Here's What I Know

minor details

Made in America - A MarketScale Original Series, provides an intimate look at companies across the United States manufacturing at home, integrating with their local communities and changing the shape of the American economy. We are proud to be named a Platinum Award Winner for the series, by the AVA Digital Awards.The AVA Digital Awards panel of judges honored Made in America with a Platinum Award in Video Production, naming the series the winner for Long Form Video < 3 Minutes, Video Series.AVA Digital Awards’ mission is to provide “an international competition that recognizes excellence by creative professionals responsible for the planning, concept, direction, design and production of digital communication,” and the Platinum-level represents the highest level of annual honorees.The awards aim to “honor the evolving ways and means that we engage our audiences through the creative convergence of digital arts, technology and information.“Made in America” tell the stories of B2B companies still making the marketplace in the U.S. home, and the series has featured episodes highlighting businesses from Lexington, Kentucky to Nazareth, Pennsylvania.To view every episode of “Made in America” and the rest of MarketScale’s original series, watch here.Interested in creating your own original series?

It's one of the most cliche phrases in marketing, yet undeniably true. Content is king. But as more mediums add to the vastness of content - how as a marketer do you create content to stay relevant?The biggest challenge every business faces is in fact staying relevant to their market. On the first episode of Market Makers we speak with Letitia Donovan, Global Marketing Director at Red Lion, to talk how content engages and educates customers, and solves problems. "People are buying an experience, and want you to solve their problems," says Donovan. Content can help do just that.

Sales and marketing ultimately cannot exist without each other but often they are siloed and inherently selfish to their own goals that don’t necessarily align. But in today it is more crucial than ever before that the strategies of both are aligned and compliment each other. An even more importantly, that the two areas collaborate – extensively.On this episode of Market Makers we talk with Gina Sansivero, VP of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Atlas IED. The idea that sales and marketing should be one is not a new idea, companies with aligned sales and marketing functions generated 208% more revenue from their marketing efforts. "I truly believe that a huge part of marketing is sales enablement. Without that concept, without that understanding, a large part of what we do, is sales enablement, then how do you enable a sales organization without really aligning yourselves in goals and strategy and keeping those lines of communication open?" said Sansivero.

Conversational robots, zero click search results, new content mediums and more data than ever before. Are these the components of a marketers playbook in 2020?In business there is a constant need for change and disruption. And there is no time in which the opportunity and immediacy for change is more relevant than an approaching new year. On this episode of Market Makers we talk with David Venus about the primary concepts and strategies that will dominate marketing in 2020 and how to prepare. "You are constantly planning, that really is the core of marketing. You are constantly planning, and you have to be willing to pivot. If something is not working, don't stay the course. Find a way to make a change for the positive or the better of that campaign to push numbers in the right direction," says Venus.And what will make that happen in 2020 is different than what we've seen previously:Purpose-driven data.Zero click search results. And SEO.Conversational marketing.Content. And more content.Listen to this episode of Market Makers as you prepare your marketing strategy for 2020.

On this episode of “Here’s what I Know” we sat down with MarketScale Business development manager, Nick Bruce, to discuss the power of Storytelling in B2B. Bruce and Tyler Kern break down why it’s important to leverage Visual Storytelling when communicating to your customers and why it’s not OK for B2B companies to not be doing so.Any good marketer will tell you that the creation of good quality content is crucial to achieve success in today’s world. But what type of content is most effective? In Nick Bruce’s opinion, Visual Storytelling is the most powerful form of content because its ability to connect with consumers on an emotional level.We have more data at our disposal than ever that allows us to make to make logical business decisions. But, every day emotional decisions are still made. Why is that? Take a listen to this podcast to gain some insight on this subject.

2019 is the year companies make the shift from traditional advertising to content marketing, and it's already showing. Winning companies, no matter their size and industry, are focusing on owning their channels by leveraging content and moving away from "renting" their channel with paid advertising. "What happens when you don’t renew in that quarter, you don’t renew in that year? The ad goes down, your traffic goes back to what it was, your exposure is down to nothing," said Tim Maitland, Vice President of Business Development at MarketScale. He joined us on MarketScale Thought Leaders to break down the power that content has to not only elevate your brand, but empower the people on the front lines: your sales team. Receiving information about a company through articles rather than advertisements has become the standard for executives and business owners across the country; even brands like Coca Cola have realized this and even shifted focus to content creation from television advertisements. Maitland adds that, just like in politics, putting your ear to the ground and delivering honest publicity that relates to your target audience is what's winning and what will continue to win in 2019.

