Taylor Swift has set the standard when it comes to artists releasing music. She has mastered the thrill of the announcement for her fans (and honestly, her foes too). But has Taylor established herself as the ultimate CMO, as well? (Disclaimer: there are so many talented CMOs that I admire and look up to – this is just a Swiftie sharing her thoughts on how Taylor and her team have become marketing pros.)
First things first — Taylor plans. I’m convinced she plans years in advance. She knows exactly what type of music she’ll be releasing, how she’ll promote it, how she’ll get her fans excited, and determines every single Easter egg she can place in a TikTok video, Instagram post, interview, album cover, Spotify image, or music video. Her fans will spend weeks dissecting what each post or video could mean. Will there be a tour? A rerelease of her past music? And what does each number 13 mean? Will it be a country album? She keeps people on their toes and wanting more.
She energizes her fans in ways that seem improbable. Rereleasing music that fans have had access to for years? No problem for Taylor. She breaks record after record by explaining her reason for rereleasing music (so that she owns it herself) and includes hidden gems in the form of never-released songs. Winning awards years after she wrote a song? No problem for Ms. Swift. And those fans are ready for literally anything. Taylor suggests they stay up until Midnight for a new album — guess what? They do it. Oh, there’s another 3 a.m. release? They are ready — credit cards in hand to make yet another investment — in their favorite CMO, T. Swift.
Taylor also knows when it’s time to bring in support. Partners, sponsors, or in her case other friends/musicians that support her and her music. That can be anything from her relationships with Apple Music and Spotify to her friendship with Selena Gomez and other artists that post almost as often as she does when there’s something new on the way. She works to make sure her partnerships are mutually beneficial, but most importantly, that they work for her fans and customers.
As a fan, one can’t ask for a better communicator.
She has fun teasing her product, but she also builds real relationships with her fans, often commenting on their TikTok videos, throwing surprise parties, paying off education bills, or sending surprise gifts. Even when she’s quiet, Taylor is still in the background up to something. She’s built such a reputation (get it?) that her fans notice minor things like when her Instagram changes or she switches out a profile picture. Just like the CMO, she understands the need for the relationship between brand and audience. She’s always looking to enhance that relationship, engage with the audience, and have some fun along the way. Her strategy and creativity build her team and fans up and create engagement in a way that other artists have not.
But Ms. Swift hasn’t done everything right. And we saw that very recently with the ticket debacle for the Eras tour. (I’m a very upset Swiftie who is still hoping to get tickets to Chicago.) She went silent — something that she doesn’t do often. She usually comes out quickly to let her fans know that she’s working on a solution, but this time we had to wait. Her response wasn’t the usual clear solution that so many are used to from her. However, the Swifties activated, and all of a sudden Congress is looking into the issues of the ticket monopoly and the resale industry.
The power of a Swiftie is just like that of a brand advocate – willing to stick up for the brand, purchase no matter what, and ensure change.
Is Taylor the Ultimate CMO? We will continue to watch, but her ability to adapt, build a business strategy, as well as continue to build her own personal career path is one to watch for all of us.
As far as Taylor’s next move? Well, even the best Swifties know not to try and guess.
There are few things more important in design than the use of color. It can be used to provoke emotion, create a mood, or provide an aesthetic experience. Color can be bold — like the Fearless Thinkers or Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year, Viva Magenta.
“It’s the color of jewels, kings and queens, holiday traditions, a soothing glass of red wine, and it is fearless — just like TWIST.”
— Connie Ozan, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer
Pantone’s much-anticipated Color of the Year announcement has become a pop culture phenomenon. This year’s “it” color is Viva Magenta, a hue described by Pantone as “a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint.”
Pantone forecasts global color trends, but according to Connie, the value of Pantone’s announcement is how it sparks creativity for designers.
“Color breathes life into our visual identities,” Connie says. “It can set the tone for a brand and influence consumer behavior.”
She would know. For nearly 25 years, Connie and the Fearless Thinkers at TWIST have transformed over 200 brands, advising them on color in brand identity, product development, packaging, collateral, and more.
“We use Pantone religiously,” Connie says. “It’s the starting point for all our client projects.”
Excited to put our stamp on Viva Magenta, we challenged our talented design team to spend time working with the color. Their creations reflect exactly what Connie expected: unrestricted self-expression.
