ME52-56: Nothing is impossible and winning the hearts of young Chinese consumers

With more than a decade of advertising experience, Catherine Chen, a regional account director who manages global brands in the emerging China market, holds the mission "Nothing is impossible" - an unstoppable drive for more. In order to stay ahead of the trend, marketers always need to adapt and change, even more so to win the hearts of the "Post 80/90 in China".

Catherine Chen

Regional Account Director

Saatchi & Saatchi GuangZhou

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for Marketing new?
I don't have a regular site I visit, but there are some alerts from Campaign Asia that I subscribe to, and I have a very outstanding planner director who regularly sends us market information whenever he finds anything interesting and relevant.

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
Facebook, and Sina Microblog

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?

Sharp eyes on insights; sensitivity to market trends

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?

Post 80/90, in China, these people are the main forces who drive the market. How to tackle them and win their hearts become very important for marketers

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

I think the market is changing all the time, what's new and working today does not mean it can last tomorrow, so we have to stay ahead with the trend all the time.

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

"Nothing is impossible", so there is nothing we should NOT do, or I would say, we should not STOP, never stop to come up with new ideas, never stopping to learn more, never stopping to explore for more...

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

The globe has many different cultures, languages, religions, etc. Things can be very different country to country. In my opinion, there is no single communication idea that can travel. It would never work. We can have the same group of target audience, same set of branding strategy, but when it comes to communication strategy and idea, localization works far more effective than globalization
Not to mention the whole world, just China alone, people in the north and south think and behave very differently. Making a piece of advertising campaign work and travel across the entire nation is a challenge in itself.

Best piece of advice you have received professionally or personally?

Be yourself, just do or say what you think is right.

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

A nurse! Haha! Later on when I was about 10, I wanted to be an actress, I still remember my dad brought me to an audition. I was so nervous and did not perform well.

What is a recent campaign/ presentation ( not from your own company but your field of marketing) that you admire, and why?

The Apple campaign on the iPhone, the "Facetime" one. It's very emotional and yet functional enough to let consumer understand the product...need not to say more...when I first saw it , I almost wanted to cry.
in my experience, mostly with FMCG, we often debate between the balance of emotional and functional messages in a campaign, and this iPhone campaign is a perfect example.

Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?

I would say marketing is more of a science. it is a numbers game. It's all about sales figures, and the industry highly depends on research data.

ME 52-49: Understanding the Cultural Nuances Within

Lincoln Stephens was already a successful advertsing account management executive when he founded The Marcus Graham Project. As a non-profit, The Marcus Graham Project focuses on building the next generation of leadership in the advertising and marketing industry in a boot camp/career development training environment. Stephens took some time out of his busy schedule to answer ME52's questions and help more people learn more about what it takes to market with passion.

Lincoln Stephens
Founder
The Marcus Graham Project

What site(s) do you ahve to visit everyday for Marketing news?
Advertising Age, Ad Week, Target Market News and Tech Crunch

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration/
Facebook and Twitter (People are funny.)

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?
Integrity.

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?
#oyleydoit -- it means tehre is a new language that people are speaking in the social media space and we are going to have to have an understanding of all of the cultural nuances that exist within.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?
Here to stay is a generation of CREATORS that are waiting for main stream media to finally hear a REAL story. A TRUE story. One with HEART and with SOUL.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of marketing specialty?
It is essential not to be afraid to admit when you are wrong, but to seldom be wrong.

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 undervaluing of the economic prowess of diverse consumer segments, primarily because of the lack of resources earmarked towards accurate/effective research, analysis and market development.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?
Yes. Localization allows you to not forget what is important in your specific community, but we need the perspective of the rest of the world in order to move forward TOGETHER.

Best piece of advice you have received professionally or personally?
Don't beat yourself up for making mistakes.

Growing up, what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?
In the radio business.

Is Marketing more of an art or more fo a science?
Science that needs the support of the arts.

What marekter do you admire most and why?
I've not met that brand yet.

ME 52-46: LoSo, VCs, - this is the new language of digital brand marketing

Urban, progressive, contemporary...Richie Cruz represents the new breed of innovative pop culture marketing.

A passionate and creative brand strategist, Richie Cruz's expertise lies in understanding the shifts and insights of culture, and establishing emotional connections for brands for consumers.

Richie Cruz
Digital Strategist
Agency Net

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcruz
Blog: (http://suitsiswatching.com/)

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

I usually refer to my Netvibes dashboard for daily trade headlines and inspiration; I’ve compiled well over 100 feeds that keep me current. But, if there’s one that I’m particularly fond of, it would have to be “Kiss My Black Ads,” as it agrees pretty well with my sensibility.