Branding is more than just a logo in 2019. It's the way that customers recognize and experience your business. With social media being the easiest and most cost effective way to reach any audience, branding your business on those platforms is crucial. What's the best example to turn to for successful, engaging branding? Celebrity twitter might have the answer. "With Drake or Kanye or some of these celebrities in music, they treat their brand a certain way and really branded themselves to get successful," said Nick Minor, Business Development Manager at MarketScale. "Not only are they doing music but they’re doing movies, being sponsored by Apple Music, that’s a big one. This is something that businesses can do as well, leveraging what they’re doing to get more business." Minor, having previously worked on branding initiaitves with the Calgary Flames' AAA affiliate, joined us on this episode of MarketScale Thought Leaders to give his personal insight on why looking at the way that celebrities represent themselves as a brand, constantly differentiating themselves from other celebrities, is a technique that business need to adopt to stand out. B2B marketers have consistently cited brand awareness as their top goal over the last 5 years, and Minor is here to get you closer to that goal.

Every day, industry professionals get up and go to work striving to become the expert in their respective field. But not every industry professional goes out of there way on a daily basis to actively learn about or interact with industry leaders and events. You may ask; isn't the daily grind enough to stay thoughtful on and engaged with your industry? Brandon Pfluger, Business Development Manager at MarketScale, doesn't think so. "Seeking is about finding things out and keeping up to date and being eager to learn something new to fine tune your skillset," Pfluger said. "Developing yourself as an individual in a company is an important piece, but making sense of things and then sharing that out in your own words and your own thoughts is really where a lot of your development comes from." Thought leaders like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Warren Buffet manage to find the time to read everyday with some of the busiest schedules in the country. But it's more than just reading or informing yourself; these individuals spread that education through the world by speaking at industry events, writing blogs, and creating podcasts. Pfluger joins us on MarketScale Thought Leaders to detail why thought leadership and creating content of your own is the best way to stand out, fit in and rise up within your industry.

There has never been more data available to businesspeople than today. However, with so much availability, it can overwhelm decision makers.MarketScale Business Development Manager Jennifer Tran believes that those who overcome this data paralysis will be positioned to advance their business. Trusting the statistics can provide insight that even the most experienced professionals might have otherwise missed.“We can create content all day and every day, but they’ve got to really rely on that data to see ‘OK, this is what’s working really well so we should continue to make that kind of content,” Tran said.Numbers tell a story, and using it to come to a rational conclusion will continue to put businesses in a better position to succeed. Learning which key metrics to measure and what those numbers are saying is critical to gaining an edge, even if at first it can seem too daunting to absorb.

The traditional advertising model has been upended in the era of social media and digital content. Consumers have rejected outdated ad campaigns in favor of engaging and informative material.Not only are companies seeing greater returns with content marketing, they are able to produce it for less than other marketing initiatives.“I think the key thing about content marketing is vs product marketing is that it’s actually 62 percent less expensive to do content marketing,” MarketScale Business Development Manager Shannon Maverick said.In an era where information on any topic is available at peoples’ fingertips 24/7, companies have become eager to position themselves as thought leaders.“If you can establish yourself as a thought leader, as an expert in the industry, people are going to want to flock to the companies they feel have the strongest know-all on the topic that they need help with,” Maverick said.

For companies, there’s nothing more important than finding the right person for a job. Filling a role can be difficult, but landing star talent makes the challenge worth the effort. In this Careers Podcast, Brandon Morgan, Senior Director of Client Services at MarketScale, reveals what he’s looking for in hiring a Senior Digital Marketing Strategist (DMS).This full-time leadership position is based at MarketScale's Dallas Headquarters and will be a key member of the Client Services department. The department is responsible for the clients in their portfolio, and each person has their own unique approach. Morgan reveals how one team member, who happens to be a trained vocal artist, once composed and sung a song to a client to ask for a contract renewal. “She loved it. She signed the contract. We got the deal. It was a lot more fun than most of our renewals.”Prospective applicants should understand that while there’s an individual component to employees’ responsibilities, the team at MarketScale works collaboratively, always pitching in to ensure maximum client satisfaction. “There’s no such thing as that’s not my job, we win as a team and we lose as a team," says Morgan.Learn more about becoming a Senior Digital Marketing Strategist - listen to the podcast and apply today!

