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October 20, 2020
There’s no doubt digital experiences have been groundbreaking this year—even amidst a global pandemic. Instead of the usual COVID-19 statement, let’s take a look at what we’ve learned and where we are now. So, when it comes to an effective email strategy you’ll be able to make practical moves to improve results. Three key influentialOctober 16, 2020
Agency accelerates new business growth in the Atlanta market Pittsburgh (October 16, 2020) – This fourth quarter, Brunner has more to celebrate than just the successful close to its 31st year. In search of deep B2B cross-channel expertise, global tankless water heater leader, Rinnai America Corporation, has entrusted Brunner to serve as its trade advertisingOctober 15, 2020
Speed versus depth of insight is a fundamental trade-off marketing strategists often face when working with analyst teammates. Both sides contribute to this reality. Strategists often ask nuanced or difficult questions (what is the ROI of a sports sponsorship?), and analysts or data scientists, reacting to a wide variety of these questions, tend to approachOctober 6, 2020
Digital marketing transformation continues to be a hot topic, and its acceleration has continued to increase exponentially. Businesses are implementing systems to better market to their customers; enable sales to understand, prioritize and react to leads that fuel opportunity; to manage the lifecycle of customer engagement; and at the end of the day, to hopefullyNovember 20, 2020
Pittsburgh (November 20, 2020) – Michael Brunner, Brunner’s Chairman and CEO, has been named an honoree in Pittsburgh’s 2020 Smart 50 Awards, recognizing the top 50 executives of the 50 smartest companies for their ability to effectively build and lead successful organizations. “It is an amazing honor to be considered for the Smart 50 Awards,” Michael said. “I appreciate being listed amongst the 50 other smart, savvy executives and their companies.” It was over thirty yearsNovember 20, 2020
The Mirren Executive Leadership Summit on Inclusion and Diversity was a great platform to share and learn about topics we are all dealing with in business and in society as a whole. The great irony with the ad industry is that we are focused as a business on a diverse world of consumers from all walks of life, and yetNovember 13, 2020
Meet Derrik Whiten! As Brunner’s in-house emcee, master of changing out the kegs, and Fantasy Football extraordinaire, he has a lot on his plate. But his real passion project is his content network, Thoughts From The Bench. If you’re looking for a laugh or for someone to juggle EXACTLY three things, Derrik is your guy.November 3, 2020
Meet Julia Devine! When Julia’s not on the job as a Media Planner/Buyer, she’s writing and playing music. She even recorded a pop album a few years back. Go look up “Jaye Devine” on your favorite music streaming service—you won’t be disappointed! Q: What were some of your high school hobbies? A: I took voiceOctober 12, 2020
Meet Ken Johns! Ken is an agency veteran, with 25 years of service under his belt at Brunner. When he’s not on the job as our SVP, Client Experience & Planning, he’s spending time with his family, playing his regular weekly game of basketball, or golfing with his son. Q: What were some of yourOctober 8, 2020
Meet Jonathan Banks! JB has always had a passion for consuming and creating inspirational art; in fact, he originally moved to Atlanta to break into the music industry! We’re glad he found his way to Brunner, where he’s worked as a copywriter/content creator for three years. Q: What were some of your high school hobbies?October 5, 2020
For over 12 years, I helped sales teams from the strongest challenger brands to the world’s most recognizable brand names sell their products to retailers of all sizes. After sitting through hundreds of B2B sales presentations, the number one piece of advice that I can offer is that it is never about your brand. FarOctober 1, 2020
Our Diversity Recruitment and Adopt a Station campaigns for Atlanta Fire Rescue foundation have now been recognized at all levels of creative excellence – from local to national to global. We’re thrilled to announce gold and silver winners in this year’s Graphis Advertising Annual. This competition originated in Switzerland 50 years ago and showcases workSeptember 30, 2020
Meet D’Metrius Agurs! Pittsburgh native, big brother to four siblings, former movie theater usher and six-year Journeys veteran, Agurs is Brunner’s Junior Application Developer and Fantasy Football expert. Q: What were some of your high school hobbies? A: I was president of my art club, member of adventure club, I was a stage crew member &September 29, 2020
Brunner’s drive is to make a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work. One way to make this happen is to work with special organizations that do special things for people most in need. Goodwill of North Georgia is just this type of organization. Their mission is to put people toSeptember 28, 2020
