Marketing Today with Alan Hart – Details, episodes & analysis

On the show today, Alan and Jen talk about how John Deere is staying relevant as a 187-year-old brand in today's market and what strategies they are using to help people, specifically the younger generation, more fully appreciate the pivotal role that farmers, construction workers, and maintenance crews play in our everyday lives. Jen also tells us about their recent hunt for a Chief Tractor Officer, how they ran the campaign on a budget by leveraging values-aligned celebrity relationships, and what qualifications made Rex perfect for the CTO job.

Jen Hartmann has over 25 years of experience in public relations, communications, and marketing. However, after high school, she originally wanted to be a teacher, but discovered PR when she was in college and immediately knew she wanted to head public relations at John Deere. After a number of various marketing roles at companies like the Illinois Soybean Association, Advanced Technology Services, and United Way, she eventually landed at John Deere about 16 years ago. Today, she serves as their Global Director of Strategic Public Relations and Enterprise Social Media. In this role, Jen is responsible for managing the image and reputation of the company, leading media relations and social media community building, and handling crisis events and issues that could have an impact on the brand. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How the 187-year-old brand is staying relevant with innovative PR strategies and their new Chief Tractor Officer, Rex
• The key to organic social media success
• Advice for working with values-aligned celebrities 

Key Highlights:

• [01:30] Royal Ball Run, an autism non-profit Jen founded 
• [03:25] Jen’s career path
• [05:05] What John Deere (is outside of green tractors)
• [07:00] How a 187-year-old brand is staying relevant in today's market
• [08:00] The hunt for a Chief Tractor Officer 
• [12:00] The Chief Tractor Officer hunt campaign on a budget
• [13:55] What made Rex perfect for the job?
• [17:25] The key to organic social media success
• [19:25] Advice on working with celebrities 
• [23:10] Lessons learned from her daughter 
• [25:15] Advice to her younger self
• [26:20] The AI portion of the show
• [27:55] Catching a vibe from X and Reddit
• [31:40] The biggest threat facing marketers today

Looking for more?

Visit our website for the full show notes, links to resources mentioned in this episode, and ways to connect with the guest!

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Simmy Kustanowitz has built a reputation as an idea generator and "creative fixer" by utilizing two easy steps—Simplify and Gamify—to solve any company's toughest challenges. As an Emmy-nominated TV producer, Simmy has held high-level positions across multiple genres, ranging from live events and high-budget scripted sitcoms to reality docu-series and studio game shows. He started his career as a writer in the MTV and VH1 worlds on shows like TRL and Silent Library. He eventually was promoted to the producer role before moving into showrunning, then became a development executive, where he found his love for marketing. Simmy worked on the network side at WarnerMedia for about 8 years before he left to become Chief Creative Officer for Bad Woods Entertainment, the production company founded by the stars of Impractical Jokers and took over as their showrunner as well. Simmy took the problem-solving skills he learned in the entertainment business into the wider business world, where he now works with CMOs to help them streamline their internal communications and external messaging.

On the show today, Alan and Simmy talk about the lessons he has learned over 20+ years in the entertainment industry and how he has translated those lessons into his creative workshop, “Rethink the Way You Think,” that helps corporate teams think more efficiently and problem solve more productively. Simmy also shares tips to overcome the most common pitfalls he sees teams face during brainstorming sessions.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Simmy helps CMO’s think more efficiently and problem solve more productively 
• What elevates thinking to creative thinking 
• The biggest pitfalls teams face in creative solving problems and how to overcome them

Key Highlights:

• [02:00] Death threats are not a joke.
• [05:00] Simmy entertainment career path
• [07:40] Lessons learned throughout his career 
• [09:40] How lessons learned in entertainment help CMO’s
• [11:55] Defining creativity and creative thinking 
• [15:10] How to stretch time
• [16:15] The biggest pitfalls teams face when it comes to thinking more creatively to solve problems?
• [17:10] The 10-3 brainstorm
• [21:25] How to improve brainstorm sessions 
• [23:25] Simmy’s origin story for his creativity 
• [25:30] Advice to his younger self
• [26:15] Learning from your competition 
• [27:10] Reading Reddit
• [29:45] Battling against attention spans

Looking for more?

Visit our website for the full show notes, links to resources mentioned in this episode, and ways to connect with the guest!

