Christine Murphy

#Apple's latest ad has people...upset. But I don't think it failed. Yes, watching everything get crushed hurt me on a visceral level. And I can agree that it could easily be a visual representation of how big businesses are currently squeezing all artists' creative freedom, controlling the outcome, and then monetizing it without fair compensation. But that does not mean that this ad failed at marketing, or advertising, or art. Or even hurt creatives. Blocking, writing, producing, editing this ad could have been some of the hardest, most rewarding work for dozens of creatives in the field. Some of them, their first huge gig. Today, the whole world hates it. That's art, right? It's a beautiful ad. It also has a lot of people talking about it. That's art. That's marketing. Right? People are asking how Apple could have failed so incredibly. Did they? Or did they choose the angle of "spark controversy", "start a conversation", "get people talking" – one of the oldest playbooks in the marketing toolbox. Creatives have an excellent, highly visible platform right now with something clear to point to and say "THIS IS A PROBLEM". This could help them (and is) right now if used strategically. Side note: I ~would~ love to know who in the creator's room had opposition to this ad, but didn't feel comfortable speaking up, or who got shut down? Because I'm sure there were a few people who wanted to raise their hands and say: have we thought about this? What was your gut reaction when you saw this and how have other people's responses changed or adjusted your perspective? #iPad #creativity #tech #appleevent

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Great end of year share. A few of my favs: it needs to be actionable to be useful and just because a platform gives you a measurement it doesn’t mean it’s worthy of being measured.

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Calling everyone who's ever sat through an awkward creative presentation. Over the last decade, we’ve made a shift at Mortar that’s changed the game for our creative process. Instead of starting with "big ideas" and treating creative briefs as launching pads, we’ve adopted a framework focused on imagining what we want our target audience to say--that singular Aha moment of delight and surprise—and it’s paid off. I don’t remember one creative presentation that has missed its mark since we adopted this framework. The difference? Aha briefs aren’t about blasting off into the creative unknown. They’re landing zones. They’re about aligning the team and the client around a clear, shared vision of how we want customers to respond. This focus keeps the creative work sharp, purposeful, and, most importantly, effective. So, while big ideas can be exciting and captivating, we’ve found that aiming for that Aha moment—with a disciplined, collaborative approach—consistently delivers results that hit the bullseye. See www.mortaragency.com for more. #CreativeStrategy #AhaMoments #MarketingInnovation #ClientCollaboration #BreakthroughThinking #MarketingFramework #OriginalIdeas #TargetedCreativity #MarketingSuccess #BrandDevelopment

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Are you prepared to get fired? You should be. This week, here in the SF Bay Area, media watchers are buzzing about some high-profile sports radio announcers who got the axe, unexpectedly. Including a guy who’d been on the air for 28 years and, arguably, help build the station. The economics of legacy media are a $#!& show, so cuts are hardly a surprise. But when big-name talent with highly-rated shows aren’t safe, it’s a good reminder that the nobody has job security. Even if everything seems rosy with your current gig, you should take steps to prepare yourself for your next one. Four tips: → Get your site together. Regardless of what you do, you should have a “portfolio site.” More than a resume, it’s a site that collects achievements and shows your work. (Non-creative types, you should have site/portfolio, too!) Grab copies of your work, decks, and performance metrics NOW before you lose access to the server. Don’t wait until you need it; build now and maintain as you go. → Build your personal brand. (I know, it’s cringe. But it’s the way of the world.) You don’t have to be a prolific LinkedIn poster, but you need to consider who you are professionally and what value you bring to the table. Find avenues to demonstrate that value. Identify 3-4 ways a year you can “get out there” and show your stuff. Maybe that’s creating your own projects, sharing work on your social channels, writing an article, speaking at a conference, starting a side hustle. → ABCYN. Always Be Cultivating Your Network. You don’t have to do this in a sleazy sales-y sort of way, but you’re going to NEED the help of your connections at various points of your career. So make those connections. Grab coffee. Drop notes. Congratulate people when you see them do something awesome. Offer help to others. Be genuine, but make an effort to reach out. → Take the interview. Even if you love your job, you should always see what’s out there and keep your options open. It’s helps keep your interview chops sharp and it helps you understand your current value in the marketplace. You don’t have to lead ‘em on—if you’re not a serious candidate after the first meeting, you can withdraw your name. It's still worth it. “But I’m super busy with projects for my current employer. I don’t have time for all this.” YOUR career is at least as important as the work you’re doing for somebody else. Invest some time in yourself. Don’t wait for that unexpected meeting with your manager and HR to pop onto your calendar before you get your act together. P.S. Seriously, if you don't have an up-to-date portfolio site, do SOMETHING today to move the ball forward. Buy the URL. Write down the 2-3 projects you'd want to include. Pull the assets off the server that you'll need. Take a micro-step toward taking charge of your career. Do it!

