Content Is Your Business

How does an interactive agency change the game for brands? Mike Molnar, Managing Partner at GLOW (an award-winning digital marketing and social media agency in New York, comprised of dozens of industry veterans, Ivy League graduates, photographers, musicians, artists, world travelers, devoted fans, and curious marketers, all unified in expertise of social and digital) joins guest host Marc Raco to discuss creating smart, effective, and results-driven campaigns; making smart and creative use of data; the benefits of augmented reality turn otherwise dull ads into entertaining experiences, and how politics and movie experiences can benefit from AR; GLOW's take on radical honesty, an early memory of moving content, climate change; how pickles connect to family roots and the TV show MASH; and, more.

IMGN is a tech-media company specialized in producing and programming social content for Gen Z audiences. IMGN owns and operates a portfolio of 14 distinct media brands with an overall reach of +40 million followers. Noah Mallin, Chief of Brand Strategy at IMGN Media, shares a look into the business, the nature of transforming content, what connects with Gen Z, and how brand messaging will be affected by COVID-19.

The final episode of "The Adventures of Stitch O'Malley: Fashion Detective"  --  a fun example of creative marketing content we are publishing for the first time ever. We really would love to hear how you are doing and also what you think, so reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook at @mouthmedianetwork or email us at podcast@mouthmedianetwork.com!

We hope you love listening to the three episodes of "The Adventures of Stitch O'Malley: Fashion Detective" as much as we loved making them. Here is episode No. 2! To offer you some entertainment, and perhaps inspire you with a fun example of creative marketing content, we thought we'd pull something very different out of the vault that we haven't shared before. We really would love to hear how you are doing and also what you think about them, so reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook at @mouthmedianetwork or email us at podcast@mouthmedianetwork.com! 

A few years ago MouthMedia co-founder Rob Sanchez had been building a new kind of concept for an apparel business named Ralph and Remington, offering a novel approach to transparency, including a groundbreaking look behind the scenes as the business was developing. Because the brand was inspired by the ethos of the 1940's, we worked together to create an old-time radio style show reminiscent of that time, which was intended to be one of the unique ways to bring attention to the brand. Although Rob decided to put the project aside for a while to give full attention to MouthMedia, we had already completed three unreleased episodes of the podcast serial. So this week we have decided to pull them out of the vault, dust them off, and share them with you. We know pretty much everyone is going through a tough time now and trying to make the best of the current new realities at home. To offer you some entertainment, and perhaps inspire you with a fun example of creative marketing content, we thought we'd pull something very different out of the vault that we haven't shared before. We really would love to hear how you are doing and also what you think about them, so reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook at @mouthmedianetwork or email us at podcast@mouthmedianetwork.com! We hope you love listening to the three episodes of "The Adventures of Stitch O'Malley: Fashion Detective" as much as we loved making them. Here is episode No. 1!

Jason Schulweis, SVP and Head of Brand Partnerships and Integrated Marketing for Morning Brew,  offers crucial insights about current trends within media and marketing due to the impact of COVID-19, how marketers can authentically connect with consumers, and the importance of brand purpose in the face of this new reality.

Aside from the physical health risks stoked by COVID-19, there's another byproduct of the pandemic that's potentially terrifying: the social impact of isolation and quarantines. Given the number of people directed and electing to work from home, social distancing becomes both a personal challenge as well as an important business concern. From London, Julia Hobsbawm (social entrepreneur and author of The Simplicity Principle) shares important insights, strategy, and perspective, along with useful plays, for business leaders facing the realities of social distancing amongst their workforce and customers.

How do you protect on-demand or gig workers, their fleets, and their customers, during the COVID-19 crisis? How can companies like Postmates, which rely on going workers for their business model, succeed and survive, what particular concerns and considerations are in play, and what happens as restaurants and other suppliers close and face hard times? Vikrum Aiyer, Vice President of Public Policy & Strategic Communications at Postmates and Former Obama White House Senior Advisor, joins from San Francisco with perspective, insights, solutions, and a go-to enter to the playbook.

If trying to keep the doors to a business open isn’t challenging enough, especially when you don’t know how long you have to do it for, diligent consideration of the productivity, safety, care, morale, and profitability of your employees may be even more daunting. Dr. John Sullivan (internationally known Human Resources thought-leader from the Silicon Valley and Professor at San Francisco State) and Celeste Thompson (Chief People Officer/Founder at TRIBE Human Resources Consulting) join from California and New Jersey to walk through some crucial Human Resources concerns and considerations in the new business realities of COVID-19.

SPECIAL REPORT: Wendy Liebmann, Founder, CEO, and Chief Shopper of WSL Strategic Retail, shares critical considerations for brands and retailers to manage the new realities of a retail landscape during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

What can you learn about content and digital strategy from a writer for the WWE? Or the former Head of Digital Strategy for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon? Quite a lot. Fresh off the redeye from one of her WWE journeys, Julie Harrison-Harney shares remarkable insights on curating digital content; how social media narrative drives content for a major league talkshow; the importance of learning a language of a brand and how the client has their own way of talking to each other; how analytics is about finding the outliers; knowing the baseline so that you are alert when something is off; how premium brands navigate social; a peek into succeeding with TikTok and why it is an evolution of meme culture, and much more.

A movement is a brand’s best friend, according to New York City creative agency StrawberryFrog. They took a stand two decades ago to use creativity for good, looking for ways to do good in society, by activating purpose based brands with a movement. Head of Strategy Chip Walker offer insights into a new day in marketing, when brands are exploring a deeper value than a sale.

How do you create content to market content? One great person to ask is Sarah Weiss, Brand Manager for the incredibly popular radio show and podcast Live from Here with Chris Thile. Sarah joins Amber Mundinger and guest host Marc Raco to share about how she thinks about content,  digital strategy, and navigating the constantly changing dynamics of a prolific media institution. Plus how the show drives marketing and branding content, and vice versa. Also: an amazing Pennsylvania snack.

CES is the epicenter of tech innovation. It seems nothing short of perfect to sit down with the Keith Kranepool, Vice President of Sales for the Global Retail Channel of Sennheiser -- a family owned, 75-year company with a history of innovation, and one of the world’s leading producers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission technology. Sennheiser operates its own plants in Germany, Ireland and the US and is active in more than 50 countries worldwide. Yet part of the message here is about introducing a well known brand and a staple of content making to an uncertain market, and the mission to translate the success of Sennheiser’s signature approach to ecommerce into physical spaces in the US. Joe Yakuel, Founder/CEO of Agency Within, joins Marc Raco on the floor of CES 2020 in Las Vegas. 

One of the true centers to find innovation for content and retail product is CES in Las Vegas. And one of the biggest exhibitors at CES is Sharp, the global electronics brand. Marc Raco (MouthMedia Network) talked with Peter Weedfald, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing (who oversees all sales and marketing of SHARP's home and commercial appliance categories along with the CE and TV products thru a variety of retail, reseller, buying groups and distribution channels), in a conversation simply chock full of insights, wisdom, and education on everything from how 5G and 8K technology can impact everything from better medicine to safer self driving cars, how Sharp’s focus shift from what they make to why they make it is so important for makers of content, why smart appliances and homes demand attention, and why breakfast and lunch may be optional. It’s one of our favorite interviews ever.

How much time do you really need to make an effective pitch? What is content, really? How do you get inside someone's head when formulating a marketing strategy? These are just a few topics author, speaker, and producer Brant Pindivic  (author of "The 3-Minute Rule") covers as he wows host Ritesh Gupta and guest host Marc Raco  (MouthMedia Network) with insights related to how to convey everything of value about a business, product, or service, clearly, concisely, and accurately in three minutes or less---and the psychology behind that. An amazing look into the nature of effective content, and a conversation which can effect change.

Can a behavioral science approach and insights enable brands to create stronger connections with the people they want to reach, tap into emotional motivations, understand what makes people tick, understand non-conscious needs and desires, address cognitive biases, focus on how they want people to feel, and increase a desire for their products and services? Kevin Perlmutter, founder of Limbic Brand Evolution, offers insights into what's possible, and how brands can go "next-level" on behavioral science.

Being a connector and promoter of key players, projects and events that advance the digital content marketplace is a key role to play as the world of content evolves. John McCarus, Founder of Content Ink, consultant, executive recruiter and connector for digital media companies & brands, lends some pretty large wisdom a focus on what’s next.