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Jeff Biesman grew up in Texas with dreams of being an NFL GM. While those dreams didn't pan out, he learned a lot along the way and decided to heed the advice he received to separate his hobbies from his career and went on to grow his marketing skill set in a very purposeful way. His path started in CPG product marketing with Converse, LA Gear, and Disney, went on to learn digital and performance marketing at Sony, got deep into data with Bank of America, moved onto venture-backed startups ShoeDazzle and Little Black Bag, then pursued B2B at YP and Remoov. In 2021, he was offered a role that was a perfect fit for all the skills he’d gained throughout his career and aligned with his personal values, so he accepted and joined the NDR team as their new CMO. In this role, Jeff is responsible for all direct-to-consumer marketing activities for the company, including PR, partnership development, paid search, social media, and CRM.

The state of consumer debt is grim as we are coming out of COVID and battling inflation. NDR acts as an agent on behalf of qualified consumers, putting them on a budget and getting them into an escrow-like program payment that is less than their debt service. As those funds accumulate, NDR then works with creditors to negotiate down the debt owed. Jeff tells us most of their customers are out of debt within 24 to 48 months and see long-term changes in their credit behavior.

On the show today, Alan and Jeff talk about why NDR doesn't want repeat businesses, how that impacts their marketing efforts, and what they are doing to stimulate demand in the upper funnel and then capture and migrate those consumers. Many people need help, but unfortunately, most are unaware that there are options like NDR to help them with debt relief, so a large part of the work for Jeff and his team revolves around building awareness, education, performance marketing, and meeting the consumers where they are by layering marketing through paid search, organic search, broadcast TV, and earned media. 

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• How does debt relief work? 
• Why does National Debt Relief NOT want repeat businesses, and how does that impact their marketing strategy? 
• How can marketers maximize demand stimulation, capture, and migration when the pool is shrinking?

Key Highlights:

• [02:00] NFL Dreams
• [04:30] Purposeful steps in the career path
• [07:50] What drew Jeff to NDR?
• [09:40] The state of consumer debt
• [12:00] NDR's role and how it works
• [15:55] Qualifying to be a customer
• [18:40] Real human stories
• [20:00] NDR does NOT want repeat customers.
• [23:00] What marketing looks like at NDR
• [25:10] What CMOs need to know about demand capture 
• [28:45] Learning grit, determination, and perseverance 
• [31:15] The importance of patience 
• [33:05] Neuromarketing just makes sense.
• [34:35] Nothing is set it and forget it.
• [35:55] We’re in the midst of an AI revolution.

Looking for more?

Visit our website for the full show notes, links to resources mentioned in this episode, and ways to connect with the guest!

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The state of diversity, equity, and inclusion has changed rapidly since the pandemic. Thankfully, Celeste Warren is here to help us understand how to navigate it. No matter if you're a C-Suit executive, a middle manager, or an individual employee she takes us through the important steps you can take to become a D&I ambassador and how it impacts the bottom line. 

In this episode, Alan and Celeste discuss how recent events have changed the way we think about D&I, as well as why having a good grasp on it is vital to connecting with your customers and retaining top talent.   

In this episode, you'll learn:  

• How social and cultural factors shifted the importance and implementation of D&I practices   
• Ways leaders and employees at every level can enact change  
• Why understanding D&I is vital to successful marketing campaigns  

Key Highlights  

• [04:10] Celeste’s path to D&I at Merck 
• [10:00] What inspired Celest to write her new book 
• [13:40] The current state of D&I in corporate America 
• [18:15] The importance of C-Suite leaders taking accountability  
• [20:30] The role of middle management  
• [25:25] How can individuals be D&I ambassadors 
• [29:15] Three easy steps to become an ambassador 
• [33:35] Why understanding D&I is vital to successful marketing  
• [38:10] How can organizations do social activism the right way 

Resources Mentioned:  

• Celeste Warren  
• Diversity & Inclusion at Merck  
• How to Be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador: Everyone’s Role in Helping All Feel Accepted, Engaged, and Valued   

Follow the podcast:  

• Listen in iTunes (link: http://apple.co/2dbdAhV)  
• Listen in Google Podcasts (link: http://bit.ly/2Rc2kVa)  
• Listen in Spotify (Link: http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC)  

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James Whitemore joins us with an update on the work and results he's been driving at NetApp since he joined us last on Episode 234. By leveraging data and training his team on how to use their diverse viewpoints in analyzing it, James is reinvigorating a 35-year-old company with a little more swagger  

In this episode, Alan and James discuss how the ideas outlined in their last interview have been coming to fruition and the importance of being dynamic in today's marketing landscape. 