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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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Right. The world really needs more voices talking about this new Apple Ad, so here I am. (It doesn't really, everything you need to read has been written by Ben Kay.) Alas, perhaps the intention was to communicate "all this, crushed into this". But sadly, for some, the take out was "all this, destroyed by this. (And also by AI.)" As Ben rather deftly puts it: 'If you create a metaphor, you'd better be prepared for it to be interpreted in ways you hadn't intended.' Anyway, I clearly lack Ben's writing prowess, as here's my ten pence worth: All this ballyhoo feels like a classic case of 'advertising that's good vs. advertising people like'. In an ideal world, those two are one in the same thing. But they're not mutually inclusive. On a personal level, I find this ad arresting from the off, and engaging throughout. Will it survive the scroll past test, or 6-second skip test? Time will tell. But it kept me watching. Where the wheels perhaps come off, though, is where Apple ceases to have its finger on the cultural pulse. The arts, and the creative industries are under-funded, and under-threat. It might be a while before AI is running creative agencies, design studios, and production companies... But creative people are already losing work to AI. (With many individuals sharing proof of this on their own social media.) Given this is happening in a cost of living crisis, and that creative people tend to prefer Apple products over those of competitors... the ad, while being what I'd define as 'a good ad', strikes me as a faux-pas with target customers. Because "all this, crushed into this" has definitely been interpreted as "all this, destroyed by this. (And also by AI.)" Oh, and LG ad BBH did the ad in 2008... #advertising #advertisingagency #creative #creativeagency #marketing

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The secret to more deals isn’t new clients, it’s getting your departments to collaborate. Agencies are losing easy deals because their departments aren’t talking to each other. Here’s why I think cross-department data is the most underutilized resource in the talent management game: 1. You’re leaving warm leads on the table. Picture this: the Sports department has worked with a brand multiple times over the last 5 months, but when the Creator division wants to pitch them, they reach out cold, completely unaware of the pre-existing relationship. It’s wasted effort, and worse, wasted opportunity. 2. Cold outreach is becoming more difficult, and it's costing you. Why are agencies still pitching brands with zero context when another department has already laid the groundwork? It’s not just inefficient, it’s throwing deals down the drain. Warm leads are always better, but most teams are still going in cold. 3. Cross-department collaboration makes you money. When departments share data, they uncover deals that were sitting right under their noses. The creator division could see that basketball already secured multiple deals with AG1. Now, instead of pitching cold, they can lean on the pre-existing connection and increase their chance of success. 4. The problem isn’t lack of talent, it’s lack of communication. The issue isn’t the size of your roster or the strength of your talent, it’s that you don’t always know what other teams within your agency are working on. This lack of visibility is costing you deals every single day. 5. Internal silos are costing you more than you think. Your agency is bigger than your department, yet you’re treating each division like it’s on its own island. By not using cross-department data, you’re missing out on warm leads and letting other agencies steal your deals. TLDR: It’s 2024. The fastest way to win more deals is by using what’s already at your fingertips: data from your own agency. When your departments work together and share insights, you stop leaving money on the table and start closing deals faster. At Pickle we’re helping agencies unlock these opportunities by: 1. Pooling their cross-department data to find warm leads 2. Eliminating cold outreach by revealing pre-existing brand connections 3. Automating re-engagement opportunities so nothing falls through the cracks It’s not magic, it’s just better use of the data you already have.

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To all of you who say, "I'll just wing it in the presentation", please see the level of attention and angst that a true professional puts into each syllable. This was Nikki Glaser's biggest opportunity of her career. Look at the level of detail in her prep. Now compare the biggest presentation of your career. How'd you do?

