Wvu Marketing Communications Today

  The uber-networker David Berkowitz answers our burning questions about search marketing and where it’s headed. Learn why paid search advertising is growing so quickly (hint: the proliferation of small screens is a factor). And what marketers should be doing to maximize this powerful tool. David has been predicting trends in this field long before most of us, and in this episode, he gives us the skinny. About our Guest: David Berkowitz is the SVP of Corporate Marketing & Communications at Mediaocean, the mission-critical platform for omnichannel advertising. Prior roles include leading marketing and strategy for video production marketplace Storyhunter, social listening firm Sysomos, Publicis agency MRY, and Dentsu agency 360i. He has contributed more than 600 columns to outlets such as Advertising Age, MediaPost, VentureBeat, and Adweek, and he has spoken at more than 350 events globally. David also founded and runs the 3,000-member Serial Marketers community. WVU Marketing Communications Today: Horiz

  The term “Healthcare” covers both the medical and the life sciences industries, and marketers in these fields enjoy all kinds of opportunities. Professionals are navigating the dynamics of an increasingly engaged and empowered end-user patient base, while also juggling a complex and diverse channel strategy—all within a highly regulated environment. While this may stunt the speed of change in other industries, there’s no such slowdown here. Our guest, Jean-Francois (JF) Denault, shares with us what’s going on in Healthcare marketing, from AI-driven chat and social media to the move from cost-based to value-based messaging. JF has worked in Healthcare and life sciences marketing for over 20 years and has his own consultancy working with big names in pharma and medical devices. JF has written two books on the subject and is located in Montreal, Canada. Join us for a lively, informative conversation. About our Guest: Jean-Francois Denault has been working with innovators and entrepreneurs in life sciences as

  In the marketing profession, we have depended on the Four Ps as foundational to business success. But is that still relevant today? Tune in and learn why Rick Spear says ignoring the Four Ps is like ignoring the alphabet. In this episode, we discuss how pricing, above other strategies, has become the secret weapon for marketers in managing through these uncertain waters of inflation, recession, and constant change. But to wing it or make guesses benefits no one. Pricing is the top strategy to gain—or regain—value. Find out why Rick says that the critical question we need to keep asking is: “What will it take to earn 1 point of market share?” HINT: A few key insights can trump terabytes of data. About our Guest: Rick Spear is a senior executive in the capital markets industry who has spent 50% of his career helping to run firms and 50% as a strategic advisor/consultant to CEOs, boards and heads of businesses. As head of strategy, he has helped to architect and manages multi-year growth plans, targeting and

  Purpose is an important new way for brands to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.  Our guest Diane Primo, CEO of the agency PurposeBrand, explained that a brand’s purpose must be authentic, and be established with the buy-in of all stakeholders. Only then can it be successfully presented externally for marketing benefit. Join us for a lively discussion about why consumers' growing interest in a brand’s purpose matters, and how to quantify the impact of purpose on your investment. Hint: Take the long view. About our Guest: Diane Primo is the CEO of Purpose Brand Agency, an award-winning, Chicago-based public relations, branding and digital marketing firm. She is the only African American female CEO of a purpose-driven communications agency. Diane’s focus on impact marketing stems from the belief that brands must be relevant, purpose-driven and committed to consumers to be successful today. Consumers’ demand for meaning, transparency and authenticity has changed the nature and raised the stake

  With the rising demand for marketing accountability, and the emphasis being placed on data-driven decision-making, is the intuitive marketer under threat of extinction? Our guest, Susan K. Jones, says that AI and science will allow the intuitive marketer of the future not only to survive but to thrive. Listen in as we discuss how smarter AI and tech will lead to smarter “informed intuition” for marketers everywhere. Susan is the author, co-author, or editor of more than 30 books. Academically, she is a tenured full professor of marketing at Ferris State University in Big Rapids MI, and she is also a marketing practitioner with a background in banking, collectibles, insurance, and business-to-business. About our Guest: Susan K. Jones is a full, tenured Professor of Marketing at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI, where she is entering her 33rd year of teaching. Susan's practitioner background includes work at agencies and companies in fields including banking, collectibles, insurance, and business-t