Imagine a time-expanding, space-creating home-operating system for your life. Content is integrated into human-centered technology combined with hands-on hospitality to create the home of the future and redefine modern city living. Head of Communications & Brand Katherine Barna shares how this may be the future of city living, and how Hello Alfred is thinking about the role of content in that reality.  

What thinking and insight does the former Director of Curation for Twitter bring as Chief Digital Content Officer for Hearst TV? Hearst is a leading global, diversified media, information and services company with more than 360 businesses including Hearst TV (a national multimedia company with operations serving nearly three dozen U.S. cities, reaching one out of every five U.S. households, and delivering  local and national news, weather, information, sports and entertainment programming via every available content-delivery platform). Andrew Fitzgerald leads digital content efforts across Hearst Television's local stations and central teams, and he joins the show in a wide ranging and useful conversation.

Visual content & advertising has been flipped on its head. An industry that was once ruled by the top holding companies has opened its gates to modern-day creators who produce authentic visuals, original imagery & localized stories for the most respected brands in the world. DS Projects is bringing this vision to the likes of adidas, Budweiser, Fila, Foot Locker & Governors Ball Music Festival, by navigating the new landscape of creatives --  those who are leading the future of advertising. Founder/CEO Dylan Hattem shares the ongoing mission to work with major brands who are looking to be agile, produce high-quality content, and require authentic + original imagery, all to inspire action and unlock new audiences.

Content may be king, but connecting content with the right people -- that can get complicated. That’s where businesses like MAZ come in, to empower content creators to do what they do best and to succeed. Paul Canetti, founder of MAZ (a content logistics company) shares how this mission is accomplished by bringing businesses of all shapes and sizes to every major media platform, from mobile and TV streaming apps to Apple News and even gaming consoles. Paul talks with host Natasha Cholerton-Brown and guest host Marc Raco (MouthMedia Network).

Every day, millions of travelers flow through airports.  While they wait for their flights, many of them consume content through the flatscreen TVs in airport restaurants, bars, gate holds, concourses, newsstands, travel retail, and airline lounges. So, where does the content come from, and what’s the business model behind it? And what are the possibilities to program bitesize TV content that's customized on a daily basis, connecting with specific audiences, driving retail revenue, and serving operational functions? Lynnwood Bibbens, Co-Founder/CEO of Reach TV shares the full story of  the first Nielsen-rated, linear, short-form OTT entertainment network, that is made for people on the go, with the ability to get in front of 107 million travelers monthly. Host Natasha Cholerton-Brown is joined by guest hosts Rob Sanchez and Marc Raco of MouthMedia Network.

It's a thought-leadership master class on content from Mark Borden, a seasoned creative force and founder of EgoSpeed who applies journalistic and creative strategy to narrative alignment, editorial guidance, video production and creative direction. His clients include: Dolby Laboratories, Droga5, House Industries, The New York Times, Pandora,Peloton, Spotify, Toyota and William Morris Endeavor.

Content creation extends well beyond the written, or even the visual. Honest and intentional expression is necessary to create an environment, atmosphere and experience that connects a story or an idea to a brand’s ethos. One expert on this is the popular and sought after DJ and musical curator Hesta Prynn who works with brands to add an essential dimension to their messaging. In a conversation every marketing executive should hear,  Hesta (real name Julie Potash Slavin) shares how thoughtful curation of music choices, lyrics and themes can bring an event or campaign to an advanced level, and how music — as content — can elevate a mission’s impact and provide powerful thematic opportunity. 

This is Life with Lisa Ling is an investigative docuseries on CNN. Lisa Ling, award-winning journalist and author, immerses herself in extraordinary, unusual, and sometimes dangerous communities across America . What she has learned over several seasons as an executive producer and host has profoundly changes her as a person, as a mother, and perhaps even as an American. Lisa sits with MouthMedia Network co-founder Marc Raco for a special interview, in which she reveals how the stories that her show covers have impacted her and her production team, and what she’s learned about America and the country’s changing identity from the people, communities and remarkable stories shared on the series. Lisa gives a glimpse into one of the stories from the upcoming season of "This Is Life with Lisa Ling", and why it struck a nerve, and about a big decision she had to make when Hillary Clinton didn’t win the presidency. Plus, what "This Is Life with Lisa Ling" has to do with Lisa seeing herself as "American enough". This episode was originally published on the podcast "American Enough".

There’s an outsider disrupting the ad industry - only her tool of disruption is journalism —  reporting on content —  holding the ad industry accountable and creating a standard for doing business the right way—-in an effort to transform the industry.  Lindsay Stein, Editor for Campaign US—-a global business magazine covering advertising, media, marketing and commercial creativity, joins Ritesh Gupta, Amber Mundinger, and Natasha Cholerton Brown to share the four pillars of progress; how Campaign is holding the industry responsible for doing good work, and doing it the right way; how she’s found so much positivity in  an industry sometimes seen as jaded; and a look at the need for more recognition for creative people who are driving the best work.

There’s something to be said about hustle, street smarts, and reinventing yourself.      Noah Levy, Executive Producer & Development Content Creator, has made a career from all three.  Hustle and street smarts gave him a leg up over being merely book smart, and he reinvented himself in the world of content into virtually any type of role -- from on-camera TV personality to producer to consulting with media execs & personalities to become thought leaders. Noah joins Ritesh Gupta, Amber Mundinger, and Natasha Cholerton-Brown to share the art of the pitch, why you should follow your interests instead of trends, and the importance of diversifying your portfolio of opportunity.

Great video/film content requires amazing footage. But if creativity and imagination is limited by scope of what you can capture and places you can travel to do so, the possibilities of content are not boundless. That's where robust stock footage libraries come in, and platforms like Clippn play an important role in video curation and stock footage monetization. Mick Reed, CEO/Founder of Clippn gives a look into the world and future of stock video curation and possibilities, along with a musical treat. Mick joins Natasha Cholerton Brown along with guests hosts Marc Raco and Rob Sanchez.

How does a former recording artist who was discovered on MySpace drive the marketing efforts of one of the most iconic American brands forward, while paying homage to its successful legacy?   Monica Rustgi, Vice President of Marketing for Budweiser, shares her insights and journey with hosts Ritesh Gupta, Amber Mundinger, and Natasha Cholerton-Brown. She also reflects on with why she believes that success comes in part from fearlessly injecting yourself into whatever moves your brand forward, the three things she seeks in every winning creative opportunity, the importance of understanding a business problem, and why she’s determined to not fall victim to stereotypes of other female leaders.

If you had an hour with Jodi Peckman, the former long standing creative director for the iconic publication Rolling Stone—someone who has been in the center of culture, spending time with presidents, the Dali Lama, major entertainers like Madonna and  George Clooney, and musicians from The Beatles to Cardi B—through wars, trends and a a technological revolution, what would you ask? What could you learn? Hosts Amber Mundinger, Natasha Cholerton-Brown, and Dalia Strum do exactly that, and the conversation is wide ranging. In this episode: How the meaning of “content” has evolved over time, and why Jodi didn’t consider herself a content creator  Jodi’s long tenure at Rolling Stone, and how the change from film to digital and recently back to film affected the approach to photography and visual language of the magazine as well as the business side of the photography world Jodi’s approach to a photo shoot, and how that changes based on the subject, from actors to musicians to the President The importance of trust as a photographer, and how that trust earned Jodi some of her biggest shoots  The challenge of getting access to the best locations for a subject: their own home Why Jodi gets more excited when she gets to a photo shoot at a client’s home or office and finds it a mess How building relationships with subjects makes repeat photo shoots more relaxed and easier to create stronger work thanks to the established trust and ability for everyone to have more fun with the experience The importance of knowing when to pull back from a concept for a shoot, even when you think it would make for a stronger statement The difficulty of working with artists today, where the imagery and persona are more closely associated with their brand and product, which can get in the way of finding the authenticity and human connection between artist and fans that Jodi sought out with her earlier work  How Jodi approached the Cardi B photo shoot The way Rolling Stone chooses its cover photo subjects to embody that era or current news cycle, and how Jodi went about encapsulating the magazine’s 50 year history with the anniversary issue, along with celebrating its visual impact on culture with a book The scrutiny that mainstream news goes through in 2019, and what that means for a magazine like Rolling Stone in the era of “fake news” The dangers of photojournalism, and the difficulties setting up shoots for articles on environmental issues and war zones How Rolling Stone’s mission statement to get to the truth of all things pop culture has led to some controversial cover images throughout its history The prevalence of video content online, and what that means for still photography  Why war photography and nature photography resonates with her so much Jodi’s departure from Rolling Stone, and how she plans to take everything she’s learned about visual storytelling to new mediums: books, showroom installations, and documentaries Jodi’s inspirations throughout her career, why being a lifetime New Yorker is important to her, and what having a mentor like Jann Wenner meant to her