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Over the years, I've shared several "how to" presentations about creativity here and on Twitter. People often request them as a PDF, so to start 2025 with a little tidying up, I've put them all in one place, on a Google Drive, for anyone to share and download. Here are the titles for those interested. How to craft a brand voice. 2 fundamentals marketers should revisit. 10 tips for giving effective creative feedback. 5 tips for highlighting product features. 6 ways to build your brand with performance marketing. 3 rules for writing a compelling idea description. 5 media formats that pack an emotional punch. 10 reasons why creatives should start with pen and paper. #advertising #brands #creativitiy

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If given just 5 seconds to decide where I’d most like to be professionally for the balance of my (paid) career, it would be leading “brand design and rebranding.” This article from Zachary Petit at Fast Company expands the scope of how we might apply design to rebranding in culture-changing ways, starting with a redesign of society (easy peasy). What would YOU add to this list of redesigns that could change the world? #possibilities #design #brandinnovation

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If ppl are willing to pay, I'm sure Disney will be happy to take their $$. But I wonder if it's good for Disney's brand in the eyes of those who pay approx $200/day to stand in long lines? Disney's concocted a lot of options for ppl to avoid long waits (Lightning Lane Premier Pass, Lightning Lane Single Pass, Disney Genie, Lightning Lane Multi Pass, etc.). That's good for ppl who can afford to maximize their Disney Experience time (and don't mind having to consult their phones constantly to figure out their "game plan" for the day). Upping the price will also lead to fewer people in the park...also good for reducing wait times. But the middle-class family of 4 is finding it increasingly difficult to step foot in the Happiest Place On Earth. Whether or not that leads to the kind of resentment that bruises Brand Disney remains to be seen. But a word of wisdom to Disney's C-Suite: Listen to your bread-and-butter middle class families as intently as you watch your stock price. https://lnkd.in/gQHwrZeG

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If you’ve been watching the Olympics you’ve probably seen Google’s ad for Gemini. It's irked me that the dad had all of these beautiful things to say about his daughter and his daughter’s favorite athlete, yet he was going to use generative AI instead. It was such a sweet, feel-good ad until it was about using Gemini. It makes me think…will fan mail still be meaningful if it’s all written by computers? What other types of content (or letters) lose their meaningfulness? A fan letter from a kid is an authentic sharing of admiration. Perfect grammar, spelling, or storytelling is not required. I'm all for using generative AI under the right use cases. Perhaps a better angle for this ad to showcase Gemini’s capabilities would have been for the father to create a fictional story featuring his daughter and her favorite athlete or a story where his daughter goes to the Olympics to serve as a vision for her athletic goals. Don’t take away the authenticity of fan mail. Sorry, not sorry, Gemini. There's no doubt a lot to wrestle with as AI becomes a more widely used tool in our professional and personal lives. What are your thoughts? https://lnkd.in/ehX4pWf8 #Google #Gemini #ai #advertising #branding

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For young creative leaders, or those that will be entering into creative leadership positions this year... Your ability to lead has nothing to do with your talent to create, and the two should not be conflated. However, that being said... I've found that there is a huge commonality between the two. It’s empathy. Have you heard of this trend called “human-centered” design. That’s just empathy rebranded. Good creative = starts with empathy (with the end user). Good leadership = starts with empathy (with the people on your team). Empathy… that's it. It's the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes, and ask "what do I need? And how do I feel?". Easy to say, harder to do, especially when shit hits the fan. If you've worked as a creative professional, you've already learned to connect with people, by actually listening to them, and creating value by being a platform for their success. You don't need to wow them with your dazzling Illustrator skills (although that might come in handy in a pinch). Your team needs your empathy more—and the action that goes with it. 