  Is marketing’s focus on the customer misplaced, even harmful? We discussed this radical idea with Tim Parkin, a global consultant and coach to marketing executives at many world-renowned brands. While marketers have been focusing on the customer, Tim contends that we have neglected our internal teams. They find themselves without the processes, collaboration, and alignment needed to make marketing to customers work. Join us as Tim explains why he rates most large corporate marketing teams only a 3 out of 10 and gives us an action plan to make this right. HINT: It is tied to a clever combination of skill-based retention and a disciplined process. About our Guest: Tim Parkin is a global consultant, advisor, and coach to marketing executives of many world-renowned brands. He specializes in helping marketing teams optimize performance, accelerate growth, and maximize their results. By applying more than 20 years of experience merging behavioral psychology and technology seamlessly, Tim has unlocked rapid and

  "Small business owners are not marketers,” says our guest Stephanie Schwab, CEO of Crackerjack Marketing. But she can help them become proficient, and successful, if they follow a distinct process that she shares during this episode. As the world enters a time of business uncertainty, Stephanie recommends that owners reassess their marketing, to understand the nature of their unique offering and to take stock of their customers. Listen in, as we explore the details around her process, and her marketing must-dos—including the surprising Top Tip she gives to business owners. About our Guest: As CEO of Crackerjack Marketing, Stephanie Schwab creates engaging digital marketing programs for exuberant lifestyle, tech, and education brands. Over the last 20+ years, Stephanie has focused on social media, content marketing, and influence marketing, blending management consulting best practices with agency creativity. She is the Director of the Digital Marketing Programme at Harbour. Space, a high-tech university i

  Seth Marrs, the Forrester analyst who follows sales technology, painted an exhilarating picture of the future of SalesTech, saying it will combine with MarTech into an entirely new way of going to market — along with a new organizational function called Revenue Teams. Primarily focused on the B2B ecosystem, but with consumer applications — especially for call centers — this developing technology is enabling an end-to-end customer experience driven by conversational intelligence, NLP (natural language processing), AI, and real-time data capture and analysis. In fact, Seth believes the future will be about opportunities and not leads, and this tech gives us a brand new container for our engagement experience, resulting in more powerful roles for marketing, higher revenues, and customer satisfaction overall. Sounds great. Give a listen! About our Guest: Seth Marrs brings more than 20 years of experience leading sales operations, service operations, and marketing organizations. He excels at leveraging data, p

  Recorded live from the Innovation Center at WVU Reed College of Media, Ruth Stevens and Cyndi Greenglass look at the fascinating marketing trends shared on their podcast over the first half of 2022. Included in the discussion are insights on the complex evolution of the customer experience (CX), the emerging power of Gen X as an audience, the importance of your digital first impression, the future of events, humanizing measurement, and connected TV (CTV). Don’t miss this opportunity to catch the highlights of the first half of 2022 and the marketing waves Cyndi and Ruth are riding over the horizon. WVU Marketing Communications Today: Horizons is presented by the West Virginia University Reed College of Media, which offers renowned online master’s degree programs in Marketing Communications.  

  As marketers, we spend a lot of time talking about Millennials. We target them as consumers, employees, and donors, to the point of obsession, as the next cohort after the Boomers. But wait! We are overlooking Generation X, not surprisingly called the “Forgotten Generation.” This is the 65 million people in their 40s and 50s sandwiched between the Boomers and the Millennials. They represent a $2.4 trillion market. Ignoring them could prove a costly mistake for both businesses and nonprofits. In this episode, we speak with Alicia Lifrak, who is a Gen X member herself, and has spent the past 25 years leading strategy in the nonprofit and higher education worlds. She explains why marketers ignore Gen X at our own peril, and what we should be doing about it. Pop Quiz: Can you name at least 3 Gen X leaders of major transformational companies today? Listen to this episode for the answer. About our Guest: With more than three decades of experience in the philanthropic sector, Alicia M Lifrak is a marketing execu