How do you create content that is useful in marketing in away that is unique and specific to an industry?  Much of it has to do with coming from an authentic space, and focusing on the person or business, and not the topic or title. Sarah Malcolm, COO of The Content Funnel (a content marketing company offering solutions for real estate companies and professionals, writing high quality real estate blogs, press releases, social media posts and more) joins hosts Natasha Cholerton Brown (COO of Clippn), Amber Mundinger (COO & Head of Strategic Partnerships at Artists Den), and Dalia Strum (Founder of Rethink Connect). In this episode: How Sarah is using unique content, from blogs to podcasts to TV shows, to drive leads in the real estate industry The partnership between The News Funnel and Atypical at CRE Tech, which used mannequins placed around the event and generated considerable social media content Why The News Funnel chose to branch off into the real estate industry with it’s subsidiary The Content Funnel to fill a need for content creators to ghost write for real estate agencies who do not have a social media presence How The Content Funnel uses its partnerships with CRE Tech, The News Funnel, and influencers to market themselves Sarah’s background as head of digital strategy at ICSC and how she built a network of companies who were experts at utilizing particular aspects of social media which culminated in the creation of Marketing Marketplace Keeping up with how social media and marketing demands are evolving, by making partnerships with drone companies like All In Drones and The Scene Lab How Sarah gives every interaction with clients a personal touch by really getting to know the people she’s working with so they can collaborate and work together long term Why building that trust and personable relationship often leads to clients coming to Sarah and The Content Funnel for How the real estate industry is utilizing AR and VR to create new experiences and ways to market and engage with clients Interior design apps like roOomy which let you visualize how you might decorate  your potential new home Sarah’s firsthand experiences with how the AR/VR experience changes the experience of looking for a new home How influencers have become a factor in the real estate industry, and the path for becoming an influencer through Instagram, and why LinkedIN and Facebook aren’t as big of a factor for influencers Managing a client’s unrealistic social media target goals, the importance of benchmark reports, and when a client is wary to make a move that is right for their goals Sarah’s relationship with her twin sister Susan, who also works in real estate, and what they learn from each other  Learning from her mother, a COO at Regency Centers and one of the first female executives at Federated, and her husband, a creative director at McCann Echo The lessons Sarah hopes she can pass onto her children Staying up to date and finding inspiration through Instagram The importance of being genuine and true to yourself in all facets of your life

What could you learn from one of the advertising and marketing industry’s most recognized thought leaders and entrepreneurs -- who has sat in every chair of the content circle, from creation, to operations to data?  Messenger turned advertising underdog turned successful entrepreneur Jon Bond,   Chairman at Sito Mobile, joins hosts Natasha Cholerton Brown (COO of Clippn), Ritesh Gupta (Head of Content for Vayner Productions), and Michael Villasenor (Executive Creative Director of Product Design Experience for Hearst). He discusses good vs. bad content, why the journey may be important than the destination, and two extraordinary stories about Gary Vaynerchuk and Donald Trump. In this episode: The buzzwords Jon wants to see less of in 2019, transparency, storytelling, and transformation The problem with shorthand, and how it can become an intellectual crutch  The qualifications for good content, that is an original and stimulating idea or concept that is easily shared The kind of content Jon chooses to engage with, and why Jon likes content or interactions that make him feel like the dumbest person in the room How working a messenger job in college led to the Jon’s discovery of the advertising business and sparked his career path The change in the advertising business, from an industry full of big and bold characters to one primarily concerned with conformity Playing to win vs. playing not to lose Why the world needs another David Ogilvy, someone who can bring together data, science, and creativity together Sito Mobile’s approach, and why taking data of where consumers have been is a more important statistic than where you’ve clicked Why qualitative data leads to insight, and will always beat quantitative data Jon’s journey through advertising and content, starting from when he co-founded Kirshenbaum Bond working with Kenneth Cole creative viral marketing before it had a name, to Sito Mobile, which markets as a service How subscription models for consumer’s content affects publishing and marketing when people are choosing what content they are engaging with Sponsored content, the importance of disclosure, and why Jon thinks that consumers regulate the market better than any organization could The September Vogue issue, and examples when content and marketing become one Sito’s Brand Momentum Index, a freemium service offering real-time insights on big brands, and other new things coming from Site in 2019 Why Jon believes people focus too much on what their life goals should be, and block out the serendipitous moments in life that can be most enlightening Why David Bell is an inspiration to Jon as example of someone who stays relevant despite his age Jon shares some concepts for a Trump Taj Mahal ad that was never made Why Jon thinks the subscription models for content are good for the quality of what we consume, and give more money back to creators  The connections Jon hopes to make with Sito in 2019

Imagine being in the middle of the moment of a content explosion for a major publication like the Huffington Post…and it feels about the same as if you were there with the Beatles when they went supernova. Coming up, a music journalist turned content veteran, who is now charged with creating emerging products and  revenue streams for one of the most noteworthy  publications anywhere, The Washington Post, in a conversation that feels more like a master class in on the ethos and theory of content creation... Jarrod Dicker, VP of Commercial Technology and Development at The Washington Post, joins hosts Natasha Cholerton Brown (COO of Clippn), Ritesh Gupta (Head of Content for Vayner Productions), and Michael Villasenor (Executive Creative Director of Product Design Experience for Hearst).  In this episode: The evolution of content over time, from print to digital media to twitter, where content is the user’s identity Jarrod’s start as a content creator writing a music blog so he could get free tickets to shows Getting a job on the native marketing team at Huffington Post through a Craigslist ad The evolution of native marking and branded content from a relatively new concept to something that is done as standard, instead of something thoroughly planned and utilized to its fullest Learning from mistakes and gaining a proper perspective The need to move out of your comfort zone and unlearn what has worked in the past in order to push forward into a new era The importance of evaluating your brand’s value and strengths to find a business approach that works for them and not following trends, i.e. companies flocking to the subscription model because that is the current trend The evolution of branded content from brands teaming with publishers to get their products in front of more people and scale up to a way of sharing a brand’s story effectively rather than just distribution The need to transparency from outlets to show the work that goes into their content and why it is therefore worth spending money on a subscription and to lend validity to the product The danger of fake news and publications that put out misleading or falsified articles, and how publishers should be reacting to this trend The importance of reputation and the relationship between the writer and reader in news and content in general moving forward Jarrod shares a potential news publisher model that is closer to a music management model or early TV news Jarrod talks about fatherhood and his approach to exposing his two children to media How growing up in a musical household affected Jarrod’s exposure and early interactions with content and media and sparked his career Some of the industry leaders who inspire Jarrod

How does an Oscar-winning, major sports network look at content creation and battle changing consumer priorities? Adam Neuhaus, Director of Development for ESPN Films and Original Content, discusses going from pitching ideas to hearing pitches, the nature of content through the lens of filmmakers, why ESPN took a revolutionary strategy and won, why story is first and sport is second, the need to take risks, and great ideas always win over whatever format in which they are presented. He joins hosts Natasha Cholerton Brown (COO of Clippn), Ritesh Gupta (Head of Content for Vayner Productions), and Michael Villasenor (Executive Creative Director of Product Design Experience for Hearst).  Why the demand for quality storytelling has led to a rise in true crime and multi-part documentaries The explosion of content in recent years, and how that is likely to continue with Disney and Apple entering the video streaming service marketplace The role of gatekeepers of media, and the importance of curation and honing a brand The importance of the directorial “POV” voice in media, and how that directorial focus has been utilized by ESPN with 30 For 30 to let filmmakers tell the stories they want to tell How that unique and unpredictable element drives engagement from viewers and builds a following The importance of relationships in how Adam and ESPN Films’ approach to working with directors and documentary projects How ESPN Films initiates projects, from pitches being sent in to Adam and his team looking for people who have stories they want to tell Some of Adam’s favorite projects he’s worked on  What Adam is doing to widen the aperture of ESPN Films’ scope to encompass athleticism, adventure, and competition in general, and not limited to strictly “sports”  The “target goal” for ESPN Films, and how programming like 30 For 30 has broken beyond content made only for sports fans Adam brings in some nondairy allergen-friendly ice cream  Adam’s career trajectory, from working at small production companies, to working at IFP, to the William Morris Agency (now WME), and Paradigm as he shifted gears from working with agencies towards working as a creative Why film is so important to Adam Adam’s path towards being a media developer, from being an assistant to a producer The importance of doing what it is you want to do, even if it’s starting on a small scale, as you play the long game towards the position you want Headsets and Highballs, the networking group Adam started back when he was working as an assistant, and how it has grown over the years Cord cutting, and how ESPN has reacted to this by embracing streaming and taking part in other network bundles, along with forward-thinking business ventures The new opportunities that streaming platforms provide to ESPN that would be impossible on a broadcast schedule Adam’s work at Radical Media and Original Media, working on indie films, branded content, YouTube channels, and reality TV, which prepared him to work at ESPN Films How Adam’s work in various areas of media has shaped the enthusiastic, honest, and respectful approach he brings to his job now Adam breaks down what makes (or breaks) a successful pitch that lands on his desk Plus, we get to know a little more about Adam, his career goals, his love for basketball, and how according to his 3rd grade report card, he hasn’t changed all that much!