Designer Tori Reibenstein chose to honor a moment she deems special: coffee time. Viva Magenta reminds her of a dark, luxurious shot of espresso. Her work is an expression of creative energy — caffeine induced or not — featuring the vibrant color.
“It’s a balance — warm yet cool, assertive yet not aggressive, historical yet futuristic,” Tori says.
Designer Thiago Wimberly had a different vision for his piece. Inspired by Baroque and Rococo art, a style that is experiencing a modern rebirth in fashion, architecture, and design — Thiago made his representation of Pantone’s color choice wild yet inviting.
“Viva Magenta is like the blood running through our veins: intense, rich, and so full of life.”
— Thiago Wimberly, Designer
While TWIST takes advantage of access to Pantone’s digital library, it is not uncommon to find Thiago and the rest of our design team with physical swatch books.
Design Manager Rachel Teuscher finds greater inspiration and color palette options when flipping through the books. She was surprised by Pantone’s announcement but found its bold color confident and empowering. She used this conversation as a unique opportunity to have fun with color and illustration, highlighting Viva Magenta’s pink tones.
“Color is emotive,” Rachel says. “Our choices of color can be powerful in the sense that they can manipulate the tone of any moment.”
For this moment, it seems Viva Magenta is about celebrating life and being unapologetically yourself.
Connie agrees. “I think there’s going to be a trend that goes back to attention to detail,” she says. “People are starting to crave that again after everything became so stripped back and minimal.”
Pantone’s Color of the Year announcement is not just important to designers but for brands looking to build a strong, powerful presence in the marketplace. Whether you are undergoing a rebrand or planning to launch a startup, understanding the impact of color will help you choose the right colors to improve brand recognition, generate positive customer response, and build brand loyalty.
Photo Credits: Hester and Cook, Vogue, Gucci spring 2023 ready-to-wear photo: Armando Grillo / gorunway.com
TWIST is expanding its design capabilities with a new creative mind on our design team. Fearless Thinker Tori Reibenstein has welcomed the creative agency life with open arms, putting a “Tori-twist” on everything she designs.
“Tori is bubbly, bright, creative, and has a really great sense of humor. She’s a perfect fit for our team.” — TWIST Chief Creative Officer Connie Ozan
Tori’s fresh energy translates into her design work — inspiring both writers and designers on the team. That, paired with her ability to seamlessly collaborate and take initiative, has already been essential to our client projects.
“Tori is attentive to client needs and her unique, interesting sketches and designs show that,” Creative Director Monina Wagner says.
From grabbing lunch with the team in Tremont to brainstorming ideas during meetings, it feels like Tori has always been a part of our environment.
Tori holds a degree in Graphic Design, having graduated from Bowling Green State University. She first learned of TWIST in a sophomore design class and has been a fan of the agency ever since.
“A teaching assistant was showing my class random agencies she liked, and TWIST was one of them,” Tori says.
“I loved the work and knew TWIST was a place I wanted to be part of.” — Tori Reibenstein, Graphic Designer
TWIST had our eyes on Tori too, first meeting her a year ago. With an open position on the design team, the Fearless Thinkers reconnected with Tori, knowing she would be a great fit for the agency.
Tori comes to TWIST with a background in publishing for an in-house design department. Now, she’s made the transition to Cleveland’s Brand Agency, tackling a mix of project types for a range of clients. She enjoys conceptualizing and designing exciting creative for our clients and says she’s learning to have fun with design again.
“I’ve enjoyed challenging the right side of my brain with the help of the design team to further develop my skills critically and creatively,” Tori says.
Her right brain is already in full creative mode as she dives fearlessly into new projects, embracing new design challenges with a positive spirit. Her passion for her work continues to inspire and energize the team every day.
Please help us in welcoming Tori to the growing TWIST team!
Over the last month, conversations with my marketing and agency friends have been abuzz with talk about Twitter. More specifically, we’re discussing the viability of the platform for brands under Elon Musk’s leadership. Is the situation as bad as it seems? With an uncertain future, is it time to panic? Should we tell clients to stop tweeting? Worse yet, should we deactivate our personal accounts?
I was an early Twitter adopter and watched the app evolve. I was initially attracted to Twitter because it felt like a group of friends sharing interesting tidbits. The discussions were lively and robust. I began talking to TWIST President and Partner Charlene Coughlin on Twitter over a decade ago, and we eventually met at a local Tweetup. I received a job offer on Twitter. I had conversations with celebrities and celebrated big moments during major sporting events. There was a sense of community, of meaningful connections that you couldn’t find on other platforms. No surprise, that’s great for brands — and combining the two made my career in content even more enjoyable.
