By Mark Kersteen - October 9th, 2015

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There’s no shortage of excellent marketing being done by brands big and small.

There’s no shortage of excellent marketing being done by brands big and small. We asked the speakers from the upcoming Incite Summit: East to share the marketing that pushes them to do their jobs even better. Their answers are eclectic, surprising, and serve as a great list of brands to emulate. 

Maia McCann, Director of Content for LittleThings.com:

“I’m inspired by Kate Spade's #missadventure series with Anna Kendrick & Gloria Steinem, or Dove's Choose Beautiful campaign.”

Ann Marie Gothard, Senior Director, Communications Strategy for EmblemHealth:

“At the moment, I’m fascinated with the Clinton Foundation / MTV’s #NoCeilings campaign. The content is compelling, and the juxtaposition of the image with caption is poignant. Very little explanation is needed.”

Elanah Entin, Social Media Manager at BaubleBar:

“I always love seeing how brands utilize social media during Fashion Week, and this year was no excuse. DKNY utilized the new Instagram Direct feature to connect with fans who wanted to learn more about the inspiration behind their collections, and in turn received commentary from the brand's Creative Directors. Burberry revealed its new collection and a behind the scenes look at the runway to Snapchat fans an entire evening before the show. Topshop partnered with Pinterest to help shoppers find clothing based on the color palettes they use in their own Pinterest boards.”

“Each of these brands found a way to connect with their audience in a real and personalized manner, and it truly makes a difference in making the user feel part of the brand. To me, it's so important to build a relationship with the consumer and make sure that your brand stays top of mind at all times.”

Sue Funke, Digital Brand Senior Manager, TV Land:

“The Straight Outta Compton meme generator's timing and virality was very inspiring. It was a really great way to spread awareness of the release and has challenged the way I think about premiere promotion.”

Patti Girardi, Vice-President, Marketing and Creative for Compass Group:

“Apple remains the gold standard in terms of brand equity management. Its Beats division dominates the headphone category with youthful messaging and masterful user generated content strategies. When faced with important marketing decisions, I often ask ‘What would Apple do?’”

“I also think Taco Bell’s social media strategy is best-in-class in terms of connecting with Generation Z. Taco Bell understands that this audience responds to brands that ‘act as a friend,’ versus delivering the hard sell.”

Doug Zarkin CMO at Pearle Vision:

“I’m inspired by Walgreens, and their holistic approach to taking their big brand and making it feel small.”

Jeff Pundyk Vice-President, Global Integrated Content Solutions for The Economist:

“Any company that shows they truly understand who they are talking to by helping those people do their work better or lead their lives better is inspiring.”

Justin Racine, Director of Marketing and eCommerce at Geriatric Medical:

“Over the last year, I have been really impressed with TD Bank’s #TDThanksYou and Stella Artois’s Give Beautifully campaigns. The goal of marketing is to generate emotional connections and bonds with our customers that can last a lifetime, and both of these campaigns exemplify this perfectly. Great marketing doesn’t seem like marketing, instead it should feel more like a story. The key here is that these brands tell GREAT stories that pull at our emotions, and these stories create the desired association the brand is looking for between them and their consumer. Better marketing to me comes when we are left with a smile or emotions when we sometimes least expect them, and when it surprises us the most.”

Bruce Rogers, Chief Insights Officer, Forbes:

“GE is the best B2B marketer. Their new campaign explaining what their software engineers do is brilliant.”

Adam Cohen, Social Media Manager for Thomson Reuters: 

“I’m always so focused on the awful ones that it was almost difficult to think of good ones that have stood out. I’d say MailChimp has done a pretty incredible job infiltrating the podcast market. Any company that is creating unobtrusive, simple ads across non-traditional channels (email newsletters, podcasts, Instagram, etc) is fine by me.”

Heather Sears, Vice-President of Marketing at YP:

“Amazon. They are aggressively focused on the consumer experience and creating the future of shopping. They actually put their consumer data to work to improve the shopping journey, and are taking their vision across the globe country by country. Can’t wait to get my favorite Swiss chocolate delivered within the hour by drone.”

Greg Stuart, CEO of The Mobile Marketing Association:

“Joe Boxer’s inactivity tracker, Unilever’s Kan Khajura Tesan, and Nivea’s beach tracking bracelet for kids are all pushing the boundaries of good marketing right now.”

Bluford Birdsong, Vice-President, Total Retirement Solutions Marketing and Strategy at Prudential Retirement:

“Apple, Amazon, and others are truly inspiring right now. These are companies who have used technology and data to develop a better product and or a better service for me as a consumer.”

Donna Peeples, CMO, AIG (Former):

Honda - Just produced an incredible two-minute commercial, The Power of Dreams

Powerade - Just a Kid from.... (this is masterful integrated everything—epic commercials, online store, etc)

Patagonia — everything they do is aligned with what they believe. From sourcing materials to promoting outdoor life.

Prudential — the Professor Gilbert stuff.

Dos Equis — The 'bravery' of suggesting people don't always drink only one thing all of the time. 

What inspires you? Tell us on Twitter at @incite_marcomms

The Incite Summit East 2015

November 2015, The Marriott Brooklyn Bridge

The USA's best brand-focused marketing conference. Featuring CMOs, SVPs and marketing leaders from Dell, Citi, Chobani, Activision, HSBC, Mondelez and many more.

Brochure Programme
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