We all have a COVID-19 story about toilet paper, paper towels, sanitizing wipes gone missing from retailers’ shelves. Charmin – out of stock. Bounty – out of stock. Clorox – you guessed it. Out of stock. But when we couldn’t find the Clorox wipes we were used to, the reality of the pandemic we’d just been dropped into put the dilemma swiftlySeptember 21, 2020
It’s no surprise that in today’s world, how we buy products is drastically changing. What once was normal walking up and down your local grocery store aisle to select your favorite products now seems like a strange concept. The new norm is sitting patiently in your car, parked in the curbside pickup spot, as a retail worker loads your trunk with your new groceries that someone else hand-picked for you. If how weSeptember 10, 2020
Brands navigating social media controversy is nothing new. However, the groundswell of cultural and social change in 2020 has underlined the debate for any brand manager – “should I respond?” “How can my brand’s marketing remain creative without igniting a social media crisis?” While a complex topic, there are three simple points to think aboutSeptember 10, 2020
As brands continue to face several challenges this year, including the unknowns surrounding the pandemic and the election, many marketers and categories also face the added challenge of operating under tighter budgets. For those struggling, the initial reaction may be to reduce or cut advertising for the remainder of 2020, but doing so could drastically impact a brand’s success in the long term. An article from ClickZ reports slowing advertising effortsSeptember 10, 2020
From studying engineering to consulting with Fortune 500 companies, Eric Perz revealed some interesting things about his career path and his personal life, as Brunner recently promoted him to VP, Data Science. Q: How did you enter the ‘data science world’? A: After completing a master’s in engineering, I was drawn to the world ofAugust 19, 2020
Sit perfectly still for sixty-five seconds with your eyes open. You blinked. Let’s try it again. And keep those eyes open, please. Named after the inventor, Louis-Jacque-Mandé Daguerre introduced the first commercial photographic process to the world in 1839. With exposures initially ranging from three to fifteen minutes, the technique created highly detailed images onAugust 13, 2020
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Candace Keudel-Schaffer lived in many places before residing in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a sports guru, cake-decorating wizard, mom, and now with almost four years at the agency, Senior Account Manager. Q: What were some of your high school hobbies? A: I took drama as a subject, as well as design. I wasAugust 13, 2020
Meet Ryan Bopp! Pittsburgh native, Bopp attended University of Pittsburgh working as a cook, barge repairer, deck builder, landscaper and inventory auditor before his almost five years at Brunner. His talents include: being the middle child, never purchasing a college textbook, living in water (including the pool of our People & Culture Manager, Brian), performingAugust 12, 2020
Meet Shelley Hershberger! With five years of service at Brunner, Hershberger is the Finance Operations Manager. She has diverse work experiences ranging from teenage McDonald’s years to WTAE. From Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Hershberger attended college at Seton Hill University and Saint Vincent College. Q: What were some of your high school hobbies? A: Home economics club,August 12, 2020
Social listening is widely accepted in the world of business as a way for companies to connect with their target audience and find out what that audience thinks about a given product, campaign or initiative. It’s a process of watching hashtags, keywords and digital engagement to identify trending topics and monitor brand sentiment, and roughlyJuly 29, 2020
Originally published in MediaPost. By Dan Magdich, Jeff Shill Tell us if this ol’ COVID kick in the teeth sounds familiar? Add about seven video chats to your daily onslaught of emails, panicked texts and skull-drubbing conference calls. Welcome to the abnormally new normal. COVID’s impact has affected almost everything — with one exception. SinceJuly 20, 2020
When marketers analyze free-form text for insight, such as reviews or social media posts, they often see the same sequence of approaches, which become increasingly sophisticated along the way: Descriptive statistics like word count, sometimes represented in word clouds, or frequency of keywords over time Sentiment analysis: tracking the mix of positive, negative, and neutralJuly 20, 2020
Earlier this summer Brunner welcomed Dave Stoken as Director, IT, to augment our internal infrastructure team. Driving Helpdesk/IT strategies and implementations, developing team/discipline specific technology needs, security implementation, employee related computers, software and systems, Dave will play a key role in our continued investments in cutting-edge technology and digital experiences. Dave is a Pennsylvania native,July 2, 2020