But admittedly, I’m using the app less. For as much fun as it was, let’s not forget that Twitter has always had problems. The platform is a breeding ground for bullying, harassment, and misinformation. Trolling hit new heights in recent years. You can find the worst in humanity if you’re looking for it.
Now, amid the ongoing drama, I find myself closely following the news so we at TWIST can advise our clients. As it stands, there are several implications stemming from Musk’s takeover.
User unrest. It’s estimated that Twitter has lost more than a million users since Musk took over. Over a month since leadership changed hands, users continue to threaten to leave.
Lack of resources. A mass exodus of Twitter staff in addition to extensive layoffs has translated to a loss of knowledge at the platform. Many are now wondering who is left to handle changing audience needs with a lack of support staff and community moderators.
Security risks. Some of the notable resignations at Twitter include top security officials. Cybersecurity experts now believe security holes exist that could lead to compromised accounts and question if the app can fend off such threats.
Potential FTC repercussions. Several legislators have asked federal regulators to investigate any possible violations of consumer protection laws or of its data security commitments, leading to more distrust and safety concerns for users.
Damage of reputation. As it wades the waters of bad publicity, lack of trust, and weakened engagement, we have yet to hear a philosophy that spells out Twitter’s commitments to its community. This can hurt the app in the long run.
What should you do now?
Archive your tweets. If there’s something you care about on Twitter, now’s the time to download your content. In your account settings, you can ask to download an archive of your data. Your Twitter archive saves all your information starting with your first tweet. Twitter says this could take up to 24 hours to receive, but be warned, I’ve heard friends say they’ve waited a few days for their archive.
Know where your customers are. Do your research. If your customers on are on Twitter, you won’t want to abandon it. Customer care interactions on the platform should continue. Plus, you’ll want to gauge the platform’s longevity and see if customers stick with it.
If you find audiences engaging elsewhere, broaden your focus to those social media apps. Or start experimenting with platforms you are curious about — like TikTok or BeReal.
Move from “rented land.” My friend Joe Pulizzi, founder of The Tilt and author of Content Inc., has forever preached about the pitfalls of building brands on rented land. Think about it. What’s more beneficial: content published on your website or social media posts and fans that could disappear when maniacal ownership decides to shut down the rented land? Joe’s team at The Tilt suggests having a strategy to move your rented followers to things you can more control, like an email newsletter or an owned membership site.
Musk sees “extraordinary potential” in Twitter, so more changes are likely on the horizon.
Take into consideration that there’s a real possibility Twitter will not survive. And if it does, the Twitter you once knew could become a thing of the past. So, use this time to rethink your 2023 social strategy (or start one if you haven’t already).
Is there a Twitter alternative?
Sorry, there’s nothing that can replace Twitter. It’s a special social app. Facebook is well, Facebook. LinkedIn is a place for professional networking, not real time conversations. Reddit is pretty siloed, particularly when you compare it to Twitter’s digital town square format.
Mastodon, Hive, and Post are platforms seeing an increase in new users, particularly those flocking from Twitter. All three social sites share similarities with Twitter and have quirks of their own. But none appear to be a firehose of headlines, memes, and hot takes like the blue bird app. With all that’s going on, it’s difficult to predict what might be coming next. Can any site foster the same communities and conversations that thrived on Twitter? It’s too soon to know for sure, but you can count on TWIST to keep you up to date on the latest developments. All we can say is, “stay tuned.”
Chapter 1: The Late Nineties, Uniting art and message (1997-2000)
It was a time when fax machines were big, computers were happy just being beige and Cleveland was as exciting as an 80’s suburban bank lobby. That’s when Mike met Connie and a mission was born.
The two were married in ’99 and by 2000 began TWIST a brand agency with a two-word mission: fight mediocrity.
“TWIST was founded to change the conversation about Cleveland.”
— Mike Ozan
With their honeymoon in the rearview, Mike and Connie began a multi-city search for proper agency inspiration. The couple sought to build upon the C. Ratka Design brand, the design agency founded by Connie in 1997 which already had made waves with work for Cleveland Public Theatre and several corporate brands. They visited with New York and San Francisco agencies who were committed to business objectives that included community enhancement and local small business growth.
