The last several weeks have brought to the US unprecedented breaking news cycles, wide-scale closures, cancellations and postponements. Groups of people are not supposed to be larger than 10 people in one place at a time. The travel industry is flipped on its head, restaurants and bars must rely completely on take-out or delivery, movie theaters are closed, sporting events are on hold, students everywhere are either navigating an elongated spring break or familiarizing themselves with online learning, and just about everyone is trapped inside. The stock market has tanked causing massive losses that could take years to recover. Supermarkets are open and operating, but with a disrupted supply chain of many household items due to our society’s selfish doomsday panic-mode copycat behavior. If anything, this is online streaming services’ time to shine. The toll on just about everything as we know it could be massive and long-lasting. But, we will still need to move on.
BUSINESS
brands and the quest for attention
I’ve been doing marketing in some fashion, at different levels and in varying fields and industries for over 10 years. I’ve led brand initiatives, social media and content marketing strategies, advertising and media plans, experiential campaigns and activations, influencer programs, and a range of other digital endeavors, to name a few. And I’ve done it on both the client and agency side. From this decade-plus of time and the many experiences I’ve lived through – I’ve found one above-all-others truth in marketing today…
digital marketing teams are outdated
The headline itself might raise a few eyebrows or create frustration. How could a digital marketing team in this digital age be…outdated? That question is especially true considering there are still many companies and brands out there that are somehow just jumping on board the whole “we should get digital” train; in late 2016. Sometimes the barrier or delay was due to budgets, resources, or strategic direction, and sometimes it was because they were just…late to the party.
before you debrand – consider this…
I read an article from Fast Company this morning. It’s all about how ‘debranding’ is the future of branding. It’s an insightful piece, smart and forward-thinking. Overall I actually kind of like it. BUT. I don’t really agree with it. Respectfully, I have some counters…
about the whole Budweiser being America thing…
Big branding news today – Budweiser is going to be changing the name of their beer, literally, to “America.” Pretty much my entire life, even years before I threw back cold ones on a regular basis, I associated Bud with America as that’s just how it always felt. The vibe. The story. America. That was all up until 2008, when Anheuser-Busch merged with a Brazilian brewer and Belgian brewer, and landed its global headquarters in Leuven, Belgium.
where do I see myself in 10 years?
I recently wrote about advice I would tell myself 10 years ago, when I was entry-level, clueless of my future, surroundings, and about what being a professional adult meant. So naturally it next feels right to take it forward and dive into where I want to be in another 10 years. So, at the 20th year of my career, what will I be doing? What impact will I have made? Where will I be? My ten year point currently feels like a good time to reflect…into the future.
advice to my entry-level self
I graduated from college with my business degree ten years ago this May. A decade of professional life behind me, I am taking a moment to reflect – to think about how much I’ve learned about my career, how to navigate opportunities, how to work, and how to act. How to deal with people and work in teams. How to push for change. How to keep moving forward and how to earn respect. How to keep perspective top of mind and how to stay motivated. And of course, how to stay positive and excited about what’s next.
JEFF WERKHEISER 