Amy Thorkilsen is an expert publishing marketer driving the marketing, planning and promotional execution for a variety of categories and for some of the most respected print titles in the world including TIME, The New York Times, Sport Illustrated and Fortune. Her role focuses on providing the advertising sales team with the necessary marketing support to sell integrated marketing programs across platforms and across titles. Her interests in food, travel, photography and art give her a unique perspective when it comes to creating programs that extend beyond the page and impact the other senses too.
Amy Thorkilsen
Expert Traditional Media Sales Development Consultant
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/amy-thorkilsen/3/993/61
What site(s) do you have to visit every day for Marketing news?
AdAge, NY Times, Brandweek and WSJ
What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
When I am stumped/blocked on a creative idea I find it really helpful to have a good laugh; Cake Wrecks is the website that makes me laugh so hard I snort and ultimately cry…and my stomach always hurts after a fifteen minute read. I defy you to check it out and not laugh out loud (definitely close the office door first!).
Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?
The ability to be a bit of a chameleon (in a good way): you’ve got to wear a lot of hats and work with a lot of different personalities to achieve your goal efficiently and effectively. Working with sales to ferret out the true goal(s) of the advertiser, analyzing research to glean specific “tentpole” strategizing, brainstorming with other team members on the overall concept, coordinating with the right vendors, and producing a truly creative presentation that demonstrates your idea powerfully and succinctly to the client.
What’s the recent “it” marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost every day and what does it mean for the industry and marketplace?
Social media. I think marketers need to be careful to choose when and where it is really right for advertisers. There’s a push now from clients to incorporate social media into everything and I think the approach needs to be carefully crafted so it doesn’t look like it was just included for the sake of saying that one is engaged in social media. It has to make sense and have a relevant and targeted reason for being part of a campaign. In other words, don’t do it just to say you did!
There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?
One word: iPad. Of course, I have always been an Apple girl through and through, but I do believe that as the iPad is refined in the future, being ready with iPad savvy apps is prudent. Look at what print media is doing to stay relevant as it relates to the iPad: NY Times, TIME, WSJ, etc.
What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of Marketing speciality?
You need to be honest. Every campaign doesn’t have to have every bell and whistle to be successful. It’s really all about the idea. When the idea is spot on, then everything flows from that. Maybe a single campaign will include print, TV, OOH, social media, events, and more…or maybe the idea is really only perfect for one or two media. If you’re honest and have integrity and sincere strategy behind your choices, your idea will stand out and truly resonate. Otherwise you’re just throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping something will stick.
What's an imminent hurdle in the Marketing world that you think will cause significant changes to the way we market to consumers or businesses?
Those of us who work in big cities in the U.S. and tend to be early adopters of technology sometimes forget that there are lots of regions where consumers still have dial-up internet connectivity… and cell towers are sparse…We need to remember that consumer’s needs and make sure they aren’t neglected. I also think that mobile platform needs more analysis before it can really have an impact.
Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages?
Does globalization work or is localization more effective? Certainly there are overall concepts which translate easily across continents and languages, but localization is the key for making an idea resonate with a specific consumer/nationality.
Best piece of advice you have received professionally or personally?
I don’t know if this is the best piece of advice, but it certainly helps keep things in perspective when you’re up to your eyeballs on a project: consider the TIME, QUALITY, COST triangle – pick any two.
Growing up, what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?
Probably a designer…I remember drawing a lot of clothes and accessories in colored pencil and totally loving trips to large fabric stores where I would wander around and touch all the bolts of fabric and imagine what I would make from each of them.
Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?
My personal approach to marketing is that it is an “art” I like to base on “science” as much as possible. I like to use research as a starting point and see what it tells me directionally. Then I switch to the other side of my brain and see what concepts best incorporate the strongest research underpinnings but are still fun and impactful in a targeted way.
Recent campaign you liked and why?
There are several, and all are very visually oriented: I love the American Express print and television ad campaign “Don’t Take Chances. Take Charge.” That begins with the unhappy faces comprised of everyday objects then segues into happy faces with Bach cello music playing underneath with minimal voiceover.
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