Connecting and strategizing content with the way our brains react and engage... Dr. Paul Zak, scientist, entrepreneur and author of several books including "Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High Performance Companies.",, joins host Ritesh Gupta (Head of Content for Vayner Productions) in the MouthMedia Network studios. Neuroconomics—why people make decisions Why decisions are variable, people make mistakes and respond to content A look at the change in brain chemistry when responding to content Grabbing the brain in the right way, motivating charitable inclinations/giving Oxytocin -  associated with things mammals do—reduces fear of being around other people, helps people get along, and can turn on positive social behaviors like trust charity Looking at content second by second, when onee checks out, when not paying attention The “give a sh*&” measure Conflict so we care about how things resolve Advertising - short may be better The miss of sloppy storytelling A testing process including wearable sensor, cloud-based, in a bar the way people might watch ads Why liking a commercial isn’t important, it is the actions that matter Generate conflict, the end of conflict and a high immersive point Why it matters to not resolve conflict, and end on tension point Immersion neuroscience vs. focus groups Why our brains cant process and communicate complex emotional experiences Grabbing the brain in a way that engages Strategizing movie trailers Thinking about bladder capacity Building a predictive model Immersion index Testing ads for an agency Why the small screen is more immersive than the large screen Why watching repeats of TV shows and movies is entertaining  Why valleys/breathers are necessary, in a tight and thoughtful way The biggest mistakes brands make in making content Narrative transportation Thank you to Robert Murtfeld for the introduction to Dr. Zak.

