor and as president and CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games. Despite missteps during Romney’s visit to London for the start of London 2012, drawing the ire of London’s mayor and the British press, his campaign leveraged the buzz around the London Games to refresh his narrative of successful leadership at the helm in 2002. Once London 2012 ended, though, the topic lost steam.
During the course of the campaign Romney’s experience as a business leader, drawing on his tenure at Bain Capital. Unfortunately for the campaign, this messaging has become complicated as Bain’s practices and investments have become the subject of controversy. The Obama campaign has been able to leverage to some extent an opposing narrative of Bain and brand Romney as disconnected from voters (consumers).
Vice Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan needed to focus on capability, but in a different way, from the perspective of his role in Congress. Ryan, having worked with Obama and other Democrats in Congress, focused his speech on weakening the image of Obama as a leader. Capitalizing on the gridlock in Congress, Ryan sought to portray the president as unwilling to work with the other side. “He created a bipartisan debt commission. They came back with an urgent report. He thanked them, sent them on their way, and then did exactly nothing.”
Character
Romney’s brand still needed to be introduced to many consumers (voters), making Ann Romney’s speech at the convention vital for the campaign. The video about the Romney family that played at the Convention set the stage for Mrs. Romney’s speech. Largely unknown herself, Ann Romney addressed any negative perceptions that had emerged during the GOP primaries and summer campaign season. That would be a tough challenge for anyone, but the warmth and congeniality of her brand made it possible. Mrs. Romney was able to build brand equity where it was needed.Ann Romney also used storytelling to paint a portrait of when she and her husband first met in high school. She described the quirky things she likes about him, what their relationship was like in college and starting a family. This was largely an unknown story and the Romney brand image that emerged from these stories was a relatable one.
Romney’s message around family values was strengthened. While family values can be a tricky issue in a general election, being a private subject and there being so many different kinds of families in America, a benefit of this messaging is an invigoration of the base.
Mrs. Obama spoke at the convention saying the presidency hasn’t changed her husband’s morals, convictions and values. She talked about how they didn’t want their family to change when they moved to Washington and the president is still “the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.”
The first lady focused on how the president achieved what many see as the American Dream. She noted he hadn’t forgotten that and hadn’t given up on “Hope and Change.” She was able to leverage her own brand to spotlight specific issues as well, such as women’s rights. She highlighted this proof point for the president, speaking of his support of policies that support equality and individual rights. The connection between women’s health rights and healthcare reform was drawn in a narrative of Obama’s values and character.
- Oct 21, 12
Originally published online for Interbrand IQ: The Political Issue
http://www.interbrand.com/en/Knowledge/IQ/IQ-political-issue-the-president-as-a-spokeperson.aspxNever has the role of brand been so important in how business objectives are unlocked, executed, and delivered upon in the marketplace than it is today. With an excess of choice and abundance of communication relentlessly complicating the decision making process, consumers look to brands for clarity, understanding, and personal connections that drive choice and loyalty. This interaction is made possible by the brand’s expression. How the brand is represented visually, verbally, and through other forms of expression becomes the direct line to reach consumers. It’s a logo, a spokesperson, a voice, a message, or an experience that comes from a brand that allows the business behind it to function in the marketplace.
In that same spirit, branding is how America unlocks its objectives and delivers its ‘products’ (governance, aid, stimulus, trade, etc.) to its ‘audiences’ (Citizens, elected officials, businesses, foreign governments, etc.). In order to do this, the President acts as a spokesperson for the brand of America by embodying the expression through which the historical position of America, the objectives of the current administration and it’s ruling political party, and the immediate goals of the President as an individual are delivered. Let’s unpack the branding of America, and look at it through the lenses of consumer branding and political strategy.
BUILDING A NEW BRAND
During the primaries a candidate builds a unique brand for him/herself that stems from political party, but is also infused with his/her own unique elements. This brand is typically defined enough to have clear differentiation, but vague enough to leave room for evolution. This year we saw this in full-color during the Republican primaries as Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, and Mitt Romney competed to win the support of their party while vigorously latching on to key differentiators that could be used to elevate their brands over the competition.
Once a party chooses its candidate (aka the party’s spokesperson), the candidate’s unique brand is essentially merged with the party’s brand to create a new brand. Assuming this is not a mid-term election, you now have two major new brands (candidates) competing for the presidency.
Exactly what happens to these brands after the election is tricky, because they are becoming the spokesperson for America, and America already has a brand. I like to think of this like two companies who are competing to be acquired by a larger company.
The core equities of each brand would typically need to be integrated with the brand that is acquiring them, but in this case we know that the brand doing the acquiring will be more dominant than the brand being acquired (think AT&T/Cingular). The brand of America has a legacy, core equities, and brand positioning that exist irrespective of political parties and Presidential brands.
