Over at Masters in Marketing, Caroline, Laura, and I have interviewed some very bright minds from some very bold brands. We\u2019re talking Liquid Death, New Balance, Oatly.<\/p>\n
But we got to wondering: What happens when noted marketing masters get to ask each other<\/em> the questions? What do the innovators want to know from each other?<\/p>\n This year, we decided to find out with a feature we call Lingering Questions<\/em>.<\/p>\n The rules are simple: Each interviewee answers a question from the previous master of marketing. Then they drop a question for the next. They may or may not know who it will be (and sometimes neither do we).<\/p>\n But they know it\u2019s someone who knows. \ud83d\udc4f their. \ud83d\udc4f shtick. \ud83d\udc4f<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Below you\u2019ll find all of the answers to 2024\u2019s lingering questions. (Plus, a bonus rip in the spacetime continuum.)<\/p>\n To kick things off, my colleague, friend, and former AV Club executive editor, Laura M. Browning cooked up this one:<\/p>\n Anna Sokratov, Brand manager for Jeppson\u2019s Mal\u00f6rt:<\/strong> A 31-gallon galvanized steel trash can with a lid. Both are perceived as being unappealing or gross, and the cans last a long time \u2014 similar to the long-lasting flavor of Mal\u00f6rt.<\/p>\n Read \u201cThis is disgusting, try some\u201d: Marketing Chicago\u2019s vile-tasting liqueur<\/a><\/p>\n Sokratov asks:<\/p>\n Chris Savage, Co-founder & CEO of Wistia: <\/strong>My instinct goes to trying to get an awkward product placement in a summer blockbuster \u2014 the dream would be like the next Mission Impossible. Ethan Hunt has to use Wistia to decode something. And it\u2019s egregious \u2014 it\u2019d have to be an over-the-top obvious product placement.<\/p>\n Read How Wistia earned absurd growth with two-pizza teams<\/a><\/p>\n Savage asks:<\/p>\n Maryam Banikarim, Managing director of Fortune Media:<\/strong> When something works really well, I don\u2019t like holding onto it. I\u2019m a big sharer.<\/p>\n (She\u2019s made the IP for <\/em>The Longest Table<\/a><\/em> publicly available and is watching communities around the world replicate it.\u2014Ed.)<\/em><\/p>\n There is an incredible hunger for in-real-life community. And tapping into that while you leverage technology is a huge, huge opportunity.<\/p>\n There is definitely a movement afoot. And brands who know how to tap into that in an authentic way \u2014 not in a transactional way \u2014 are going to win.<\/p>\n Read One Question That Will Reinvigorate Your Approach to Marketing<\/a><\/p>\n Banikarim asks:<\/p>\n Emily Kramer, founder of MKT1: <\/strong>Orange, the mobile and internet company in France, made an ad to highlight its sponsorship of the FIFA Women\u2018s World Cup. The ad showed a bunch of clips of the men\u2019s soccer team, but at the end they reveal the players are actually from the women\u2018s team \u2014 they used deepfakes\/VFX to make them look like the men\u2019s team.<\/p>\n Some takeaways: Don’t just sponsor events as one-offs. Think about the sponsorship as part of a campaign to make it worthwhile. Be on the right side of history as a brand. Lean into trends or existing conversations \u2014 like deepfakes and fake content \u2014 in an unexpected way.<\/p>\n Read How An Obsession With Quality Led Emily Kramer to 48k Newsletter Subscribers and Counting<\/a><\/p>\n Kramer asks:<\/p>\n Dawn Keller, CMO at California Pizza Kitchen: <\/strong>Too many useful frameworks to mention (and plenty not so useful, by the way)!<\/p>\n Probably the most useful to me over the years has been some version of a strategic planning framework (one page) \u2013 to really set your high-level objectives and targets, identify your strategies, prioritize the tactics or initiatives within each strategy, determine KPIs, and call out key capability needs\/gaps.<\/p>\n Once that\u2019s set, it\u2019s about execution, so any good project or portfolio management framework is key, whether you\u2019re a marketer or any other functional leader for that matter.<\/p>\n I also love a good brand essence or positioning framework… See, too many to choose from.<\/p>\n Read How California Pizza Kitchen Embraces Change, Goes Viral on TikTok, and Gives Consumers FOMO<\/a><\/p>\n Keller asks:<\/p>\n Lia Haberman, founder of the ICYMI newsletter: <\/strong>By nature, marketers are cheerleaders for the brands they represent. However, this sometimes leads to their identities becoming so closely tied to the products and services they promote that they struggle to talk about the company in a way that doesn\u2019t sound like a sales pitch.<\/p>\n You can be passionate about a brand and still remain objective. Think about the product as a customer would, without letting loyalty cloud your judgment.