The couple observed that significant neighborhood and community revitalization was so often led by the arts community. More than giving buildings new life and new purpose, uniquely arts organizations have the power to attract a city’s wealthiest citizens to neighborhoods most in need of investment.
By building the brands and attraction strategies of the city’s cultural offerings, TWIST could help to spark movements that improved the quality of life for Cleveland. The agency’s first clients were those in the city’s avant-garde performing arts community.
These included: Cleveland Public Theatre, Red {an orchestra}, Verb Ballets, and Cleveland International Film Festival.
Chapter 2: From Arts to Neighborhoods (2001-07)
In the summer of 2003, TWIST moved from the Prospect Park Building in Midtown, Cleveland to the historic near west Cleveland neighborhood of Ohio City. The location was selected intentionally as emblematic of the agency’s pioneering spirit and desire to be a part of the neighborhoods where their growing list of arts and community clients were already located. The agency renovated a 19th century mill worker flop house into a spacious creative center for clients, the community, and its staff.
“When we relocated to 1985 W. 28th Street, we had to describe the location by triangulating between the West Side Market, St. Ignatius and Great Lakes Brewery. The neighborhood name Ohio City was unknown, by 2011 TWIST had changed that and solidified its place as a creative problem solver whose strategies attract development and create jobs.”
— Connie Ozan
Fighting mediocrity gained credibility as a mission, and the popularity of the campaigns created by TWIST demonstrated the agency’s unique ability to blend bold message and design in way that delivered significant value to clients. Rapid growth for both clients and the agency followed.
From 2004 to 2005, TWIST experienced an 80% increase in revenue and was named one of Weatherhead’s 2006 Upstart Companies. By this time, TWIST had won over 100 local, regional, and national awards for design and creative excellence. In 2007, Connie was recognized in Crain’s Cleveland’s Forty Under 40 list and in 2009 Mike was named by Graphic Design USA as an Agency Leader to Watch.
In 2006, TWIST authored an entirely new brand strategy and launched a new identity for the Sisters of Charity Health System. The agency continued to guide their 20 member brand family for the next 15 years.
TWIST’s impressive network of local and national clients was growing — Cleveland Institute of Art, American Greetings, Time Warner Cable, Dots, Fifth Third Bank, and Cuyahoga Community College.
Chapter 3: Be a brand that matters. (2008-13)
In 2008, the recession threatened the agency. Like many businesses, TWIST was forced to lay off some of its employees and national clients were costing too much to maintain. TWIST resigned accounts in both NYC and San Francisco to focus on Cleveland. The agency leaned into its community work, focusing on projects that contributed locally.
While there were many low periods during this era, TWIST was able to build strong relationships with the local brands it supported and find new opportunities close to home.
In 2009, TWIST won the work to build the brand and attraction strategy for the Ohio City neighborhood, and for the centennial celebration of the West Side Market. The strategy and campaign reduced market district storefront vacancies from nearly 40% to zero in less 18 months, creating $100 million in economic impact and 400 jobs. Today, Ohio City is a thriving neighborhood in very high demand.
TWIST continued to take on projects that revitalized Cleveland. A year later, Downtown Cleveland Alliance engaged TWIST to change the conversation about downtown Cleveland and attract more businesses back to the urban core. With built outdoor moments and video content highlighting champions of the downtown area, the TWIST campaign reduced vacancies in class B and C office space by 60% in the first year, reversing the cycle of companies fleeing downtown for the suburbs. During this period, TWIST also created the brands and attraction strategies for the Cleveland Health Tech Corridor, the Old Brooklyn Neighborhood, as well as a number of other neighborhood CDC organizations and the nonprofits that support and advocate for them.
In 2011, the team at TWIST launched an entirely new brand strategy and fan engagement campaign for the Cleveland Indians and continued for the next five years as the MLB team’s brand agency.
The agency’s clients had grown to include St. Ignatius, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland Guardians, Sisters of Charity, and Paladar.
Chapter 4: Claiming Fearless Thinking (2014-18)
In 2013, TWIST joined forces with the City of Cleveland to attract and host the 2014 International Gay Games. TWIST donated their work and built the identity and messaging that welcomed the world to Cleveland.