An in-depth discussion about the ways that content and media shape our understanding of emerging beauty companies and trends, through the lens of two beauty directors… Jennifer Goldstein (Beauty Director and Features Editor, Marie Claire; Host of Fat Mascara Podcast) and Jessica Matlin (Beauty Director, Harper’s Bazaar; Host of Fat Mascara Podcast) join “Beauty Is Your Business” hosts Karen Moon (CEO and Co-Founder of Trendalytics) and Abby Wallach (Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Scentinvent Technologies), along with Content Is Your Business host Amber Mundinger (SVP, Live Media & Strategic Partnerships, Rolling Stone Magazine) as part of a MouthMedia Network Live event recorded in front of a live audience at Experience Knotel. The interactive space ia located in the heart of Noho in New York City (666 Broadway) and designed to showcase the experience of working in a flexible, adaptable, always energized environment. Sponsored by Knotel – Your agile business deserves an agile space. Knotel will find, customize, and operate your ideal office while you focus on your business. Discover more at www.knotel.com.In this episode: There’s something lush about a print ad How the “Fat Mascara” podcast got started, telling more of the story than print or digital publications will do Picking shea nuts in Ghana, Goldstein and Matlin meeting each other Knowing the difference between editorial content or branded content, and being clear The use of “Presented by…” and what consumers and readers are used to seeing now Who does native content well, smart content Consumers are smarter, writers need to tell stories very well New rules are changing things, how readers can tell the difference The need for education for the consumer Fact-checking A higher standard to abide by Can’t promote things that aren’t science as a writer The era of “fake news” A recent scandal – influencers are paid to speak negatively about other brands, and one who is reported to have said she won’t speak negatively if she is paid by that brand Mistrust of media and journalism A code of ethics Is there really no bad press? The call for a governing body for influencers? Social media’s Achilles heel for accuracy and truthfulness and abuse Scotland, a good lip product, hair like you got off a motorcycle, algae and seaweed forests, a perfume school wish, a migraine, partnership give and take and the rhythm of constant communication The post Jennifer Goldstein and Jessica Matlin – Beautiful Content and Fat Mascara appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Philanthropic media brand featuring women of empowerment, fashion supporting causes, and environment… What’s it like to build a magazine? From scratch. In your living room, with a team of interns. Without any experience, because you came from the fashion world, not publishing. And not just any magazine: It’s digital, and turns pages so the experience is like a printed magazine with rich media extending beyond the pages. And each issue is more than 400 pages of extraordinary content with remarkable personalities. It also has a strong social mission at its core. Karina Givargisoff, Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Mission Magazine, joins Pavan Bahl (president of MouthMedia Network), host Dalia Strum, and guest host Amber Mundinger (SVP, Live Media & Strategic Partnerships for Rolling Stone) in front of a live audience on location at Spring Place. MouthMedia Network studios are powered by Sennheiser.In this episode: Givargisoff’s path to Mission Magazine, how she used to be a fashion editor, moved from London, and what led to starting Mission After seeing a friend suffer, wanting to combine fashion and raising awareness for social causes How generally female students from Parsons New School of Design help putting together 400 pages of content How to decide what missions to get behind How causes are always women and environment, with issues coming up on mental health, want to do human trafficking issue, then teenage issue and social media How the magazine turned into something startling, a fully digital magazine that flips like a paper magazine What Givargisoff took from working at WWD, being a stylist a lot of job skills came over, managing a team meeting deadlines, good under pressure, problem solving How the magazine is a positive thing that needs to exist, socially cause driven Why Mission is focusing on local charities first, how vetting them with big support from Grant Thornton pro bono How a percentage goes to charity after operating costs Why treatment of girls in India and getting home safely been an important cause for Givargisoff Being nimble and a small company, able to quickly pivot and change Announcing the splitting into two entities – one for profit, one not for profit Wanting to make a documentary series for each issue Operating without a rulebook, it hasn’t been done before Third issue is on mental health because of what Givargisoff has been through Reactions from people in the media space, others, had one person from a big fashion brands say she’ll never do it, and how that motivated So focused on the social mission, kept forgetting about the fashion The effective albeit scrappy team And an incredible story of humility, of falling, and of getting up again The post Karina Givargisoff of Mission Magazine – The Good Troublemaker appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Visual and contextual content relating to digital technology as a portal to amazing experiences… Julie Vargas (Director, Digital Solutions) and Jonathan Aitken (Director, RFID and Digital Partnerships) at Avery Dennison join host Dalia Strum and guest host Pavan Bahl on location at the Retail Innovation Lounge at South by Southwest (located in in Max’s Wine Dive) in Austin, TX. MouthMedia Network is powered by Sennheiser.In this episode: Taking that extra piece and turning into an amazing experience and content The trend of personalization Augmented reality, tech behind authentication, and how consumers can bring products to life A focus on integration of RFID into Rebecca Minkoff’s products, extending the relationship with brands after purchase, gamification Apple’s camera with QR codes, and are QR codes back? The future of using connective devices and UGC, Lululemon’s UGC app, how people are hungry to share their content, a lot of UGC are not noticed by brands despite being the most effective content How brands start working with Avery Dennison, and the kinds of brands they work with RFID allowing a path to real-time inventory visibility Trends toward sustainability and transparency, doing business as a collective, storytelling applications that are made possible with RFID, and a marriage of blockchain and RFID Working with in-house content teams/studios vs. guiding as an agency How tech has allowed and enabled opportunities Creating an emotional connection with products The “mitten story” as a great example of the power of RFID Creating stepping stones, the path from QR codes to AR, serializing experiences, near- field tags Ecosystem with partners, and a partnerships with MishiPay What’s possible in a cloud-based model The post Julie Vargas and Jonathan Aitken of Avery Dennison – Enabling Opportunities with Technology appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Marketing with influencers and digital social engagement… Beca Alexander, Co-Founder and President of Socialyte (a premier influencer marketing and casting agency), joins Lisa Berger, Dalia Strum, and Edward Hertzman in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent.From blogger to agency co-founder, four influencer categories, and being authentic and faithful to audiences Alexander discusses how she fell into digital social engagement, was a blogger in fashion news and sold the blog despite not being profitable, she went to corporate America, had friends in the digital social engagement space who started personal style blogging, brands were reaching out, and they don’t know what to charge. She said she could negotiate their deals and take a cut, and then started Socialyte 3 ½ years ago, how the company acts as middle man to amplify brand messaging between services and brands to reach the right consumers, and how the only money used to be Google ads but that has changed dramatically. She mentions how she and her team began taking money from brands to write about the brands and became exhausted from running many stories daily, 24/7. Alexander received an offer to go to work, and also got an offer to sell the blog from a media company wanting to buy traffic from content websites. The blog articles were very opinion driven, and one can create traffic for differentiation but are brands skeptical about aligning? Influencers are in four different categories, and can be considered content creator. People follow people because they are posting about their luxury lifestyle. There are influencers, then there is actual high quality content, highly setup, with beautiful images curated in the feed, as if they could be in a magazine. Are these influencer posts reality or a manufactured, and how do they afford this lifestyle? How Socialyte is vetting content creators, looking for authenticity and consistent creation of content that is authentic and faithful to audience.Micro-influencers, lone wolves and doubling up, and higher income for women She touches on a love/hate relationship with micro-influencers, how they don’t generally understand the business of influencer marketing, but this is one of the reasons Socialyte comes into the conversation, with them often being the first agency that sends them a 12 page contract and they “freak out”. What the micro-influencers do, where the agency sends them a product, the influencer creates an image for a product. Occasionally, micro-influencers are introduced to timelines that they don’t understand or appreciate — missing a day or deadline can have a significant impact on the entire campaign. What is the level of engagement brand wants to see? Alexander discusses how there is talent management, how influencer failures impact contractual expectations, why Socialyte requires influencers to keep content and posts on for a year, when posting products becomes no longer authentic, the 50/50 sponsor-to-organic content ratio needed, and engagement levels. She mentions how the audience will tolerate sponsored content if post is authentic, the way influencers can be sponsored, how there is no template for this process, KPI’s are different for every brand, and influencers are humans, not commodities, so everyone is an individual that creates content and shares it in very specific ways. Influencers have been seen as lone wolves, as they are limited in seeing the circles around them. Now influencers are friends with other influencers because they share similar lifestyles, how this can result in them posting together and getting double content which looks like more organic content. She says that consumers are living vicariously through influencers, how influencers enjoy travel trips for content, being able to segment by location, and how this is one industry in which men are making less money as influencers than females.Vetting brands and influencers, two hours of Instgaram, and becoming Beca Alexander details, in a round of personal questions, the considerations for vetting of brands, taking an agency fee, declining brands and products dealing with smoking and sex, her obsession with human psychology and how the brain works, vetting influencers on their business goals, being a basic human, how her schedule starts with two hours of Instagram daily, tattoos, being from Ukraine, boring Cleveland, a tramp stamp, how self awareness results in informed decisions, conserving brain capacity, being very accessible by email, and how her name became Beca. The post 24 Seven Presents: Beca Alexander of Socialyte – Influenced by Humans appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Partnering music and brands with MAC Presents… Photo credit: Derek Garlington Marcie Allen, President of MAC Presents (music experiential agency , bridging the gap between corporations and the music industry), and musician, entrepreneur and philanthropist Taylor Bennett, join Pavan Bahl, Rob Sanchez, and Marc Raco for the most applause-laden interview in the show’s history on location at Subculture in New York City. This live audience episode is powered by Peerspace and features music by Casey McQuillen.Representing the deal, a seat at the adult table, and a market for authentic stories Photo credit: Derek Garlington Allen reviews her “Southern belle debutante sorority girl” roots, being raised by two grandmothers, attending sixteen schools before fifth grade, then how she started her first company at 25, being a storyteller and solid salesperson, having knowledge on both sides of the music industry, being in music industry representing the deal, and how bad deals aren’t authentic or tell a story. The importance of paying it forward, measuring ROI in music/brand sponsorships, and how fashion brands are being introduced to entertainment marketing and mass consumer marketing. Allen’s creative things used in repertoire to bring allegiance, consideration of the music industry’s album sales being down, how 10 years ago no one wanted to do a sponsorship in music, and now music artists have a seat at the “adult table”. How a deal with Billy Joel and Citi was of value even though he didn’t need the marketing, how a deal like that can move the needle in a variety of ways for an artist, tracking metrics and how brands can measure success, lifting sales and getting press, how Imagine Dragons’ deal with Southwest Airlines produced a billion press impressions, and whether musical artists are celebrity influencers. How much of sponsorship with musical artists is the cool factor, how music is one of the most powerful ways to connect with consumers, and the Urban Outfitters partnership with Taylor Bennett for Pride Month happened because he came out as bisexual, and how that was so authentic. Consumers can smell through non-authentic sponsorships, the return of cassettes, and what’s fascinating about artists. Gen Z, understanding the win, and measuring ROI Photo credit: Derek Garlington Deals with enterprise/blue chip companies, Khalid and Forever 21, Chance the Rapper with H & M, plus Taylor Bennett and Urban Outfitters, and how it’s about teamwork and women in the music industry. How artists have a groundswell of support from Gen Z, how brands don’t understand them, and they love fashion, and how brands are missing it. The absence of a major luxury brands who has done a deal with a developing artist, how fashion and music partnerships have exploded in the last year, and fashion brands are a way to reach a mass audience and global audience, so it isn’t as much about money. Sponsorship investments with large acts are at a fraction of the cost that other kinds of brands would pay because of the coolness factor and the reach of fashion brands for artists. Brands have to share what a win is – it is crucial. And, the need to focus more on the heartland of America. The story means everything, looking at what is the story that can be built around the artists and what brand will make sense is MAC Presents goes after. Knowing what are the important concerns, how brands are so focused on the latest technology, but ultimately it is about sitting down on both sides and finding out what is important to both sides. And, one has to be able to measure ROI.Urban Outfitters, owning both sides of the business, and a surprise live performance Photo credit: Derek Garlington Taylor Bennett joins the interview, discussing how the partnership with Urban Outfitters fits into the vision of his career. The importance of being your authentic self, on coming out bisexual on Twitter, how the brand is a lifestyle and culture, a message of anti-bullying, needing a creative space to be yourself, how the brand has supporter urban artists. The natural, organic story, partnering with Bennett as a face for Pride month, how Bennett is controlling his own business and the revenue from streamed music, controlling the creative and business sides, and how he and his business partners hold meetings after changing into suits in the bathroom. Off the Grid Questions cover a grandmother’s ceramic frog smoking a pipe, real world skills, a college counselor going in a different direction, a surprise performance of an early rap, a regretted missed opportunity, Cara Lewis, chasing dreams, messages to the community, women empowerment, being a professor, grabbing your future for yourself and getting it done, and an impromptu live final thought rap performance by Bennett.References: CLG Cara Lewis Sigrid Walk the Moon The post Marcie Allen of MAC Presents and Taylor Bennett – The Story of Music and Brands appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