<\/p>\n The more marketers adopt a consumer perspective, the better they\u2019ll be able to communicate benefits in a way that truly resonates. This approach can even help them identify opportunities and areas for improvement that might go unnoticed if they\u2019re too busy being the brand’s biggest fan.<\/p>\n Haberman asks:<\/p>\n Matt Zaremba, Director of marketing at Bodega: <\/strong>If budget wasn\u2019t an issue, I think I\u2019d allocate those resources towards surprise and delight, rewarding our community and customers.<\/p>\n Growing up as a skateboarder I remember how much it meant to be acknowledged by brands for supporting them, whether that was receiving a sticker pack, a handwritten letter from the team, or some other small gesture.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the core of building brand loyalty\u2026 Looking out for your customer and the community forming around your brand, what you do, and what you stand for.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a two-way street and I think more than ever, brands need to contribute, not just broadcast. So if budget wasn\u2019t an issue, I\u2019d focus on even more promo\u2019ing of product, surprise gifts with purchases, and throwing events in more cities to connect with our community in person, building positive energy and creating memories.<\/p>\n Read Bodega’s Matt Zaremba on How to Avoid Empty Calorie Marketing<\/a><\/p>\n Zaremba asks:<\/p>\n Aja Frost, Senior director of global growth at HubSpot:<\/strong> I think the future of marketing is incredibly personal \u2014 the more sophisticated AI becomes, the more possible it will be to have every visitor experience a totally customized journey throughout the internet, from the ads and search results they see to the websites they land on, how they move through those websites, and the nurturing they receive.<\/p>\n Person A, who works at a big corporation, will see enterprise-centric value props, images, CTAs, email messaging and design, etc., whereas Person B, who works at a startup, will see startup-friendly value props, images, CTAs, emails, etc.<\/p>\n HubSpot knows personalized experiences are better for both the visitor and the company, and so we’re trialing new technology as it comes out and thoughtfully introducing personalization across every touchpoint.<\/p>\n Read HubSpot\u2018s Senior Director of Global Growth on Embracing AI, Diversifying Beyond Search, and Reviving \u2019Dead’ Marketing Channels<\/a><\/p>\n Frost asks:<\/p>\n Chandler Quintin, Co-founder & CEO of Video Brothers:<\/strong> I’d normally suggest The Tipping Point<\/em>, but I’m going to guess everyone has read that!<\/p>\n My recommendation is Humanizing B2B: The new truth in marketing that will transform your brand and your sales<\/em> by Paul Cash and James Trezona.<\/p>\n It\u2018s all about the realization that humanizing and meeting the audience on the human level is more effective than treating the audience like a business. Tapping into emotions and culture versus features and benefits. There\u2019s a solid handful of gems within this book!<\/p>\n Read How an Entertainment Strategy Helps You Cut Through the White Noise<\/a><\/p>\n Quintin asks:<\/p>\n Grace Kao, Head of global business at Spotify: <\/strong>Meeting consumers where they are and in ways that align with their preferences allows brands to build stronger trust and true connection. So to stand out, it\u2019s important for marketers to connect authentically with audiences.<\/p>\n At Spotify, we\u2019re continuing to invest in innovative products and campaigns like Wrapped \u2014 our end-of-year thank you to fans, artists, authors, creators, and advertisers \u2014 and providing creative tools that enable brands to reach these audiences in the right moments and celebrate the fans who make Spotify, Spotify.<\/p>\n Read Marketing Wrapped 2024 & Top Strategies for the New Year, According to Spotify’s Global Head of Business Marketing<\/a><\/p>\n Somewhere around October, when the veil between worlds became thin, the Sacred Timeline split, and Chris Savage\u2019s question is asked again, resulting in two threads of questions. This is because the ways of the universe are infinite and mysterious. (It was me. I goofed. Now there\u2019s two threads. I\u2019ll fix it.)<\/strong><\/p>\n Savage asks: <\/strong>What\u2019s something you\u2019re doing that\u2019s working so well, you\u2019re afraid to tell others about it?<\/p>\n Hassan S. Ali, Creative director of brand at Hootsuite:<\/strong> I have to say that the creative brand team at Hootsuite is working so well that it\u2018s like a secret. Just to watch the collaboration and the teamwork that occurs here \u2014 it\u2019s something I\u2019ve never experienced before.<\/p>\n Read Marketing for the Lulz<\/a><\/p>\n Ali asks:<\/p>\n Andr\u00e9a (Dr\u00e9a) Hudson, Head of audience development & distribution for HubSpot Media:<\/strong> I’d give myself the same advice I still give myself: Find the dots, connect the dots, follow the vision. It can be really easy to become overwhelmed by the art of prioritization \u2014 but if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority, so focus on the things that make an impact to you, in business and in life.