Some might say it’s the best time of the year. If you’re a marketer that is. Every February, the world leans in and actually watches commercials. The ones that worked this year? Clear storytelling, emotional connection, and a confident point of view – nothing overcomplicated. As we head toward a season of shamrocks and good fortune, remember great marketing isn’t lucky. It’s smart.
– Jeanne Kirby, CMO
Today in marketing school
Senior Marketing Director Rickey Bird has a way with words. Or rather… conversations. With his hands in all the creative pies at Inviso, he’s known for translating client needs for creative teams—while always keeping the big picture (and shared mission) in his sights.
“We get so caught up on the term ‘client,’ but everyone’s a person and we’re always on the same side,” says Rickey, “We all want the best output. So work together. Be transparent, be honest, be authentic.”
Here we’ll share his top tips for interviewing subject matter experts, how he sets the tone in virtual meetings, and his advice for newbies. (Pencils out, people).
Okay, top tips for interviewing SMEs? Any questions you always go back to?
Any time you talk to an expert, you have the chance to learn.
I like to focus on the “why” behind a product or feature. The “how” can be interesting but the “why” is usually a better story. Is this a response to customer needs, or something they anticipated?
My “go to” question when things get technical: “How would you describe this to your parents?”
How do you put new clients at ease in a virtual meeting?
Virtual meetings are tricky, especially for someone who’s fairly “buttoned down.” I lean into transparency and authenticity. I work from home; I don’t hide the barking dog or the Diet Coke.
But, no matter what, you have to be present. There are so many memes out there about people slacking off on virtual calls. Not mine. Mine are “camera on” and focused. I even side-eye when folks mute. What are you hiding?
Final words of wisdom?
Early in my career, big meetings were intimidating. Being the most junior person in the room is hard. But a boss once told me: you were chosen to attend, so you must say at least one thing that adds value. That advice gave me the confidence to speak up.
And I pass it on to anyone who’ll listen 😊.
He’s back! And why you should care
We knew him, we loved him, and then he just… disappeared. No, not Daniel Day Lewis. Dos Equis has brought back their “Most Interesting Man in the World” in an effort to revive a brand image that’s grown a bit lackluster. The brand dropped teasers for the iconic character’s return in early January then released the full-length ad later that same month. Their hope: that even after a decade-long hiatus, the “most interesting man” will still capture attention.
The takeaways
Aspirational characters for a win. Though these ads feature great filmmaking, the real pull is the character Dos Equis created in their “most interesting man.” Great writing, outlandish circumstances, and the natural charisma of actor Jonathan Goldsmith all work together to create a character we can’t necessarily relate to… but aspire to know. (And, hopefully, drink the same beer he does.)
💡 Studies show that brand characters make an ad 6x more memorable than a logo alone.
How to (gracefully) stick it to your competitors
This one’s an oldie but a goodie. In 2021, Coca Cola claimed they had sold 4x more soda than long-time rival Pepsi. Whoever the creative mind was behind Pepsi’s response to this news should get an immediate promotion. This nostalgia-laden 30-second ad was the perfect clapback (and proof that Pepsi could hold its own in a brand personality war, anytime). Accomplished without a single word of dialogue.
The takeaways
Think narrative, not numbers. Instead of arguing about who sells more, Pepsi framed the competition around consumer experience. They went beyond the raw metrics to position themselves as the brand with nimble, human-centered storytelling.
Businesses are seeking storytellers to combat “slop”
Smart companies are doubling down on human storytellers. The Times of London recently reported that businesses are hiring “chief storytellers” to cut through generic machine-made noise and actually move people.
LinkedIn postings mentioning “storyteller” have roughly doubled year over year, making “writing words” one of tech’s hottest jobs.
A Digitas/Vox study of 2,000 U.S. adults shows 67% say AI enables creativity, but 74% still believe authenticity is a uniquely human trait—and consumers can increasingly spot “bad AI” content. As one exec puts it, “AI can help create, but it can’t replace the emotional magic of human experience.”
Hard agree.
February’s word: Entice
Gone are the days of simple “subscribe here” links. It’s not enough to just have a newsletter (everyone does), now—in order to stand out—you need a sign-up campaign that’s compelling and content that lives up to its promises.
To create a “top of the inbox” newsletter you’ll need to:
- Take a customer-centric “what’s in it for me?” approach
- Adjust timing and frequency to match your Ideal Customer Profile’s rhythm
- Grab attention with great design and scannable (enticing) content
- Focus on value, not volume
- Test, optimize, analyze and repeat (to make sure your content has lasting, scalable impact)
Want to see how the Inviso team can check all these boxes for you? Reach out.
Marketing in the wild
What’s more “in the wild” than the thrilling landscape of social media? This month, we were touched by the unfiltered outpouring of support from the Winn brothers for their little sister (and women’s hockey gold medalist) Hayley Winn. They were her biggest, loudest, and most viral fans.
Never underestimate the power of a proud sibling.
Got your own “marketing in the wild” find? We’d love to see it. Send a pic to max@invisomarketing.com with your favorite bits of IRL ad genius.
Stay human out there, everybody. Until next month.
The Inviso Marketing Team