In 2014, now President and Partner Charlene Coughlin joined the TWIST team, creating the account services department. Before TWIST, Charlene held leadership and management positions at both advertising and nonprofit agencies. Using her expertise, Charlene developed a sophisticated business model that set the TWIST team — and clients — on a path toward sustainable growth. She was later promoted in 2017 to Managing Director.
In 2015, the agency rebranded itself and claimed a new philosophy: Fearless Thinking — the permission to boldly explore new ideas, uninhibited by the way things have always been done.
Motivated by an expanding pool of clients, the addition of new team members, and expansion in several service lines, TWIST relocated to the Cleveland neighborhood of Tremont continuing the agency’s commitment to participate in positive economic growth. Now, in the renovated Fairmont Creamery, the agency had the open floor plan and a build out that reflected their brand values and connected the business to its community.
As a demonstration in Fearless Thinking, TWIST launched an outdoor advertising experiment in 2017 that sparked national conversations. These strange billboards were named one of the best outdoor campaigns by Adweek that year and proved that outdoor advertising was still an effective medium to start conservation.
“We were overwhelmed by the online response to our experimental billboard campaign and the feature by Adweek inspired us to keep thinking fearlessly.”
— Charlene Coughlin
Chapter 5: Cleveland’s Brand Agency (2019-23)
TWIST’s fearless mindset was proving to be successful. By 2019, the company had won over 250 awards, was Emmy nominated for its creation of the CHN Housing Partners mini documentary, and had won the work of billion-dollar company PURELL®.
Just as the agency was hitting its 20th anniversary, COVID-19 moved everyone out of the office for an unexpected two years of working from home.
The agency, however, would not be deterred by a global pandemic, and its momentum to serve Cleveland brands and causes continued. In the spring of 2020, TWIST launched Brand X — a team of local branding, creative, marketing, culture, and business experts dedicated to helping Cleveland small businesses, causes, and their leaders navigate through changing economic and cultural times – pro bono.
Along with Brand X, the agency also created My Pandemic Pivot Tool Kit, a response to the needs of smaller brands, businesses, and nonprofits, who lack the resources but have a great need for agency guidance when it comes to restoring sales or donations.
Amid COVID recovery, TWIST solidified what it had known since the beginning: Cleveland clients deserve better. That’s why, to this day, TWIST continues to stand up for our community, our clients, our team, and our values.
Despite a global pandemic, 2020 was the year Charlene was selected as an Adweek Executive Mentee and spoke at Brandweek on issues related to equity and diversity in advertising. Today, she still uses her platform to share TWIST’s values with industry professionals across the country and expand our creative network. The next year, she was named President of TWIST and included as an Adweek Women’s Trailblazer. In 2022, she joined Mike and Connie as an equity partner in the agency.
Under the leadership of Mike, Connie, and Charlene, the agency continues to live and grow our dedication to the community. The Fearless Thinkers care not only about the projects we work on but about the clients themselves and their values. In 2022, TWIST introduced charitable giving opportunities for our team and clients, flat rate pricing for non-profits and educational institutions, as well as new wellness and continuing education incentives and benefits for TWIST employees.
With eyes on the future, TWIST is still growing its team. Two years after the pandemic began, TWIST hired the first member of its expanding content writing department. In 2022, the agency has worked to elevate the client experience and tailored its services in a way that delivers the highest performance for the challenger brands and disruptive causes it serves.
After experiencing some of the largest growth in company history, TWIST is investing in the future of agency leadership. We are proud to announce the appointment of three members to our leadership team. Andrea Buskirk, Monina Wagner, and Stefanie D’Angelo embody what it means to be Fearless Thinkers, daring to make our clients and the agency world even bolder.
“Today, we’re known for more than just our work. We stand out because our leaders’ visions for ourselves and our clients make waves, reshaping the future of the industry,” says Charlene.
These appointments parallel a drastic increase in our client network. TWIST is optimizing our team’s capabilities to help even more Cleveland brands and causes impress the world. In this period of growth, Andrea, Monina, and Stefanie will continue to help us live our promise to our clients of creating an experience that’s easy, affordable, and fun.
Andrea Buskirk
Andrea has been promoted from Account Executive to Account Director. In this new role, Andrea will continue to build client relationships while working to grow an account team that manages every phase of the marketing cycle. Her willingness to embrace the ebbs and flows of business helps TWIST deliver on what’s being asked and to think of solutions clients can’t. Her respect for client goals will be a huge driver of the agency’s success.
