This coming Wednesday (22nd May at 7pm CEST) I’m hosting another Creative Exchange with my pals at Db.
I’ll be speaking to Jordan Rogers, Sally Braid and Db’s marketing mastermind Jonathan Weaver (and close friend-of-the show) about how to build effective brand campaigns. (I’ll also be chipping in with some insights from my 20 years helming All Conditions Media, my day job)
So ahead of this Wednesday’s chat, please let me know what you’d like us to discuss using this week’s Open Thread.
It can be absolutely anything marketing and brand campaign-related - just let me know and we’ll discuss your questions during Wednesday’s session.
Maybe you want to start a brand, or are wondering how to promote your side hustle. Or maybe you just want to gain some insights from the brightest marketing minds in the business. Whatever your question - hit me
As I know from the previous Creative Exchanges I’ve hosted with Db (which you can listen to here and here), there’s a huge appetite out there for this type of conversation, and for the chance to learn from experts like Jordan and Sally.
Sally Braid is a brand communications specialist who has worked for companies such as Element, Supra & KR3W and Adidas, and more recently Cake Bikes, Marshall Group and Happy Socks. She’s a British native who after 15 years in France has now made the glorious city of Stockholm her home.
Jordan Rogers is a sports marketing specialist who teaches athletes and executives how to build brands and serve others through their story. His background includes working on Nike Basketball and Football, leading campaigns with Odell Beckham Jr amongst others.
Plus! How’s this for a brilliant prize for paid subscribers? Db have dished up one of their amazing new Skate Duffel 65L bags as a prize for best question by a paid subscriber!
(This contest is only open to paid subscribers, as are all Open Thread contests featuring prizes from my pals at Yeti, Danner, Db, Patagonia, Finisterre and Goodrays, although anybody can ask a question.)
Plus plus! HUGE thanks for Db for getting involved with HKC Discount Club with a whopping 15% off for Looking Sideways listeners and readers. Use my Db Journey discount code LOOKINGSIDEWAYS at checkout for 15% off.
HKC Discount Club is kicking off - click here for exclusive discounts from my partner brands such as Finisterre, Db, Goodrays, Albion, Stance and Vivobarefoot. Coming soon - The Wave!
Probably a good time to answer one I hear a lot: Does PR actually carry any weight any more? If I was starting a brand, shouldn’t I just invest heavily in social media? Sure you’ve all got opinions on that one!!
From a sustainability aspect, there is a finite rule book we are all working within, whether that be BCorp, Scientific Based targets, Net Zero, how do brands differentiate themselves in this space?
Ai is obviously here to stay, so how do we work with it as a valuable creative tool, instead of seeing the tension and conflict that such technologies often bring into the creative/brand space?
How do brands tap into a sub culture’s like skateboarding for example, while remaining authentic to the culture without misrepresenting the essence or values of the endeavour.
My biggest question: how does a brand as it matures, and subsequently those who are tasked to shepherd it, guide it aka run it, shift from taking a front seat spot in the limelight to a spot of strength, confidence and maturity as the leader in the marketplace who inspires and guides not only their consumers yet also their peers. It takes real confidence and true strength. And not an easy road to walk esp in our time of TikTok, Instagram, sound bites and shareholder value.
I have been itching to start a personal brand for years now. I have a lot of big ideas swimming around and feel really excited about the endeavour. My question is: as someone that has absolutely no background or experience in marketing, where do I start in terms of planning, building and implementing a campaign? Are there any specific books or courses that would provide enough baseline knowledge to at least get me started?
For a tiny (hundreds of followers, not thousands), bootstrapped disruptor brand, what would your six month - 1 year plan involve? (My secondary question: Is organic social reach possible without it being a full time focus?)
And from your experience, how do outdoor/sport brands look for freelancers/agencies to partner with for campaigns? Are they more inclined to for an agency that takes care of everything? Or are they more likely to do most of the work in-house and then just pull in a few freelance individuals/spceialists to fill the gaps?