We can all thank (or maybe blame) Henry Ford for the 40-hour, 9 to 5 workweek. But the daily grind established by the automaker ninety years ago isn’t meant for everyone. On this week’s episode of MarketScale Creates, we spoke to cinematographer Dave Pavlina who is currently road-tripping across America in his vintage Airstream camper and producing videos for MarketScale along the way. It was the show LOST with its soaring soundtrack and beautiful visuals that sparked Dave’s interest in videography. After graduating from art school, he landed a full-time job doing photography and video work for a vacation homes company. But the gig wasn’t especially creative or inspirational. “At lunch, I was daydreaming and thinking I can’t wait ‘til it’s 5 o’clock," Pavlina said. Finally, the monotony drove him to his breaking point and he decided to embark on his freelance journey. But working for yourself isn’t easy, and between networking and shooting projects, he found himself always hustling. “I was working very, very hard at trying to make the freelance life work," Pavlina said. Through dedication, Dave found comfortable success in the Orlando area where he lived, but he didn’t want to get stuck there so it was time for a new quest. “The challenge of trying to take the freelance career and have it be nomadic seemed like the next logical step," Pavlina said. He hit the road in his Airstream camper, seeking adventure and inspiration in America’s vast landscapes. Dave credits his affiliation with MarketScale with affording him the ability to live a wayfarer lifestyle. He no longer has to hunt for work and is able to use his cinematography skills to film videos for clients from coast to coast. He also loves that he’s free to pursue his passion projects, keeping his creative juices flowing. “I needed a new wave of inspiration that travel could provide, and it has provided that," he said. So what’s his next destination? Wherever life and a tank of gas take him.

It's hard to believe there was a time, not too long ago, that job openings were posted in newspapers, resumes were sent via fax, and companies were researched by prospective applicants by going to a library. It's safe to say that we've come a long way since then. Today, postings can reach hundreds of potential candidates within seconds, interviews can be set up within minutes by a bot and conducted without ever truly meeting in-person. Yet despite all of this, hiring in today's job market is tougher than ever before. Companies no longer struggle to find candidates, they struggle to find the right candidates. In a competitive market it's hard for a singular company's voice to be heard above the noise of not just their competitors, but every other business. Applicants want to know about more than just the role, they want to understand the culture of a company and how they would fit in. Companies need to be able to answer "Why would someone want to work here?" without ever talking to applicants. How are companies effectively communicating their answer and properly reaching the right candidates without breaking the budget? Traditional hiring and search tactics are changing. From niche industry job boards to authentic jobcasts for specific roles - listen to this episode of Here's What I Know with Nick Minor, Business Development Manager at MarketScale, to find out how you can transform your hiring.

The Hospitality industry is uniquely impacted by shifts in trends, tastes, and technology. Join MarketScale's Hospitality Insider Jennifer Tran, and host Tyler Kern as they break down Amazon's Alexa for Hospitality, responses to AirBnb's market disruption, and more!

Dungeons & Dragons, the nerdy tabletop role-playing game of the 80s, is experiencing a renaissance with newfound growth and engagement. With newer, easier-to-digest rules and a wealth of real-play podcasts to dip your toes, getting into D&D is easier now than ever. So why should you get in on the craze? Simply, it’s a grand ol' time...but it may also make you a better employee. In this episode of Here’s What I Know, we spoke with Graphic Designer and Illustrator Charlie Long, a now former intern with us, about how she sees D&D as a chance to stretch crucial social skills that she can use in her day-to-day work life. Long meets with her group about once a week to continue an ongoing story she and her fellow players are helping craft by embodying unique and strange characters they’ve devised. In doing so, she finds herself collaborating not only with the characters in-game, but with the people playing them to find solutions that can make everyone happy, or at least lead to a good laugh. Meanwhile, the Dungeon Master throws unique situations at them demanding creative problem-solving to get through. Sometimes things don’t go to plan, or the plan was poorly thought through, and the group has to find ways to power through failure and make the most of a bad situation. “There’s a lot of opportunities to fail due to chance and a lot of opportunities to fail because you had a bad plan. I remember one of my professors would often say ‘fail early, fail often’ and D&D really lets you fail often," Long said. But perhaps the most interesting to a roleplay focused player, such as herself, is the chance to step into someone else’s shoes and practice empathy. Give this podcast a listen to understand how these aspects of Dungeons & Dragons can create essential practice for those soft skills that can improve efficiency, collaboration, and confidence in the workplace.

Since 2002, fans of The Bachelor have been gathering en masse around their televisions with heavy pours of rosé to watch contestants go on a "journey" to find love. While other reality TV shows have fallen by the wayside, The Bachelor franchise is still going strong fueled by spinoff shows and a rabid social media fanbase. One of the more intriguing ways that the show has continued to build on its popularity is their use of former contestants as social media influencers. In much the same way that former athletes are hired to provide commentary for sports, former contestants on the show take to Instagram and Twitter on Monday evenings to give their thoughts on the proceedings. Armies of fans join in on the social media chorus to voice their opinions on the drama that unfolds during every episode. On this episode of Here's What I Know, MarketScale interns Watson Brown and Audrey Claybrook join the podcast to talk about what companies can learn about marketing from The Bachelor. You might be surprised to learn just how many lessons can be gleaned from a reality show about finding love.

