Career Boosters is usually an e-panel discussion that scouts out leaders in the marketing, digital, communications and advertising space to provide their perspectives on industry topics related to career development, talent acquisition and hiring practices. This month, however, Career Boosters asked two marketers about the experiences that led them to their senior positions at major international brands.
Today’s panel: Steve Miller, VP, creative director at OneMethod, Stephen Jurisic, creative director at John St. and Camille Kiffer, VP – consumer – digital channels at Rogers Communications.
In September, Boost Agents sponsored the third annual DishCourse Dinner, an event that brought together ten leaders in the marketing, advertising and media industries to dine together in a secret location. Guests were sent a special invitation, hand delivered to their office with an individual RSVP code. Our ten attendees knew only that they would be dining at the table of another major player in their industry and that the food and conversation would be amazing.
Creative director Hélène Larochelle lead the discussions on “The Internet of Things” — a dramatic development in the internet’s function. Check out the video for more details and the full guest list.
After the event we chatted with three of our guests to get their take on a few key questions around how “the internet of things” impacts career development and the marketing and advertising industry in general.
What new positions do you see emerging to accommodate for the internet of things?
Miller: For agencies, a position that isn’t necessarily new, but one that has yet to be fully adopted, is the creative technologist, or “creek” (creative + Geek). It’s a position that bridges storytelling and technology — perfect for the internet of things. For clients, the role of director of culture (pop culture in this case) allows clients to better relate to their agency, as well as their consumers. It allows brands to stay current and relevant, two very important things.
Jurisic: We’ve hired digital creatives, experienced planners, digital strategists, UX designers and data analysts. I would say 30% of our clients are fully immersed in digital, while others are still treading slowly.
Kiffer: People understanding and living the “medium” is now the norm. My two-year-old knows how to use a tablet, but no one taught her how. The most valuable people are the ones who understand business realities, end to end customer experience and understand what can be done technically in the short term versus the long term. Too many times I come across people who have a great vision, but no understanding of what it takes to make it a reality.
How do you see brands reaching a healthy balance between the digital and physical world?
Miller: It starts with intimately knowing your audience. Too often plans begin with media rather than the person who’s consuming that media, or brand experience. When you understand what makes your target tick, where to communicate has no physical or digital preconceptions. And sometimes, it’s not about a balance but rather a blend. A brand experience that seamlessly flows, symbiotically between digital and physical, is truly the best of both worlds – literally and figuratively.
Jurisic: I’m pretty sure that most customers today live in a digital world. In my opinion you can’t play in one area. The consumer is moving too fast and the brands need to listen and react. And the best way to do that is in the digital space. It’s all there.
Kiffer: One key reality is that customers have no patience. The digital world enables you to “check” if the physical world has what you need in stock so customers can get it “right now.” Same day delivery is not good enough. It has to be “right now.” Physical locations are and will still be required to reinforce the brand of a company…but everything else lives and will belong to the digital world, for convenience, but also for obvious economic reasons.
How can technology create different brand stories and possibilities that weren’t viable in the past?
Miller: I think the definition of a “story” is evolving. Sure, some stories can still have that beginning-middle-end structure that’s rooted in emotion, but stories can also be told through data or UX. So while a TV spot might make you cry, technology allows a brand to extend a tissue and continue the story. And technology is putting the brand’s story telling in the hands of consumers and when that happens, the possibilities are endless, for better or worse.
Jurisic: I don’t think technology can create a different brand story, but it can tell a deeper one. We now have so many more meaningful ways to connect with people versus the old model of just pushing messages at them. From content creation to community management we can now make the story connect with them on their own terms.
Kiffer: Though cliché, it’s a proven fact that very few brands are able to fully control their messages. The foundational need for brand stories to be authentic and relatable hasn’t changed in the last 30 years. The way they are being conveyed is now completely different and relies on the company’s capability to understand how their brand will be embraced through different mediums (social, on site, off site, off line, on line).
