Toby O'Rourke

Massive buy ... puts her on the same level as any wireless carrier... CPG product, or telecommunications company. Aviation executives - it would be best if you took note. Her problem is about as complicated as yours. You may or may not like her - that's not the point. Like many of you, she's trying to reach a largely balkanized market. She could have decided to go the route most of you choose, namely, hire more salespeople. Now in her case, they wouldn't call it that... it's called "GOTV" or "Get out the vote." But it's basically the same idea... hire people to go out, and convince people to vote for her. In your case, you go out and hire salespeople to beat the bushes and try and convince people to buy from you. Her advisers didn't do that. Instead, they will drop this massive media buy in the battleground states. The two solutions would probably have cost roughly the same, but they wouldn't have the same result. That's why the advisers chose the ads over the door knockers. Why? Spoiler alert - advertising works. Notice also that most of the advertising is going to be programmatic. This doesn't surprise me either. Allows the ads to be tailored, targeted, monitored, and basically chase people around everywhere they go. Programmatic now can be cross-platform as well, so you can start chasing people on their phone, get them again while they're at work on their desktop, and then chase them some more when they come home and are on their iPad or their smart TV, and in some cases, their actual TV (depending on who their provider is for television service.) For the past seven or so years, I have been battling politicians from August to November every two years in terms of programmatic budgets. They cause all kinds of distortions in my media buying habits. Over the past two years, it has been getting even worse as more money has flowed into the system. Then, after election day, it all falls off a cliff. So, whether you like her or not is irrelevant. What is relevant is looking at the tactic. The stakes for her are just as high as they are for you, and her advisers chose advertising - not sales. Why? Because they judged that tactic will give them the best chance of success. And they believe it in so much, they're going to bet over a quarter of a billion dollars and their futures on it. This probably is the largest media buy in the history of politics. It is roughly the entire size of what the George W. Bush campaign raised in 2004 (a campaign I participated in back in the day). So it's a massive buy ... to give people an idea as to the scope. I don't know if I agree with the statement that it's the largest digital influence campaign ever, but, it's probably true if you want to add the qualifier of "political." And why? Again, because advertising works.

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I had an epiphany last week. While filming in Montana I came up with this idea of "Becoming the Brand" which will be a Story Video I will be releasing in the near future. I started to think about all of my endeavors and brands I have built over the past 15 years. ✅ Arctic Stick ✅ Crowdfunding: Keys to the Crowd Brand ✅ Young Entrepreneur Convention ✅ Live to Grind ✅ Ambitious Adventures ✅ Success in Your City ✅ Think and Grow Rich The Legacy ✅ Rise and Record ✅ Ignite and Elevate ✅ Accelerant Media Group To name a few. And most Importantly... BRANDON T. ADAMS.. These are all Companies/BRANDS that we have built over the years. But all of these companies have ONE Thing in Common. And that's Me. I, Brandon T. Adams was the personal brand that helped drive each of these companies' success forward. Because of my personal brand, and likeness and trust with my audience, my followers supported me and the endeavors I was standing behind. I started out as an Ice man and an Inventor of a product called Arctic Stick. I was delivering Ice and pitching my invention to crowds. Later on, through fundraising for Arctic Stick, I came across CROWDFUNDING and created a consulting agency around it. After having some success in this space and building brands through this expertise, I got into video production. My Crowdfunding experience combined with my desire to create video content led to the company Accelerant Media Group. AMG was the machine that grew the success for other brands and even my own brands such as Success in Your City, Rise and Record, Ignite and Elevate, and more. After making money, I started to invest in other Companies/Brands, and helped others push their ideas forward. This led to IPOs, ICOs, Acquisitions, Franchise Expansions, and seeing my own Wealth continue to Grow. So here I am today..At the Age of 34. I'm an Investor and Advisor that has an investment portfolio of dozens of companies across diverse industries, worth Millions of dollars. What's the point of the story here? It’s is Extremely Vital to Build a Personal Brand. Build YOUR Personal BRAND! #Branding #CEO #Investor #BrandonTAdams

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Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

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The outdoor world has splintered into a dozen different fiefdoms and every brand for itself approaches (again). The dispersed, fragmented nature makes it easy for outside money to exploit. Industries have five essential elements. When these are represented clearly and consistently, industries are aligned and activated. When any of these elements are absent or disconnected from the larger operation, gaps are exposed creating vulnerabilities that lead to stagnation. 1. Governance - The systems, regulations, and policies that govern the industry’s operations. 2. Commerce - Drives the exchange of goods and services, facilitating economic activity, market growth, and the flow of capital within an industry. 3. Education - Continually updates the knowledge and skills of the workforce to match evolving industry standards, trends, and technological advancements. 4. Advocacy - Represent the interests and needs of the industry to governments, policymakers, and the public. 5. Media - Shapes public perception and awareness, influencing consumer behavior and industry reputation while serving as a communication, marketing, and information dissemination platform. What's missing and central to the outdoor industry, or any enthusiast category, is a strong, central authority to champion the values that matter to the community. For that, I would add a sixth essential element that will be required for the "industry" of the future: 6. Culture - Institutional memory that guides behavior, ensuring cohesion and collective identity within the industry across all levels and functions. Without a central entity to set standards, safeguard culture, and push back against profit-at-all-costs models there’s no unifying force to counterbalance corporate interests with the outdoor community’s values.

