By
Mark DiMassimo | 03/14/2019 | in
Let’s face it, we live in a world of behavior gone wrong.
Some see imminent apocalypse.
I see plenty of work for behavior change marketers and designers.
Opioid Crisis. Digital addiction. Inactivity. Unhealthy eating. Rising oceans. Uninspiring workplaces.
Pick your target. Go.
The problems that the world faces can only be solved with Behavior Change marketing and design. Growth and business success are behavior change marketing problems.
Growth problems can only be solved by behavioral solutions.
The process of behavior change marketing is simple. Determine the key performance indicators that support the growth theory for the business. Identify the behaviors that lead to those KPIs. Analyze the key behaviors along the customer journey, identifying gaps, drags and blocks.
Prioritize your design interventions. Describe the experience that will most likely transform behavior into habit for this brand.
Create experiences that will inspire action, informed by the vast store of behavioral science outcomes and deep direct response and interactive design testing experience.
Relentlessly test and optimize.
Grow a business. Build a brand. Change the world.
Let’s go, Behavior Change Marketer!
Learn more about Behavior Change Marketing by signing up for The Change Agent’s Cookbook for 2019: http://ow.ly/f1ms30nm1BL
By
James Nieman | 01/11/2019 | in
You are a change agent.
You want to create the right change for the people who care — your customers.
You want to inspire action, and now.
As you know, not everyone is a change agent.
And most agencies are not for the change agents.
They compromise speed to meet their own staffing needs.
They compromise outside-the-box thinking to fit their budget.
They compromise selling more and building the brand to play in their own sandbox.
The problem is that your customer doesn’t want to be compromised.
And doesn’t care if you are,
Let’s say “No” to compromise.
I’m Mark DiMassimo, and I’ve spent my entire career learning from change agents.
Iconic, visionary entrepreneurs — the ultimate change agents — have been my continuing education.
I’ve studied them up close by working with them, day in and day out.
I earn my place by helping those change agents grow their businesses while growing their brands.
This is all I want to do with my career:
Learn from the best. Use that learning to drive growth and value for myself and others.
Give it away to inspire more people to live the creativity, freedom and accomplishment of the change agent life.
Most of my work time is spent trying to keep up with and inspire these iconic change agents.
Through the years, when I could, I took some time to write down what I’d learned from them.
The Change Agent’s Cookbook became one of the most successful email thought leadership campaigns ever.
It led to several billion dollars in sales, inspired founders of new categories and brought together change agents.
My team is putting together some of the greatest hits of the series in e-book and pdf format and calling it The Change Agents Cookbook: How Great Entrepreneurs Use Creative Destruction To Inspire Action.
This isn’t a marketing funnel. You don’t need to give your email to get this book. It’s free to download, and I hope you’ll find it inspires you as others have.
If you use it to ignite the intersection of business and creativity, I’ll be happy.
Let’s say “No” to compromise. Let’s inspire greatness.
By
James Nieman | 12/13/2018 | in
Photo from Campaign
The latest episode of The A-List Podcast features Ari Weiss, the first-ever North American Chief Creative Officer at DDB, where he oversees the agency’s 17 North American Offices.
Weiss’ reputation as an illustrious creative has been built working for many of the world’s most creative agencies, including 180 L.A., Wieden & Kennedy, BBDO, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Cliff Freeman & Partners, and Saatchi, among others. Throughout that journey, he has collaborated with many of the industry’s most legendary icons, and he shares many of those experiences in this inspiring interview.
In his discussion with host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann, Weiss talks about why DiMassimo Goldstein was the “best first job you could ever get” and reflects on many of the magical moments, campaigns, and mentors that inspired his career. He shares useful tips about the creative process, offers his unique point of view on the shifting landscape of the industry, and explains why he feels it’s the most interesting time to be in the business.
Hear it all and so much more in the episode below!