ENGAGING AUDIENCES
Presidents traditionally were not scrutinized the way they have been since the invention of TV. This condition has given rise to the ‘permanent campaign’ that is imposed on (or as I like to think, inflicted on) all modern presidents.
As the first President in the era of social media, George W. Bush perfected the execution of the permanent campaign – constantly engaging his audiences, communicating his positions, protecting against competitive threats, and gearing up for the next election. Simultaneously, only since the emergence of social media have consumer brands been put in the same situation. Brands are now fully in the public space, easier to engage with, seen as co-owned entities with customers, and are likewise becoming their own spokespeople on a permanent campaign with their audiences.
Like most brands, America also has many audiences. As with consumer brands, it is crucial for the President to deliver the right message to the right audience in the right way. In order to do that the President must have the variety and complexity that comes from the core of America’s brand.
SIGNALING CHANGE
With that said, there still must be a signal that a new brand has emerged. With consumer brands it may be a new way of looking and speaking, a change in products and services, or a shift in business strategy to new market areas. With the brand of America, it’s done through cabinet assignments, policy changes, diplomatic relations, and legislative policy.
We saw this with the ‘day one’ promises from President Obama during the 2008 election to close Guantanamo Bay, and now with Mitt Romney pledging to officially list China as a currency manipulator. With these changes, there is a need for communication and storytelling in order to avoid misunderstanding and distrust – giving other brands new opportunities to compete.
The general public may support a new candidate in the same way consumers buy new products. Foreign leaders may build new alliances in the same way industry peers and competitors manage strategic relationships. Industries may become less cooperative in the same way supply chains become less accommodating.
As we have seen, every brand has a story. When there is no brand story being told, one will be told in its place, which often creates gaps between a brands perception and performance in the eyes of its audiences.
President Obama has actually cited storytelling as one of the most important missed opportunities so far in his presidency. In a clear effort to correct that we saw an immense focus on story telling during the Democratic National Convention about President Obama’s personal brand, the brand of the Democratic Party, and President Obama’s vision for the brand of America. The DNC was sort of like an annual report. Now it’s time to see how the market reacts.
At Interbrand we believe that brands have the power to change the world. They shape our everyday lives by influencing our decisions, changing our behaviors, and setting new expectations for what we believe is possible.
No brand has such a far-reaching and deeply embedded impact on the world than the brand of America. America shapes our lives in ways that consumer brands cannot, and thusly has a greater level of risk and vulnerability.
Moreover, America is a brand that is in a constant state of change. Leadership changes every 4 to 8 years not only with a new President, but also with a new political party (usually). I would argue that this creates a lack of clarity, commitment, authenticity, consistency, and understanding that negatively impacts the strength of America’s brand.
As leader of the country it is the President’s responsibility to keep America’s brand strong. As spokesperson for the brand the President must also ensure that brand perceptions align with brand performance.
- Sep 07, 12
Originally posted on the Interbrand blog
http://www.interbrand.com/en/knowledge/blog/post/2012-09-07/The-iPad-Mini-Isn-t-Just-a-Name-–-It-s-a-Signal-of-Apple-s-Future.aspxIf there’s one thing I think you should take away from Apple’s new naming conventions with the iPad, it’s this: It doesn’t matter what generation of an Apple product you have anymore.
When was the last time someone asked you what generation iPod Touch you have? Probably not since 2008, and there’s a reason for it. Apple doesn’t want you to care about which generation of a product you have, but rather about which version of the product you have.
You either have a Shuffle, a Nano, a Classic or a Touch. Naming around generations of products the way Apple has been doing with the iPad and iPhone makes older products seem obsolete, and discourages consumers from buying. Now that we know Apple is coming out with a smaller iPad called ‘iPad Mini’, I fully expect to see Apple apply this naming style across its product portfolio.
I expect the next iPhone to simply be called “iPhone” – just like the new iPad. I also expect to see new iPad products in the future, like an “iPad XL” or an “iPad Surface.” Apple knows that the future is just going to be about the size of the screen you’re using, and what it enables you to do.
What remains to be seen is how Macbook fits in with all of this. It’s the only product that breaks ranks with these naming conventions, because it’s the original. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the name “Macbook” disappear soon and be replaced with “iMac.” The new line of iMacs could function like a Mac mini, but be the size and shape of the iPad and iPad mini, and attach to them for laptop-like functionality. That would certainly open up a new market for Apple accessories.
Eventually, Apple will likely consolidate product lines. Each will probably have 3-5 products within them based on size and functionality. The names will be simple, the platforms will be integrated, and the experience will be seamless. That’s what I believe “iPad Mini” means.
- Jun 21, 12
Originally published in print and online versions of Interbrand IQ: The Digital Issue
http://www.interbrand.com/en/knowledge/IQ/IQ-digital-strategic-cross-pollination.aspxAmazon. Foursquare. Facebook. iTunes. Throughout the business world, these companies find themselves mentioned with admiration every day in an incalculable number of meetings, whether about product marketing, or customer service, or the overall digital experience.
