Dan Salganik

A Love Letter, to Ad Agencies. Yesterday, I visited an amazing agency in Minneapolis, Rise and Shine and Partners. They have great space, great people, great energy, great work. Bravo, Kevin DiLorenzo and team. And it reminded me, why I love advertising, and commercial creativity, to begin with. Agencies, are fun. If you've ever walked into one, or worked in one, you know what I mean. Music plays. People wander, chat, sit on couches, brainstorm, eat and laugh. The artifacts are curious and amazing, and are culturally significant and gettable to only those who work there. That's the point, after all. The conference rooms have silly names. Antler hooks abound to stash a jacket, or a solo cup. Creativity, is in the air. And it's infectious. People feed off each other's ideas and energy, and the aura of conscious creation is palpable. There is a casualness to agencies, that is 100% unique. Many industries have tried to replicate it - but cool furniture and ping pong tables, are mere trappings. Ad agencies, are cool from the inside out, and the spaces they occupy, are cool containers for their creativity. People there, are curious. They are full of ideas. They are silly, for silly's sake. And I for one, am all about a little more silly these days. Of course, they are serious-minded places, and of course, they care deeply about their clients. But still...agencies, are a vibe. You can't help but be a bit cooler, a bit more creative, a bit more curious, when you spend time within an ad agencies' 4 walls. Yes, amidst all the criticisms of agencies, or how agencies are dying off, or how agencies just aren't as relevant anymore...I'm going to pause all that, and simply say this. They are damn cool places to work, if you can. #culture #advertising #agencylife #adagencies

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The market has officially shifted from a lazy river to whitewater rapids (and it's about time). We're seeing a 50% uptick in referral-based business at Chief Brand Advisory (CBA). The species of engagements ranges from brand strategy, design, and identity systems to advertising, social content, go-to-market materials, pitch decks, and videos. Here's a list of the types of requests we've received in the last 30 days alone: ➕ 2 Global M&A Rebrand Assignments: Establishing a unified identity post-acquisition. ➕ New Brand/Product Launch: Introducing fresh, innovative products to the market. ➕ Agency of Record for a Major Marketer: Leading a brand refresh including messaging evolution, a new TV campaign, and social content. ➕ Later-Stage Company Shifting Focus: Moving from an acquisition-centric strategy to a balanced brand and acquisition focus. ➕ Updated Go-To-Market Materials: Repositioning a software company to target new audiences. ➕ Updated Pitch Deck and Founder/CEO Videos: Enhancing investor presentations and leadership communication. If you're a seasoned PM or Account Lead, Writer, Graphic Designer, or a .ppt/Keynote Samurai who develops investor presentations and can come in through a referral (someone who knows me), please reach out to [email protected]. It looks like Q4 is going to be incredibly busy. Whoot! #brand #brandbuilding #marketing #founders #mergersandacquisitions

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Pattern® Accelerate | Innovations to prepare your brand for ⬇️ I had an incredible time at Patterns Accelerate conference last week. Powerhouse attendees ✅ Gabi Viljoen, MBA, Dean McElwee, Gurmeet M., Dan Kartchner Great Content ✅ Jesse Itzler, David Wright, Kyle Bliffert, John LeBaron And a fun panel with Sreenath Reddy, Ritu Java, and Brett Bardsley ✅ A few of the topics we covered - 🔶 AI. Naturally. AI may not make or break your business at this point, but it can be a large driver in operational efficiency improvements. Whether it's content distribution, or speed to market, the brands that are leaning in to AI WILL have a competitive advantage. 🔶 AMC - Amazon Marketing Cloud. AMC will be a big unlock for brands. Unified Data Management, Audience segmentation and Targeting capabilities, Attribution Modeling, Cross-Channel Optimization.....this control will be incredibly powerful. 🔶 Amazon Creative Direction Amazon is making quite the splash in the world of content and entertainment. (See Jeffrey Cohen's Upfront's post...Prime Video Legally Blonde prequel series 💁‍♀️💅) Access to this audience, and AMC access, will allow us to integrate data from different channels and touch-points, giving us a more holistic view of advertising performance and the customer journey. 🔶 Audience Insights Amazon has always dominated the PPC / Search game, but more recently, we have seen a move to incorporate more audience insights. It's no longer enough to just target search terms. We now have to start considering what type of shopper is searching for each term. Do they have certain qualities that influence their likelihood of buying? How can we educate our audience before they even think to make a search? These are the questions brands need to be asking.