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📚 Serendipity struck at Powell's Books in Portland! I stumbled upon Mike Kim's "You Are The Brand" - a book I've been eager to explore. As I settled into a cozy corner of the hotel lobby, I was reminded of the irreplaceable joy of holding a physical book. In our digital age, there's something magical about the tactile experience of turning pages. Anyone else feel this way? Diving in, I knew I bought the right book when I read: "For so much of our lives, we see ourselves through the lens of a company, organization, or role rather than the skills we possess or who we inherently are. We fail to see our unique expertise." How often do we define ourselves by job titles, overlooking our unique skills? Focusing on the life we want to live is the way to see ourselves not what job titles we have had. I'm excited to uncover more gems of wisdom. I'm curious: Have you read "You Are The Brand"? How do you approach your personal brand? #PersonalBranding #YouAreTheBrand #ProfessionalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #PowellsBooks

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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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Brand Consistency In a landscape where many are hyper-focused on "relating" to their prospects, the concept of maintaining a steadfast grip on the core strengths of a brand may seem counterintuitive—particularly in the challenging climate of military recruiting today. Whether in uniform before retirement or now, I still firmly believe that brand consistency remains one of the most powerful assets in the recruiting toolbox of the United States Marine Corps. From the iconic eagle, globe, and anchor to the enduring message of how the Marine Corps "Makes Marines, Wins our Nation's Battles, and Develops Quality Citizens," every touchpoint reinforces what it means to be a Marine. This unwavering, cohesive brand message resonates deeply with prospects, building trust and a strong emotional connection. Consistency cultivates reliability. The Marine Corps steadfast brand shows future Marines exactly what they are committing to—and that commitment begins with a promise that never changes. #BrandConsistency #MarineCorps

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You can rely on someone to let you down. I have a business contact, let’s call them ‘Bob.’ (Not their real name, I don’t think I know anyone called Bob.) We’ve spoken about working together on several occasions, and collaborating on projects. I’ve made introductions to Bob, without acknowledgement. I’ve shared concepts and ideas, without recognition. We’ve passed each other whilst out and about grabbing coffee. “Hey, we should catch up, I’ll be in touch.” says Bob. Yet I get nothing back in return, and that can feel frustrating. It’s taken me a while to reconcile, that it’s not me. I’ve now realized that Bob is someone I can rely on to let me down. Having good people around is so important; to take counsel from, to support you, to help shine the light on you and your path ahead. When you’re trying to identify your superpowers, you need to pick and choose the opinions you value. You don’t have to agree with everything someone says. You can acknowledge it, but you don’t have to accept it. You know your true value and self-worth. And you can thank the Bob's of the world for that. Without naming and shaming, how did you navigate a 'Bob' in your world? #kindness #selfworth #personaldevelopment ---------------------------- Mercury Jam Coaching

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It takes a long time to build a brand. And a relatively short time to devalue and demean it. I know there is plenty to report on in the world. And news channels like the Guardian have always represented smart reporting. But with the advent of clicks for revenue, the 24 hour news cycle, and the manufacture of contrived outrage, I think even news brands like the Guardian might be cutting their brand throats for short term gain. Case in point, your honour? See below.

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Photography is one of several hobbies I enjoy. I captured this image in Eastern Washington near Winthrop. I traveled up a logging road that provides a fantastic view of the Methow Valley overlooking Pearrygin Lake. The interesting thing is that you can only faintly see the outline of the Milky Way with the naked eye and it doesn't appear all that special. But with a wide open aperture on a wide-angle lens and a shutter speed of 20-25 seconds, enough light can hit the camera sensor to unveil the magic of our solar system. I also had to hunt for this crazy cool tree for about an hour in the pitch dark. I saw it during the day and thought it would be perfect as a silhouette against the night sky, but had the hardest time finding it again at night. All this to say, making a memorable photo takes intentionality, planning, knowledge of photographic principals, the right equipment, persistence and creativity to imagine what is possible. This is very similar to how I view healthcare digital marketing. Improving marketing outcomes and running successful campaigns doesn't happen by accident. It's the product of: ✅ understanding foundational principals and best practices ✅ applying years of experience ✅ properly interpreting data ✅ leveraging technical expertise ✅ thinking creatively to solve challenges ✅ imagining what's possible ✅ never settling and always improving