There’s a reason: These are all category-leading businesses built on a purely digital model. Along with many others like Hulu, Tom’s Shoes, Google, Warby Parker and Gilt, these brands are considered beacons in the post-digital era. And because many regard them as being in a category of their own, some believe traditional brands shouldn’t try to emulate them.
Yet traditional businesses already are like these brands. Great businesses, whether they’re digital or not, are born through innovation, creativity and smarts. Digital businesses are simply using technology to transform how businesses function. The question is how traditional companies can adopt best practices from digital ones. Perhaps instead of playing catch up, they can even start leading the process.
Simply put, digital offers two paths forward for traditional businesses: Innovate existing products and services to remain competitive, or innovate new business models where they currently have little to no market share.
Just as traditional businesses have done for centuries, digital firms have demonstrated an ability to come out of nowhere to completely change an entire category. Digital businesses like Hulu and Netflix simply carved out a space of their own amid competitors while leaving legacy platforms like Time Warner Cable and Blockbuster Video intact, if however in decline. (Netflix actually spurred innovation in its category, forcing other companies to develop technologies like DVR, HD cable and Blockbuster Express in their struggle to compete.) So while digital has changed the landscape in profound ways, it’s important to remember that the pattern of innovation and progress continues to unfold in ways that are highly familiar.
THE POST DIGITAL BRAND EXPERIENCE
The difference begins to emerge in examining how the marketplace of today demands simplicity and consistency. We live in an experience-based post-digital world—one in which a brand’s ability to deliver on its core promise is defined by how consumers navigate its total brand experience. Foursquare, for example, touts making sharing where you are, and what you’re doing, as easy as possible. If Foursquare was overly complicated, consumers wouldn’t believe in the application’s capability and core competency. Meanwhile, the luxury discounter Gilt uses a sleek and sexy design aesthetic to reinforce its luxury positioning within the crowded “discounts and deals” category.
This carries an implication for traditional business strategy: It’s never been more important to present a relatable and consistent public face that reflects pledges to customers. Whether in customer service, brand voice or any form of identity, there’s trouble if things don’t align. And well-designed digital businesses have heightened the expectation that they will.
Of course, it’s easier for digital businesses to design brand experiences in simple ways, given that new companies start from scratch with an array of technological resources at their disposal. Many traditional businesses are burdened by legacies of complex website infrastructures and back-end systems that inhibit their ability to re-imagine their digital space. (Commercial airlines come to mind.) For them, digital rejuvenation cannot happen instantly. Yet if appropriate long-term planning is conducted, a new brand experience can emerge for the future.
REINVENTION IS THE MOTHER OF NECESSITY
While reinvention isn’t a new idea in and of itself, it’s only in the last 15 years or so that the process has moved businesses from the tangible to the intangible, from the physical to the representational. Digital technology allows for greater cost savings, scale, access, and flexibility. Music was transformed from one tangible medium to another for more than 100 years until Apple leveraged its digitization, taking the music industry in a new direction via iTunes and the iPod. Apple’s contribution isn’t the creation of digital music itself; it’s the seizing of the opportune moment to innovate within an emerging space.
So while timing isn’t everything, digital has made it matter a lot more. Being first isn’t as important now compared to ensuring that the time you enter the market is right. The Greek yogurt maker Chobani took Apple’s thinking and applied it to an emerging trend in a traditional category. It allowed Fage, a Greek yogurt maker, to invest in creating the market, and trend, for the product. Then it innovated with better packaging, flavoring, and variety. Chobani is now not only the leading Greek yogurt brand; it leads the entire yogurt category.
While we tend to focus on brands that have reinvented their categories, others have become successful by simply reinventing an underestimated and otherwise overlooked customer need. A good example is the Internet-driven eyewear retailer Warby Parker, which digitized the experience of buying glasses. On their website, customers can digitally “try on” every pair of glasses available and then select five frames to be mailed to them for further evaluation. Their final selection can be purchased via the site—no need for a lunchtime trip to the eyewear shop, or to find a friend to come along for advice. Best of all, every purchase provides a pair of glasses to someone in need.
Consumers didn’t request these capabilities, but Warby Parker saw them as opportunities for innovation. It underscores how digital is now the space in which all businesses, including traditional and established companies, aim to display new levels of nimbleness and responsiveness. Businesses like Peapod by Stop & Shop, Blockbuster Express, and H&R Block have used thinking similar to Warby Parker to innovate in their categories.
IT’S NOT A DIGITAL STRATEGY—IT’S A BRAND STRATEGY
Digital has also made the overall notion of strategy more holistic, mandating companies think beyond their core industry and also about the capability they provide. Sometimes the best opportunities are in categories outside of a business’ main focus. Google does an incredible job at this through open APIs, free public tools, and partnerships to create products like Google Maps, Google Public Data, Google Sites, and Google Alerts. All of these extend Google’s core competencies into new categories while also fueling its core product: search. Meanwhile, Facebook has also taken this approach through social plug-ins such as the “like” and “recommend” buttons, single sign-on, and social commenting boxes, all of which extend its reach and collect more information from third-party websites.