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While most crime numbers have significantly declined in most major U.S. cities, including Chicago, the perception is quite different: A lot of people still feel unsafe and quite often don't trust the published reports. Reviewing last year's Gallup research, respondents voiced more pessimism about local and national crime than at any point in the survey’s roughly 20-year history. Here are just two key data points that are essential for this conversation from multiple crime statistics: - Murder dropped 11.6% from 2022 to 2023 across the U.S. , the largest declined in the last 20 years with overall violent crime down around 3% across these two years. - The monthly U.S. homicide rate from around 10,000 in January of 2022 has declined to below 8,000 today, on trend to reach even lower numbers more comparable to 2018 than the high COVID years. But still, over 80% of U.S. residents believe that the monthly homicide rate is higher than a year ago. - In Chicago, we have experienced a +20% decrease in homicide numbers since 2021. In today's Crain's Chicago Business in a must read article, Steve Hendershot is trying to explain the vast difference between the reality and perception of crime in our country. He is arguing for a few reasons for this large gap: - A few high-profile crimes across the country and many regions contradict the crime data’s optimistic narrative. - Public transit crime occupies a high perceptional influence that makes people, especially users of public transit, feel unsafe. - The increased usage of crime alert social media platforms and apps increase the perception of widespread lawlessness. The constant reminder of crime incidents undermine any feeling of personal safety. - An increasing political dimension drives perceptions of urban crime as a recent Gallup poll highlights. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents were more than three times as likely as their Republican and Republican-leaning counterparts to consider Chicago a safe place to live or visit. - Overall, people feel that their environment feels more chaotic and out of control than Pre-Covid. Random acts of violence undermine any feeling of improved safety. Overall, our crime numbers are still unacceptable high, especially in historically underinvested neighborhoods. But there is progress in many U.S. cities, including in Chicago. Steve Hendershot's article shows that we have to both continue to drive substantial improvement in crime numbers but also push for a broader crime data awareness and education to close the gap between reality and perception.

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The best—and worst—part about collaborating with small- and medium-sized businesses can be the founder. Present company included. Founders are brilliant, passionate, entrepreneurial, and visionary. And sometimes that can be limiting. Read below how agency owners like myself manage the challenges—and opportunities—that come with working with SMBs. Forbes Councils #partnerships #leadership https://lnkd.in/e-uGiSUF

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Rather than looking at the new #future we're moving towards and trying to lay out a new five-year plan, Bryan Kramer recommends making small, incremental shifts in the general trajectory of where you're intending to go. Read on: https://lnkd.in/gSsjGmh #business #leadership

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🍹 Bar Crawls and Creative Freedom: A Winning PR Combo 🍹 In today's new episode of Digital PR Explained, I chat with Michelle Mekky, founder of Mekky Media Relations, Inc. relations, about a one-of-a-kind campaign for a local tourism agency, Meet Chicago Northwest. The campaign? A bar crawl designed to showcase the Cork & Tap Trail in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. 🎉 Michelle shares how her team partnered with diverse influencers to create authentic, engaging content that: ✅ Boosted awareness for the region. ✅ Captured the unique charm of local establishments. ✅ Delivered 72,000 social media impressions and thrilled her client. One key to the campaign’s success? Letting the influencers lead with their own creative style. From video recaps to detailed reviews, giving them the freedom to be authentic made all the difference. 🎧 Tune in to hear Michelle’s insights on running impactful influencer campaigns: https://lnkd.in/gtNtjYc8 What’s your take? How do you balance influencer creativity with client goals? #digitalpr #influencermarketing #pr #influencercampaign #creatorcontent

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AI keeps pushing the bounds of advertising and marketing, and seeing all of the advancements is so exciting. Knox News reports on this and notes that each advancement makes people's jobs easier and decisions more accurate. Technology is only advancing more, and it is up to us to make sure that it is used ethically and responsibly. The way to do that is through regulations and lots of education surrounding the use of AI. #Ai #Marketing #Education

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This is why consistency matters. If your teams are making their own off-brand decisions in the name of “creativity,” 9.9/10 times they need more consistency and stronger guidelines inside which to create. It feels counterintuitive, but we see it time and time again. Establish a strategy that’s different from the other guys, matters to your target (not everyone, just the right ones) and true to your business strengths. Then stick with it. Getting tired of it? Stick with it. That’s when it’s starting to work.