  Marketing is no longer about simply bringing in new customers. Marketers are also responsible for managing customers to profitability. Our guest Steve Gershik explains why customer management is the new horizon, and how we all need to develop the tools and skills to understand our customers deeply. We must become digital anthropologists, examining customer behaviors and signals to infer the steps needed to serve customers and expand their value. Join us for a lively conversation, beginning with Steve’s notion of the “funnel beyond the funnel” and the surprising origins of the AIDA concept. About our Guest: Steve Gershik is a marketing executive and board advisor, based out of California. He was the first head of marketing for Sirius Decisions, a sales and marketing advisory firm now part of Forrester Research. Previously he has served as marketing executive at companies like Eloqua, inRiver, TOA Technologies and previously created the online marketing function for Nuance, now part of Microsoft. He co-foun

  Marketers are under mounting pressure to demonstrate results. In this episode, the renowned measurement master Katie Delahaye Paine shares her latest tips on how to successfully overcome the challenge while preparing for the new developments ahead. Join us to learn two key reasons this issue persists, why you need to set the right objectives, and how silos and fiefdoms can doom your efforts. Innovative AI-driven tools are on the way, but we must apply them with care. About our Guest: Katie Delahaye Paine, aka The Measurement Queen (@queenofmetrics), has been a pioneer in the field of measurement for more than three decades. She was recently awarded the prestigious IPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement, an award given for lifetime contributions in the advancement of research, measurement and evaluation in public relations and corporate communication. In her consulting practices, she designs measurement dashboards for some of today’s most admired companies. Katie has also been a leading developer a

  The landscape of higher education has experienced major changes, but it is set to undergo a sweeping transformation in the years ahead. A smaller Gen. Z cohort, combined with increased talent demands in the industry bring both threats and opportunities for academic instruction. Who will survive, and how will they thrive? In this week’s episode, we tackle two compelling opportunities: how marketing professionals should evaluate the role of higher education in their career ladder, and how schools should borrow from the B2B playbook to competitively market themselves for the future. Take a listen with our esteemed guest, Chad Mezera, Assistant Dean of Online Programs for the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University. Chad literally “wrote the playbook” on online education, and has turned WVU’s higher education programs into award-winning, innovative online degrees. About our Guest: Chad Mezera is the Assistant Dean of Online Programs for the Reed College of Media at West Virginia University (WVU). In

  In this episode, Brian Hunt explains, in the clearest possible terms, the total scoop on CTV for marketers. We learned its benefits and drawbacks, the differences between CTV, OTT and linear television, and why CTV is an essential medium for us to be experimenting with today. Career hint: Data science majors can write their own tickets in this field! Join us for the details of how television is becoming more digital, targetable and measurable as a marketing communications channel. About our Guest: Media industry veteran Brian Hunt is Head of OTT and CTV Advertising Sales for Sinclair Broadcast Group. In this role, Hunt is responsible for the monetization of multiple premium connected TV and over-the-top digital video services for the company, including CompulseOTT, a data-driven ad platform and the fastest-growing digital product in Sinclair’s history. His responsibilities also include oversight of Sinclair’s rapidly growing local broadcast inventory and national platforms for NewsON, featuring over 300 l

  It’s time to look in the digital mirror. Do you like what you see? What does your “digital-first impression” say about you? And why should you care? Whether it’s your company website or your social pages, your web presence makes a bigger difference than you think. In this episode, our guest Andy Crestodina makes the case for investing in your digital presence right now, to make the impact you want tomorrow. He also shares tips on how your digital content must adapt to stay competitive, engaging and relevant. Join us! About our Guest: Andy Crestodina is a co-founder and CMO of Orbit Media, an award-winning 40-person digital agency in Chicago. Over the past 20 years, Andy’s provided guidance to 1000+ businesses. He’s written hundreds of articles on content strategy, SEO and Analytics. He’s also the author of Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing. Top 10 Online Marketing Experts, Forbes Top 50 Marketing Influencer, Entrepreneur Magazine Top 25 Content Marketers, Express Wri