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
For fun, I’d have to say that I visit PicSick, and FreshBump. And, of course, Behance, Creativity, and The FWA. They’re all good sources of creative inspiration that keep my thinking sound and fresh.

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 would have to say that I hear the word “curation” a lot, as I’m sure that most people that operate within the digital marketing landscape do. I can completely understand what it’s implying, but I don’t think that everyone has amassed the same amount of taste or credibility to throw around or assign the title. It devalues it, in my opinion.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion what are recent developments that are here to stay?
LoSo, or location-social networks, the most popular being Foursquare and Facebook Places. Aside from the rumblings from within the marketing industry, I think digital society is becoming increasingly qualitative- that is, to say, that we measure and benchmark all of our decisions, and rank the quality of those decisions by their societal perception. These networks are allowing this data to be aggregated- willingly- at blinding rates, which will eventually result in a shift in the way products, services, and occurrences are discovered. At least for the cool people, lol.

What's an imminent hurdle to the Marketing world that you think will cause significant changes to the way we market to businesses or consumers?
Everyone’s incessant speculation around which are the best employable tactics (digital vs. traditional). I’m of the philosophy that every piece of technology and media platform is simply a tool to help us (marketers) tell better stories. Tell better stories, move more product. It’s that simple.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?
Oh yeah. All you need is Facebook, Twitter, and Google Translate- and you’re good to go. Of course, refining one’s inherent understanding of cultural nuances is something developed over time, but the road is fruitful. To answer the second part, I think that more oft than not, they’re mutually exclusive. But in those times when they aren’t, it’s best to build programs and campaigns to scale.

Best piece of advice you have received?
Although not given to me directly, Dame Dash famously once told Kanye West, "Just make sure it's not whack." My close friend Kevin Wade made sure that sentiment served as our universal filter.

Growing up, what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?
I wanted to be an archeologist, then a NBA player, then a journalist at a hip-hop magazine. Eventually I saw the legendary Sprite commercial featuring Kris Kross, and I immediately wanted to do THAT.

Is Marketing more of an art or a science?
When it's done correctly, its a beautiful, perfect storm or both.

What do you think are some of the most promising models for monetization of digital content?
I’m interested in seeing the mainstream adoption of virtual goods, and how they can provide true utility and enhanced experiences. I also believe brands will become “VCs”, and fund cultural experiences that matter; the brands that can reach into subculuture and introduce their consumers to the next in meaningful, mutually beneficial ways will flourish as the information economy persists and the web gets smarter.

ME 52-37: Exploring the Alchemy of Content Marketing

Rachel Parker is currently Senior Copywriter and "Brand Voice Alchemist" at Lyrica Copywriting. Rachel's diverse background includes full-time positions on both the corporate and agency sides of marketing and communications as well as a broad array of freelance work. Her client list includes some of the biggest names in Houston: Hewlett-Packard, SYSCO Foodservice, AIG American General, Methodist Hospital and many more. She has worked side-by-side with clients large and small to help them build brands, establish print and online presences, and make their voices heard across their markets.

Rachel Parker
Brand Voice Alchemist
Lyrica Copywriting
Twitter: lyricacopy
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lyricacopy

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for Marketing news?
My Google Reader, where I pick up Mashable, Social Media Examiner, Seth Godin and Social Media Today, plus some specialized branding blogs like Interbrand and Brand New.

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
I love Nick Usborne's Web Content Cafe for content ideas and blogging tips, and my buddy Richard Baron always has interesting ideas to share at Signalwriter. When I really need a brain break, I'll mosey over to BuzzSugar or Entertainment Weekly for some entertainment lowdown.

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?
The ability to create a distinct brand and maintain it consistently across all channels.

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've been seeing a lot of buzz around content marketing lately, which, as a writer, gives me major warm-fuzzies! I think we're getting to a place where content--and by "content," I mean not just text on a page, bu also video, audio and interactive elements--really is starting to take center stage, and clients are willing to pay for it. I've heard it said that we're flooded with information but starved for knowledge, and there's definitely a market for those who can compile all that info into functional, usable resources.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?
I'll admit I had my doubts about location-based social media, but now I really do believe it has some staying power and yet-untapped business uses.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of marketing specialty?
It's important not push your own agenda. True, our clients are paying for our expertise, but we can't just become talking heads. First and foremost, we need to really listen to and respect the client's needs, goals and values.

What's an imminent hurdle in the Marketing world that you think will cause significant changes to the way we market to consumer or business?
Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, and our challenges as marketers is having enough customer contact to stay front-of-mind without becoming a nuisance.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?
If the brand is strong and resonates with people at a visceral level, it'll be highly portable across borders... as long as you do your homework thoroughly and understand the culture you're reaching out to. Let's not forget the ill-fated Chevy Nova campaign.