Before the advent of social media, “word of mouth” was more than a metaphor; it was literally a key part of how we relied on information to spread. Brands gave out coupons and referral incentives to bring in new customers, and direct mail was the scalable medium of choice.
Social networks have supplanted this method as a key business strategy. Now, brands like Zappos and Hulu have the ability to fuel word-of-mouth buzz through consumers’ online social networks using plug-ins, share functions, and their brand-owned social media presences. Zappos deeply integrated social sharing into its shopping experience as a way for customers to share purchases and recommend products to friends. It also brought product sharing into its Facebook page, where the company’s most engaged customers interact with the brand.
Meanwhile, Hulu also capitalized on social sharing in its approach to platforming short-form video clips. While other sites might only post a TV show in its entirety, Hulu fuels word of mouth for its brand in part by dividing clips into shorter, share-friendly lengths.
Every business has its own way of working—its internal culture, strengths, weaknesses, trends, and opportunities. Traditional businesses are often held back by fear of failure and the inability to move quickly, while many great digital businesses have been built on a cultural bedrock of innovation and thrive on the concept of being in “permanent beta.”
Digital businesses have advanced the notion that fearlessness and experimentation are often strategic necessities. Granted, it’s easier to try something new when you don’t have brick-and-mortar stores, unions, franchisees, or a legacy heritage to worry about. It’s also easy to think of this as only a consumer-facing challenge. However, digital innovation must be a part of your total brand experience including employee engagement, supply chain management, and partner management.
Yet whether it’s dreamed up in a traditional or digital business, it’s easy for an industry-changing idea to fade into distant memory. Ideas in all kinds of business must survive a battalion of strategic cuts, internal politics, competitive direction, and budget considerations to become reality. But even if it takes 1,000 ideas to produce one game-changer, then the entire process proves worth it.
One of the best ways to get creatively inspired is to blur the lines of traditional and digital models. Think about the possibilities: What would Ford’s version of iTunes be? What about Costco’s version of Zappos social media? A mashup between traditional and digital helps business thinkers of all stripes open up to the truth: Business is business, and a great idea born in one arena often sees its greatest impact in another.
- Jun 21, 12
Originally published in print and online versions of Interbrand IQ: The Digital Issue
http://www.interbrand.com/en/knowledge/IQ/IQ-digital-the-digital-ruckus.aspxRemember that time everyone thought print was dead? Digital was taking over, newspapers were scrambling to develop online content, businesses were copying and pasting communications online, and jobs were being shed like holiday weight? Well it looks like digital was not the death of print, but rather a re-birth that has taken it on a new path. Our industry has a habit of making grand declarations like “print is dead” and “the :30 spot is dead”. We’ve all come to learn that, more often than not, those statements end up being incorrect. Time has shown that brands adopt the newest technologies that allow them to communicate more effectively with consumers. First it was “Sign up for our mailer”, then “Sign up for our email alerts”, and then “Visit our website”, and now it’s “Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and watch us on YouTube”. The rise of digital has certainly had a negative impact on the sales and distribution of print publications; however, human beings have an intricate historical relationship with printing that has allowed it to adapt for thousands of years relatively unscathed by technological advancement… until now. Let’s just be clear on what I’m talking about. When I reference print as a medium, I mean the physical product of a print publication in any form for any reason. When I reference print as an industry, I mean publishers and printers.
THE CYCLE OF INNOVATION, ADOPTION, AND ADAPTATION
When any new technology is introduced, there is a period of growth, trial and evaluation that shapes its ultimate destiny. When websites first became popular it was a free for all for brands to try new forms of content, interaction, and design. As Charles Darwin famously said, “In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment.” The key to survival in any capacity of the word is adaptation. Whether it’s to stay competitive or stay relevant, companies like IBM, The New York Times, and Goldman Sachs have consistently adapted their products and business models to meet the changing needs of their customers and re-define their roles in their industries. The same can be said for art forms like music and writing as well as marketing mediums like television, radio, and mobile.
With what was believed to be doomsday approaching, the print media industry scrambled to create their digital presences and hold on to their valuable readers and advertisers – often at the expense of their business models and content differentiation. From 2008-2010, ad spending on digital was quickly gearing up to surpass print. Publishers saw a 10% drop in circulation in the six months from March to September 30, 2009. From 2009-2010 ad spending with print publishers (both in print and online) fell by $2 billion, and by 2011 Internet ad spending (excluding news sites) had surpassed print publishers by $4 billion. The solution to that problem, or so it seemed at the time, was content. Print media spent so much time and effort getting to digital, because they saw it as a must for survival, that they didn’t question if they were missing out on a better way to do it that didn’t cannibalize their print readership. On the Internet, content is a commodity, and it trades at a low price.