Question for Jordan. You talk openly and succinctly about creating and delivering personal brands and debunk the myth around the difficulties of starting one. In a sea of self gratifying content creators you cut through the noise and manage to deliver a personal, authentic and authoritative viewpoint , which I appreciate. My question is how did you land on your “social aesthetic” and what hard and fast rules do you live by (frequency, length of posts, TOV, repetition etc), to create your content and further establish your personal brand (without coming across as a kook).
How does one prioritise a limited marketing budget (both time and cash), and what do you see as the current balance of RoI between social, email, SEO, etc?
It used to take a village to be advertising, marketing and social media for brands. Now that everyone is a brand, how are you supposed to keep living and doing a 13 people job by yourself all the time? With the everything is marketing and social media matters are we running to the end of a weird extreme capitalism moment and what will be next?
Probably a good time to answer one I hear a lot: Does PR actually carry any weight any more? If I was starting a brand, shouldn’t I just invest heavily in social media? Sure you’ve all got opinions on that one!!
Ha, good one
From a sustainability aspect, there is a finite rule book we are all working within, whether that be BCorp, Scientific Based targets, Net Zero, how do brands differentiate themselves in this space?
Ai is obviously here to stay, so how do we work with it as a valuable creative tool, instead of seeing the tension and conflict that such technologies often bring into the creative/brand space?
How do brands tap into a sub culture’s like skateboarding for example, while remaining authentic to the culture without misrepresenting the essence or values of the endeavour.
One for Jon Weaver given Db have just launched in skate 🤙
My biggest question: how does a brand as it matures, and subsequently those who are tasked to shepherd it, guide it aka run it, shift from taking a front seat spot in the limelight to a spot of strength, confidence and maturity as the leader in the marketplace who inspires and guides not only their consumers yet also their peers. It takes real confidence and true strength. And not an easy road to walk esp in our time of TikTok, Instagram, sound bites and shareholder value.
Now that is a great question
I have been itching to start a personal brand for years now. I have a lot of big ideas swimming around and feel really excited about the endeavour. My question is: as someone that has absolutely no background or experience in marketing, where do I start in terms of planning, building and implementing a campaign? Are there any specific books or courses that would provide enough baseline knowledge to at least get me started?
Thanks so much in advance!
I think a lot of people have this question
For a tiny (hundreds of followers, not thousands), bootstrapped disruptor brand, what would your six month - 1 year plan involve? (My secondary question: Is organic social reach possible without it being a full time focus?)
Great one, thanks Jo
What does campaign 'success' look like?
And from your experience, how do outdoor/sport brands look for freelancers/agencies to partner with for campaigns? Are they more inclined to for an agency that takes care of everything? Or are they more likely to do most of the work in-house and then just pull in a few freelance individuals/spceialists to fill the gaps?
Good one!
Question for Jordan. You talk openly and succinctly about creating and delivering personal brands and debunk the myth around the difficulties of starting one. In a sea of self gratifying content creators you cut through the noise and manage to deliver a personal, authentic and authoritative viewpoint , which I appreciate. My question is how did you land on your “social aesthetic” and what hard and fast rules do you live by (frequency, length of posts, TOV, repetition etc), to create your content and further establish your personal brand (without coming across as a kook).
How does one prioritise a limited marketing budget (both time and cash), and what do you see as the current balance of RoI between social, email, SEO, etc?
Secondary but related to the above, how would your approach differ for promoting a service v’s product based business?
Thanks for the questions Tom - a little late for the session but I think you’ll get a lot out of it when I release the chat as a podcast
It used to take a village to be advertising, marketing and social media for brands. Now that everyone is a brand, how are you supposed to keep living and doing a 13 people job by yourself all the time? With the everything is marketing and social media matters are we running to the end of a weird extreme capitalism moment and what will be next?
Hey Yannick, we already had the session but in releasing it as an episode soon so keep an eye out for that 🤙
🤣dang I am so bad at being on time 😂