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Consumers are tapped out. Portfolios might get wiped by 50% or more. But this post has tips that provide hope and will help your brand connect with consumers. As marketing leaders and brand builders, our role is often to empathize. In some cases, our brands must be aspirational for consumers, but at other times we have to meet the audience where they are. It's a nuanced job. You have to tap into the market and what people are feeling the most. And right now, people are plagued with the following problems: higher energy costs, higher fuel costs, higher cost of foods, and cash is super tight. Markets are upended. How should your marketing strategy and your budget be revised? Seven quick gut checks you should do NOW. 1. Shift Budget to High-ROI Channels: Prioritize digital channels that offer measurable results and higher ROI, such as social media and email marketing. Reduce spend on lower-performing campaigns ASAP. 2. Emphasize Value: Allocate budget to promote products that offer the best value. If applicable to your brand, run promotions and/or flexible payment options to appeal to cost-conscious consumers. 3. Invest in Community and Support Initiatives: Allocate resources to create content that fosters community and support, such as webinars, online live events, and helpful guides. 4. Enhance Transparency and Authenticity: Invest in communication tools that allow for transparent and authentic engagement with consumers, such as live chats and behind-the-scenes content. 5. Focus on Essentials: Conduct an audit of your marketing tech stack. Redirect marketing budget towards essential products or services that help meet current consumer needs. 6. Boost Emotional Connection: Allocate budget for storytelling initiatives that create emotional connections, emphasizing hope and positivity. People really need it! 7. Focus on your Funnel: There are consumers in your funnel right now that are close to converting. Rather than allocating more to cold-prospecting, adjust budgets to push users further down the funnel. Double-check your loyalty program and optimize the hell out of it! BONUS TIP: Find a brand to partner with. Make sure you share similar values and target audiences, and have complimentary services. You will both be stronger together and can co-create a bigger value for consumers. Create an exclusive experience that make consumers feel special and hopeful about the future! If I can help in anyway, please do not hesitate to reach out: brands@rankfile.co -- we've helped numerous consumer brands scale from $0 to eight figures. #marketing #marketcrash #economics #inflation #consumers #marketingleaders #cmo #fractionalcmo #consumerbrands #b2c #performancemarketing #brandmarketing #ads #digitalads #advertising #portfolio #storytelling

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This should be the headline for all us ad folks: "The integration of advanced AI into brand interactions will require marketers to work closely with AI teams to ensure that these systems accurately represent brand voice and values." I'd add "brand story" to that list as well. No matter how much things change and tech evolves, the fundamental truth remains, we are the keepers of the brand story, voice and values.

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The Liquid Death x Dr. Squatch "Dirt Murderer" soap collaboration has me unreasonably delighted and I'm not sorry about it. Even though I'm not their target consumer, there's something magical that happens when two brands who know who they are decide to play together. That moment when 1+1 somehow equals 3? This is exactly that, with a "sexy killer" soap ad that's exactly what you'd expect and hope for from these two. Yet they still stayed true to what makes each brand great. Dr. Squatch kept their commitment to clean ingredients (Dead Sea Salt, coconut oil, the works), while Liquid Death brought their signature mountain water and their "let's make everything metal" energy to the table. Just one missed opportunity stands out: Launching the week after Halloween feels like showing up to a party after everyone's gone home. Imagine dropping this in mid-October when we're all already deep in our horror movie marathons. The possibilities from here are what really get me excited. Picture future horror franchise collaborations - Friday the 13th body wash? Nightmare on Elm Street shampoo? (Okay, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but you get the idea.) These kinds of brand collaborations remind me why I love brand innovation. When it's done right, it's not just clever - it's pure fun that actually makes sense for everyone involved. #BrandCollabs #Marketing #Innovation #WhoKnewSoapCouldBeThisFun Photo from Food & Wine article linked below, attributed to "Courtesy of Liquid Death / Dr. Squatch"

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If this isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is. Creatively awarded ads, once the gold standard of marketing success, are now officially average. The landscape has shifted and marketers need to rethink how they measure success in their campaigns. We need to see more innovation beyond traditional creativity to maintain effectiveness. https://lnkd.in/gPHFwBMm

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Everyone wants Liquid Death’s results. No one wants to follow their example. Every other post I see from a recruiter, CCO or ECD is the same: “Looking for a kick-ass team! Must have experience in [insert category here].” Do you know what the Liquid Death team didn’t have experience in? I’ll give you a clue; it’s what they’re selling right now and crushing. They didn’t know water. They didn’t want to know water. They actively ran the opposite direction from water campaigns. And you know how that turned out. You have over $1.4 billion reasons to copy that example. But apparently, that’s not enough. It’s kinda ridiculous to praise a company for being so successful then doing exactly the opposite of how they did it. So, a little advice. You’re in luxury travel? Hire people who’ve never touched it. Fast food? Run away from teams with it in their books. Launching a new brand? Maybe a team that’s never launched one will have a completely different way to do it and break through the clutter. Zig when others zag is a mantra so many people spew, but few embrace. I’m a zigger. I know several ziggers. We get really excited working in a brand new space because we don’t know the restrictions, the do’s and don’ts, or any of the baggage. You want results? You want breakthrough. Hire a zigger, not a been-there-done-that. Can I get an amen Andy Pearson? (You can whisper it to yourself). #recruiting #toughadvice #breakthrough #liquiddeath

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