HBO navigated a similar dilemma successfully by opting out of giving away re-runs of shows and barely selling on iTunes. This strategy was in direct opposition to most of its industry peers, and in the end, HBO’s content was not devalued, and they gained the legitimacy to develop their HBO GO product to take ownership of new revenue streams. HBO shed 680,000 subscribers between 2009 and 2010, but its revenues were at $4 billion (up from the year before). Protecting their premium content seems to have shed viewers who were not spending as much on HBO programming – allowing the company to cultivate a loyal audience with a higher lifetime value. For most businesses, print as a medium was no longer needed to be their voice, but there was still something about print that was keeping it alive. People, publishers, and brands began to rediscover the power of an old format through new contexts.
PRINT’S COMEBACK
The media industry fueled the changing behaviors around their product by suddenly giving away all their content for free because they were more worried about keeping advertising revenue than protecting their industry. Businesses saved money by spending less on print, but struggled for a share of voice in a newly crowded Internet. It was, and still is, difficult to be a leading voice in your category, because not only does every brand have equal say in a digital world, but consumers now have an equal voice in the conversation about your brand (something that was not a concern with print). Print, as a medium, did not have the ability to adapt to digital. It couldn’t alter its business model because it’s not a business. It was at the mercy of its consumers. Luckily print emerged from the digital ruckus more valuable than it had gone in. Where before printing was a necessity, it had since become an expense, but is now seen as an investment. Print is re-emerging as an opportunity for brands where before it was a channel for businesses. The role of design in print has been elevated. The careful curation of content has been mastered to make things worthy of being printed. The fact that this very publication about digital is also being printed attests to that. Both print and digital evolved on parallel paths focusing on simplicity, design, and user experience. Not only did the print industry survive, but it also evolved and grew in new segments to create a new print industry that holds its place in the digital age. Online-only magazines like Style.com and StyleMePretty.com actually launched new print publications, the previously shut down magazine Domino is returning with a quarterly print edition, and Reuters is launching a new print publication to compete in what could be seen as a newly re-opened print news market. There are also printing and publishing companies like McSweeney’s that have adapted to the new print landscape by creating quarterly publications for artists, brands, and businesses. To top that off, there is actually a company printing four new magazines dedicated solely to how businesses use social media platforms. Ironically, the very thing that was thought to be killing print is actually fueling it.
Going digital forced the print medium to look in the mirror and say, “Why do I exist?” Now that the ‘New Print’ is emerging, expect a lot more creativity to come from brands that are thinking about the right way to build experiences for audiences. Keep in mind that a renewed interest in print is not necessarily a renewed interest in publications, but rather an interest in interacting with print as a medium. As brands focus more on the customer experience across every touch point, they are being more thoughtful and strategic about those experiences. Audiences are blending together – segmenting more by psychographics than demographics – and they’ve become pickier about how, when, and why they interact with brands. There’s certainly no shortage of content or brand communications being pushed at them, nor is there a particular medium dominating communications. Print is every bit as viable as digital, social media, or broadcast. While our paper production may be down, one thing is clear: PRINT IS NOT DEAD.
- Jul 28, 11
Originally published online for Interbrand’s Best Global Green Brands 2011
http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/Best-Global-Green-Brands/2012-Report/Advanced-analytics-reveal.aspxIs sustainability something people really care about, or is it a passing fad conjured up by the media? With the latest “social listening” tools, you can find out what people are actually saying about sustainability in their day-to-day interactions on social media platforms, blogs, discussion forums, and websites. The resulting insights are often deeper and more accurate than formal surveys. And they are available in real time so that you can know what people are thinking right now — not last month or last year.
Social listening or social media monitoring can help you gain a general understanding of the public’s view on sustainability. Is it an important issue for consumers? What are they most concerned about? What turns them on or off? Which segments of the population are most interested? Where are the most passionate conversations taking place? Which individuals or blogs are exerting the most influence?
The tools can also provide additional targeted insights about a specific company or brand. They can help you tailor your products, business activities, and marketing efforts to better address the needs and preferences of the market. These insights can also help you address potential problems and shape conversations about your company and brand. Social listening tools can even be used to better understand what your competitors are doing, and how you stack up against them. In fact, if you are using social listening tools and your competitors aren’t, you could end up knowing more about their customers and business than they do.
Sifting through a universe of information
Social media and the web have created a vast and expanding universe of valuable information about consumer preferences and perceptions. The trick is finding the nuggets of relevant and useful insight and using them.
Social listening tools can be programmed to automatically monitor the entire electronic universe of public discourse – including social media platforms, blogs, discussion forums, and websites – scanning for relevant postings and discussions that can give you a look inside the mind of today’s consumer. Results are generated in real time, so they always reflect the most up-to-date information available. This is extremely useful under any circumstances – but is especially critical for an issue like sustainability where public preferences and perceptions are constantly shifting and evolving.