<\/p>\n Oh, and don’t shrink to be anything other than who you are. Those who are for you, are for you.<\/p>\n Read How HubSpot Media’s Head of Audience Development & Distribution Breaks the Marketing Mold<\/a><\/p>\n Hudson asks:<\/p>\n Calvin Goncalves, <\/strong>Marketing<\/strong> for New Balance, North America: <\/strong>My biggest failure taught me the critical importance of communication within a team. I realized that unclear information and assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and project delays.<\/p>\n In the future, I plan to focus on transparency and sending regular updates to make sure everyone is aligned and can contribute effectively to our goals. As marketers, we often speak in ideas but not always in actionable terms, so I will also work on translating our creative concepts into clear, actionable steps that everyone can understand and execute.<\/p>\n Read The Power of Partnerships and Innovation, according to New Balance’s Calvin Goncalves<\/a><\/p>\n Goncalves asks:<\/p>\n Jenna Kutcher, Host of The Goal Digger Podcast:<\/strong> To be able to get into the minds of my customers and see what they’re really struggling with.<\/p>\n I think a lot of times we assume we know what they’re struggling with, but their struggles are actually something different. It can be tricky to get clear on what people really need, versus what they think they want.<\/p>\n And so if we were able to connect the dots a little bit more, that would be a really cool superpower.<\/p>\n Read Digital Marketer Jenna Kutcher Thinks You’re Overcomplicating It<\/a><\/p>\n Kutcher asks:<\/p>\n James de Feu, Senior director for performance marketing at Zapier:<\/strong> I do as many \u201cwalk-and-talk\u201d meetings as possible throughout the day. This keeps me fresh and typically makes problem-solving much more fun!<\/p>\n Read Zapier\u2018s Head of Paid Ads on Storytelling, AI-Targeted Ads, and Why He\u2019s All-In on Influencer Marketing<\/a><\/p>\n De Feu asks:<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n April Sunshine Hawkins, co-host of the Marketing Made Simple podcast:<\/strong> Overhyping? Too much hype? I don’t believe there is such a thing. #Hypegirlforever<\/p>\n Now, if someone is participating in a marketing trend and the whole process is a slog-fest for them, personally, I believe they should farm it out or stop it completely.<\/p>\n There are so many ways to approach marketing that participating in a trend that brings drudgery or chaos simply isn\u2018t worth it. Sometimes you have to try it to know if you\u2019ll like it or not, but the instant you get started, notice how it feels to participate and decide if the juice is worth the squeeze.<\/p>\n Read You’re Not The Hero \u2014 Your Customer Is<\/a><\/p>\n Hawkins asks:<\/p>\n Wondering who\u2019s gonna share their warm fuzzies? In 2025, we chat with leaders from McDonalds, Quora, Morning Brew, Hootsuite, the Chicago Transit Authority, and so many more.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not subscribed to Masters in Marketing<\/a>, now\u2019s a good time to fix that. (While I go fix the timeline.)<\/p>\n2024\u2019s Lingering Questions<\/h2>\n
Mal\u00f6rt is one of Chicago\u2019s mascots. What would Mal\u00f6rt\u2019s mascot be, and why?<\/h3>\n\n
What unconventional marketing approach would you like to take, and how would you go about doing something you haven’t done before?<\/h3>\n
What\u2018s something that you\u2019re doing that\u2018s working so well, you\u2019re afraid to tell others about it?<\/h3>\n
What global campaigns have you seen that you think would translate well and that we should learn from?<\/h3>\n\n
What marketing framework has been most useful to you in your career?<\/h3>\n
What do you think is the top thing that stands in the way of marketers being successful, and why?<\/h3>\n
If budget was no issue, what\u2019s the first thing you\u2019d do as a marketer?<\/h3>\n\n
What do you see as the future of marketing and how do you think it will affect your strategy?<\/h3>\n
What’s one book or article every marketer should read?<\/h3>\n
How should marketers approach their strategies in verticals in which most competitors offer the same thing? How do you approach not only standing out, but also winning?<\/h3>\n\n
What advice would you give yourself when you were first starting out?<\/h3>\n
What have you learned from the biggest failure in your career so far, and how do you plan to leverage that in the future?<\/h3>\n\n
If you could have any superpower to help you in your career, what would it be and why?<\/h3>\n
What is one hack that you do to get more energized?<\/h3>\n
What’s one marketing trend you think most people are overhyping, and why?<\/h3>\n
What warm memory comes to mind when you hear these three words: creative, curious, courageous?<\/h3>\n