There is a cyclical rigidness about transitioning from college to work life. Suddenly, the spontaneity of university living turns into a structured 8-5 day, triggering a load of lifestyle changes. For many, the most difficult part of adjusting to corporate life is how to take care of oneself while adjusting to a foreign routine. This seemingly unachievable balance between college-style indulgences and prioritizing healthy eating proved difficult for our three interns. On this episode of Here's What I Know, we sat down with MarketScale summer interns Megan Carr (Digital Marketing Intern), Ally Shay (Data and Analytics Intern) and Shivani Seth (Data and Analytics Intern) to discuss how they have stayed healthy amidst this transition and how one of their favorite grocery stores helps play a role. During our conversation, the three described an undeniable bond they have made over the past few weeks that involved motivating each other during this time of confusion and change. Plainly put, “adult life is hard,” but finding friends, and evidently coworkers, makes it easier. An overarching theme among the three interns was how they utilize their friends and each other to achieve their health and fitness goals. Essentially, accountability is key in work and home life productivity and holding themselves to a high standard aids in achieving long term goals. While both peers and their own personal standards have been motivators, so is where they choose to shop; the source of this health craze. Trader Joes has been the three’s commonality and, manifestly, the topic of choice during lunch breaks. Not only does it help facilitate this healthy lifestyle, but their operational model is fascinating to Megan, Ally and Shivani as they are all exploring marketing careers. In short, Trader Joe’s prides themselves on private labeling, seasonal products, and the shopper-centric customer experience that keeps loyal consumers like them coming back. Throughout this week’s episode, we dove into how Trader Joe’s has been a constant foundation for healthy living and how their personal branding allows them to be uniquely successful , getting the unique perspective of three healthy marketing majors!

Providing a creative solution and executing it is what makes marketing campaigns stand out. The ability to connect with a target audience through captivating and detailed storytelling makes MarketScale video productions a valuable asset to its clients.To continue the company’s ability to bring clients closer to their customers, MarketScale is searching for a talented Video Production Manager. This person will join the Dallas-based team in a full-time leadership role.Quality video production has increased MarketScale’s ability to grow clients’ business and this growing team is looking to keep its momentum going in the near and long term.“The amount of quality we’ve had in these past few years has been incredible. We’ve gone from doing really short productions, and now we’re doing large scale productions and our videos look incredible,” MarketScale Creative Director Josh Brummett said. “I think 20 years from now we’re going to be doing really high-end content. We’ve already been doing content with Bose, Samsung and Segway and I think we’ll be able to elevate our content even further.”The ideal candidate will have three-to-five years’ experience and a bachelor’s degree in an arts-related field. Stepping into a leadership role will demand that this person have excellent communication and problem-solving skills. Making the clients the hero is key to a successful shoot, and this person will have a vision to accomplish that by carrying out the key steps in each part of the production process.Learn why Brummett describes this role as befitting of Braveheart warrior William Wallace and why the MarketScale video production team would be the Foo Fighters if they were a band.Find out more about the Video Production Manager role through this careers podcast, and apply online today!

MarketScale helps companies across the spectrum of the business-to-business world grow. Today it is looking to build upon its own capabilities by adding a professional in the role of Senior Manager of Operations.Company B2B Media Producer Tyler Kern sat down with Vice President of Operations, Sergio Reyes to discuss the role.The Senior Manager of Operations will oversee daily digital marketing and operations for MarketScale. Reyes says the company is looking for a candidate who has a combination of traditional operations skills and a modern understanding of software and technology.More than that, this person will be given the opportunity to manage and grow a team that strives for and achieves operational excellence.Find out why Reyes says if MarketScale were a band it would be Led Zeppelin, what position this role would play on a basketball team, and what the most rewarding part of this job will be.

Historically, Business to Business (B2B) marketing has lived up to the stereotype of being stale and dry. While often lacking the creativity that is often found in Business to Consumer (B2C) marketing, a new era has arrived across all industries of B2B. With a disruptive mindset, and a focus on engaging prospects and audiences with information, educational, inspiring stories, marketers today are removing the stereotype that once existed. From creative storytelling in video, to the prominent use of infographics and podcast shows, marketing is rapidly changing in B2B. In this Careers Podcast with MarketScale's VP of Business Development, Tim Maitland, we dive into our open role of Business Development Director. This full-time, Dallas-based role is fit for a forward-thinking, growth-minded individual looking to sell through creative problem-solving and leadership. When presented with a goal, this role must use all of the tools at hand to achieve it. As a new and evolving position, this role will be molded by the distinct individual that fills its shoes. So what are the most important traits for this position? Maitland asserts that the individual must relish “embracing struggles and providing solutions.” Creatively getting deals with Fortune 500 clients and prospects is integral, and confident leadership is a must. Marketscale caters to 14 different markets, from transportation and food & beverage, to IoT and energy, and therefore the Business Development Director must love learning and understanding these wildly diverse industries. So what is it like to work at Marketscale? Tim Maitland sums it up most succinctly in this simple analogy: If Marketscale were a band, it would be the Beatles–genre-bending, innovative, and fresh on the scene. Apply today!