A scene from “The Lumberyard,” part of the Woodland’s Most Wanted campaign for client YellaWood® pressure treated pine Clients Get the Recognition They Deserve: Five National ADDYs at 2020 Virtual Ceremony Secret agent beavers conquered yet another expedition, snatching more than YellaWood® brand pressure treated pine at the national ADDYs. Through teamwork and collaboration,June 24, 2020
Brunner and the recently retired President of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Colin Mackenzie, have created a special partnership to help brands in the Consumer Packaged Goods and OTC worlds solve digital acceleration issues related to marketing and brand engagement. The partnership with our former client combines Brunner’s expertise in digital performance marketing and digital transformation with Mackenzie’sJune 19, 2020
Originally published in MediaPost. Forget digital transformation…right now it’s all about digital acceleration! We’ve all learned tough lessons over the past two months – most oriented towards our health and well-being – and the health of our businesses, too. At the core of those learnings is the impact a firm’s digital competency has on virtuallyJune 17, 2020
As the US begins to re-open state by state, restaurants will look, feel, and operate differently than they did prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, with many of the changes and trends we’ve seen likely becoming permanent. Restaurants will now have the added responsibility of making their guests feel safe, beyond more visible cleaning procedures, personalJune 3, 2020
Originally published in MediaPost. Throughout history, there have always been big dogs and underdogs, champions and challengers. For every Goliath, there has been a David (or a Dana). For every established mega-brand, there has been a startup. With a global pandemic like none the world has seen since 1918, traditional designations for brands and businessesJune 3, 2020
Originally published in MediaPost. When marketers talk about artificial intelligence (AI), they’re talking about art — the art of crafting insight-driven content. That’s what AI is, right? A perfect algorithm that builds meaningful connections with audiences, improves brand equity, and curates a wealth of potential leads. But to truly take advantage of AI, we mustMay 29, 2020
Virtual award shows are as exciting as in-person galas when celebrating the hard work of fellow creative professionals. That’s exactly the attitude Brunner embraced during this year’s online AAF Pittsburgh ADDYs during which the agency was recognized with 15 awards—besting all of the competition. For work completed with clients City of Asylum and Lehigh ValleyMay 29, 2020
A one-stop-shop for new music and interesting dance trends, TikTok has thrived during the coronavirus pandemic. Available in over 150 markets worldwide, TikTok was downloaded over 2 million times, between March 16th and 22nd according to Music Business WorldWide, an increase over the previous week’s 1.7 million. According to eMarketer, there has been a 55%May 18, 2020
The influencer marketing industry has been severely impacted by the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Business closures, travel restrictions, event cancellations, and even social distancing have created challenges for influencers as brands tighten budgets or cancel collaborations for the foreseeable future. Though their feeds may not look all that different, without consistent brand partnershipsMay 14, 2020
In-person entertainment is largely at a halt right now, opening the door even wider for online entertainment. Streaming, once a niche market, has boomed over the past few years as a way for viewers to watch people play popular video games, quickly becoming one of the most popular forms of entertainment. These days, live streamingMay 11, 2020
Where we are: Well into quarantines across the country, there’s been a great many articles, webinars and conversations covering everything from what Coronavirus (COVID-19) is, to the impacts it may have on our health, companies, communities and industries. It’s clear we’re in the midst of a crisis. And while this may be uncharted territory forMay 9, 2020
On March 25th, 2020 Brunner co-hosted a webinar with Forrester’s Jay Pattisall, a Forrester analyst, discussing the “Blended Agency Model” which is designed to help agencies effectively adopt collaboration trends that can break silos. In this informational session, Jay Pattisall talked about the importance of collaboration and how it can be effective at building lastingMay 8, 2020
The past few weeks have not left anyone or any business unscathed. While spending within the building supplies category is one of the few to increase, the trade industry is undergoing a shift as contractors figure out how to navigate a contactless world. We looked at several key trades (roofing, HVAC and plumbing) to understandMay 8, 2020
According to GlobalWebIndex, nearly half of consumers have been stocking up on food/drink (45%) and household supplies (43%). Whether it’s toilet paper, disinfecting wipes or yeast (everyone is apparently baking up a storm), it’s clear that people are trying to control what they can while living within the confines of the COVID-19 quarantine. While hoardingMay 7, 2020