Monina will now serve as Creative Director, leading the design and content teams on brand strategies, identities, and campaigns. She has proven to be tenacious and nimble, two qualities which will serve her well in this new role. She pushes creative boundaries and will ensure teams are producing innovative deliverables for our clients. Alongside Connie, Mike, and Charlene, Monina will also be instrumental in guiding the next generation of talent at TWIST.
Stefanie has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. As one of its longest-tenured team members, Stefanie has been a cornerstone of the agency’s operations. She brings significant management knowledge and experience to TWIST, overseeing the entire agency’s internal functions. She connects creativity to the bottom line for the agency and its clients. Her adaptability, resiliency, and business savvy served as a foundation that supported TWIST through a global pandemic.
“Andrea, Monina, and Stefanie embody our core values. The industry landscape is changing, but the promotion of these leaders ensures continuity of our agency’s culture. Together, they will build and foster the relationships needed to drive long-term growth for TWIST and our clients.”
The flag’s “identity guidelines” are found in Chapter One of the U.S. Code:
“The flag of the United States shall have thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white, and a union consisting of white stars on a field of blue.”
The American flag is having an identity guidelines crisis as cause-connected flags become emblems of a divided nation.
For centuries, the American flag has maintained a consistent and trusted image. That’s because, like most lasting establishments, this country follows a visual identity that was created even before the Constitution was written.
The flag’s “identity guidelines” are found in Chapter One of the U.S. Code: “The flag of the United States shall have thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white, and a union consisting of white stars on a field of blue.”
Red, white, and blue identify the American people as a patriotic country. Its imagery is frequently used in songs, ice-cream flavors, and on our boxer shorts. In recent years, however, Americans have started to deviate from the flag’s guidelines and dilute its image with independently created versions.
TWIST has built dozens of identity guidelines, from typeface to logo. Identity guidelines are the rules that govern a design’s “visual language,” as TWIST Design Manager Rachel Teuscher says.
“It’s how to manage the visuals of brand,” says TWIST Designer Thiago Wimberly. “Not only color, but typography, photography, illustration and other graphic elements.”
According to Chief Creative Officer Connie Ozan, guidelines are important because they put everyone “on the same playing field.” She says any designer should be able to follow this guidebook and create an appropriate design.
The success of an identity relies on visual consistency to create a brand that’s recognizable without its name. Take for example, McDonald’s. When you see golden arches in the distance, you know there is a heavenly Quarter Pounder with Cheese a few turns away. It’s ingrained in our brains. Why? Because the McDonald’s visual identity has remained constant.
“If you want your company to do well, people need to know about it. For them to know about it, you need to be consistent,” Rachel says.
Imagine if the arches were green. You might be able to look beyond the color and still crave that six-piece chicken nuggets. More likely, however, you’d find yourself confused, thinking McDonald’s was starting a new chain of stores offering plant-based burgers.
Much like the iconic golden arches, the American flag is recognizable from miles away. When it is altered outside of its guidelines, it’s no longer clear what that flag represents. The flag that once inspired many now elicits very different emotions because of what Rachel calls “sub-brands.”
“It’s supposed to symbolize freedom,” she hesitates, “but I don’t think it represents that to everyone.”
Being from South America, Thiago was unaware of some of the current flag sub-brands we see more commonly. We shared with him images of American flags that support law enforcement, the military, and Black culture — examples of loss in the flag’s identity.
In Brazil, where Thiago is from, the country’s flag is rarely altered. He says that despite changes in the political or cultural landscape, the green, blue, and yellow have remained consistent in its usage — identifying one unified nation.
Connie says variations of the flag are breaking its symbolism and exposing an American divide.
“Without [guidelines] you have a lot of different hands dabbling in it,” says Connie. “It weakens the brand.”
Even in its official “rebrands,” such as the addition of stars for new states, the flag stayed true to its identity guidelines. These changes were meant to be inclusive — to reach the masses and increase consumer reach, so to speak.
Unofficial changes made outside of the guidelines are more exclusive, speaking to only certain psychographics and limiting the amount of people who connect with the brand.
Connie sees the lack of identity rules as an opportunity to put some identity standards into the flag. She says it’s more important now than ever before to reinforce what the flag means to our country.