Putting your expertise to use
Only part of the value of social listening comes from the tools you use. For the most part, many of them provide the same information. It is your role as an expert in your category that allows you to conduct the right kinds of searches, filter out what you know is irrelevant, and analyze what you see through the appropriate lens. The conversations you see can be interpreted many different ways to serve different functions. This type of analysis requires a significant time investment, but is what allows you to get tangible and actionable value.
Whether you’re involved in social media or not, you’ll also need a fluent understanding of how people use social media in order to find the types of conversations that will help you most. Knowing how your audiences use different platforms and the language they use to talk about the subject you’re researching is crucial.
The untold story
Traditional market surveys are powerful tools, but they have a number of significant limitations. First, they tend to be somewhat out-of-date since they are conducted infrequently and require time to analyze. Second, they are based on what consumers think they think, which does not always align with reality. Third, they are limited to a relatively small sample size. Last, but certainly not least, they only obtain answers to the questions you thought to ask – which could mean missing out on issues that are either emerging or hidden.
Putting the puzzle pieces together
While social listening is a valuable and unmatched source of insights, it only represents one part of a larger picture. Behaviors expressed in social media are accurate, but they only show us what people choose to say – not everything that they think or feel. Combining social listening insights with traditional research ensures that all bases are covered.
Social listening can often be used to fill in information gaps or add extra dimensions of insights to a specific topic. Approaching social listening with a specific question in mind makes the process of sifting through the conversation much easier. Since you cannot ask consumers questions in social listening, you have to ask yourself the questions and then use your understanding of the topic and the target consumer to find the answers.
Influencing the influencers
Another powerful feature of social listening is that it doesn’t just tell you what’s being said, it tells you exactly who’s saying it. Tracing ideas and discussions back to the source gives you an opportunity to join conversations – and shape them as they occur in some cases. It also enables you to precisely target your marketing and communications at the individuals and information sources that exert the greatest influence on public perceptions.
This needs to be handled tactfully, of course. Company representatives that contribute genuinely useful insights to online discussions are usually welcomed – especially if they are fair and unbiased (or are at least open about their biases). On the other hand, representatives who are merely moles or shills attempting to subvert the discussion and promote the company’s own agenda can expect a much colder reception – and are likely to do more harm than good.
Getting started
The barriers to entry for social listening are quite low. The tools are typically cloud-based, so there is no upfront capital investment, and ongoing costs are minimal. So, in most cases, the best way to get started with social listening is simply to give it a try. You’ll quickly realize how social listening can help your organization to better understand how its sustainability investments are perceived by the public – and if they are, in fact, building brand value, driving revenue and securing long-term consumer loyalty.
- Apr 07, 11
Originally posted on MediaPost.com
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/148008/the-pros-and-cons-of-anonymity-online.htmlAnonymity is one of the great gifts of the Internet, because it allows people to explore new interests and express opinions without anyone knowing who they are. It’s protective, it’s empowering, and it’s dangerous. For those who have learned the lessons of life to an extent that they can understand themselves and where they fit in the world, anonymity may not be all that bad, but for teens who are still figuring it all out, anonymity may do more bad than good. There are valid arguments for each side of the debate, and I’ve been putting some thought to it as well.
Self Expression
PRO: It’s easier to be your true self
The Internet acts as shield to protect people from their insecurities. People say and do things they wouldn’t normally do in real life, because they’re not physically engaging with other people. It’s like having a podium in front of you during public speaking class. It makes you feel protected.
CON: Your true self isn’t tied to a real person
The power that the Internet gives teens to express their true selves is unparalleled, but if it’s all anonymous, then the personal connections you would be having online are lost. No one who knows you in “real life” know anything about your anonymous online life, and in a sense, no one really knows you. If a tree falls in the woods, but no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
Safety
PRO: It’s safer to be yourself
A lot of teens feel unsafe being themselves. LGBT teens often turn to the online world to make connections, find information and express themselves in a way that they aren’t able to offline. Anonymity is a protector for them – one that for many teens inside and outside of the LGBT community can’t be taken away.
CON: You’re not making your offline life any more safe
It’s important to find safety online, but what happens when the computer turns off? You can’t stay online forever and then you’re forced to go out in the real world… and guess what, nothing’s changed. Teens that have the ability to escape online are less apt to fix their offline problems. Who needs to fix their problems when they can just avoid them?
Exploration
PRO: You can test the waters with your likes and interests
Teens are facing a future that no one before them has fully encountered – a future where everything is and always has been online. Everything they’ve done is on Facebook or Flickr or Blogger or somewhere else online. As we all know, our entire personality and interest evolve over time, but in the digital age that evolution is constantly tied to your social networks. Teens don’t want everyone seeing everything they do. They want to try new things, talk to new people, explore new interests, and decide for themselves who sees what.
