Hannah WilsonMember Services Coordinator
Admiral Center
Twitter: admiral_center, howabout22
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahwilson
New York Times, ESPN, HuffingtonPost (particularly the impact section) People (I know--life's rough when you have to read celebrity news), I also subscribe to PRDaily and Cynopsis.
What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
Grooveshark--tunes to keep me upbeat; LKaeInteriors--for decorating inspiration for my imaginary future home; Doublex.com--women's perspective on news (more newsy, less snarky than Jezebel); Facebook.com--where I find the most links to interesting things from my friends; I get daily e-mails from Seth Godin, UrbanDaddy, VitalJuice.
Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?
The ability to ask the good questions. Good questions to me are not only solid content-wise, but are also timely. Asking them at the right moment in the conversation is almost as important as what you ask because you can really open people up and get not just a direct answer but additional insight and information that you weren't counting on.
What is the recent "it" phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost every day and what does it mean for the industry and the marketplace?
Sustainability. Celebrities want to do the "it" thing in terms of causes and how they support them. We talk about sustainability because popularity can be fleeting, and for athletes especially, the ability to rally fan support decreases over time. When deciding to create a program, celebrities have to think about how long the cause will hold their interest and how much they want to invest in it. You don't want to be known as the person who withdrew support from a struggling and deserving organization. What that means for my work is that we encourage our clients to partner with existing organizations so that the long-term success of a program isn't dependent on winning championships and having blockbuster hits. It's simply enhanced by broader awareness and financial support from their celebrity brand. If you create a great program, it will attract others' interest and ultimately the funding to make it sustainable. Celebrity branded programs with established partners make more sense than a pet project du jour.
There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?
Slacktivism. I say this without judgement even though the word is inherently negative. Slacker-activism is alive and well on Facebook, Twitter, through ribbons, bracelets and (my least favorite) pledging people for various runs and walks. Though with the latter at least people are responding to a call-to-action and actually giving money to help you reach your personal best time in the name of charity. Slacktivism is a passive way of giving your support to something that you don't always care a lot about through the power of word-of-mouth, persistence on social media, and ease of transaction, you might say you "like" or support, or at best click or text-to-give. Social and mobile media campaigns have made it easy for people to donate but not truly engage in a cause. Because at the heart of every non-profit is the need for money I see nothing wrong with getting a quick $5. We in the field need to work harder on the engagement piece to make these slacktivists, true evangelists.
What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of Marketing speciality?
It's essential not to underestimate the value of a good personality. You can't be fake and you can't get caught up in the glow of a big name. Celebrities may seem like they live in a superficial world at times, but they aren't superficial people. You will also spend a lot of time working with their agents, managers, PR reps, family and friends and you'll do much better with all of them if you're authentic and if you treat people with equal respect and deference. This is an industry of relationships and relationship building, without good ones, you can't get anything done.
What is an imminent hurdle in the Marketing world that you think will cause significant changes to the way we market to consumers or businesses?
Privacy is and will continue to be a major hurdle and is an evolving issue. Consumers want customization and appreciate a message that will reach them on a personal level, while at the same time they get angry and quite simply freaked out when they feel that companies know too much about the. Perhaps we as consumers would be happier if companies knew more about us so we could really get what we want, but we're unwilling to allow that. There is so much data collection going on but getting the consumer's buy-in to use it without the feeling of violation is going to continue to be difficult.
Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?
Globalization definitely works--there are products, ideas and messages that resonate universally. I do think that localization is most effective. It's easy to understand that there are differences in the way things are done in other countries, but I've recently learned a lot about our differences domestically and can never assume that what works in Seattle will work in New Orleans. It's important to understand that success will mean something different everywhere.
Best piece of advice you have received professionally or personally?
Our CEO once asked me to evaluate some people based on the criteria "speed, weight and hunger." I didn't understand what that meant at first, but now I know it's a measure of how successful a working relationship will be. Speed: you need someone who is going to be a quick learner, thinker and doer. Weight: You want someone who has a strong presence in the room and has good ideas. Hunger: You want people who are passionate about the work that you are doing and the way that they do the work. I now use that as criteria for self evaluation.
Growing up, what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?
A teacher. I thought teachers probably loved spending their days with kids like me. Who doesn't love a know-it-all, sassy, six-year old?
To tweet or not to tweet?
I say tweet! I'm far more interested in reading other people's tweets than maintaining my own Twitter presence and even with the applications to do so, I struggle to maintain our organization's account and my personal account, but I'm trying to get better at it. By the time I do, Twitter will probably be out. Sorry, I think it's a fad.
Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?
It's a little of both. Science will tell you who to reach and how, but art is ultimately going to do the work and make the difference.
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