A trusted brand is one with a consistent message, and just like any brand, our country thrives when unity is a part its identity. It seems obvious, but the American flag should represent all people in the United States. Establishing stricter identity guidelines could help to alleviate the current divide, increasing the people who proudly wave it, wear it, and support it.
Over the summer, I read a thought provoking tweet and was intrigued by the author’s perspective.
Between getting kids back to school and a bit of travel and reflection, I’ve had some time to think about it. Personally, I agree with him.
I believe good design is thoughtful and has a purpose. It can be minimalist or maximalist. It doesn’t really matter. Just be original.
I recently had a great conversation with a friend who moved to New York City in the late 1990s. He owns and runs an agency just like TWIST. I asked what he thought about the evolution of creativity in the city and what has changed in recent years. His answer: “Isolation.”
Even in the Design Capital of the World where creativity is celebrated and creative risks are taken, we are finding the death of aesthetics. We are working alone, becoming more dependent on social channels and screens for ideation.
We live in a “copy and paste” world where everyone — I mean everyone — rips off ideas from Pinterest, Behance, and the like. Sad but true, we have all succumbed to this method of working, myself included.
With this, trends have evolved. The criteria of good design have changed. We all know social media is a blessing and curse! We adore it, are addicted to it, and despise it at the same time.
Don’t get me wrong. I truly love Pinterest and use it as a source for inspiration. However, I pride myself on being a bit old school when it comes to design thinking and process. What does this mean? Design is in the details. It takes time to appreciate the beauty. The details might be subtle, and with everyone moving so fast, there isn’t time to notice.
This leads to the homogenization of design. We are living in an Instagram world. How have we lost the distinct visual experiences that once inspired us? How did this happen?
Original solutions have been on the decline because of:
— A loss of individuality.
— A loss of craftsmanship.
— A loss of “thinking” in creative solutions.
— A loss of taking risks.
Add in clients wanting everything faster and creatives trying too hard to mimic what they see on social channels. There’s also the over saturation of design references on the internet, allowing creatives to pull from established models. Our industry is seeing a rising number of professionals who think they are graphic designers but have little design training; they simply know how to use the software. They have never worked three-dimensionally. They have never looked at a paper sample.
So how do we get back to uniqueness?
— Let’s get people back to working in-person.
— Let’s reconnect as teams.
— Let’s have conversations.
— Let’s listen to each other.
— Let’s have designers collaborate with writers and content teams to bring brand stories to life — words and visuals.
Mature creatives can certainly learn a lot from their younger colleagues — reverse mentoring – which I truly enjoy! I’m always learning more efficient ways of working with technology and new perspectives on global movements. Gaining knowledge and insight from my team has been very positive.
In the same way, less experienced creatives can learn “old school” techniques: sketching, brainstorming, and getting thoughts down on paper. At TWIST, we even “cut and paste” in real life when workshopping a project, creating mood boards on the walls or printing pages of large annual reports. Moving them, taking them down, using tape: it’s fun, collaborative, and creates in-person synergy among teams.
My advice to young creative minds: Spend more time when outside of work away from your screens. Go explore. Inspiration is everywhere. It’s in the music we listen to, different cultural experiences we have, conversations with friends and family, travel, museums, restaurants, and the food we eat, your next-door neighbor, the colors and textures of nature, and all of our day-to-day surroundings.
In my same trip to NYC, I had a conversation with my daughter, a sophomore at Parsons School of Design. After looking at a fashion exhibit at The Met with beautiful, intricate gowns from the past, she said “I wish women still dressed like this.”
“This is your time,” I told her. “You are the new generation of changemakers. Gen Z’s can bring any aesthetic back with a fresh perspective.”
My message to you is the same. Study the past to revitalize the new. Start by drawing inspiration from life. This is where the magic happens.
With so much time and effort typically required for acquiring new clients, it is no surprise that the same type of attention should be given to nurturing existing relationships. Often an overlooked aspect in sales because of the partiality for securing new customers, maintaining positive client relationships after the win can pose long-term benefits for any company’s overall growth goals.
To best maintain a positive relationship with a current client, it often comes down to one thing: providing them with enduring value. Whether this is through your existing services, positive interactions or simple open communication, keeping clients engaged and consistently working to understand their future needs and offer solutions gives them reasons to stay.
“You need to be strategic so you are viewed as a requirement,” says Scott Moss, principal and founder of M Sales Growth Advisors. “Continuing to provide value puts you in a better position to truly be a partner.”