If you’ve never visited our Pittsburgh office, you’ve missed a lovely view of Mt. Washington rising over the confluence of our three rivers. Over the last couple months, we’ve missed that view, too. (And we’ve really missed each other…even though we’re much more punctual at virtual meetings every day.) As we look forward to returningMay 7, 2020
With people around the world trying to navigate their new normal, Pinterest has emerged as a main resource. According to Pinterest, searches are up 55% vs. the same time last year. So how is Pinterest being leveraged during these times, given how time spent on the platform and active users are increasing daily? What areMay 5, 2020
Nurses are caretakers. Nurturers. Lifesavers. Essential. Seems to us, if ever there was a time to recognize nurses for their selflessness and courage, it’s now. As the country continues to grapple with Coronavirus, medical professionals – including nurses and other essential workers – have stepped in and stepped up. And this National Nurses Day, today,May 1, 2020
While the event may have looked a little different this year, the excitement was still every bit as strong at The Drum Marketing Awards USA virtual awards. Brunner was nominated for three awards. Best Long-Term Strategy: The Home Depot Rental 2019 Regional Campaign Strategy Best Brand Content Strategy: The Home Depot Rental 2019 Content MarketingApril 24, 2020
In Chinese, the word “crisis” is created by the combination of two words, “dangerous” and “opportunity”. This perfectly sums up the two sides companies, brands and individuals are facing today when coping with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Getting the right balance between these two things is important. During any crisis scenario it’s easy to focusApril 24, 2020
Many articles have commented on the acquisition of creative talent by consultancies to compete with ad agencies. In hindsight, this was a predictable progression as advertisers shifted more budget into data-intensive digital media and at the same time increased expectations for financial accountability. Reading between the lines, it’s easy to extrapolate the trend to theApril 21, 2020
According to Forrester, “Marketers can use performance marketing agencies to target in-market consumers, drive them to convert in digital channels, and support some organic marketing efforts.” While Brunner has always had a strong media planning and buying arm, we knew that we had an opportunity to enhance our performance marketing chops. To help get usApril 20, 2020
An integrated campaign with undercover beavers. Community-building collateral to support firefighters. This is the work we recently celebrated with our clients YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine and Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation, bringing home 21 awards from the 2020 Atlanta ADDYs. We were thrilled to be recognized, along with our client partners, with nine gold, seven silver and five bronze forMarch 31, 2020
Twenty years ago this month I joined Brunner. In fact, it was then I jumped in to join the advertising industry. It was an exciting time for me – moving from the world of technology consulting into the glitzy ad world. I remember attending the local Addy awards as one of my first industry events…ourMarch 6, 2020
Diversity in the workplace matters. According to Deloitte, when employees “think their organization is committed to and supportive of diversity, and they feel included,” their ability to innovate increases by 85%. As a woman in the workplace, diversity and an inclusive culture have always been important to me and something I want to improve forFebruary 20, 2020
Are you getting the question: “Should we be on TikTok?”. If so, here are a few things to consider. We’ll cover what TikTok is, who’s using it, the advertising opportunity, measurement limitations and how brands can get creative. First, what is TikTok? TikTok describes itself as, “the leading destination for short-form mobile video.” Its userFebruary 14, 2020
Data Analytics Maturity Series, presented by Brunner’s Data Science & Decision Analytics Team This series covers the elusive topic of data. How to gather it, develop it, and structure it so that you can hone in on valuable insights. Getting closer to your customers requires making the most of the data available to you andJanuary 9, 2020
Originally published in MediaPost. Recently, one brand’s holiday ad was on everyone’s mind: Peloton. In case you’ve been living under a rock, the exercise equipment brand released a holiday campaign depicting a husband gifting his wife a Peloton bike for Christmas and her subsequent fitness journey over the following year. Not long after airing,December 17, 2019
In a world where brands are trying to mimic their follower’s content due to the increasing difficulty of the platforms algorithm as well as the authenticity of the brand’s content, UGC is more important than ever. User Generated Content, commonly referred to as UGC, is a phrase used to describe content that was created byDecember 5, 2019