In this episode, you'll learn:  

•  How to be intentional with transformative marketing 
•  Why swagger and confidence matter in decision making 
•  The importance of having synergy with your sales and IT departments 

Key Highlights  

• [04:30] The relationship between sales and marketing  
• [05:45] Update from James' last interview with us (ep. 234) 
• [07:40] Changing brand perceptions 
• [09:10] How brand growth is tied to market growth 
• [11:10] The importance of knowing how to use mar-tech  
• [11:50] Why synergy with your IT team is critical to marketing efforts 
• [12:45] Measuring impact and re-educating on which metrics matter 
• [15:40] The work needed to measure the revenue impact 
• [17:20] How to parse out and use the success metrics 
• [19:40] Shaping investment models with data 
• [21:15] How to drive transformation  
• [24:00] The importance of marketing in D&I and vice versa 
• [27:35] Why you need confidence in marketing 
• [28:50] Benefit of B2B’s thinking like B2C’s 

Resources Mentioned:  

• NetApp - https://www.netapp.com/   
• James Whitemore - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwhitemore/  
• Episode 235 with James Whitemore on Marketing Today  
• Career: Cellnet, Storage companies and start-ups, IBM, Sun, SolidFire (acquired by NetApp)  
• Cloud storage and software systems on Azure, AWS, Google Cloud  
• Category Entry Points, Physical Availability  
• NetApp The Cloud Specialists - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYLbio2yUnk   
• More NetApp marketing examples - https://youtu.be/_JxuU833FSs, https://youtu.be/UceJQHCQpXU  

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After surviving her battle with cancer, Brittany Driscoll puts a lot of consideration into what really matters to her. That care translates into the customer experience she is creating at Squeeze. She embraces who she is and utilizes the strengths of the team she surrounds herself with to revolutionize what it means to win customer loyalty. 

In this episode, Alan and Brittany discuss how being your authentic self, investing in relationships and people, and reflecting on how customers feel after they encounter your brand leads to long-lasting success.  

In this episode, you'll learn:  

• The importance of curating the customer experience 
• Tactics to Increase memberships without the hard sell 
• How embracing vulnerability and individualism benefits your business 

Key Highlights  

• [04:30] Brittany’s path to entrepreneurship  
• [11:35] How Squeeze came to be 
• [17:00] The importance of starting with your goals in mind
• [21:20] What to consider in scaling a business 
• [23:25] Membership experience vs. sales based businesses models 
• [25:20] What roles does marketing play in the customer journey
• [28:30] How to foster the right culture by embracing vulnerability
• [33:50] How switching sports in high school prepared Brittany to be a CEO
• [36:50] Brittany’s advice to her younger self
• [39:00] Why you need to understand people's personal motivations
• [40:20] Thinking about what your company is doing beyond what you’re selling
• [44:20] The biggest opportunity for marketers today 

Resources Mentioned:  

• Brittany Driscoll  
• Squeeze  
• Tim McGraw, Live Like You Are Dying  
• The Feel Good Company  
• Okay Humans  
• Drybar  
• Founders of Drybar: Alli Web, Michael Landau, and Cameron Webb  
• Hot Wheels for Real – Double Loop, Longest jump  
• Canine Companions for Independence (Squeeze is supporting)   

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Rob Willey started his career working with big brands in the advertising industry and quickly understood that path was not for him. He wanted to work on the company side and build brands. So Rob went to business school and then dove into the world of startups. He put in the work and made his way to the C-Suite before landing where he is now as—Operating Partner at Emil Capital and CMO for Cheribundi.

In this episode, Alan and Rob discuss high-growth marketing and producing content rooted in paying attention to your audience rather than trying to simply get their attention. Listen in to also learn more about the role culture plays in marketing.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Once you identify what makes your product remarkable, you’ve found the root of all your marketing initiatives
• Establish who you are as an organization before bringing on another person’s influence and brand
• No one wants to watch an ad, weave your brand into stories

Key Highlights

• [04:43] Rob’s path to CMO
• [09:30] What are tart cherries and their benefits
• [21:20] Understanding your competitive differentiation
• [26:01] Cheribundi’s influencer program
• [29:54] Establishing your true, best self as a brand
• [34:41] Content over advertising
• [39:04] What role culture plays in marketing
• [45:33] Working at challenger brands
• [47:49] The past experience that defines Rob
• [49:24] Advice Rob would give his younger self
• [50:54] What marketers should be learning more about
• [52:19] Brands and companies to take notice of
• [56:15] The biggest opportunity or threat for marketers today

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The task of revitalizing a 135-year-old brand for today’s market is daunting, but for Avon’s Global CMO Kristof Neirynck, that’s just the challenge he wanted to tackle. Moving from Walgreens Boots Alliance (when we last spoke with him in episode 208), Kristof saw the overwhelming opportunity to bring his keen eye for storytelling and passion for data into a company that has been on the decline. He’s steering the ship in a positive direction for not only consumers but for their unique brand ambassadors as well, their representative “Avon ladies.”

