WVU Marketing Communications Today

Without a doubt, the coronavirus pandemic has changed all of our worlds. But one of the hardest-hit industries is travel. US Travel Association and Oxford Economics recently reported that the US is projected to suffer a $519 billion decline in direct travel spending, which translates into $1.2 trillion in lost economic impact. But there is hope. Experts predict there will be pent-up demand for travel. It is in our nature to explore, escape and emotionally attach to our friends and family. And while travel will look different the industry will eventually bounce back. ----more---- About Michael Lynch's guest: A 2009 IMC graduate, Jama Jarrett is currently the VP and COO of the Charleston WV Convention & Visitors Bureau where she provides strategic counsel for day-to-day messaging and operational activities, including management of the financial, administrative and communication functions for the bureau. Prior to joining the CVB in 2010, Jarrett worked for former West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin as deputy communications director. She was also the public information officer for the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training; Department of Labor; and WorkForce West Virginia, agencies within the West Virginia Department of Commerce. Jarrett has a concentration in crisis communications and has utilized her skills during emergencies and crisis situations such as the Upper Big Branch mine explosion in 2010 and the Charleston water crisis in 2014. Jarrett is a member of the West Side Main Street Board of Advisors and currently serves as an IMC mentor. She lives in Charleston with her fiancée and five kids. WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Michael Lynch from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

Advances in behavioral science have come a long way since the discipline’s inception in the late seventies. Robust studies have shown time and again that long-held theories of top-down information dissemination, particularly when scientific in nature, are not only ineffective but perhaps even counter-effective. Ensuring that communications are received as intended, and ultimately acted upon for the purpose of predicting behavioral outcomes, requires understanding how the brain processes information and its cognitive limitations. ----more---- People’s understanding of the world is shaped by their neural networks, and what behavioral scientists refer to more commonly as “mental models.”  These mental models are heavily influenced by a variety of factors including, but not limited to, how familiar the risk being reported is, whether it is natural or manmade, and whether it is voluntary. Also critical to the perception of risk is how frequently it is being communicated and who the sources of information are. The more that ideas/associations get communicated, the more likely they will be to shape audience member’s mental models—for better and for worse.   Communicating relevant, actionable credible information is not always an easy feat. It is essential to simplify the data, but the risk of oversimplifying can result in inaccurate communications or inaccurate interpretations of the communication. Appropriate simplification is essential for anyone charged with communication. About Susan's guest: Dr. Sweta Chakraborty is a risk and behavioral scientist in the media. She is regularly interviewed on major, international news media outlets including CNN, the BBC, Fox News Channel, Sky News, CGN, NZTV, i24, OAN, ABC, The Young Turks, Cheddar, and Newsmax to name a few. She has written extensively in peer-reviewed journals, is co-author of the book “Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Safety: A Study in Public and Private Regulation” from her time as a postdoc at Oxford University, and is currently working on her second book on how unfounded public panic impedes human progress. She is the U.S. Representative for “We Don’t Have Time,” the Sweden-based tech start-up that launched Greta Thunberg to viral global renown. She is also the founder and principle of Adapt to Thrive, a venture that seeks to better inform individuals, businesses, and government entities on the complex, interconnected challenges, such as food security and disease, already existing and emerging from a warming planet. Sweta is co-host of Eaton Radio’s live weekly show and popular podcast “Risky Behavior” as well as the host and producer of The Center for Climate and Security’s “The Climate and Security Podcast.” She is a 2019/2020 Millennium Fellow at The Atlantic Council, and serves on the boards of the Serendipity Foundation, America Adapts, and We Don’t Have Time. ___________________________________________ WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Susan Jones from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