Media relations of old was a publicity tactic built solely upon relationships between PR practitioners and reporters. In its heyday, success meant well-written press releases and a surplus of media clips. But times have changed. Media relations is no longer just a marketing mechanism designed to gain awareness; it’s a brand strategy. At Brunner weDecember 3, 2019
As features that provide consumers with more control over their data and restrict advertising continue to roll out, it’s more important than ever for brands to provide a personalized and interactive experience that feels authentic and is useful. Looking ahead to 2020, here’s a trend that your brand should consider as part of next year’sDecember 2, 2019
The B2B space is a specific beast when it comes to improving marketing and sales strategy. When it comes to B2B companies, the sales cycle is often longer, driven by contact-based communications, lengthy demos and a focus on rationalization rather than emotion. For this reason, B2B companies and organizations are beginning to rely heavily onDecember 2, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. Everyone has heard “Don’t be a Grinch!” That’s a phrase that resurfaces every year — plastered on ugly Christmas sweaters and holiday party invites — referencing the iconic yet mean-spirited titular character in Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” If someone calls you a Grinch, they’re insinuating you’re aNovember 27, 2019
In the office this week, the Brunner team started to think about what we’re grateful for this Thanksgiving season. For some folks it was healthy family and friends, for others it was good Spotify playlists and others even expressed gratitude for our associate creative director Kevin Corfield. Me? I’m grateful for the 4Cs. The 4CsNovember 22, 2019
‘Tis the season for frenzied holiday shoppers to storm the doors of their local malls after stuffing themselves silly during Thanksgiving Dinner. The National Retail Federation estimates holiday retail sales will grow between 3.8% and 4.2% this year, accounting for above-average-growth. Additionally, the NRF expects online and other non-store sales to climb between 11% andNovember 15, 2019
For months, Instagram has been testing an option of hiding likes on posts in select international markets. The test first occurred in Canada, and then expanded to Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand. Last week, they announced they would be running the same test across a number of user accounts in the UnitedNovember 13, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. By Mary Johnson – Contributor After more than 40 years in marketing and advertising, Louis Sawyer, the chief strategy officer for ad agency Brunner, has come to believe that we are defined by the brands we choose to buy. To prove his point, Sawyer once asked a room fullNovember 12, 2019
Getting closer to your customers requires making the most of the data available to you and understanding where you are in terms of data maturity. We’re here to help. Introducing our new series on Data Analytics Maturity, coming to you from our Data Science & Decision Analytics team. This series will cover the elusive topic ofNovember 12, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. By Mary Johnson – Contributor It was the Super Bowl commercial everyone was talking about back in 2017. At the time, 84 Lumber, a brand with little awareness outside the construction industry, was in the midst of a massive growth spurt. If the company was to capitalize on aNovember 1, 2019
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MEDIAPOST. Over the past several years, both marketers and agencies have smartly embraced the idea of “multitouch attribution,” or MTA. It’s the concept that many marketing channels work together to lead a prospect to purchase, and so credit must be divided up across channels in order to assure future decisions don’t damageNovember 1, 2019
Let’s destroy the hierarchy of the art world for a moment and scuff the line between commercial and fine art. If it’s OK to love a TV show, it’s OK to love an ad, a 30-second film, a PSA, or even a bus wrap. I’m dismayed that overall, ads are unfairly thrown into a lumpyOctober 31, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. By Mary Johnson – Contributor Most businesses pay a lot of attention to what happens right before a customer makes a purchase. But there’s so much more to the transaction. The ubiquity of data makes that easier than it has ever been, said Zak Cochran, an account director atOctober 28, 2019
What do physics and marketing have in common? If your answer is “nothing” I have news for you! Physicists are the ultimate problem solvers. Isaac Newton and his Laws of Motion, Michael Faraday and work in electromagnetism, Albert Einstein and his Theory of Relativity, Edwin Hubble and the expanding universe… the list goes on. ButOctober 3, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. Imagine this: you hear of a brand for the first time and immediately want to learn more. What’s the first thing you do? Everybody say it with me now: “Google it!” Sure, the brand’s website may appear as the top search ranking (thanks to its digital performance marketing team), butOctober 3, 2019