How 3D Audio enhances and impacts content, human experiences, art, and science… Photo credit: Kevin Vallejos Julie Kaganskiy (Cultural Director), and Seth Kranzler and Daniel Perlin (members), of  New Inc. (the first museum-led incubator and a coworking space designed to encourage collaboration and spark new ideas from the synthesis of different disciplines) discuss how 3D Audio will enhance sensory experiences, influence human emotions and perception through a new lens of viewing and interpreting art. They also take questions from the audience and cover the importance of really listening. Presented by Sennheiser in collaboration with MouthMedia Network.Panelists Julie Kaganskiy Photo credit: Kevin Vallejos Julia Kaganskiy is a cultural producer across art and technology. She previously served as global editor of the Creators Project, a partnership between VICE Media Group and Intel. In 2010, she founded #ArtsTech Meetup, an initiative that brings together digital artists and professionals from New York’s museums, galleries, and art-related start-ups. In 2012, she was profiled in the AOL/PBS series “MAKERS,” which honored women leaders. In 2015, she was named in Crain’s New York Business’s 40 Under 40 list, and has been cited by Fast Company (2011) and Business Insider(2013) as one of the most influential women in technology. Seth Kranzler Photo credit: Kevin Vallejos Seth Kranzler is an artist, engineer, and developer working at the intersection of art and technology. He seeks to examine the impact of technological progress and expose new modes of interaction through the subversion of new technologies. His work manifests itself in installations, websites, and physical artifacts. He holds a Masters degree from New York University’s ITP program and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Seth cofounded Mixed Signals, an emerging concert series highlighting new works in electronic and digital video, music and dance. He also cofounded Channel Studio, a design and technology studio based in Brooklyn. Daniel Perlin Daniel Perlin is an artist and designer who believes in listening as a strategy for good design. Daniel got his start making work with things that make sound such as music, film, objects and sometimes spaces. After some years spent in Rio de Janeiro, where he worked in film and made work, he returned to New York where he attended NYU’s ITP program and the Whitney Independent Study program. During that time he started Perlin Studios, an experience and sound design studio in New York. Daniel has had the privilege of making things that cross many disciplines including sounds, interactive designs, objects, installations and performances. Recent work has included a solo performance at MoMA for the Lygia Clark Exhibition, an installation for the Costa Rica Pavilion in the Venice Biennial of Architecture, interactive work for Toyota’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle and a kinetic speaker in São Paulo. He has worked with such people, places and things as Google, Vito Acconci, Maya Lin, Errol Morris, Todd Solondz, IBM, Toyota, Domus Magazine, Under Armour, The Whitney Museum of American Art, PS1 the Cooper Hewitt and The New Museum. The post 3D Audio – Sennheiser Master Class with New Inc. appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Big picture global macro patterns and behaviors, with Sheryl Connelly… Sheryl Connelly, Global Trends and Futuring Manager (a.k.a. Corporate Futurist) for Ford Motor Company, talks with MouthMedia Network President Pavan Bahl about the insights and implications of the 2018 Ford Trends Report. Recorded at the MouthMedia Network studios, powered by Sennheiser. Read the 2018 Ford Trends Report here.Data for all, giving younger people purpose, and seeking solutions Connelly reveals how the report previously was kept proprietary and inside Ford, but now it is cascading it widely, as it is functionally agnostic. The brief is that the more it was shared that Ford received more insights. She discusses how trust is a trend that can’t be overestimated. She reviews the personal note to the reader, and how disorientation, disparity, and inequities cannot be ignored anymore, that people want to explore them and look for solutions and how the world is committed to looking for solutions. Being thoughtful in how to engage young people to give them purpose, working in emerging markets, endeavoring to be sure Ford is meaning the same thing around the world, elevating to truly a global space. How the whole landscape of automotive industry is evolving, and Ford is playing a leadership role.An activist awakening, mental and physical health, and the Ford Hub Uncertainty and confusion globally, an activist awakening, discovering the degree of intolerance of opposing viewpoints, and the understanding of the impact of individual actions on change. When thinking about solutions, whether women can feel safe and have accessible options, a societal cultural shift, how mental well being goes along with physical health, creating a culture of curiosity that opens the door for innovation, the impact of sleep on health and weight loss, disconnecting from work in order to grow and explore, and mending the mind. Retail, and pop up retailers such as Story offers evolution in use case and agile experiences. And the Ford Hub brand experience in the World Trade Center Oculus in New York City.Managing data, autonomous vehicles, and the changing family How the younger generation doesn’t care about giving personal information, and how brands can be distinguished by how they act as stewards of info. Autonomous driving features/autonomous vehicles, how we are already driving a semiautonomous vehicle, so the building blocks are already there. Bringing autonomous vehicles widely into reality will be partly dependent on legal, municipal, and other influencers, and how with this comes a greater level of responsibility for Ford. In 2021, when Ford brings its first autonomous vehicles to the streets will they be ride hailing and package delivery vehicles. Ford is “all in” with major investment and commitment, and it is something definitely coming. What it looks like offers various possibilities, addressing concerns of jobs going away. In the past the biggest fear with automation was what we’d do with our leisure time, but that didn’t happen. A lot of data in the “singled out” section—a lot of data on what average family means, for first time in America’s history there are more single people than married. Yet people maintain that single people are treated differently, and the definition of the nuclear family has changed. What kind of vehicles does that now mean, understanding how shifts might change affects how and where production is determined.The future plays out in ways that are tough to imagine. The resilience of the human spirit, and awe inspiring, head scratching data.   The post Happier, Healthier, Better – 2018 Ford Trends Report with Sheryl Connelly appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Compelling content, experiences and partnerships for brands as part of a complex creative ecosystem with Milk Group Angela Wei, Managing Director of Milk Agency (a creative agency, production resource and brand partner as part of Milk Group, a culturally conscious company), joins Lisa Berger, Edward Hertzman and Dalia Strum at the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent.Collaboration and expression, brand collaboration, and the grey area in between Wei discusses how Milk Agency as an extension of Milk Studios (Milk Group), a full service creative studio started 20 years ago as one of the first independent photo studios, how the agency as an incarnation of Milk is a platform for creative collaboration and expression, the culture platforms, how Milk.xyz features emerging talent and cultural stories, and the most recent iteration is Milk Makeup (direct to consumer and then via Sephora), and how Milk Group developed organically, but is a complex ecosystem. She shares he career path an early employee at Razorfish, from digital content to the ad world, working at MTV and at Discovery Channel, becoming interested in how those brands collaborated with other brands, working at Time Inc. in branded solutions, and interest in the grey area between brands when collaborating.A content pyramid, a culture shift for younger generations, and working with makeup lines when you have a makeup line She mentions content as a pyramid — at the top are films and featured commercials, down to snackable content at the bottom – and how Milk creates throughout the pyramid. She touches on how modern marketing is not enough, content is the future, brands being publishers and that people haven’t figured that out yet. The industry is intertwined, with big media houses pushing to keep integrity and trust, and how younger people are more comfortable with brands as a culture shift, with brands engaging more and creating dialogue. Wei says that an audience is a pyramid too, scaling is meaningless without a true purpose and a north star, and collaboration has to come down to the foundation of what a brand is about. Plus, the impact of having a makeup line on having makeup brands as clients, and Wei brings a seaweed snack.Diminishing IP value, evaluating success, Virginia Wolf Wei covers the “barbell model”, pure performance marketing now, how a type of brand determines the type of brand content and experiences, pop ups, embedding a brand experience that you take with you, how the IP value of brands are diminishing, how content is also what you input, and customizing content. She also shares perspectives on the ROI of branding and experiences, how one measures success of experiences and branding, and how it is usually qualitative, the impact of expectation of clickable marketing, and the danger of the expectation of never ending growth. And, Wei’s favorite books, being inspired by Virginia Wolf, the importance of curiosity and reflection, having space to explore, a crazy dog person, and how challenge comes from discomfort.   Find more MouthMedia Network podcasts at www.MouthMediaNetwork.com The post 24 Seven Presents: Angela Wei of Milk Agency – Finding the North Star of Content appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Creative think tank for brands and agencies at Google… Rudi Anggono, Head of Creative + New Experiences for The Zoo at Google (Google’s “creative think tank for brands and agencies”, with a mission “to push the limits of creativity thanks to Google’s platforms and technologies”), joins hosts Lisa Berger, Edward Hertzman and Dalia Strum at MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent.Driving sales with a creative team, Westworld, and YouTube Anggono discusses how The Zoo at Google help clients and agency partners to think of creative ways to use technologies, who is their most ideal client, the importance of being open-minded and ready to innovate in the content space, how The Zoo is a creative team that is part of the Google sales organization, and helping clients to innovate in the video space, which is mostly YouTube. He shares an example of a successful partnership with HBO about Westworld, working as a creative consultant with the show and many partners to extend the brand experience of the show beyond HBO, partnering with show runners, creating a fictional character Aiden living within website, and promoting in the YouTube platform. Anggono talks about YouTube as a cultural channel inspired by culture and informing pop culture, and how it is more like a platform engaging in two-way communication.Measuring success, Deep City, and relationship building He reviews how to look at what Google has done creatively, and why one should always start with the user first, who would use it, how people behave, expectations, whether Google is getting into proprietary content business, measuring success, and find creative ways to provide content for brands. He touches on whether it is better to have 10M views or 5k engagement, the impact of monetization of videos, completion rate and watch time, working in tandem with other creative agencies, creating Deep City in partnership with the in-house architecture team, and the importance of relationship building and networking even within a company like Google to people who share the vision of ideas.The risk of losing authority, robots, and reading Anggono covers the view of content studios replacing agencies, if content goes too far, the risk of losing authority, and a new form of product placement. Plus, a round of personal questions covers getting inspired, favorite books, “The Industries of the Future” by Alex Cross, robots, reading, being very curious, having media literacy, trying to look up a footnote, and the decision on what to believe. The post 24 Seven Presents: Rudi Anggono of Google Zoo – User First appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Storytelling that drive brand partnerships with the Dow Jones content studio… Johanna Mayer-Jones, Vice President, Client Solutions at Dow Jones joins hosts Lisa Berger, Edward Hertzman and Dalia Strum at MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent.How great stories cut through clutter, a solutions toolbox, and the nature of genuine content Mayer-Jones discusses how telling great stories cuts through clutter, makes the person engaging feel like it is a valuable use of time. Content Studio associated with Dow Jones. She talks storytelling, recalls a branded car driving around country capturing beautiful footage with real people doing great work, and the ability to incite change with content. She mentions how being part of the Dow Jones solutions toolbox is a way to solve consumer problems, and looking at page views vs. a better journey to useful metrics, current attention spans, video ads vs. short films, a video about N. Korea as a great example of capturing attention, and the nature of genuine content.Integrated partnerships with brands, a talented team, and solutions vs. one-offs She talks about the need to understand why and how audience engages, the value provided content can create in solving business problems, the desire to be a partner, how the evolution of content moves from a campaign to how can we work with you integrated as a partner, and client solutions vs. one-offs. Mayer-Jones discusses her smart team of multitalented and multi-faceted marketing experts as a flexible unit to collaborate, a new way of working from understanding business, working as a solutions toolbox, and being able to offer real talent. She reveals how Dow Jones was one of first publishers to partner with Alexa, and going to another exciting level with great stories on Alexa. She offers how being fully engaged allows people with a traditional way of working to collaborate with the next generation of smart people. And, an appearance from a special snack from a trip to Scotland.Fake news, passion and balance, and risk as an asset Mayer-Jones dives into the world of fake news, how The Wall Street Journal is a brand-safe environment, that security is critical, the meaning of client solutions, being a part of a revenue engine, what kind of content gets the team excited, and being passionate about doing things differently. A round of personal questions cover being inspired by mom who moved from Israel, worked hard to be successful, and became a judge in family court in the UK. The crucial nature of balance, how people are globally coming together, her journey from the UK to Hong Kong to New York, traveling for a year with a backpack, learning about cultures, stopping in Hong Kong, recently having twins, and taking risk as an asset. And she offers poignant final thoughts that “Good Ideas come form anywhere and everywhere” and to encourage everyone to engage with others to contribute idea. The post 24 Seven Presents: Johanna Mayer-Jones of Dow Jones – Great Stories, Distraction, and a Valuable Use of Time appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Marketing and strategy specializing in the female consumer… Kathleen Griffith, Founder/CEO of Grayce & Co (an agency working with general market brands to future-proof strategy by considering women in their narrative, and female-equity brands to go further, faster with women) joins Lisa Berger, Edward Hertzman and Dalia Strum in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent. (Griffith’s profile)A symbiotic relationship with big and small brands, a need for intimacy in marketing, and positioning messages as a girlfriend Griffith shares how her strategy agency works with the entire supply chain, including content strategy, working with iconic brand like Vice and Verizon, along with a big opportunity with small, cult and emerging brands. She discusses how the agency can leverage what they learn from the smaller companies for big brand clients, and bring big brand thinking to smaller upstarts. She offers an example of Glossier, explores the focus on women entrepreneurs, creating editorial and informative media content squarely around what women need without pushing product or service, putting editorial and media first and product second, and how conversations often start with that a brand is getting something wrong with female consumers. Griffith mentions the need for greater intimacy and access into the lives of women, and how often creative misses the mark, why advertising isn’t enough, and how the solution isn’t mere not storytelling, but often instead positioning a message as a “girlfriend”.Building a company with a specific focus and culture, choosing a meaningful name, and Build Like a Woman She reveals what motivated the agency focus, a huge opportunity to speak to in a more nuanced way, and how she had opportunity to work with people who want to create positive messaging so she began creating a culture of people she wanted to work with. She explains the deep attention to culture within the agency, and how many things revolve around food. Plus, a snack is delivered of incredible pizzas with truffle oil from Shroomtown. And, the touching family genesis of the name of the agency Grayce & Co. Griffith dives into an initiative with Entrepreneur Magazine called Build Like a Woman, helping many female founders who are talented but not able to take an agency, how the initiative involved taking agency services and democratizing them with aspects including intelligence, growth, project management, a digital grand playbook, and a business plan, build like a woman. She discusses the goal to get these women to seven figures or beyond, for pre-seed and then so they can raise money. She also clarifies why it’s not for her agency to determine whether a woman is qualified — if the founder believes in an idea it is good enough for them. Plus, a debate about what makes a quality startup. And, how this is an amazing pipeline.Cannes Lions, being inspired, and looking to the future Finally, Griffith talks about working with Cannes Lions , and “See It, Be It”, the opportunity to work with the “world’s biggest festival and awards for the creative and marketing communications, entertainment, design and tech industries”, and how the industry is behind driving change, moving from 3% creative directors to more than 10% already. Personal questions are answered by Griffith, with mentions of significant inspiration from other people, being the compilation of the five people closest to you, what one would would do if one weren’t afraid, and freefalling and catching oneself. The post 24 Seven Presents: Kathleen Griffith of Grayce & Co – Content Relationships appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Creating custom content at Bloomberg Media… Natasha Cholerton-Brown, Custom Content Manager for Bloomberg Media Group (a global business and financial information and news leader), ensures that all integrated digital storytelling, experiential, mobile and print custom content deals/partnerships create the most compelling ads to drive growth. She joins hosts Lisa Berger, Dalia Strum and Edward Hertzman in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent. (Cholerton-Brown’s profile)When brand intersects with audience, valuing disruption, and data plus storytelling Cholerton-Brown compares the process of working on custom content with one big puzzle, and discusses how the brand intersects with audience, the importance of driving a point of view, and how she is part “content geek” and a rare creative professional who puts business first. She reveals the dynamics of working with custom content creative team, how her background running visual media for Bloomberg and as a photographer, and how disruption is in the DNA at Bloomberg. Technology is freeing up industry players and creativity, and one of Bloomberg Media’s goals is to partner with existing agencies and help brands and clients. The realities of new industry titles, paying to play, getting more creative upstream, and informing every step of the way, while combining data and storytelling.Guts and common sense, brand presence, and social media strategy The hosts and Cholerton-Brown enjoy British-inspired snacks of “hobnobs” (or “chalky one-siders”), and lament for tea. Cholerton-Brown talks about determining what data is telling us, the need to mix guts and common sense to create good content, maintaining journalistic integrity while making money, and creating content at scale so it can be leveraged at every point. She mentions delivering brand content, creating a brand presence, why Bloomberg may not be in for “big plays”, and why influence is more important than popularity. She says Bloomberg won’t pursue aggressive strategies on social media, but has proven the model and is aggressive in moving to build strong content creation resources including getting the right people in place.Staying nimble, taking risks, and behaving like a startup Cholerton-Brown explores how a budding journalist should look at what content is now, and how they should be skilled across the board, and have utility and use all platforms in play. The rate content creation is developing is accelerating within media, and publishers should be thinking about a full stack of the resources of content creation, how the cost of entry into the business is easier, and keeping up with nimble and more agile companies. She discusses how Bloomberg Media is succeeding by keeping watch, taking risks, and behaving like a startup. She also touches on the separation between personal and business life, and how it is critical that one just put oneself out there as disruptive. And personal questions cover how organization is the key to raising kids for busy professionals, Fire Island, “The Content Trap”, how Bloomberg is an entrepreneurial, merit based organization, taking risks and being bold, thinking on one’s feet, and being nimble. The post 24 Seven Presents: Natasha Cholerton-Brown of Bloomberg Media Group – Guts, Common Sense, and Storytelling appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