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🌊 What's the Next Wave of A.I. Coming? 🌊 From building billion-dollar brands to pioneering the world of A.I. agents, meet Maddie Bell ⚡️💬🗓️.   Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Maddie is the CEO and Founder of Scheduler AI, a patented, fully autonomous A.I. agent that instantly connects businesses with their best prospects and customers. Maddie's many accomplishments include earning Procter & Gamble's “Lifetime Achievement Award” in digital innovation.   In today's episode, you'll hear how Maddie thinks about the different waves of A.I. we're experiencing, from the initial ChatGPT moment to the current phase of A.I. integration into existing software and the upcoming rise of A.I. agents. We also discuss the implications and opportunities of this technology, how to evaluate A.I. tools, how to automate processes and grow businesses, and the importance of responsible A.I. development. Why will buying technology tools feel a lot more like hiring people in the future? Listen in to find out: https://lnkd.in/gFbyY3xG Creativity Squared #CreativitySquared #CincyAI #CincyAIWeek Cincy AI Week #BusinessAutomation #DigitalCreativity #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #ArtificialIntelligenceTechnology #AIAgents #AI #AInews #Workflows

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Unlock insights on making ethical choices that benefit everyone. 🤝 Learn strategies for balancing profit and social good. 🌐 Get tips on building a responsible brand that stands out. 💼 Over 5000 downloads and still going strong... Enjoy! https://lnkd.in/gQayAyUD If you're eager to elevate your business while keeping it on the straight and narrow, our guide is just what you need! 🚀 Email us at [email protected] to learn more about responsible business practices. #EthicalBusiness #SocialResponsibility #BusinessSuccess . . . . . . #viral #reels #fyp #explorerpage #explore #localseo #seo #webdesign #sales #ai #startup #bitcoins #tsbrenterprises #thestonebuildersrejected #marketing #gmb #clients #breakingnews #finance #money #investing #stockmarket #economy #investing #trading #stocks #crypto #philosophy #stoicism #ethics

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Influencer relationships aren’t built overnight; they often take years to cultivate. Back in 2012, I attended a Q&A and book signing event in downtown Minneapolis for the book “Content Rules.” My nerves were on edge because I had the opportunity to meet someone everyone was buzzing about: Ann Handley. Despite my awkwardness (if you know me, you know it was inevitable), I left the event with a smile on my face and a signed copy of Ann’s book (photographic proof included below). Ann’s warmth and kindness made me feel truly delighted to have met her. Fast forward 12 years, and our interactions continue—we’ve had many interactions, shared conversations, laughs, and sent each other countless dog memes. Why am I still nervous when I get the chance to chat with this amazing human? Because Ann is exceptional at what she does: telling authentic stories that connect people. In our new industry report, we feature a comprehensive Q&A with Ann, where she dives into: ⭐Topics That Resonate: Discover what matters most to her audience. ⭐Ideal Brand Partnerships: Gain insights into her vision for successful collaborations. ⭐Avoiding Common Mistakes: Learn from Ann’s experience to avoid pitfalls. ⭐Measuring Success: Understand how she evaluates influencer and brand partnerships. I purposefully refrained from tagging Ann in this post because I know it would make her as uncomfortable as it made me to write it. Plus, I respect her carefully curated network. If you work for a #B2B brand and seek impactful influencer partnerships, Ann should be at the top of your list. And if you’re curious about collaborating with her or want insights from other experts, check out our new #B2BInfluencerMarketing report in the comments below. Lastly, if you’re still reading, I’d love to hear which experts you admire and why you’re interested in collaborating with them. Let’s keep the conversation going! 🚀

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When I started out in marketing I was really sensitive. Really thin-skinned. I was wounded by feedback (especially late feedback) that was anything less than a pat on the head for being great. I was incapable of hearing criticism of any work I had done as anything but a damning of my character. I realize I don't come out very well in this story. That's ok. This isn't really about feedback. It's about learning to collaborate. Because somewhere - I honestly don't know where or when - I learned to listen (a bit). I don't think I'm perfect at it (who is?) but I stopped bristling at an alternative approach and started to rule it in. Is that idea valid? Is it better than my original idea? I've heard some things about how some really successful companies operate on a 'best idea wins' approach. In other words, it's not hierarchical, anyone with a good suggestion can put it forward. Sometimes the people that cause the most friction are the ones that get the most done because they spark us all into action. If you want to dive into better collaboration without the huge emotional journey I highly rate Neil Stoneman's post tagged below. Also tagging Hilton Barbour as someone who (dare I say relentlessly?) challenged me back in the day and made me stand on my own feet to better defend my views but also accept an outside view. #b2bmarketing #b2bstrategy

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Let's celebrate the great marketers you work with by nominating them for AMA Chicago's #MarketerofTheYear Award! Applications open today -- please share with your networks so we can recognize them the amazing work they do for your organizations! Details and link to the application, below. #marketingawards #marketingleaders #marketingteam #celebratemarketing