A Behind the Scenes Look at 'First Flight with Jimmy Fordham Producing a polished, engaging video requires more than professional equipment. It’s just as important to have skilled videographers behind the lens and a teamwork-focused crew committed to exploring an engaging subject in depth. Further, taking video to the next level requires intense pre-production planning, then paying attention to key details while onsite. Flying High with Jimmy Fordham When MarketScale wanted to highlight the advanced technology and capability that their client, Aspen Avionics, produces for general aviation cockpits, they knew they needed something special. When it comes to the air, you can’t get much more special than Jimmy Fordham, a low-level aerobatic pilot who’s logged over 18,000 hours since his father taught him to fly at age 14. As a highly experienced corporate, charter, and airshow pilot, Jimmy has flown a wide variety of multiengine, Lear Jet, and Falcon 20 aircraft over the years. This particular shoot, however, would feature Jimmy’s refurbished 1943 North American AT-6 advanced trainer aircraft which uses both a multi-function display and primary flight display system manufactured by Aspen Avionics. Now, all that was needed was the right videography crew. A Film Crew Rises to the Task To shoot in Jimmy’s hometown of Monroe, Louisiana, MarketScale decided to go with a local film crew. They were fortunate to find Andrew Benton of ABP Films and Cory Venable of Film Thread Productions, both of Louisiana, who produced captivating, high-quality footage for the project. Cory and Andrew began their video career with the same marketing agency and were trained by a video production mentor who taught them the importance of pre-production planning and doing your homework. That means reviewing the shot list in detail, contacting everyone involved in advance, and setting expectations. So before they even headed to the airfield, they reviewed MarketScale’s shot list and interview questionnaire with Jimmy so he knew what kind of shots and audio they were looking to capture. Taking the Shoot to New Heights Although Andrew and Cory meticulously planned the shoot, they also recognize the necessity of keeping your eyes open for opportunities to improve it. For example, they initially planned to film the interview first; but when they arrived at the airfield, the beautiful weather conditions made the lighting ideal for the aerial and ground shots instead. For the shots taken from the ground, Andrew planned on using a tight lens, making it imperative to keep the camera steady without losing track of the plane in the air. To ensure he got the shots he needed, Jimmy not only provided him with a pre-flight route, but signaled him from above before each stunt with a stream of smoke.

People are inundated with choices today. This is true in business but even more so when it comes to content consumption. Traditional media and advertising fail to connect with modern buyers and individuals are turning to more innovative solutions to stay educated, informed and inspired. Sticking out from this plethora of content can be challenging for those who are beginning to see the necessity of content creation in business. There is not question that finding a target audience and relating to it can be difficult. Thought Leadership Club is answering this problem with several key solutions. A common misconception among companies is that content must convey a Hollywood-esque production or conversely, detailed purely technical information. However, these often don't connect with the final decision maker and take up valuable resources in time and money. Powerful storytelling is best told with authenticity. The ability to spread your company’s message on-demand makes your content more timely and relevant as well. Thought Leadership Club takes the stress and uncertainty of creating content off your hands, allowing you to focus on other channels. At the same time, MarketScale’s team of content creators will produce a podcast that is unique to the story of you and your business. You’ll be left with an effective marketing tool that is easy to consume and share with your network and target audience.

Formula 1 attracts fans all over world for a variety of reasons. Some people love the speed, while others are drawn to the precision of the machines. For MarketScale's Tim Maitland, Brandon Pfluger, and Logan King, they all approach the sport from the same perspective: their love of cars. While they've all been fans of cars for a long time, their introduction to F1 has come about much more recently. The question that exists for many new fans of the sport is whether or not Lewis Hamilton's run of dominance has diminished their enjoyment of F1. "The closest parallel that I can make here is what Tiger Woods has done for the game of golf," says Logan. "In the case of Lewis Hamilton, whether or not you're rooting for him or you're not, people are tuning in." Brandon points out that having a rock star like Lewis Hamilton hanging out with celebrities in the U.S. brings a level of visibility to the sport that hasn't always existed in the past. In today's world that is increasingly driven by social media, it's important to have stars that resonate with people around the world.