A luxury car brand’s relationship with content creation, brand partnerships and experiences with Cadillac… Katie Kim (Manager of Brand Partnerships and Experiences at Cadillac) discusses consumer touchpoints in the real world and the new brand experience center in SoHo, New York City Cadillac House in a conversation presented by 24 Seven Talent, in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. With hosts Lisa Berger, Dalia Strum and Edward Hertzman.Cadillac House, outwit vs. outspend, and quantifying success Kim describes Cadillac’s sprawling scope of work with breadth and depth in creating content from brand partnerships and experiences, the move of the global HQ office from Detroit to New York City, and Cadillac House as a new way to experience the brand. She describes Cadillac as a nostalgic brand of accomplishment and luxury, and touches on how the brand is taking positive nostalgia and translating it into a regaining of brand relevance today. Cadillac can be thought of as a115 year old startup and underdog, which shakes up how the company does business overall. Kim talks about the importance of New York City as the center of luxury in the US, and why Cadillac can’t just copy what other car makers are doing. Instead of playing catch up with other brands, Cadillac is striving to strategically outwit them. She covers traditional communication vs. social media planning, and explains how everything Cadillac does is designed to be shareable. Cadillac is still determining benchmarks and commercial viability for brand experiences and partnerships, but is maintaining focus on clicks vs. engagement and ROI to quantify success and paint the picture of how buzz-worthy each event they host is. Building relationships with the brand, content through a broader lens, and a retail lab Cadillac is not in the game of pay to play,” says Kim. Developing relationships with partners who have a genuine interest in supporting the brand is where the success originates. Kim shares the tagline “Dare Greatly” and that Cadillac is moving past featuring interesting people doing interesting things, and why the strategy is no longer to focus on borrowing equity from them or by sponsoring someone else’s event. She talks about in-person events using them to create content like the pop up retail boutique in Cadillac House and the retail lab built with CFDA, offering designers the opportunity to test brick and mortar retail works for their businesses. This strategy has enabled them to position Cadillac as a lifestyle brand, instead of an automotive company.  Growing brand relevance, a meaningful partnership, and namedropping in music Cadillac House is a brand experience, leading people to buy a Cadillac because of a relationship. Kim discusses the importance of online brand presence, explaining that “by the time someone comes to a dealership, they already know what they want.” Kim explains the three year process of developing a relationship leading to a car purchase, the focus on making the brand relevant to new consumers, partnerships with Global Citizen, and opportunities for actions to gain access. She discusses adding a new layer for change by empowering change-makers, intimate concerts, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The results Kim presents show that the strategy is working, with Cadillac growing globally, showing brand-health KPI’s improving. Kim also gives a glimpse into how the movement of Cadillac’s HQ has changed the hiring mindset and how the company’s aggressive growth infuses high energy within. Personal questions cover the most namedropped brand in music, an incredible Andy Warhol exhibit, and Kim’s final thought, saying “good content can come from anywhere…It’s a really interesting time. Content is not just top down anymore. It can be bottom up.” Hear more podcasts on MouthMedia network at www.mouthmedianetwork.com The post 24 Seven Presents: Katie Kim of Cadillac – The 115-Year Old Startup’s Strategy to Outwit appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

