Momentum is everything in marketing.
In Ep. 163 of Earned, Conor sits down with Terrence Sweeney, the CMO at Hint, to explore the power of structured brand metrics and creator marketing, with real-world examples from Hint's journey to compete with industry giants.
To start, we dive into how momentum can transform a struggling company into a viral success, using compelling examples like the Stanley 1913’s brand revival. Terrence reveals how strategic branding and influencer marketing have elevated Hint's brand recognition to compete with industry giants like Smartwater. Terrence discusses the evolving landscape of marketing, emphasizing podcasting as a unique advertising medium that allows authentic audience engagement. He also shares the role of the media in democratizing influence and highlights the evolution of personal branding in the digital age. We examine how social media has shifted the dynamics from the CEO being the face of a company to more inclusive approaches that integrate multiple voices. Terrence then touches on the innovative potential of AI in marketing, reflecting on its ability to enhance personalized content and consumer connections. Whether you're a seasoned marketing professional or just starting out, Terrence Sweeney's expertise provides valuable guidance for navigating the complex and ever-changing landscape of marketing.
Check out highlights from the episode below, or or tune into the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen!
The following interview has been lightly edited for concision.
Terrence Sweeney on marketing momentum and its necessity to a business: “It's that magical pixie dust that determines when you're not doing anything, are you able to acquire or retain customers?”
Conor Begley: As you've learned marketing and really gotten to understand it in a complex way, what are some of the core truths you found to be things that you rely on, things that you believe?
Terrence Sweeney: I think momentum is the most important thing in any organization. From a marketer's point of view, when you're deciding that you want to go work for a brand or whether you're deciding whether to stay at it, momentum is just a key factor. It's that magical pixie dust that determines when you're not doing anything [in marketing], are you able to acquire or retain customers? When that's not happening, you have to work much harder than when you're sailing with the current. As a marketer, you're constantly assessing, do we have momentum right now or are we trying to create momentum? You behave differently in those two situations. If you're trying to create momentum, you have to take more risks. Now, not every company is interested in taking risks, especially when they don't have momentum. The dollars are tight, revenue is not growing, profitability is not where you want it to be and, ironically, when you do have momentum, you know CFOs, CEOs, the board, they're much more willing to take risks. They feel like they can do anything and it's going to work, so it's sort of counterintuitive the way it tends to work. When you need the most risk-taking is when you have the least amount of momentum.
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