WVU Marketing Communications Today

Marketing legend Shelly Lazarus has been described as one of the most powerful executives in advertising and named one of the Top 50 Business Women. One of a mere handful of female graduates from Columbia University with an MBA in the early 1970s, Lazarus propelled herself through the corporate world to become chairman and CEO of the billion-dollar advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather. Shelly was way ahead of her time, stressing the need for balance between work and family life while simultaneously creating an integrated multimedia advertising giant that delivered results for brands. In our conversation, Shelly shares some of her memorable career war stories, and advice for today’s emerging advertising leaders. Join us!

About our Guest:

Shelly Lazarus has been working, as she would say it, “In the business I love,” for more than four decades, almost all of that time at Ogilvy.

Shelly rose through the ranks of Ogilvy & Mather assuming positions of increasing responsibility in the management of the company, including president of O&M Direct North America, Ogilvy & Mather New York and Ogilvy & Mather North America. She was named worldwide CEO of Ogilvy & Mather in 1996 and Chairman in 1997. She became Chairman Emeritus in July 2012.

Shelly started at Ogilvy at a time when the agency’s legendary founder David Ogilvy still walked the halls, and personally preached that the purpose of advertising was to build great brands. Under Shelly’s leadership, that essential mission has remained the centerpiece of the company’s philosophy, extending across regions and marketing disciplines, and attracting some of the world’s largest and most respected brands including American Express, BP, Coca-Cola, IBM and Unilever among many others.

WVU Marketing Communications Today: Marketing Legends is presented by the West Virginia University Reed College of Media, which offers renowned online master’s degree programs in Marketing Communications.

In this special edition of Marketing Horizons, hosts Ruth Stevens and Cyndi Greenglass review the 2022 marketing trends that are sure to impact marketers this year. Some fads have already faded, but some new ones will continue to disrupt and drive business results throughout 2023. And a bonus: Are you thinking about how to up level your career this year? Ruth Stevens and Cyndi Greenglass 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.

It’s time for a rethink of the notion of brand community, says our guest Mark Schaefer. Instead of the transactional, customer self-service model so common today, marketers must build communities that deepen emotional relationships with the brand. In this new model, customers learn from each other, and marketers learn from customers. It’s a win-win, delivering marketing that heals the loneliness found among consumers today. Schaefer explains how to think, how to execute, and how to measure the results of this new approach to marketing communications.

About our Guest:

Mark Schaefer is a globally-recognized keynote speaker, educator, business consultant, and author. His blog and podcast — The Marketing Companion — are at the top of the charts in the marketing field.

Mark has worked in global sales, PR, and marketing positions for 30 years and provides consulting services as Executive Director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions. Mark is also an advisor to B Squared Media and several tech startups.

He has advanced degrees in marketing and organizational development; holds seven patents; and is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University.

Customized for every audience, Mark’s inspiring and memorable programs specialize in marketing and strategies for content marketing, digital marketing, social media, and personal branding. His clients range from successful start-ups to global brands such as Adidas, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, Pfizer, The U.S. Air Force, and the UK Government.

Mark is the bestselling author of nine path-finding books including the first book ever written on influence marketing. Mark’s books are used as textbooks at more than 50 universities, have been translated into 12 languages, and can be found in more than 750 libraries worldwide.

Mark is also a popular and entertaining commentator and has appeared on many national television shows and periodicals including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, The New York Times, CNN, National Public Radio, CNBC, the BBC and the CBS NEWS. He is a contributing columnist to The Harvard Business Review, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

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.

Since the pandemic, airlines and hotels have taken a huge kick to the stomach. But now, it seems they can’t get out of their own way. Delays, poor service, and inadequate staffing, all in the face of massive demand and booming revenues. The result? Record low customer satisfaction and defections.

Joining us from Singapore is Mark Ross-Smith, founder of Travel Data Daily and CEO of Status Match. Mark has 20 years of experience leading loyalty programs in telecom and travel, most recently at Malaysian Airlines. In this episode, he explains why loyalty programs are not only hugely valuable to airlines, but are in some cases THE value, with important lessons for marketers everywhere. Listen in as Mark explains the extraordinary power of loyalty programs and the financial benefits of “selling the dream.” 