CON: You’re not allowing for social engagement offline
While anonymity is a great way to try new things, it’s hard to make offline connections centered on those interests when there’s no human face and identity behind your interactions. You’re only exploring these interests online, and once the computer’s off, those connections are gone.
Duality
PRO: You’re living a double life
How cool! You get to go online and be whoever you want to be! You’re fearless. You’re fun and creative and dramatic and cool or whatever you want to be. You get to express yourself and have nothing to hide from! Go forth!
CON: You’re living a double life
The more time you spend online being You #2, the more and more distance there is between You #1 and You #2. Talk about an identity crisis! In the long-term this probably isn’t healthy. Teens need to feel secure with themselves online and offline. If they’re not being themselves that means they’re in hiding, and who wants to spend their life hiding?
So, do you have an online alter ego or fake Internet name? Do you participate in forums and comment online as “anonymous”? Or, are you always yourself and no one but yourself?
- May 08, 10
Originally published online at PersonalBrandingBlog.com
http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/branding-tips-from-goldman-sachsI’ve followed Goldman Sachs in the news through good and bad since the onset of the credit crisis. After learning about their corporate culture and brand image through peers and as an intern, I developed a deep respect for the Goldman Sachs brand. Before 2008 Goldman held a very distinct position in the business world boasting a reputation more illusive and revered than most other companies. Goldman is very meticulous about how its brand is managed – much of which stems from its distinguished corporate culture. Being a part of that culture had an impact on my personal brand, as did my other experiences. Although Goldman’s strengths are not as frequently celebrated as of late, there are still branding lessons that some can learn from Wall Street’s most infamous institution:
Make yourself #1
The Goldman brand certainly has a heavy elitist makeup that has positioned it as the company that always hires “the best of the best.” They are one of few companies who have can position themselves with that sort of image and get away with it. This concept may translate well to some personal brands. If you have experience that you think puts you a cut above your peers, it may pay off for you to incorporate that in to your brand image.
Loose lips sink ships
Goldman Sachs has a strict policy of not commenting on pending legal issues – often also choosing to settle legal disputes out of court to avoid the publicity. Think about this type of policy when discussing previous/current employment. Everyone has bad work experiences, but bad mouthing can get you in to trouble. You don’t want to sabotage your image by having too much of a silver tongue.
There’s no “I” in team
One thing that any Goldman employee will tell you is that they have a culture of teamwork. There is no “I” in team, and you’re expected to be honest and ethical in your work. Some have even been rewarded for escalating their mistakes rather than being scolded for making them, because they did what was best for their team. Every brand can benefit from honesty and integrity.
Help me help you
Goldman Sachs has one of the most revered management training programs in its industry with a wide-spanning network of alumni. People there really know how to help each other out, because they all have the same goal in mind – success. You can extend your brand and build its credibility by being helpful to others. Remember, every new relationship can have its advantages.
With recent coverage in the press, Goldman Sachs may not be able to keep its revered brand image in-tact. Its typical M.O. doesn’t seem to be cutting it lately, and that may force the brand to adopt some new strategies. Every brand needs to be able to adapt to a changing environment.
My question to you is: How would your brand handle negative publicity?
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Info
- Summary
WHO I AM
I'm a pragmatist and an advocate for the consumer. I don't like to beat around the bush, and I don't like fluff. I believe in the value of digital and social media to change the way consumers and brands interact if brands are willing to change their behaviors just as much as they expect consumers to. I believe in leveraging data to define, create, and measure everything. I believe in ROI in social media.WHAT I DO FOR MY CLIENTS:
I create branding and marketing strategies that strengthen brands by inviting participation, and making brands sharable. I come up with the insights and ideas that change behavior in favor of brands.WHAT I DO FOR MY COMPANY:
I push my thinking and that of others to look beyond the expected and do something remarkable. I also focus on product innovation and grow new practice areas through product & service innovation, IP development, and client relationship building.Experience- Feb 2013 - PresentSenior Strategist / MRY
MRY is a creative and technology agency dedicated to making brands remarkable. We now live in a people curated world where brands are scrambling to bridge the gap between their bought, owned and rapidly evolving earned media channels. That’s where we come in. MRY works with clients to give consumers something worth talking about—brand content that sparks emotion, that adds value, and inspires action. By doing this, we’re helping clients connect consumer-led brand conversations to meaningful business results.