Happy Easter everyone! It’s just not Easter without PEEPS®! The PEEPS® Brand has been around since 1953 and is a must-have for the Easter basket. The yellow chick is the icon that everyone knows however, the classic pastel-colored marshmallows covered in sugar are certainly polarizing. Consumers either love them or hate them. If they love PEEPS®, don’t mess with them. If they hate PEEPS®, there is no way they would ever eat any PEEPS® product. How does a brand stay true to its heritage while evolving to appeal to a larger audience? In this podcast, we will learn how brands can grow through innovation with their core consumers while attracting new users to the franchise. ----more---- About Nathan's guest, Matthew J. Pye, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Just Born Quality Confections Matthew J. Pye is the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Just Born Quality Confections, a 3rd generation family-owned candy company that manufactures PEEPS®, MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES® and GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS® candy brands. Matt has over 25 years of experience in marketing and sales. He started his career at Unilever as a successful sales representative selling the DOVE®, WISK®, SNUGGLE®, and LEVER 2000® brands. Several years later, he got his start in the candy industry at Cadbury working in marketing on TRIDENT® chewing gum. Matt moved on to a smaller company and entrepreneurial opportunity with Fleer Confections as Marketing Manager on all brands, which included DUBBLE BUBBLE® and RAZZLES® bubble gum brands. Matt joined Just Born in 1998 as the Group Product Manager on the MIKE AND IKE® and HOT TAMALES® candy brands. He launched MIKE AND IKE® ZOURS® in 1999, the company’s first sour candy offering. Matt eventually was promoted to Marketing Director with responsibility for all of the company’s brands. In 2004, Matt received the first-ever Company Visionary Award for his development of the company’s licensing program. In 2006, he moved into sales as a National Account Director relocating to Charlotte, NC to run the Southeast territory and manage key accounts including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Dollar Tree, Dollar General and Family Dollar. After a successful 4 year stint in sales, Matt was promoted to Vice President of Marketing in 2010. He led the turnaround of GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS® which the company had purchased in 2003. He spearheaded the successful breakup campaign of MIKE AND IKE® and executed the PEEPS® Chocolate Initiative with the launch of several new products. In 2012, Matt was promoted to Vice President of Corporate Affairs with the responsibility for Trade Relations, Community Relations, Government Relations and Corporate Communications. He was then promoted to his current position as Senior VP Sales & Marketing in 2017 managing sales, marketing, corporate affairs and retail. Matt earned his BS in Marketing from Boston College and has an M.B.A. from Rutgers University. He is an Eagle Scout and currently serves on the Executive Board of the Minsi Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He also serves on the Executive Board of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Matt is married and has 2 daughters in college. WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Nathan Pierratt from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

 It’s no secret, to succeed as a business you need to build a brand. But building a brand is no easy task, and most companies don’t get it right the first time. Great brands are built on solid positioning. It’s a yin and yang; positioning is yin (rational) and branding is yang (emotional). They’re two sides of the same coin, and you need both. ----more---- A new logo or color scheme can’t define a brand. Branding expresses a company’s unique role and relevance, its position, in an authentic and differentiated way. To build a sticky and successful brand, you need to know your company’s position in the market. And to identify your position, you need to start with your Corporate DNA. In this podcast, we’ll sit down with marketing expert and best selling author, Andy Cunningham, to discuss the process of identifying your corporate DNA, establishing an authentic position and building a brand that sticks.   WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Whitney Drake from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

The media landscape has increased in complexity and the ability to reach consumers in a variety of different ways. In this podcast, we will look at the different approaches that exist in the industry, the balance of art and science in these approaches and how a blend of these methods can help an advertiser get a clearer picture of how consumers are engaging with your brand. WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Cyndi Greenglass from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

In just a few weeks, the global pandemic has had immeasurable impacts on healthcare, economic and communications. Social distancing to flatten the curve of infected people needing testing and care has led to across-the-board cancellations and postponements of in-person meetings and events communicators and advocates rely on heavily. The coronavirus has also spurred wholesale remote work environments and a refresh of planned message platforms on all communications channels. ----more---- The future scope and length of the healthcare and economic crisis is uncertain, forcing us all to be flexible, patient and innovative in conducting and meeting our communications and advocacy goals. Today’s session will focus on virtual advocacy communications while incorporating key elements of integrated marketing communications to help amplify our activities.  Mike Fulton Mike Fulton directs the Washington, D.C., office of Asher Agency and teaches public affairs in the West Virginia University Reed College of Media’s Integrated Marketing Communications program. Mike worked on Capitol Hill for 10 years and focuses on advocacy communications strategy, relationship development, coalition building, earned media placements, and events. Joshua Habursky Joshua Habursky is the Head of Federal Affairs at the Premium Cigar Association and Adjunct Professor at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. He has also taught strategic social media at WVU.  Josh’s experience is in digital and grassroots advocacy, as he founded the national non-profit Grassroots Professional Network, but his past two positions have broadened his government relations to state capitals as well as federal government relations. WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Karen Freberg from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