About eight years ago, Canon started to dominate the video market with its 5D MKII camera lineup. Being able to capture high quality 1080p video and beautiful photos in one body was a huge selling point to filmmakers. Canon sat on this throne for many years, with little innovation or change to their DSLR lineup. Recently, Sony decided to do something about this and released a revolutionary mirrorless camera. This camera was smaller, but more powerful than the Canon competitive camera. Every new model of the Sony A series cameras was better than the rest. Videographers and photographers alike wanted a piece of the Sony pie because these cameras were giving close to the same results as cameras two to three times their price point. Soon after its launch of the series, Sony dominated the market that Canon once held. Over the past year, Canon has tried to catch up, but its technology has fallen short. Sony learned from Canon’s shortcomings and created a product that targeted the Indie Video Professional. Sony now reigns as champion on the small form video camera, and Canon has been left in the dust. The moral of the story? Know your audience, and never stop innovating your product.

Mexican food is a big part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Texas in general. Despite that, it seems no one really knows where to look when searching for an authentic Mexican food experience. One of the main reasons for this is because the smaller authentic restaurants usually lack the recognition and marketing of the larger chains. On this episode of Here's What I Know, we speak with MarketScale 3D Design Specialist Cristian Jimenez about what differentiates authentic Mexican food from Tex-Mex and how smaller Mexican food restaurants can start to market themselves in order to bring genuine Mexican cuisine to light. Additionally, we explore how the state of Mexican food today affects the stereotypes and perception of Mexican culture and how food can be used as a form of education for the public.

In this podcast, we dive into the importance of storytelling and how it can really help to make a lasting impact on your customers. We may not realize it, but stories become a huge part of our lives from childhood, and many of us carry those stories with us throughout our entire lives. So why are stories in marketing so impactful and what is our role in constructing those to best serve each individuals needs? I began telling my own stories through the art of video when I was just ten years old, and I still carry that passion today. I studied at the University of Kansas where I earned my degree in Film and Media Studies. Much of what I learned there involved film theory, which really translates to the art of storytelling. Throughout my career, I have always put the story foremost in the editing process, because that is what viewers want to experience. That is what sets every video apart.

Just a short while ago, I would not have been able to provide an opinion on this topic. Over the last five weeks though, I've gone through the most transformative period in my life: I’ve become a dad.As an analyst through and through, I've been constantly exposed to ways that my profession (data) is interwoven to my new job (dad). From the size/development data on the little one before he was born, through the massive amount of data around his birth and first days, to the technology and tools we use to monitor him on a daily basis, data is everywhere.In regard to the current data my wife and I are collecting, it blew my mind to learn that there were products available that provide and record such deep levels of health data.Owlet, for example, measures heart rate, blood oxygen percentage and sleep stages on a nightly basis. This allows my wife and I to have peace of mind. As a parent, that feeling is immeasurable by data.The makers of that product have done an excellent job at selling peace of mind, and for new parents this resonates far more than any set of data.Data, technology, marketing, parenting. Who knew they'd all be so connected?

In the world of music, 2019 has been the year of the Jonas Brothers. After a six-year hiatus from making music as a band, they are back, bigger and better than they ever were before. But anyone who has listened to the group’s new singles like "Sucker" and "Cool," knows that they are not the same Disney Channel band that initially rose to fame. The trio has ditched its family-friendly façade to pursue a new, more mature audience this time around. This rebrand may be stark for a band, but it is actually a common technique for businesses in all industries looking to enter new markets or reposition themselves among the competition. Companies undergo a rebrand when they try to capture a new audience, have a bad reputation, a stale image, and for many other reasons. With the band’s new popular hits, it is only natural to draw the comparison of how a B2B company can also revel in the success of a comeback. On the latest Here's What I Know podcast, Director of Operations Emily Rector and Senior Digital Marketing Strategist Cameron Cooper, MarketScale’s own in-house Jonas Brothers experts, reminisce on their past 12 years as Jonas Brothers super fans and discuss how big brands could learn a thing or two from boy bands when it comes to rebranding. From a new sound and look, to being more open about their personal lives and a lot more adult content, the Jonas Brothers are using a rebrand as a launching pad. This same transition can be seen in well-known companies who have done a rebrand themselves - like Apple Inc. and Domino’s Pizza.