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One Creator's Opinion Plummets a Company to Near Bankruptcy?! 🤯 Marques Brownlee published a video titled "This is the Worst Car I've Ever Reviewed" which was a detailed review of the Fisker Ocean. True to the title, he didn't recommend the car. The stock was at 75 cents per share on the day he published that video and is currently at 6 cents per share today. Shortly after the video went live, the Fisker team wanted to know how Marques got a hold of the car. They tracked down and called the owner of the vehicle that rented Marques the car for the review. They asked him a variety of questions and showed a lot of concern. Little did the Fisker team know the owner was recording the whole conversation and, shortly after, published it on TikTok. The TikTok went viral, and it has racked up 6+ million views so far. The video is definitely worth a watch: https://lnkd.in/gFmcWpJx MKBHD gave them another fair shot because they stated they've resolved many of the issues with an update. The video just went live and already has wracked up 990k views so far: https://lnkd.in/gNhtT__H Kudos to Marques for giving them a second shot. The real question is, did Marques really cause Fisker to lose that much value? No. Fisker has been losing value since their IP back in 2020. Do I think this is the perfect case study of the power of creators in the press? Absolutely. If you plan to offer a product or service to the public, be prepared for genuine reviews. Be prepared for consumers and creators to share their opinions about your company. Ensure that your product or service is truly valuable to the general public. If it is, this will build up your brand in the marketplace. If it isn't valuable, it will hurt you.

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So tell me, where do you fall in the Great Marketing Tug of War? Are you in Camp Brand or Camp Performance? Camp Performance Marketing appears to have been leveled by a tornado. The cabins are roofless, the canoes are scattered along the shore, and the cafeteria is no longer serving anything but rations. The DTC companies who showed up every year are now huddled by the exit, hoping mom & dad show up. Camp Brand Marketing, less popular in recent years, is showing signs of life. Rebuilding is taking place, but campers are still a bit tentative. Only the lanyard-making tent is really active. The tug of war between the camps is getting interesting. DTC brands, some shattered, some shuttered, are associated with performance marketing, making it an easy target. “Performance marketing doesn’t build demand. It harvests demand,” media guru Brian Morrissey said on a recent podcast with brand expert Ana Andjelic. “I think the internet’s been a disaster for brands.” Well, OK, but no one is leaving the internet anytime soon. I’m going to argue for a foot in both camps—or better yet, a camp merger. Maybe it’s because I use performance marketing techniques to test branding and brand positioning, but the dichotomy seems false to me. Big, emotional brand campaigns are important, but they are more effective when also tailored to different audiences. Performance marketing offers a savvy way to optimize and fine-tune brand messages for audiences that are adjacent but distinct. A brand story can be conveyed in all kinds of ways, including through so-called performance ads that encourage a response. It just requires a little more creativity in uniting both camps. And let’s face it—getting quantitative feedback on brand marketing is a benefit, not a drawback. So, campers unite! #brand #marketing #brandmarketing #performancemarketing #validation

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Interesting intel and perspective on the state of the outdoor recreation industry, which is soft right now for a variety of reasons. I’m hearing and seeing similar numbers from automotive aftermarket as well, which was reflected in the poll I conducted last week where 66% of respondents said their Q1 was either flat or down. That said… there are some real bright spots. Both new segments and M&A activity in existing ones has left gaps in the market that startups and entrepreneurs are racing to fill with great new brands and products. In outdoor there is also a unified front forming around land access and other issues that is uniting tribes like hunters, anglers and hikers/campers. Overall if we can get past the lumpiness of the economy (in my view partially a result of inflation, market saturation and the typical election year shenanigans) 2025 will be clear blue skies.

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Dear Agency CEO, I see you. Standing at the end of another unpredictable, bouncy year. I see you because I’ve met 189 of you this year. And while your offerings, markets, and teams may be completely unique, so many of your challenges are the same. I see the part of you that’s fighting on, fueled by passion, grit, and sheer determination. I see the part of you that’s thinking ‘is this actually worth it?’ tempted by the idea of stopping. I see the part of you that believes your agency offering is unique. I see the part of you that’s looking over at an eeeerily similar competitor. I see the part of you that’s unsure what’s next, navigating the unknown with equal parts hope and hesitation. I see the part of you that stands tall, confidently pointing the way forward for your team and your clients. I see the part of you that looks back, longing for the simpler, easier days. I see the part of you that’s being asked for your expert opinion on everything from AI to the latest trends. (And make you wonder how you’ve ended up on a panel chatting about it. 🤪) I see the part of you that’s wondering if you’re keeping up. I see the part of you that feels unstoppable, yet sometimes fragile. I see the part of you that is thriving—and the part that feels like it’s just surviving. Here’s the thing: there will always be parts of you in conflict. I feel it the whole time. That’s the nature of leadership, of running an agency, of being you. But what I know for sure: something remarkable about you got you here. Something about you sparked trust, belief, and momentum in others—enough for them to follow your lead. That spark, that light, is still glowing inside of you. But… To move forward, you have to let go of the things that weigh you down. The doubts. The unnecessary layers. The distractions. What got you here might not be what gets you to the next level. It’s time for addition by subtraction. This month, I’m asking my CEOs: • What are you letting go of as this year comes to a close? • And what are you doubling down on as you prepare for the next? Because clarity comes when we stop carrying the things we don’t need and give attention to the things we do. Subscribe to hear what a bunch of CEOs said to the q’s 👇

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