Breaking Through the Millenial Clutter

I'll proudly admit that I'm a Millennial! A marketing millennial who has admired one brand for creatively breaking through the clutter. Samsung Instinct, the greatest product placement movie of all time! What is there not to love about this brand campaign?

First, I know it might be hard to believe, but Millennials are on to marketers' product placement game. Since we are on to it, why not publicly call a spade a spade in an entertaining way? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8-GIgkyWMY. It humorously acknowledges the target's intelligence. However, Instinct's cinema quality film production and storyboard enables the brand to own a high penetration level at a low level of frequency. The action film characteristics initially attract the audience, who expect a film preview, engaging them with the ad. Once engaged, it is difficult for the audience to tune out. Finally, the brand is developing by using engagement and presenting selling points in an audience expected manner: like film stars. I.e. "featuring turn by turn GPS navigation." As one contribution to film attendance is its film stars, people pay specific attention to the 'features,' thus remembering the selling points.

How to Court a Pretty Woman

Just because I'm a Craigslist job whore does not mean that you should not treat me like Pretty Woman! Recessionary times call for drastic measures, especially for online advertisers like myself. However, despite living in an employer's market, an employer should still behave like a gentlemen on a first date in order to retain positive talent relationships.

I recently courted a best-in-class digital advertising agency only to find myself quickly dumping them at the dinner table! After LinkedIn stalking one of its directors, developing a long-term email business relationship, and finally meeting over drinks, I was very excited to finally speak with a recruiter. As we started to conclude our phone date, the recruiter asked me my target salary. Upon hearing it, he promptly informed me about the position's highly competitive talent pool - a talent pool willing to work for $30K. Opportunities are certainly worth quite a lot, but so is my credit rating! While I still am attracted to the agency's work, I could never date them long term. Top talent seeks a long term relationship and will partner with companies whose manners mimic its soul, like Zappos.com. The only prices discussed were potential media buys. Our date included an all expenses paid trip to Vegas, a trip to the "Soul Doctor," and a Polaroid for my personal scrapbook. Now, there is a company with great soles! Had things worked out between us, I could easily see myself growing old(er) with them as can other swooning potential employees.

To attract top talent, I recommend these behaviors: 1) Don't make me go Dutch! Please pay for interview travel. It indicates financial stability and employee value. 2) Don't speed date. This is a courtship. Get to know me beyond a pre-prepared questionnaire. 3) Breakup via phone not silence. Quickly tell me that we are through rather than dragging it out in ambiguity. 4) Value me for me. As an MBA, I know what I'm worth. Although advertising agencies are notorious for paying under industry average, please do not immediately low ball my desired salary. Treat me like a lady. Ladies require negotiation. Remember. Any company can find employees. However, a gentlemen company who uses these manners will almost always get the most beautiful ladies in the employment pool - and keep them too! Which do you want to be?

A YAP Bio: The Beginning (a.k.a. Why the Arts?)

Sarah Ewing started her advertising career as a five year-old belting jingles at family gatherings, holidays, and the always-popular public arenas. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2004 with a BBA in marketing, a minor in music, and a dream of working in music business. Little did Sarah realize how the online marketing world would transport her career, byte by byte. She launched her marketing career composing email blasts, analyzing web impact of offline marketing initiatives, and launching national musical theatre tours at Kansas City's Starlight Theatre. The luck of the Irish whisked her across the Atlantic to Export Edge Services Inc. in Dublin, Ireland. However, Sarah did not need luck to utilize direct online marketing, website restructuring, and client management skills in a strategically crafted marketing program that acquired new multinational corporate accounts and doubled the company's net income. She simultaneously obtained a Professional Diploma in Global Trade & e-Business, winning the prize for the Best Business Information Systems student in Ireland in 2005. It was this successful passion for international online marketing that landed her Adwords Coordinator position at Google. Adding SEM to her web portfolio of marketing tricks, Sarah led and trained teams on effectively managing, optimizing, and cultivating a $2B AdWords account portfolio.
Sarah Ewing recently completed her MBA with high honors in 2008 from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business and is actively pursuing a career in digital advertising.