Mark Gross

You'll want to check out the #RealChemPod covering some of my favorite things from some amazing creative colleagues (hey Frank Mazzola | Tom Richards | Lauren Pollina | Christopher Charles 😎 ). I promise, despite the title, this convo isn't (all) about Cannes. It's about moving the industry forward, crafting work that makes an impact, and positively helping the lives of patients. If you're at all interested in the magic that happens when you purposefully mix creativity, marketing, and healthcare, tap this link right here: https://bit.ly/3XNhcgz

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NEW EPISODE!! Ep. 12 // Bop Sh’Bop, Little Shop thebrandmuffin.net It wasn’t so long ago that if you wanted to do the best work, you went with the big shop. Larger agencies always had the upper hand. More budget. More resources. More three-martini lunches. But as tools and technologies are increasingly democratized, smaller teams are leveling the playing field. And brands are shifting dollars to engage more niche agencies who aren’t necessarily full-service, but fully capable of getting the job done. So while we don’t expect big agencies to go anywhere, when it comes to opportunities for the “little shop”, we suddenly see more.

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As an icebreaker in a recent dance class, we were asked to say our names in melody or rhythm. The result? Momentary embarrassment followed quickly by the freedom of play (shoutout to my freestyle+ play maestros) - but more than anything, an instantaneous and lasting memory of all 20 classmates' names. Is this not the power of sonic branding? Veritonic's recent study revealed that "64% of podcast listeners report feeling more connected to a brand when it has a sound identity as opposed to brands that only have a visual identity." The neuroscience holds up as our brains are wired to connect melody to memory, but brands are slow to prioritize "sound and feel" in their identity and awareness strategies. Now, this study started with listening behavior to begin with - polling podcast listeners about, well, listening. But the direction is still (ugh pun intended) sound... Podcast hosts are even taking sonic branding into their own improvised hands - Dax Shepherd's greatest gift to ZipRecruiter was creating that "get recruitin'" melody in each podcast ad, Busy Phillips did the same for Foria (with an homage to "Gloria") - perhaps creating more actual brand recognition and value than any testimonial could. SO. Brands, like my fellow awkward dancers, may follow the same trajectory: momentary embarrassment (I need a jingle in 2024?!), the freedom of play (yes, yes I do), and invaluable lasting memory. I mean, does Gen Z even know how to spell b-o-l-o-g-n-a?! https://lnkd.in/gd2seDCG

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Not every creative can do every kind of creative. And that's a good thing. As a young writer, I saw the campaigns that would come out of Wieden + Kennedy and think, "Dang, that's great writing." Imported from Detroit. It's amazing what you're capable of. Find Your Greatness. Strike. (Even their new Winning Isn't For Everyone.) All of them extremely well written and inspiring and envy inducing in the best kinds of way. And while working on brands like Ram or Coke or Samsung or Target, I would try so hard to write like that but I always felt like it was a cheap knock you find on Temu. Even when my scripts sold and the clients LOVED them, I was always meh about the finished product. It took me years of failing to do this kind of writing and be this kind of writer to accept that that's not my style. I don't enjoy writing big poetic emotional manifesto anthem spots. (Which is good because clients don't ask for them much any more.) Sure, I can think of those kinds of big ideas, but when it comes to writing dialogue, it takes me an excruciatingly long time to land a VO I think could compete at that level. And it's not fun for me at all. I think I've done one or two I can say I'm proud of. (Look at the LeBron Samsung or Jeep SB spot I worked on.) Then one day, it hit me. I get comedy. Like many writers on LinkedIn, I did stand up in NY. I taught and performed improv comedy in NY, VA and UT. I still perform improv comedy regularly at ComedySportz Theatre. I get funny story telling and scene work. I like, no I LOVE to write funny ads. Not those slapstick infomercial spots you see coming out of Utah, but insightful and smart humor that connects people to products. So that's what I do. And that's what I get called to do. It's humbling to say this out loud. And even now as I write this I'm like, "You could do totally do that kind of writing. You're good enough to be a writer at WK." But that's my pride talking. To which I say, "Shhhh. It's okay. You're not gonna get asked by WK to write a Nike Manifesto. You'll be okay....shhhhhhhh...." The reason I'm sharing this is maybe you're struggling to figure out what kind of creative you are. Maybe you're trying to do something you're not good at and don't enjoy doing. Maybe you need to find peace in the truth that that's not you and that's okay. So if you're stuck on this excruciating wheel of creative self discovery, don't get off. Change the direction. Work to find out what kind of creative you are. Work to find out what kind of ads you ENJOY making. Then go forth and slay. You many need to make less money. Or have a lower title. But you'll be happier, I promise. And eventually, you'll get hired to do more of what you love. Or you'll get booked when agencies or brands need something you can deliver. It might not be every gig, but the ones you get, you'll love doing. In the mean time, let's watch this ad together and go, "Dang, that's great writing." #stayhungrymyfriends

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Sometimes, my job is designing a logo, and sometimes, my job is designing a space. We've created some fun brand experience installations for our partners that I'm really proud of (and have pushed me outside of my comfort zone). Read more about our approach to crafting identity-driven spaces in my latest blog. #BrandScape #DigitalRelativity

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