When it comes to social media advertising, influencer marketing isn’t a new concept—especially for the Millennial and Generation Z consumer. Influencer posts created by celebrities, athletes and dedicated enthusiasts are easy to spot on Instagram feeds and the buzz they’ve created in the media can’t be ignored. Wondering about the power of influencer marketing? Let’sSeptember 4, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. Every meaningful journey begins with a map and a plan. Today’s accessibility to Google Maps allows us to choose the most efficient routes, suggests stops along the way, and seamlessly adjusts if we veer off course. Customer journey mapping should be the same: educational, flexible, adaptable. In the dawn ofAugust 22, 2019
Search for ‘AI and customer acquisition’ on Google and you will get over 30 Million results. Clearly, there is much hype surrounding AI, machine learning and other emerging technologies as they relate to improving customer acquisition efforts – and rightfully so. By leveraging real-time data analytics through machine learning, companies are able to become muchAugust 22, 2019
Over the ten weeks I spent interning at Brunner, I found myself being both challenged and amazed. I’ve learned more about myself than I could have possibly imagined and met amazing people who have provided me with invaluable advice to further my career in the advertising industry. Among them are 12 tips and takeaways forAugust 6, 2019
Customer acquisition via personalized marketing allows you to find prospects and transition them from not engaged, to actively engaged in a personally identifiable and human-like way. Any marketing organization knows that transition process is activated through smart audience targeting, and hyper-targeted personalization. Viable prospects are those with desirable characteristics, namely: Responsive: have a likelihood toAugust 2, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. If a potential customer knocked on your door to purchase a product or service, would you answer? It’s often the marketer’s job to disrupt prospects from their daily life with an ad that will win them over with an enticing value proposition. Search engine marketing (SEM), on the other hand,July 29, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. Emotional resonance is essential in marketing. But how do you connect emotionally when writing keyword-targeted copy? To the uninitiated, copywriting for search engine optimization (SEO) may seem prescriptive, awkward and clunky, written for robot crawlers rather than human beings. No one even reads those SEO copy blocks, right? The realityJuly 2, 2019
And, no, we don’t mean just sharing the intimate details of your life. Over the past year, Facebook has undergone a lot of changes largely due to data security breaches and consumer concern about the platform’s handling of their information. With new limitations in place for brands, and yet, new opportunities to engage customers inJuly 2, 2019
It’s the key slide in the presentation. The one that precedes the creative. The one that sets up the creative. The one that will make the creative that follows a slam dunk. The heading on the slide says: Key Consumer Insight. And then, drumroll please, an insight is revealed that is not revealing. Nor inspiring.June 24, 2019
Woo-hoo! I get to write a tagline that’ll define a brand for years to come. Eek gads! I’m supposed to write a tagline that’ll define a brand for years to come. Writing a tagline is an opportunity. And yes, writing a new tagline can also feel like you’ve been tasked with finding a brand’s holyJune 18, 2019
Google “advertising hybrid creative” and you’ll find shiny phrases like “rare breed,” “next-generation,” “shaking things up,” “the future.” New! Exciting! Scary. Scary? Not too long ago people talked about “hybrids” the way they talk about mutants in X-Men. But more disdainfully, as if we lacked focus: Mixed-up. Uncommitted. Dilettantes. “Pick one thing and be greatJune 12, 2019
You’ve done all the work. You’ve created amazing, mobile first content. You’ve developed your messaging strategy, measurement framework and brought your brand to life. Now, it’s time to launch a Paid Social Media campaign to elevate the experience and start driving opportunities for your business! But wait, because there’s one thing many businesses forget aboutMay 31, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. The Great Recession doesn’t feel that long ago, and yet experts are saying we might once again be on the brink of an economic slump. Two-thirds of U.S. economists predict another recession is due by the end of 2020, according to a survey from the National Association forMay 31, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. Modern business culture feels a bit like the age of the entrepreneur. And in many ways, it is. There are movies and television series made about entrepreneurs. Startups Facebook and Google (now part of Alphabet) are now Fortune 100 companies, ranked #76 and #22, respectively. And entrepreneurs suchMay 29, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. Occasionally I’ll take a look back at interviews I’ve done and articles I’ve written. During a recent perusal through the archives, I noticed that in the B2B space, we were talking about, and doing, some very forward-looking things a decade ago — long before “digital transformation” came into vogue. AroundMay 16, 2019