  Some changes are so subtle you don’t recognize them when they are happening, but then – BAM - you get a wake-up call. That is what our guest, Jay Baer, says about the customer experience. Today CX is all about how you make the customer feel and brands who succeed in the future will excel at understanding, meeting, and exceeding the expectations of their customers. Join us as Jay lays out the roadmap for what you should be doing now to meet the future needs of your customers. Jay is a marketing and customer experience expert and 7th-generation entrepreneur. He is the author of 6 best-selling business books and the founder of 5 multi-million dollar companies. His newsletter, thebaerfacts.com is also chock full of tips and insights on the convergence of marketing+CX. About our Guest: Jay Baer is a Hall of Fame keynote speaker who teaches business growth through customer experience and marketing innovation. He is also a popular virtual emcee and event host, New York Times bestselling author of six books, a

  Early in the pandemic, David Meerman Scott saw marketers struggle to take their in-person events virtual, and concluded that we were approaching the problem from the wrong mindset altogether. He published a 6-minute video explaining the right way to reimagine events for the virtual world. On our podcast, David not only provides a 7-point set of action steps to liven up your virtual and hybrid events, but he also shares what it will take to create the successful events of the future. Join us for an instructive 30 minutes! About our Guest: David Meerman Scott spotted the real-time marketing revolution in its infancy and wrote five books about it including The New Rules of Marketing and PR, now in a 7th edition, with more than 400,000 copies sold in English and available in 29 languages from Albanian to Vietnamese. Now David says the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of superficial online communications. Tech-weary and bot-wary people are hungry for true human connection. Organizations have lea

  Are your models annoying or delighting your consumers? Marketers have been using machine learning for years to help create advanced models, but that is not going to cut it in the future. Too many personalization efforts today rely on algorithms that are turning people off. And our attempts at automated personalization engines are forcing consumer audiences to simply tune brands out. In this episode, we explore the connection between models, analytics, and even Eric Clapton with our guest, Stephen Yu. As a songwriter, musician, and master modeler, Stephen brings a unique perspective to data science and a cautionary message as well: Those who rely solely on automated analytic solutions will be the first to be replaced by the machine! About our Guest: Stephen H. Yu is a world-class database marketer with a proven track record in comprehensive strategic planning and tactical execution, effectively bridging the gap between the marketing and technology world with a balanced view obtained from over 30 years

  In this special edition of Marketing Horizons, hosts Ruth Stevens and Cyndi Greenglass review the 2021 marketing trends they believe will have a significant impact on marketers in the year ahead. Some fads have already faded, but some new ones will continue to disrupt and drive business results in 2022. And a bonus: Are you thinking about how to uplevel your career this year? Ruth and Cyndi also give us a preview of the exciting careers emerging for marketers. WVU Marketing Communications Today: Horizons is presented by the West Virginia University Reed College of Media, which offers renowned online master’s degree programs in Marketing Communications.  

  Direct marketing —an approach that uses all types of advertising media to motivate a response, which is tracked and stored in a database—is fast becoming indistinguishable from modern marketing today. Join us as Ron Jacobs, one of the preeminent authorities on this topic, explains the evolution of direct marketing thinking and where it’s headed over the horizon. Hint: Some marketing challenges are not likely to be solved anytime soon, but Ron says new tools and technologies are on the way. About our Guest: During the last 35 years, J&C founder, Ron Jacobs, has been blazing the trail and establishing the best ways to interact with consumers. Through honed tactics and techniques, Ron has defined the best ways to start, manifest and sustain relationships with customers. He shares his insights and strategies as the author of many articles and books, through works with clients and organizations in the U.S. and around the world, and across the globe as world-renowned public speaker. Ron Jacobs literally