A discussion on transparency and reputation management
Why brand building and brand reputation management must go hand-in-hand
Many believe that public relations and marketing can be two different but complementary practices, but merging the two together builds a better brand. Communicators must use their power of story and persuasion across all channels to see brand reputation management as a brand building thruster. On the other hand, marketers must put a greater emphasis and sensibility into risk managing their campaigns and decisions. During his time at the Toronto Transit Commission, Brad Ross not only managed the organization’s reputation, but played an integral role in growing the brand and earning the trust of its customers. Tune in to hear Brad’s insights into reputation management during his days at the TTC and how transparency remains a key element in communications.
A new era of influence
How brands and agencies can better choose the right influencer and work with them more effectively
Circumstances related to transparency, editorial integrity and ethics, are now shifting the whole ground within the influencer category. The way in which brands work with influencers has changed and will continue to shift dramatically over the next few years. Tune in as Barry Choi, a personal finance and travel influencer discusses the growth of his own personal brand and outlines how agencies and brands can better choose the right influencers and work with them more effectively to achieve better results.
Don’t dictate data and insights
Making informed decisions
With the increasing access to data, it’s no wonder insights have become the fuel for just about everything in communications and marketing. From market polling to algorithm-based insights, data is only as objective as the content it's fed, which itself could be filled with bias. To influence decision making, marketers need a diversity of data and research. Tune in as Andrew Grenville, author and Chief Research Officer at Maru/Matchbox discusses market research and how marketing and communications practitioners can connect with insights partners to take a problem solution approach to data and insights. Andrew examines the trouble in the insights industry is facing with the explosion in data and information, the decreasing cost of doing it, and an increase in the need for informed decision making.
Finding the right tone and personality for your brand
How can a brand’s personality drive business results?
For many brands, selling a product or service can be purely transactional and straightforward – but it doesn’t have to be. When it comes to strategy for retention and new business leads, it’s important to keep brand tone and personality in mind. Using humour and enthusiasm has proven to be a good strategy for this episode’s guest – Shannon Lee Simmons. As a personal finance expert and co-founder of The New School of Finance, an advice-only financial practice, Shannon has used humour, enthusiasm and even real-life experiences to make the complex information of financial planning more digestible. Her team’s approach eventually led to the business growing from one employee to eight since 2012. Tune in for her insights into how she’s developed a personality for The New School of Finance and how brands should leverage their own personality to attract new audiences.
Understanding AI in communications
How can communicators better understand the impact of AI?
In the world of communications and marketing, we have no option but to learn, adapt and apply new techniques and technologies. In PR, we've evolved into integrated communication practitioners, to better understand and integrate social and digital plays into our storytelling. Marketers needed to master new digital platforms to amplify campaigns and access greater metrics and data. Now, we face artificial intelligence. It will change, upend, and influence like nothing before it. Tune in as Martin Waxman, artificial intelligence researcher and Seneca College instructor delves into the world of AI and how marketing and communications practitioners must understand the basics of artificial intelligence in order to develop strategies on how to approach it.
Ruckus Makers 9: Comedy and Community Management
How are brands using comedy in their content?
In this special edition episode of The Pivot recorded at the latest Ruckus Makers event, host Ken Evans chats with comedians Barry Taylor and Dena Jackson, Jacqueline Waters of the Royal Ontario Museum and Toni Shelton of Collective Arts Brewery, about brands taking the humorous route to their programming and content. Peeling the onion on comedy in marketing communications, the panel discusses how best to integrate humour into campaigns to connect with audience across multiple channels in powerful and genuine ways.