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Launch a brand with a creator/celebrity. It's easy then. Except it's not . . . On a recent episode of my pod, I did a breakdown of Kylie Cosmetics. KC was about as hot as a brand can be in 2016 - 2018. Kylie and Kris even got a $600M bag for half the company. Now most consider it to be pretty much dead. How? Why? One of the MOST common things I see with creator/celebrity brands. The brand's success is almost completely tied to the public figure. If they become less relevant, disinterested, or just want to take a break. . . the brand follows them into obscurity. I talked to some people close to the team at KC for the episode. I also talked to some people who regularly launch brands with celebrities. They all said something similar. It's a cash grab. The creator/celebrity doesn’t want to do the ongoing work of constantly talking about the brand. They want the one time hit of being able to say, "look at this thing I'm doing." Then they're trained to move on to the next thing. That's how their industry works. It's a moment for them. So if you're going to launch with a celebrity or creator. . . Either see it for what it is: a quick cash grab. Or make sure that it's a brand that can stand on it's own without the endorsement. In other words: The celebrity/creator lead brands get a "bump." But otherwise, they're on the same playing field as everyone else. Competing for wallet share.

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What I used to do vs. What I do now... How I used to tackle marketing: - Focused on broad strategies - Neglected niche platforms - Underestimated content value How I do it now: - Craft tailored strategies for utilities and infrastructure - Leverage niche platforms for my target industry - Create valuable content for industry-specific audiences Real value comes from understanding your unique market. Let's chat about crafting marketing that resonates with your core audience. Share your thoughts or visit balsom.co #UtilityMarketing #InfrastructureGrowth #water #infrastructure #wastewater #marketing #digitalmarketing

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Rebranding can feel challenging, especially when you’ve already invested so much in your current brand. But here’s the thing—being flexible and investing in your brand's evolution are crucial steps to creating a unique identity that truly resonates with your audience. Great branding is what connects your hard work with your dream customers. It’s the key to making all the effort you've put into your business pay off. A strong brand not only attracts the right audience but also increases the ROI on everything else you’ve invested in. I get it; change can be tough. You've put your heart and soul into building what you have now. But a brand that adapts and grows with its market not only survives but thrives. Remember, rebranding isn't just an expense—it's an investment in your business's future. ___ 👋 I'm Scout Driscoll, a 20-year founder passionate about helping start-ups become end-ups. Learn about the agency I built, DesignScout | A Branding Agency. Transformative branding for game-changing businesses. www.designscout.com

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Many #GTM teams are starting to focus on the cost of inaction (COI) -- something that Jen Allen-Knuth (Founder of DemandJen) talks a lot about. For example, Kantata's new report "Agency Transformation: The Cost of Inaction" focuses on key areas vulnerable to market changes including operations, client relations, talent management, and innovation. You can read the report at: https://lnkd.in/ehdbYAJD However, the COI stories they're telling are still industry and persona stories vs. the specific cost of inaction story for named accounts. This is something that we're starting to work on at Personal ABM: An Account-Based GTM Firm in partnership with ROI Selling. We are creating a cost-of-inaction calculator and putting together content solutions that will help sales and marketing teams tell a better cost-of-inaction story. If you're interested in learning more, put "COI" in the comments and I'll DM you with more info.

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Here’s a few quick thoughts ahead of tonight’s VP debate: First, the authenticity gap between these two is going to be impossible to miss. Tim Walz is the real deal—he’s comfortable in his own skin, genuinely cares about people, and comes across as someone wants to help. J.D. Vance, on the other hand, seems completely lost. He’s just playing the role of carnival barker, parroting Trump’s brand of racism and alienating just about everyone he meets on the campaign trail. That contrast will be obvious—just like how Kamala Harris outshone a frumpy, angry Donald Trump in last month’s debate simply by standing next to him. Second, Vance is going to lie through his teeth for 90 minutes, and we know CBS won’t fact-check him. Walz can’t waste time fact-checking every lie. His focus needs to be on making a personal connection with the American people. He should talk about what matters to him and Kamala Harris—like protecting fertility rights and supporting LGBTQ+ kids—and tie those issues to his own story. When he talks about Trump or Vance, it should be to remind people how disastrous Trump’s term was and how they support Project 2025. Lastly, let’s be honest: VP debates rarely move the needle in polling. But with the Harris-Walz ticket being so new and Trump’s age and mental health becoming more of a factor in this race, this debate will matter more than usual. If Walz stays true to himself and focuses on connecting with people, not getting down in the mud with Vance, it’ll be a strong night for him.

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