Millennial. A term often used to describe who I am and categorize me into a societal box. And although I’m considered a true millennial (no matter what generational cutoff point you use), there’s one label frequently overlooked that I prefer to define where I’m at: young professional. Similar to “millennial,” the term “young professional” oftenMay 3, 2019
This past January marked two years since I was an intern here at Brunner. I graduated from Duquesne University just a few months prior and always dreamed of working at Brunner. But, there weren’t any immediate job openings. However, after completing a job shadow I learned Brunner was gearing up to open their 2017 InternshipApril 30, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. Working in advertising, Ivan Tafur said he gets one question more than any other: How can you prove what you’re doing is working? Tafur, group media director at Brunner, an ad agency with offices in Atlanta and Pittsburgh, works in tandem with the agency’s performance marketing team thatApril 30, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. When Louis Sawyer was growing up, Cadillac was the brand to beat. The car company was considered the gold standard — so much so the brand became the descriptor for anything of high quality: “That’s the Cadillac of ovens, right there.” “Check out the Cadillac of lawnmowers.” “HaveApril 30, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. When you ask Kristen Taggert, vice president of brand engagement at Brunner, an ad agency with offices in Atlanta and Pittsburgh, why emotion matters in marketing, she’ll tell you: it’s all about creating repeat customers, not fleeting purchasers. Whether it’s pictures of your niece’s birthday party, a postApril 30, 2019
Originally published in Atlanta Business Chronicle. Trish Duffy starts every conversation about the digital experience with a few key questions to accomplish one very specific goal. “Before you even begin, you need to home in on the audiences you’re trying to reach. But what if you have that? Then you need to consider whyApril 30, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. In marketing, you’ll often hear people talk about B2B — business to business — or B2C — business to consumer. But rarely will you hear marketers talk about connecting with humans. Yet that’s what we all are. At the core of every marketing, advertising or communications campaign is the same,April 25, 2019
Brand awareness and marketing ROI. The yin and yang of marketing? When discussing these important concepts, there’s almost a “code switch” that occurs in the minds of marketing professionals: “Yes, we need marketing ROI (sales/costs), but we need to fill the funnel at the top. We need to invest in building brand awareness before weMarch 29, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. Have you ever wondered why so many brands spend a fortune to build visibility, only to then fall short of the results they desire? That question has been on my mind, too. That’s why I took some time recently to research what makes a brand great and makes awareness stick.March 12, 2019
Originally published in PRSA Pittsburgh. Storytelling & Discretion – A Love Story Romeo and Juliet. Catherine and Heathcliff. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. They all have one thing in common in the world of fiction: they’re epic romances. The equivalent in the PR realm? The star-crossed love of storytelling and discretion. As PR professionalsFebruary 20, 2019
Originally published in MediaPost. As marketing evolves, so, too, do the ways in which we analyze, measure and optimize. With a customer journey that is always on and multifunctional across channels and devices, finding ways to accurately report on the impact of marketing is crucial. It’s a great feeling when you know you’ve multipliedFebruary 8, 2019
Originally published in CIOReview. For many companies, corporate risk is identified as attrition, business loss or regulatory infractions. But perhaps the most underrated risk of them all is entitlement. Yep, I said it. It’s entitlement. It’s not a forecasted business risk, it’s the shift in attitude making finding great talent harder and more competitiveJanuary 18, 2019
Originally featured in MediaPost. I come from IT. I never thought I’d ever work for an advertising agency, let alone spend the last 20 years at one. Back in the early ’90s, the firm I was with played the role of a hired gun, brought in by IT organizations to help with specific business problems.