Show Notes:
- [0:00 – 1:28] Intro
- [1:29 – 9:09] Growing up in California, his early aspirations of becoming a photo journalist, and the connection that landed him an interview with Jeff Goodby
- [9:10 – 16:05] Weiss talks about his early infatuation with the industry and its culture, his internships as a college student, and the iconic campaigns that inspired him to make it a career
- [16:06 – 21:40] His first taste of rejection and the discipline and organization that you need to become a successful creative
- [21:41 – 27:10] Weiss talks about his creative process, the power of a true partnership, and how the industry has shifted to less traditional silos
- [27:11 – 30:42] The current landscape of the industry and why innovation and technology must still serve the idea and insight
- [30:43 – 35:55] What it’s like being a CCO, work that breaks into culture, and the value of having strong mentors who teach you attention to detail
- [35:56 – 38:10] Weiss shares what it was like interviewing for a job during the dot-com crash
- [38:11 – 49:59] Working for DiMassimo Goldstein and why it was the best first job you could get
- [50:00 – 54:50] Weiss talks about the secret sauce at Cliff Freeman and the amazing people who worked there
- [54:51 – 1:08:57] What it’s like sitting in Bill Bernbach’s office, working to resurrect the creative revolution he started, and why today is the most interesting time to be in this business
- [1:08:58 – 1:11:51] Weiss talks about what he learned working for each of the agencies he worked for and how those experiences have shaped the creative he is today
- [1:11:52 – 1:12:22] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, an inspiring action agency, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter.
By
Team DIGO | 11/29/2017 | in
On a very special edition of The A-List Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann switches seats and becomes the interviewee. Lauren Slaff, founder, president, and director of podcast sponsor Adhouse Advertising School plays the role of host as the two longtime friends talk about conquering fears, the importance of leaving your ego at the door, creating a personal brand, and so much more. Full episode and show notes below!
Show Notes
- [0:00 – 2:30] Into
- [2:31 – 6:32] Growing up in New Jersey, and how his childhood love to draw and write stories was inspired by his father “Mongo”
- [6:34 – 13:32] Tom talks about the benefit of going to college in Manhattan and the difficulty of getting a job in the recession
- [13:33 – 20:11] Getting his first gig at Ogilvy direct, and how young creatives can promote themselves today
- [20:12 – 22:39] Living on his own for the first time in Hoboken and rebuilding his portfolio after two years at Ogilvy
- [22:40 –24:05] The transition from a big direct agency to working at Kirschenbaum
- [24:06 – 31:38] Tom talks about the nerves he first had when meeting Richard Kirschenbaum, why he shaved his mullet, and growing up in the industry
- [31:39 – 36:14] Working at the agency of the future, TBWA/Chiat Day
- [36:15 – 41:40] Tom recalls his time working with people he long admired in Gerry Graf and Eric Silver at BBDO, and the speech that saved him from being fired.
- [41:41 – 48:29] Creating a personal brand and entering into the Freelance world. The importance of personal toughness.
- [48:30 – 50:57] Writing every day, the value of being yourself and getting people to start knowing you for your thinking.
- [50:58 – 53:10] Networking. Getting over social anxiety and conquering fears
- [53:11 – 56:36] Tom gives advice to young creatives and sheds light on an amazing industry
- [56:37 – 57:32] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter.
By
Mark DiMassimo | 09/14/2017 | in
Branding is the process of building a coherent and distinct pattern of associations in the mind of a target audience.
When I say, “Apple,” a whole world of associations come up. When I say “Microsoft” a different world of associations come to mind. To the extent that both bring up associations, they have been “branded.” To the extent that those associations are clear, distinct, and helpful, they have been successfully branded.
Branding firms use culture, product, image, design, sound, voice, language, price, service, entertainment, celebrity, fashion, and interaction – an extremely broad range of tools – to build the brand. Today, the mission of an organization and the meaning of being associated with that mission is important to many people as well.
Too often, branding is associated with much more limited objectives. For example, logo and visual identity standards. While these are key tools for branding, they alone don’t create the brand.
Very often, when people use the word “brand” they are referring to what the company thinks and says about itself.
But brand is what other people say about you when you are not in the room. Brand is about what your audience feels about you in their heart of hearts. Your brand is not what you tell people it is, your brand is what people tell people it is. What you say is just your attempt to affect that understanding.
Today, brands are built by great products and services, first and foremost. In a world of online reviews, advertising and spin cannot trump a predominance of bad experiences. Not everyone, but your target audience must be delighted.