- Jul 2011 - Feb 2013Consultant, Digital, Verbal Identity, Customer Insights / Interbrand
Internal
Develop and evolve proprietary methodology for utilizing online conversational analytics tools as a method of insight generation and measurement for brand strategy, voice, messaging, naming, corporate citizenship, and brand experience that incorporates the voice of customerConsult all client project teams on conversational analytics integration to ensure proper planning, application of methodology, and quality control
Lead development of Interbrand’s approach to social media strategy while developing service offering and deliverables for business units
Drive strategic vision and develop intellectual property for global digital POV and approach as a core member of cross-functional digital team
Participate in new business pitches
Clients
United: Brand strategy/Customer journey/Merchandising
Developed strategy for new sub-brand encompassing ancillary product offerings such as Economy Plus, United Club, and Premier LineDeveloped communications and digital merchandising plans for sub-brand products as part over overall customer journey planning
UPS: Customer experience/ Sustainability messaging
Developing strategy or implementing newly-created brand promise across the customer experience for B2B, B2C, and R2CDeveloping messaging strategy and key messages for sustainability platform
Johnson & Johnson: Customer research/ Corporate citizenship
Identified instances of brand lift associated with or caused by corporate by the brand citizenship activitiesConducted competitive analysis to identify strengths and opportunities in corporate citizenship activities for future investment
Nissan: Brand strategy/ Messaging
Identified key drivers and behaviors associated with auto purchasing in 5 major global markets to refine existing brand strategy and proposition
Developing key messages and communications plans unique to each marketOther clients include Capital One, NYSE Euronext, Aflac, Quest to Learn
- Jul 2010 - Jul 2011Strategist, Social Media & Digital / MRY (Formerly Mr Youth)
(Acquired by LBi in 2011 & Publicis in 2012)
Clients include: Microsoft, Nestle-Purina, Red Cross, HP, Norton
Provided research and analysis on consumer behaviors, consumption and trends as well as competitive marketing activities for strategic advisement to clients
Created and pitched innovative marketing strategies to bring in new business utilizing modern media mix of social, digital, mobile and experiential marketing
Provided digital and social recommendations for brands with existing digital and social ecosystem
Provided business and marketing strategy recommendations to clients in areas such as website user experience design, brand identity, social marketing strategy, customer service, and product/service offering
Developed innovative new product offerings to evolve agency services and develop thought leadership pieces as part of brand development
Worked in team to conceive, develop and present the agency’s first social marketing strategy training course presented over 2 days to 140 member marketing & operations team for leading global CPG
- Crain's New York #2 Best Places To Work (2011)
- AdAge #7 Best Place To Work (2011)
- Fast Company #7 Most Innovative Marketing Company (2010)
- Mashable Social Media Agency of the Year (2009) - Jun 2009 - Jun 2010Associate Account Executive / MRY
Clients include: Pepsi, T-Mobile, Pacific Sunwear, Barnes & Noble
Developed and executed marketing programs targeting Millennials using word of mouth and social media marketing
Managed day-to-day client communication and presented program reports to senior client executives
Managed internal marketing education programming for 100+ employees
Co-developed and managed 10-week summer internship program for all departments including consultation with intern teams for social marketing project presented to CEO and senior executives of MRY client.
Managed budget and SOW development/tracking
- Mar 2009 - Jun 2009Technology Marketing and Awareness Intern / Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Worked within the Technology Division executing internal marketing and communications strategies to raise awareness and educate employees on new IT developments and services within the Bank. Also developed several internal business process and data security reference and supplemental materials.
- Sept 2008 - Mar 2009Public Relations Coordinator / The Advertising Council
Tracked, analyzed and developed reports for over $90 million in publicity across print, television, radio and online. Worked with the public relations team to carry out PR plans for government agencies and leading non-profits. I was responsible for vendor communications, managing department billings and contracts and creating sponsor reports for PR services, and was also a frequent writer for their national newsletter sent to over 30,000 media outlets.
- Jun 2008 - Aug 2008Summer Analyst / Goldman Sachs
Worked in securities project team to develop back-end trade settlement road maps and function layouts to increase planning efficiency when developing new financial instruments and/or entering new trading markets. Also worked as part of client onboarding team to ensure account integrity and security based on internal and regulatory requirements. Developed knowledge of regulatory requirements of FINRA, SEC, and KYC requirements. Performed due-diligence of filings related to reg requirements.
- Oct 2006 - May 2008Interactive/ Digital Coordinator / The Advertising Council
Played key role in development of various campaign websites including back-end development, content creation and graphic development. Also tracked monthly, quarterly and annual website traffic statistics and created sponsor reports for 20+ monitored campaigns. Regularly updated online library, www.psacentral.com, with new campaign content for donated media placement.
I was also charged with developing the Ad Council's Facebook page as part of their original initiative to incorporate social media in to their business model.
Education-
2005 - 2009Pace University - Lubin School of BusinessBBA Honors in Marketing, Advertising & Promotion
Activities: Pforzheimer Honors College, Omicron Delta Epsilon - International Honors Society, Alpha Chi - National Honors Society, President - Pace Ad Team
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Interests:Photography, social marketing, advertising design, astronomy, physics, history, travel, foreign relations, architecture, fashion
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