As data become easier to access, manage, and analyze, the responsibilities of data professionals have changed. Once the wild west of specialization where few companies were really investing in “data” people, today companies are a lot better at democratizing insights and closing the data literacy gap. This shift has resulted in an evolution of the data professional where pivot table gunslingers are a thing of the past and now communication skills are coveted above all else. ----more---- In this podcast, we will learn what’s expected of data professionals today, what this means for people coming into the industry, and why data departments are the modern-day renaissance capability. About Matthew's Guest: Tradd Salvo is a Data Strategy Director at Droga5 in New York. In this role, he works with clients like Harley-Davidson, Under Armour, and HBO to integrate rich insights into every stage of their marketing campaigns. Some of his responsibilities include measurement, business strategy, consumer insights, and data systems and tool automation. Before Droga5, Tradd worked for several agencies including Digitas, FCB, Y&R, and W20 Group for clients such as Samsung, the FDA, Warner Bros, and Verizon. Tradd grew up near Baltimore Maryland and currently resides in New York City. He received a B.S. in advertising from West Virginia University as well as a master’s degree in advertising from the University of Texas at Austin. ___________________________________________ WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Matthew Cummings from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

Consumers today expect businesses and executives to take a stand. It has never been more important for the C-suite to have a voice and a platform on which to share it. Many companies dedicate time and energy to their brand’s social media presence but don’t feel that it’s the right channel for executive communications, or that it’s already too late in the game to get started from scratch. In this podcast, we’ll talk about the shifting expectations for CEOs, how social media can help with positioning, and ways for organizations to build or enhance a successful digital executive communications program. ----more---- About Nathan's guest: Lindsey Neary brings over a decade of client and project management experience to her work as a Vice President on Edelman’s corporate team. In her current role, Lindsey focuses on digital corporate and executive communications strategy and implementation for clients across a variety of sectors, including e-commerce, technology, finance, and healthcare. She works with integrated teams to reach target audiences with strategic and creative content through owned, paid, and earned media. Prior to joining Edelman, Lindsey managed multiple client relationships at iostudio, a full-service advertising agency. A highlight of her work there was overseeing the launch of a digital application that has helped 25,000+ military veterans brand their skills in a traditional resume format and connect with potential employers. She also previously worked at IXI Digital, an Equifax company, across corporate marketing, sales, and product development. Lindsey partnered with financial services firms to better understand their target audiences and measure digital campaign effectiveness using proprietary data products. Lindsey graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and minor in Spanish. She also holds a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University. ___________________________________________ WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Nathan Pierratt from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.     

Sales and marketing go hand-in-hand and when you can use data from one to inform the other, you’re in a better position to come up with strategies (and tweaks to those strategies) to give your consumers what they want.  But that’s easier said than done.  ----more---- Tessa Burg, the vice president of user experience and technology strategy at Tenlo, has been doing just that for more than 15 years. She shares tips on how marketers can get started, what works and doesn’t work, and how data-backed marketing has evolved over time. She also explores which digital marketing strategies work best for specific channels. Tessa Burg is vice president of user experience and technology strategy at Tenlo, a pipeline marketing company that focuses on engaging high-value prospects with relevant buyer experiences that get results. Tessa has been leading data-driven marketing and technology product teams for 15 years and has successfully executed the Rapid Testing process across hundreds of experiments, new product launches, and omnichannel campaigns. 

Content marketing can be a powerful tool when you really know your audience and can provide information and insights they need and want. Gennifer Chenault, a content marketing strategist for SOC Telemed, walks us through her creative process and how to use data to measure your successes (and failures). She’ll help you determine if content marketing is right for your organization and, if so, how you can find the subject matter experts who can get at the issues and answer the questions that are important to your consumers.   ----more----   About Gennifer Chenault:   Gennifer is an experienced B2B marketing professional in the intersection between healthcare and technology. She is a content marketing strategist for SOC Telemed, an acute telemedicine company in Reston, VA. A true marketing “journeywoman”, Gennifer has held direct response, lead generation, telemarketing, market research, product marketing, and product management roles in small, medium, large and global organizations. She blames this career path on wanting to know everything about everything. When she’s not writing or editing or distributing content at work, she’s reading thrillers, science fiction or fantasy (or working on her own fantasy trilogy). Gennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in English from West Virginia University and met her husband in an elevator at Summit Hall. ___________________________________________ WVU Marketing Communications Today is hosted by Matthew Cummings from West Virginia University which is a program on the Funnel Radio Channel.