The Auburn University football stadium sits in the middle of campus, the mecca of a small college town. As part of the tradition-rich Southeastern Conference, Auburn takes pride in being a “football school”. This year, something changed. The men’s basketball team experienced its first-ever NCAA Tournament Final Four appearance, and suddenly Auburn became a basketball school. We sat down with Breanna Perkins, an Auburn alum & content marketing coordinator, to talk about this paradigm shift and how a vision led to a new level of fan engagement, on our series, Here’s What I Know. Head Coach Bruce Pearl has been at Auburn since 2014, slowly building a sustainable basketball program not just through recruiting, but by engaging with marketing classes and community and alumni events – fully immersing himself into the university's culture and weaving Auburn basketball as an important thread within it. “I can’t think of Auburn Basketball without Bruce Pearl, that is what he has done for me,” Perkins said. Winning teams and organizations create buzz around success, events and ultimately their vision. This heightened engagement brings in more “fans” and ultimately influencers, leading to increased followers on social media and overall organic brand growth. Auburn was able to add more than 40,000 new followers to the men’s basketball Instagram account during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament alone. Organizations can utilize their employees and partners to be advocates for their brand, similar to Auburn alumni Tim Cook and Octavia Spencer advocating to their networks on behalf of the University. Social selling platforms like Smarp and Sociabble are strong tools that provide employees with a custom library of content they can easily share out to their followers. When your own team is engaged in your success, their network becomes a natural extension of your growth and messaging, and ultimately - fans.

Video games have always revolved around competition. From the one-on-one battles of Pong in the early 1970s until now, these virtual worlds have captured people’s attention through struggles and rivalries. In the modern era, these battles have been brought to a world audience. Twitch has been instrumental in bringing gaming to digital audiences everywhere, and game developers have changed their business model in response. Historically, video games were a one-time expense. A customer would walk into a store, make a purchase and walk out. Today, developers are producing ‘freemium’ content, where players can purchase upgrades, custom add-ons and other in-game services for far less than the price of a standard game. The idea is to have as many players try it, and with the help of influencers, have as many people continue to purchase these add-ons or subscribe to new offerings. “Sixty dollars for a game, especially when you are young and don’t necessarily have a job, that’s honestly a big investment for a game you may or may not be playing in a month or two,” MarketScale Video Editor & Sound Designer Zac Brummett said. Twitch, and other streaming services like it, have created a new sphere of influence in the gaming world. The gaming community has always been large and international but today it is connected like never before. Brummett and MarketScale Data Analyst Jared Street have witnessed this evolution firsthand, and on today's episode of Here's What I Know, give their perspective on how it's affected the industry; both are avid video game players and, for the most part, are excited to see its rise into the next level of pop culture. “It has definitely made gaming more mainstream, that is for certain,” Street said. However, this change has not come without detractors, according to both Street and Brummett. With audiences being so in-tune with influencers through streaming services, Street believes it can hurt the gameplay experience for casual players. “When streamers are setting the meta for games and strategies are completely determined by the streamers and everyone uses them, I feel like that is kind of overstepping the bounds of what is OK in the streaming sense,” Street said. For game developers though, the path to rapid growth has never been easier. The entire marketing and advertising strategy has been placed on streaming, influencers and the connected community. “A perfect example of this would be APEX Legends. When they released it they did no advertising, they did no content, it was just released, and ‘here ya go’,” Street said. “They just relied on the community and the streamers to do all the marketing for them.” From a marketing and business perspective, video game developers have never had an easier time reaching a larger audience on a smaller budget. With the overall rise of live streaming and continually increasing performance of video content, marketers across all industries can benefit from these growing channels. Not only do these channels have a low barrier of entry, but they showcase the power that influencer marketing can have on a product. If a piece of content appeals to a community and engages influencers in that community, the need to spend advertising dollars disappears. The influencers have become the best brand ambassadors, and the ones with the widest, most authentic reach. Twitch and other streaming services are sure to only grow as brands and influencers build even bigger audiences, and more marketers join in on the live video game experience. Listen to Here’s What I Know for the stories, brands and culture behind marketing.

In this modern era of disruption, there are not many services that have altered the landscape of culture and business like YouTube has. What started as a home video host has become one of the biggest companies in the United States and has forever changed the way people receive information. The platform puts the power in the hands of its users, giving people in all industries an outlet to become a star. MarketScale Video Editor Lance Frierson has followed the development of YouTube since its inception in 2006. Working in the video content world, Frierson is familiar with what makes a successful personality and brand on YouTube today. “Despite how overwhelming, and bleak and doom-and-gloom it may seem, anyone can make it on YouTube,” Frierson said. “It’s just a matter of you being consistent and you having the diligence to keep up with your channel.” Building a following is still a challenge in such a crowded field of influencers, media companies and creators, though. Frierson has a plan for any aspiring YouTuber though. “Do your research. Look on YouTube channels, see what content is being made and isn’t being made,” he suggested. Frierson points to the little things that most content creators will not do. “This is the important part. The next step is upload and optimize,” Frierson said. “Make [your content] invincible. Optimize your title, create your tags, that’s the most important thing and that’s how your video comes up in a search.” Whether it be a brand or individual, YouTube can be a way to make it to the top. It is still unclear how content creators will take advantage of this ever-changing platform in the years ahead, but the ones who do will have access to an audience like few others do in this generation of media disruption.