Branded Content at The New York Times… Tracy Doyle, Creative Director, Fashion & Luxury for T Brand Studio at the New York Times (Doyle’s profile), joins hosts Lisa Berger, Edward Hertzman and Dalia Strum in the MouthMedia Network Studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent.Telling Brand Stories with Journalistic Integrity T Brand Studios, the New York Times Branded Content Studio, was founded about 3 years ago in New York, and is now international with companies in London, Paris, Hong Kong, and soon, Singapore. Doyle defines the company as “the idea that in its truest essence, the NY Times is a document of life being lived, and therefore the natural extension of stylistic expression of T Brand Studios is a narrative. Above all, we are storytellers.” Doyle explains that the integrity behind the journalistic aspect of the New York Times is what motivates all areas of the company, but that branded content is different from journalism, though the lines at other companies are becoming blurred. She notes that “Media companies are starting content studios – and they’re coming in various forms.” T Brand maintains journalistic standards and stays away from what Doyle calls the “woman on a beach with a bottle of perfume” generic advertising to create stories behind each piece of content and campaign. This lures fashion and luxury clients to T Brand because they acknowledge the need to better target their audience, and know that the standards and experience of T Brand will create the different but necessary content in a timely manner with great quality. Formal journalists are now transitioning to content creators, writers, and a staff of producers within T Brand Studios, and they are there to create revenue but also high quality content. Doyle references the “Agency of the future model” – a lot of different news companies are now laying off employees because they don’t have the skill sets needed to survive in today’s market.How Does Story Telling Influence Content? As a Creative Director, Doyle truly sees the art in content, and noted the need for constant materials because instead of visual, in-person artwork and ads, content is “scrolled” and can easily be missed. This is why she says that her first instinct is not a print first campaign. She says as long as they know their demographics and target audience, T Brand can do the rest and tell the story in the best medium possible. By telling a story and not flashing product in the consumer’s face, the content is received on an emotional level, inspiring a want and a need to have that lifestyle, or that item. Rather than telling the audience why they should buy something, telling a story shows the customer why they need a given product and how it will fit in their lifestyle. One example Doyle gives is a recent video series for Tiffany & Co. No one was required to have on Tiffany jewelry and there was no product placement. The only branding was a Tiffany Blue paint splat at the end of each episode. The piece was forward thinking and very successful because it played on emotion. The conversation then goes into a timeline of how content has evolved from 2005 to 2020, from loyalty strategy to marketing tactics and marketing strategy to the current model of content strategy. The post 24 Seven Presents: Tracy Doyle of T Brand Studio at The New York Times – Creativity Meets Integrity appeared first on Content Is Your Business.

The opportunity to be newsworthy for brands and make headlines for them… Otto Bell, Chief Creative Officer of Courageous Studio at CNN (Turner’s first brand studio – (profile)), joins Lisa Berger, Dalia Strum and Edward Hertzman at the MouthMedia Network Studios powered by Sennheiser. Presented by 24 Seven Talent.The genesis of Courageous, stories with editorial merit, and the eclipse event Otto Bell, Chief Creative Officer of Courageous Studio at CNN, discusses the genesis of Courageous, Turner’s first brand studio, and what it’s been like to make branded content for CNN, HLN and Great Big Story. Bell says that while embarking on creating branded content for Courageous, it’s been important to him to maintain brand credibility and he’s taken particular care to avoid eroding the audience’s trust in the brand. Bell says what sets CNN apart is the brand’s authority its history in video. CNN and Courageous offer more than 50 points of video-driven distribution, from Snapchat to airport channels and robust social channels – Courageous is a one-stop shop for a true global rollout of content campaigns. Bell also notes that Courageous has a full-time, in-house team of cinematographers, editors, photographers, graphic designers etc. and this enables the team to create the best content possible. They can recruit top talent because of the brand’s reach (they offer artists a chance to have their work seen by a tremendous audience) and because Courageous offers the opportunity to learn marketing from the ground up, to become fluent in getting ideas commissioned. He touches on how Courageous is not in the business of making “fluffy advertising”, and how they are looking for stories that have editorial merit. Bell goes into the excitement of working on the eclipse concept this past summer. His team worked with Grey and BY MindShare to bring the world access to the moment of totality. They used new technology and high dynamic range cameras with 44 incoming feeds (around 6 times more than a usual CNN day). Passing the acid test branded content, the value of a WPP Fellowship, and the contraction of the agency world Bell goes into exploring live advertising and how working with new technology like Alexa programming and audio augmented reality is what keeps things exciting. He dives into a recent piece on the world’s only milk sommelier where he traveled to Holland to meet with a dairy farmer. He says this piece passed an “acid test” when it was picked up by Food and Wine Grub Street, DairyBusiness.com and The Washington Post, proving branded content stands on its own two feet. According to Bell the opportunity to create newsworthy moments for brands is thrilling but there are pitfalls of this type of work, such as the challenges of setting up proper production facilities to keep the pipeline filled. Bell recalls his WPP Fellowship and how he saw the TV advertising model was breaking, and that the entertainment model was growing. He describes coming to New York with a desire to go into branded entertainment, and how he landed a role as Creative Director at Ogilvy. Bell shares how he helped come up with an idea for a content studio at CNN and how it was the right jump at the right time. Snack time brings a British candy offering orange to caramel to raisin flavors.Communication, being proud of the work, and a new magazine Bell describes the different experience of working on CNN TV vs. the digital side. When he thinks about future-proofing the business, he says it’s the way you look at the world -a good story is a good story, whether it’s a documentary or a piece of targeted intelligent brand content. What’s key to his process is over-communicating so clients feel deeply involved. Bell reflects on the value of being proud of the work in the end, and the goals of making sure any piece hits objectives, works for the audience, is good looking, and thoughtful work. He distinguishes between breaking news and branded content, how they produce a lot of 2-3 minute short films, and the way real events lead to branded content (such a wedding proposal story). Bell reveals what keeps him up at night, and the glut of content in the marketplace. His final thoughts, “There has to be some kind of exchange if you want your content to succeed in this busy, busy marketplace.” The post 24 Seven Presents: Otto Bell of Courageous Studio at CNN – Making Headlines for Brands appeared first on Content Is Your Business.