Key Takeaways/Three Little Piggies

• The lives of today’s consumers blend business and leisure, resulting in a solid new trend known as Bleisure. The world of travel is only going to grow bigger since it brings joy and magic into our lives and creates stronger human connections.
• During the downturn caused by the pandemic, airlines were forced to reveal the financial details of their loyalty programs in order to secure government loans. For the first time, the world discovered that frequent flyer programs are hugely profitable and in some cases worth more than the airline itself.
• Loyalty programs are examples of the Pareto principle in practice. As the 80/20 rule says, a small number of your most loyal customers are responsible for the majority of your profitability. Use this information to augment and enhance your own loyalty efforts, whatever your industry.

About our Guest:

Author, Founder of industry news site “Travel Data Daily”, and CEO of Status Match, Mark Ross-Smith who has published over 50 papers and articles on airline loyalty, which dive deep into airline economics, big data, and cutting-edge loyalty material.

His unique approach to loyalty has received industry acclaim and his work is referenced in major media including CNN, BBC, South China Morning Post, The Star, The Economist, Financial Times, Executive Traveler, Skift and many more. Recently, Mark also won the Global Aviation Travel Startups Award on October 2022 at the biggest aviation event in the world.

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.

Michael McCathren, innovation lead at Chick-Fil-A, and author of a new book: 6Ps of Essential Innovation, is an expert on the “innovation organization.” In this episode, he shared with us specifics about how marketing departments can develop the capabilities and the culture needed to implement new ideas. Listen in to learn how marketing leaders should adopt an innovation mindset, to make new ideas welcome, and to stimulate “idea equity” in their companies. Michael explains why an innovation organization is NOT the same as an innovative organization, and why it matters. His secret weapon for innovation: Stay close to your customers and let them speak for themselves.

Key Takeaways/Three Little Piggies

• Companies often try to incorporate new capabilities without building a culture that is able to accept them.
• Marketing leaders can create an innovative culture by asking questions instead of making statements.
• The voice of the customer can be the “rocket fuel” to drive growth through innovation.

About our Guest:

Michael McCathren, best-selling author of 6 Ps of Essential Innovation, is a strategic innovation expert who has spent more than 30 years leading efforts across operations, supply chain, finance, strategic planning, and marketing. Currently, he oversees Enterprise Innovation in the Innovation & New Ventures group at Chick-fil-A where he and his team are responsible for helping the organization transform its ideas into business value.

A curious, creative problem solver by nature, Michael approaches life with an innovation mindset and dedicates time to fostering that potential in others. Outside his work with Chick-fil-A, he is an adjunct professor of Innovation Management for the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.

Michael holds a Master of Science in Innovation from Northeastern University. He's deeply devoted to his faith and family and enjoys seeing the world on his motorcycle or camping with his wife, Dena.

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.

Memberships, subscriptions, loyalty programs — relationship marketing models of all sorts — have long been a staple of the marketing toolbox. But why is Peloton in such deep trouble right now? And Noom postponed its IPO? Join us as Mark DiMassimo explains what’s really going on, and how we can fix the apparent problem with membership marketing today. Spoiler alert: It’s not the model itself, you’ll be happy to know. Tune in for Mark’s advice on how to motivate customers to “start, stick and stay.”

About our Guest:

Mark DiMassimo is the Founder and Creative Chief of DiGo (DiMassimo Goldstein), the industry-leading agency in Positive Behavior Change marketing, which he founded in 1996 in New York City and has appeared on Inc's list of America's fastest-growing private companies four times and been named an Adweek Gold Best Agency. DiMassimo's ideas and creative work have helped build dozens of major brands that are pioneers in their respective categories. He was named a “Future 50 CEO” by SmartCEO magazine four years in a row, was profiled in the New York Times bestselling book, "Leadership Secrets of the World's Most Successful CEOs," and his work has won numerous Effie Awards from the American Marketing Association, among a slew of other awards for excellence in advertising creativity.

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.

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: Horizons is presented by the West Virginia University Reed College of Media, which offers renowned online master’s degree programs in Marketing Communications.

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 a professional consultant for over fifteen years. Through the years, he has worked with over 40 different clients in life sciences (including larger companies such as J&J, Denka Seiken and Chemo Group). His clients are located worldwide, as he has completed projects with clients in over 25 different countries.

JF specializes in the life sciences market. As such, he has completed pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, nutraceuticals and healthcare projects. Most of his recent projects have been in the market research, marketing strategy and competitive intelligence space.

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.