In this episode, Alan and Kristof reunite to talk about his new role at Avon, how he’s working to revitalize the brand, and the key innovations being introduced to modernize the storied company. Listen in to hear about how their business structure affects women’s livelihoods, the focus on purpose and giving back, and what Avon is looking for in their marketing talent.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The purposefulness of the Avon business structure
• How Avon is modernizing their selling channels
• Which generation is the highest growing group of Avon representatives

Key Highlights

• [02:29] Kristof’s path to Avon
• [06:46] The empowerment of women through Avon
• [08:39] Kristof’s role as Global CMO at Avon
• [11:15] Avon’s challenge of brand consideration
• [13:42] Expansion of selling channels for a historic B2B2C brand
• [15:54] Avon ON app as an innovative selling tool
• [19:54] Revitalizing and modernizing the brand
• [24:45] The type of marketing talent that Avon is looking for
• [27:48] An experience that defines Kristof recapped from episode 208
• [28:30] What marketers should be learning more about
• [31:16] Brands and causes we should notice
• [32:56] The largest opportunity or threat for marketers today

Resources Mentioned:

• Kristof Neirynck
• Avon
• Avon Supporting Women
• Prior episode 208 on Marketing Today with Kristof
• Allbirds

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Tim Hackbardt’s professional journey has included ventures into consulting, advertising, and even broadcasting, but his path repeatedly brought him back to Del Taco, where he is now CMO. Del Taco is one of many restaurant chains Tim’s worked at, but he says it’s his favorite because the business model offers countless opportunities to increase sales.

In this episode, Alan and Tim discuss how he’s working to take a new brand promise and make it the essence of the company’s culture. Listen in to learn how to foster “brand love”, an idea all the most successful organizations can boast.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to apply brand promises internally as well as externally
• Sometimes you have to push past a failure and wait until the time is right to try a bold idea again
• Find opportunities to break out of day-to-day demands and take time to build emotional connections with your customers

Key Highlights

[02:21] Becoming an accidental marketing genius

[11:04] The importance of brand versatility

[14:11] The evolution of the QSR marketplace

[16:47] How the CMO role is defined at Del Taco

[18:52] Applying brand promises internally and externally

[24:09] Pushing past prior failures

[29:27] The experience that defines Tim

[32:50] Advice Tim would give his younger self

[34:47] What marketers should be learning more about

[36:14] Brands and companies to take notice of

[38:53] The biggest opportunity or threat for marketers today

Resources Mentioned:

• Tim Hackbardt
• Del Taco
• Del Taco launches Epic Tortas
• Del Taco Fresh Flex concept location launch
• Brands mentioned: Pizza Hut, BJ’s Restaurant, Fosters Freeze, Popeye’s, Arby’s, Carl’s Jr.
• Brands to watch: Cooper’s Hawk, REI

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Michele Arnese has always had a love for music, but it was only after spending ten years as a management consultant that he was able to found amp, a sonic branding agency, and his passion became his profession. As Global Founder and CEO, Michele expertly weaves sound into some of the most recognizable brands in the world, such as MasterCard and Mercedes-Benz.

In this episode, Alan and Michele discuss what branding with sound really is, why it’s so important to the brand experience, and the use of data and insights into the world of sonic branding.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What sonic branding is and how it’s different from jingles
• How companies like MasterCard and Mercedes-Benz are using sonic branding
• What amp’s copyrighted “Sonic DNA” is and how they created their custom sonic brand index

Key Highlights

[02:23] Michele’s path to founding amp

[05:10] What is Sonic Branding and why brands need sound

[08:27] Why sound is resurging and the evolution of the jingle

[10:42] What is the perfect example of sonic branding

[14:17] MasterCard’s sonic brand strategy

[19:36] Mercedes-Benz’s sonic branding

[22:08] How using data and technology is impacting sonic branding

[24:00] Michele’s index of the best audio brands and the first sonic branding magazine

[26:21] An experience that defines Michele

[27:22] Michele’s advice for his younger self

[28:00] What marketers should be learning more about

[28:47] Brands and causes we should notice

[30:30] The largest opportunity or threat for marketers today

Resources Mentioned:

• Michele Arnese
• amp
• The Sound of Mastercard
• The Sound of Mercedes-Benz
• Best Audio Brands report from this year below, as well as the
• Automotive issue of Amplify (the world's first sonic branding magazine)
• EP252 with Mastercard CMO Raja Rajamannar

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