Once upon a time... It might be the most cliché beginning to a story, but the traditional lead-in has withstood the test of time. Beyond the opening line, how do you create a narrative that engages an audience enough to make them advocates? In this episode of Here’s What I Know, we speak with MarketScale Senior Digital Marketing Strategist Terry O’Connell, Post-Production Manager Shannon Willey and Digital Marketing Strategist Jon Baer about lessons in storytelling from HBO hit series Game of Thrones. The show has thrived by turning its audience into engaged advocates who continue to share its story. Drawing inspiration from classics of literature and epics of history, Game of Thrones succeeds in its storytelling through subverting narrative archetypes with a heavy dose of realism. Characters, whether beloved or loathed, are at equal risk, and they face impossible choices with unclear consequences and far reaching effects. It is important to tell stories that audiences can connect with in a genuine way, beyond a gimmicky sales pitch. Viewers do not want to be sold, they want to relate to a story that is relevant to them. In narrative storytelling, continuity is of utmost importance. Without continuity, narratives lose impactful substance and storytellers alienate their audiences. There are clear threads in the underlying story of Game of Thrones, but to some extent the reason this story so impactful is continuous discontinuity. In marketing, continuity plays an equally important role in branding. The best brands have a well-formed narrative - an underlying story that demonstrates a need, and how the object of the brand satisfies it. Without continuity the brand invariably breaks down, and the marketer loses their audience. Continuity is a shield that must never be abandoned, by marketers and storytellers alike. Change is acceptable. Disorder is not. When customers and prospects become personally invested in a story, they become advocates, influencers, partners and ultimately marketers. Game of Thrones understands the power of its fans as its own advocates and marketers.

Marketing has become both an art and a science. With changing algorithms, an increased number of tools, and more data and analytics than can be digested by even an entire marketing team - it can be hard to keep up. Pair that with the variety of content types and mediums, and marketing has transformed into a carefully analyzed art form. How do you create content engaging, inspiring or educational enough for a user to stop scrolling and digest it? We spoke with Denis McInerny, Creative Producer at MarketScale, in the first episode of Here’s What I Know. McInerny knows social media marketing like few do. He recently wrapped up a yearlong performance art piece as a micro-influencer, crafting a faux-public persona from scratch. To do this, he immersed himself in the social media micro-influencer realm and built a brand for himself, showing how a person or organization can utilize their following to engage and push a narrative. He follows this motto: “Don’t take yourself too seriously, but take everything you do seriously.” Instagram’s new algorithm prioritizes profiles that have a high page engagement on past posts. McInerny saw this firsthand, and the more he connected with his audience, the higher the return of engagement was. Staying consistent with audience engagement almost guarantees the algorithm will help a brand, instead of hurting it. From LinkedIn to Twitter, Instagram and beyond, social platforms are used to build brands. According to Sprout Social, 61 percent of social marketers prioritize social media posts that teach, 58 percent focus on telling a story and 53 percent focus on posts that inspire. It is vital for individuals to develop a personal brand by building channels that authentically engage networks with their story. “Be whatever you want to be, but you need to be able to tell that story efficiently, effectively and in a way that people want to interact with,” says McInerny.

As the Super Bowl approaches, the single most important game in the National Football League and one of the most iconic sporting events in the world, we can see just how alike sports and marketing really are. How are these teams preparing for the biggest game of the year? They are using their data to develop a winning strategy that gives them their competitive edge. They are watching film and seeing which plays will be successful against their opponents. Content marketing, surprisingly to some, should be treated in the same fashion. "If you don’t have data in place and you’re just pumping out content, you’re treading water, you’re not moving anywhere. We need to know what’s working and what’s not and take that information and allow us to move forward," Nick Bruce, Business Development Manager at MarketScale, said on today's episode of MarketScale Thought Leaders. Right now, studies show that around 65% of marketers in the small to mid size range have a hard time producing engaging content, and the same percentage claims that they aren't able to measure their ROI on the content that they produce. Without data these marketers won't be able to develop that winning strategy, and they'll continue working hard with only hopes of positive results. We sat down with Bruce who breaks down this philosophy and delivers insight on this issue marketers are facing, as well as how to win at the sport of content marketing.