By
Mark DiMassimo | 08/17/2017 | in
The following post is an excerpt from Digital@Speed, authored by digital marketing guru Mark DiMassimo. Visit the official website here to download your free copy today.
Too many people are failing for hunting with a fishing pole.
Let’s say you’ve gotten this far in life on your fishing skills. But the waters are all fished out and the hunters are bringing home the big dinners now. Do you get advice, read all you can about hunting, find a guide or partner to lead you? Or do you just head off into the woods with your fishing pole and tackle?
Of course not. If you are with me to this point, you of course recognize this as absurd. And yet we all do this in some part of our lives, very likely in more than one. The fact is it’s so hard to keep track of the things we know that it’s impossible to even learn the names and categories of all the things we don’t know.
And knowing is just the first step. Accepting is another thing entirely. Knowing what to do about it is a third. If the thing you don’t know is a fatal flaw such as not knowing how to judge character and quality in people, then that’s going to dog you no matter what you do. You are going to need to address that directly, as quickly and as energetically as you can. You’re going to need to get the best help you can with that, because it will be like driving with the emergency brake on- it not only slows you down, it also stinks.
Work as hard as you can on getting to know what you don’t know. If you don’t know marketing, find someone to trust. Of course you need to learn and check with other advisors, but you want to try to develop trust and a good relationship with a key advisor. Look for proof, for measures of success that make sense, but delegate real responsibility and authority.
Create a real partnership and let it flower.
By
Mark DiMassimo | 07/14/2017 | in
We marketers spend so much time on our marketing, we can be forgiven for thinking that it’s the first and last word about the brand.
Perhaps there was a time when this was more or less true. Not today.
Today, the conversation about brands, services and products is never more than a couple of clicks away. People have more tools than ever to find out what other people really think about the things we sell. Advertising is a smaller and smaller part of the conversation.
That’s why an integrated growth plan must start with the behaviors and beliefs of the audience. It needs to embrace the entire brand experience. The customer journey becomes the road map. By prioritizing the touch points with the greatest leverage, real results improvement can often be achieved in short order.
So, what about the 57%? That’s the part of the buying process that a prospect typically engages in before they talk to someone from the company. The other 43% is important, but the whole 100% is where the winners play.
By
James Nieman | 06/06/2017 | in
This week on “The A-List” podcast, host and Chief Creative Officer of DiMassimo Goldstein Tom Christmann chats with award-winning creative genius Eric Silver, McCann’s North American Chief Creative Officer. Since kicking off his career as a copywriter in the 90’s, Eric has left his creative mark on some of the top agencies across the country, working on many of the biggest brands in the world from Nike to ESPN. Recently, Eric brought us the renowned “Fearless Girl” statue that famously stares down Wall Street’s “Charging Bull”.
Tune in to hear Eric discuss his circuitous journey from aspiring attorney to copywriter, the value of attending ad school, and the one piece of advice he gives to new creatives entering the advertising industry today. Full episode and show notes below!
Show Notes
- [0:00 – 1:25] Intro
- [1:26 – 4:34] Eric’s childhood in Orange, CT and sneaking into movie theaters
- [4:35 – 8:25] Attending law school in Los Angeles and realizing that law wasn’t right for him
- [8:26 – 10:20] Considering a future in advertising for the first time after seeing a Nike ad
- [10:21—17:19] Eric’s journey into advertising and why he advises young creatives to attend ad school
- [17:20 – 21:15] Landing a job at Larsen Colby, finding his first partner and building a tribe
- [21:16 – 30:10] David Angelo’s passionate speech at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and moving to Earl Palmer Brown
- [30:11 — 31:54] Eric and Tom’s advice to young creatives today
- [31:55 – 35:07] Finding his mentors at Wieden & Kennedy
- [35:08 – 44:07] Eric’s first big TV spot: the retail assignment nobody wanted
- [44:08 – 49:15] Leaving advertising for David Letterman
- [49:16 – 56:33] Working at Cliff Freeman & Partners, BBDO and DDB
- [56:34 – 1:02:26] Collaborating with Rob Reilly on “The Fearless Girl”
- [1:02:27 – 1:03:44] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter. If you want to be interviewed for an upcoming episode, contact us at AdhouseNYC.com.
