ME 52-53: Creativity was There from the Start

So ME52 realized at we neared our one year anniversary and apparently there is enough interest to try to continue through to the new year and "brave the storm." This is something ME52 seems to have in touch with our featured interviewee this week, as an agency copywriter and now a promotions editor, Hali Narins often has to "brave the storm," real or "brain"storm. With creativity, an ear for language, an eye for fashion, and a pulse on technological developments--Narins may be a "perfect" storm to take on the industry.

Hali Narins

Promotions Editor

DailyCandy, Inc.

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/halinarins

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for Marketing new?
I don't have to visit any sites, but I like to keep up with sites with daily newsletters in a similar vein to DailyCandy (Thrillist, UrbanDaddy, Vital Juice, Luckymag, Refinery29).

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
Facebook, Nymag, Racked, Eater, NYTimes.com style and dining sections.

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?

Adaptability--internet and technology is changing the field at such a rapid pace, that if you can't shift your way of thinking, you'll drown!

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 the marketplace?

I don't really hear any marketing speak daily, but I've heard "storytelling" gain some momentum. To me, this means developing an multifaceted, evolving identity for a company so consumers have a deeper relationship with it.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?

Brand using Twitter, Facebook, etc. social media... It's here to stay until consumers grow savvier and wearier of these tactics.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of Marketing specialty?

Play it safe.

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?

Privacy issues. And consumers losing trust in social media outlets.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continent and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?

Sure--the internet knows no boundaries in terms of continents and languages, so as long as marketers stay sensitive to demographics, why not? I like to believe that the bigger a company gets, the smaller it needs to think. I'm all for localization.

Best piece of advice you have received?

Take risks.

Growing up, what was the first think you can remember wanting to be?

A fashion designer.

Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?
Marketing is an art--they say the media is the message, and I say that creativity created the media, so it's got to create the message.

Where are growth opportunities within the Marketing industry, as people are looking at their careers?

A recent campaign I admire is Apple, with the iPad. I skip commercials with DVR usually, but always try and watch the Apple ads--they mange to be so simple, yet so thoughtful, exciting and hip. I love the little details like how they match the color of the iPods they show to the content on the iPod screens. The great music doesn't hurt either.

ME 52-52: No Travel Perks, just Marketing Points

This is week 52 for ME52, so it's fitting that we interviewed someone who is involved in the travel industry and the ad world. We've been around the this big, wide world in 52 weeks just as Valerie Paolucci works on marketing plans for the largest travel planning audience network online across 300+ travel sites, 365 days of the year. As the Marketing Manager for Travel Ad Network (TAN), Paolucci manages TAN's marketing programs and works closely on strategic deals. (But no, there are absolutely no travel perks associated with this job whatsoever.)

Valerie Paolucci

Marketing Manager

Travel Ad Network

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriepaolucci

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for Marketing news?

eMarketer, which is great, as it aggregates data from over 4,000 sources which I could never afford to subscribe to! I also sign up for tons of daily newsletters, both pertaining to the travel space and digital media in general, including Hubspot, MediaPost, EyeforTravel, Tnooz, iMediaConnection, Ad Age...

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
Facebook is my guilty pleasure! I also frequent Lifebooker, Groupon, and Goldstar when I need a healthy distraction.

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?

Creativity, not only in Marketing strategy and campaign execution, but also in career choices.

What's the recent "it" Marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost every day and what does it mena for the industry and the marketplace?

Mobile. It's not new, but we're just figuring out how to meausre ROI from mobile advertising. As more users are expected to surf the net on their mobile devices than on their computers within the next few years, mobile will become the center of the digital marketing mix.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?

Location based services are all the rage now. It will take us a bit of time to figure out how to monetize them, just like with mobile and video, but in my opinion, they're not going anywhere.

What is essential not to do when it comes to your area of Marketing specialty?

Never assume you know everything. The digital advertising industry evolves so rapidly, keeping ahead of the technology is a full-time job in itself!

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?

We are seeing a lot of DSP's and ad exchanges trying to disintermediate the advertising agency. The landscape is quickly evolving and I'm curious to see how it all plays out.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continent and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?

With today's technology, good ideas can travel across the globe instantly. The greatest ideas have overarching themes with cross-border, cross-cultural appeal. Working in the travel industry makes this all the more apparent.

Best piece of advice you have received?

Do what you love, and the money will follow.

Growing up, what was the first think you can remember wanting to be?

I always wanted to be Angela Bower of Who's the Boss. She ran her own ad agency and got to come up with these super cool creative ideas all the time. She was this smart, driven career woman who was the breakwinner for her family. It would also be nice to have a hottie cooking and cleaning up after me!

Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?
The process of winning the hearts of minds of consumers will always be an art, but the pratice of measuring how well we do this is getting more scientific every day!

Where are growth opportunities within the Marketing industry, as people are looking at their careers?

There are so many opportunities in digital Marketing right now! As the digital advertising industry evolves and becomes more specialized, companies will be desparate to hire experts such as SEO strategiests, social media managers, product development directors, etc.

ME 52-51 The CosmoPolitician

Monica Danna - a social media scientist, PR enthusiast, marketer and a Houston advocate who runs her own creative agency, uses the creative and scientific formula & approach of diversity to collaborative marketing. As creative and out of the box her strategies are, her fundements are built on being consumer - centric ( listening to your audience) and using her education and knowledge from psychology and technology.


Monica Danna
Marketing and Public Relations Consultant
http://www.cosmopolitician.net/colab/
Twitter: CosmoPolitician

What site(s) do you have to visit everyday for Marketing news?
A great resource for marketers: http://www.marketingprofs.com/ For news: http://adage.com/

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
I've really been interested in photography lately and this is a site that gives me inspiration: http://hulaseventy.blogspot.com/

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?
Listening to your audience.

What's the recent "it" Marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost everyday and what does it mean for the industry and marketplace?
Social Media - a form of media that digitially engages an audience rather than pushing out information.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?
RSS feeds and syndication technology

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of marketing specialty?
Applying traditional media practices (one-way communication) to a digitial media strategy (a two-way communication.) Know the difference between push information and push/pull information. Digital Media takes traditional media from a monologue to a dialogue. Don't preach to your audience. Engage.

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?
The deluge of information we receive daily in a digital world. Our technology tools are adapting to help us dissiminate large amounts of information, such as email, blog posts, and life streams.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?
In my international Marketing experience in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, it became evident to me that high level marketing strategies can cross continentents; however tactics and collateral need to be localized to be effective.

Best piece of advice you have received professionally or personally?
Listening is more important than speaking.

Growing up, what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?
A Child Psychologist, i actually have a masters in Psychology.

To tweet or not to tweet?
Tweet - Some form of Micro-Blogging will be here to stay.

Where are growth opportunities within the Marketing industry, as people are looking at their careers?
In the down economy that we recently experienced, Marketing professionals had to become increasingly diverse in their skill set. I belive that a more integrated and collaborative approach to Maketing is where things are headed in the future.