Best pieces of advice you have received professionally or personally?
Be yourself, everybody else is taken.

Growing up, what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?
I had big dreams of becoming a stage actress!

What is a recent campaign/presentation you admire?
I really like what WalMart's done with their brand, from the softer logo to the friendly tagline "Save money. Live better." And i love that they've actually backed it up by cleaning up their stores and really focusing on improving their shopper experience.

To tweet or not to tweet?
to tweet! in just a couple of years, Twitter has evolved from a tweener playground to a viable business MarCom tool, even playing a key role in political developments like the student movements in Iran. It's definitely here to stay.

ME 52-31: Interactive marketing in the apartment hunting world

Steve has a strong background in interactive marketing, e-commerce consulting, web data analytics and social media. Currently the director of Interactive Marketing at Camden Property Trust - a company engaged in the ownership, development, acquisition. management and disposition of multifamily residential apartment communities, he leads innovative initiatives ( including mobile and social marketing) that engages the consumer in their process of apartment hunting. Steve speaks about the importance of online brand management and the rise of new technologies enabling interactivity with consumers.

Steve Kim

Director of Interactive

Camden Property Trust

Twitter: kimsteve

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

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

Adage

Mashable

Facebook

I’d be lying if I said I visit AdAge and Mashable every day, but I think Facebook qualifies as one of my primary source of marketing news. Over the years, I’ve added several incredibly intelligent individuals I’ve met in the past to my friend list such as Avinash Kaushik (www.kaushik.net) and Bryan Eisenberg (www.bryaneisenberg.com). They’ve done phenomenal jobs of posting interesting articles about our profession and emerging trends on a daily basis, which saves me an incredible amount of time I would otherwise have to find myself. I don’t mean to demean their knowledge and expertise in any way, but I couldn’t ask for a better crap filter. :grin:

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?

Facebook.com

Buzzfeed.com

Failblog.com

Geekologie.com

Engadget.com

ESPN.com

Drudgereport.com

Autoblog.com

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?

The ability to sell! If it’s not directly selling your products or services to consumers, marketing is all about selling your marketing creativity and budget plans to your company stakeholders.

What the recent "it" Marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost everyday and what does it mean for the industry and the marketplace?

Get Mobile. If you’re reading this, then I probably don’t have to explain why mobile is such an important part of marketing these days.

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

Tablet computing is here… again, but this time it’s here to stay. Apple has sold two million iPads during the first two months, and Forrester research just came out and projected that about 20% of consumer PC sales will be in tablet form in the next two years. If you’re a marketer who hasn’t embraced the idea of shifting your online marketing strategy to leverage touch interaction, then at least open yourself up to the idea of the unemployment office representative collecting your information using a tablet-style device of their own.

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

Leave your personal social network accounts open for public viewing, or adding colleagues to your personal profiles. When you’re the person that everyone in your company turns to for online strategies, believe me when I say that the first thing they’ll want to do is see is your Facebook profile. The minute they see you doing anything stupid in your photos or say something awkward on your wall, you know you’ve lost the respect of the people that you spent more time with than perhaps even your significant other.

What' an imminent hurdle in the Marketing world that you think will cause significant changes to the way we market to consumers or businesses?

Ownership of a brand is now in the consumers’ hands, because the Internet has enabled them to have a transparent medium of communication to the world audience. As marketers, we’ve all seen the shift in marketing strategies in the last two years to accommodate social networks. It’s become such a mission critical part of business to manage your online reputation on these networks that more and more resources are being allocated to define and execute on a “social media marketing plan”. And I say that in quotes, because anyone who claims to have such a plan created is probably back at their desk to write a new social media marketing proposal, since the plan that was approved just last week is now outdated.

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

I don’t know any continent, country, or language that can stop the success of sex appeal in marketing.

Best piece of advice you have received?

If you’re good at what you do, you and everyone else that you work with probably recognize that. But being arrogant about it will just make people dislike you, and hold you back from ever feeling happy with your career.

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

I think I wanted to become an airline pilot at one point in my childhood. Then I wanted to become a cop after growing up with the Police Quest video game series. Soon after, I’m pretty sure I was convinced that I’d become the greatest video game developer and tester the world has ever known.

Is Marketing more of an art or science?

Is this a trick question? Of course, I’ll think that modern marketing is incredibly scientific. But don’t tell that to the brand marketers out there. I really don’t feel like stepping outside to settle this discussion… Houston is way too hot these days.

To tweet or not to tweet?

I hope it’s not a fad. I recently launched a Twitter campaign at Camden, where we engage with people that are in the market for a new apartment. I can’t share how we’re pulling this off, but I can tell you that we’re seeing about 40% response rates from every individual we engage with. It truly has been an unexpected goldmine for us.