I have a combined 15 years of marketing experience, if we count the promotional posters I made for my local community theater in middle school. Though if we narrow it down a little, I started seriously pursuing advertising in my first round of college at Baldwin Wallace University. I graduated with a music degree in voice, and throughout my conservatory tenure, I was president of PRISM, a performance cooperative that hosted shows throughout the semester. Creating the marketing materials and planning those events was a highlight of my first college experience. Now, 5 years later, I am completing round two of college as a marketing professional with some more tangible experience to boost my 11-year-old poster-making era.
I talk a lot about how highly I value storytelling in advertising, and I believe the root of that is my music background and my love of reading. I love writing my own songs and creating stories that way, and in a way, I think good lyricism is the music version of good copy. I am the type of person who, when I show you a song, I will unfortunately pause it and rewind to make you really listen to the lyrics. I know you heard them the first time, but now I pointed them out, and you have to do it again. When it comes to reading, whether it’s fantasy or fiction, a page turner is a page turner. I’m not as strict on my book recommendations as I am on my music ones, though. No re-reading necessary.
Books, music, or advertising – it all comes down to creative strategy for me. I feel strongly that unique, engaging, and imaginative ideas are the foundation for forging connections with people, be it consumer or producer. My focus is to continue shaping brand experiences into meaningful connections, and as I navigate this industry, I am excited to see where these connections take me as well.