Once the trust of being a partner is established in a client relationship, it is easier to understand and develop collaborative solutions to meet their goals. Additionally, having insight into a client’s pain points provides opportunities to proactively recommend solutions upfront rather than waiting for them to come to you.
Maintaining Client Relationships
On top of strategic nurturing, closely involving clients in your process can also help build and maintain trust. Regardless of the industry, active and engaged clients usually lead to more successful relationships than those detached from the process.
Whether it’s delivering assets, getting final confirmations, or keeping key stakeholders updated, having to hound clients to keep a process moving forward efficiently can quickly sour a relationship. With this in mind, a great way to avoid a potential communication mishap is to set clear expectations from the beginning.
“By setting expectations, it shows that we know what we are doing,” says Moss. “With a confident and clear-cut approach, everything goes to the appropriate person that needs to be involved. Expectations also need to be clear for accountability purposes so there is never a doubt about who is responsible for what.”
Transparency with a client can go a long way when it comes to providing solutions to fit their needs. Keeping a client closely involved at each step of your process creates less room for misunderstandings, lost interest, or dissatisfaction.
“Clients are more likely to say yes when peripherally being involved in helping define the solution, but it’s also important to not share so much of what happens ‘behind the curtain’ that they think what you’re doing is easy,” says Moss.
Making the jump from classroom to advertising agency was scary, as the unknown can be. But becoming an account executive at TWIST was surprisingly easier than I anticipated. Why? As a teacher, I brought the five fundamentals I used in my personal life to the school. Now I practice these principles every day in my career at the agency. When it boils down to it, these areas translate across most careers today.
Communication
This is the first characteristic any company will want proficiency in. Communication builds trust. In teaching, open and honest communication sets a foundation for success between you and your students and you and their parents.
Account executives are indispensable to the ongoing success of an agency. AEs act as liaisons between the agency and clients. Fostering a relationship with them is paramount for success. When clients trust you, they are not only confident in the agency’s recommendations and partnership but in your expertise in the field. Clients believe they are well-informed about ongoing projects through check-ins during the week. They can rely on communication from the agency and not have to be the ones to reach out on the status of a project.
Accountability
Second to communication, accountability is the easiest way to earn trust. As a teacher, you are held accountable through your students’ progress and academic performance throughout the year.
At TWIST, we are transparent about the actions we take, and we’re accountable by showing the results. As the AE, I let clients in on our goals and processes and step up to acknowledge if mistakes are made. Because of the relationship I have with them, clients have confidence in us to adjust and react to industry changes and brand concerns accordingly.
Organization
It’s no question being organized at your job sets you up for success in the long run. Whether it is prepping for a lesson plan or a client status call, things run more smoothly when you take the time to prepare.
In education, this translates to knowing the subject matter well enough to teach it and to answer questions about it. If you truly comprehend the concepts, your students will too.
The same can be said for client work. Truly knowing a brand and fully understanding the scope of a campaign allows AEs to present easily and be prepared for questions that are sure to arise. Going into a meeting feeling unprepared can leave you feeling frantic and confused, which the client will likely sense. The more you are prepared, the more everyone else is engaged and excited about the work.
Remember those weekly check-ins I mentioned? With communication and organization come consistency, and with consistency, reputation grows — for you, your students, and your clients.
Flexibility
Pivot: It’s a word I’ve heard many times in the last three years. As a teacher, this ranged from an internet outage preventing 21st century learning to continue to fire alarms blaring in the middle of a lesson to preparing to close a school for a weekend, only to find you would not return for many months. Teachers need to be flexible in their lesson plans and be able to adjust on the fly.
The same can be said for an agency. What once may have worked for your client may no longer be a priority. Perhaps their target audience has changed. As an account executive, it is my job to be in tune with each of my clients and understand when these intricacies happen. I take the time to intimately know their brand and then serve them at every touchpoint. It not only sets both agency and the brand up for success but shows the client they are a top priority of yours and always on your mind. When they realize how much we value their brand, they are more inclined to trust us.
Teamwork
Being a team player in today’s job market is highly valuable. I know I’m at my best when working in a collaborative environment.
When collaborating with other teachers, there is always someone to go to who can offer guidance or help you break through the mental block you may be having. More minds are always better. This is vital in education, when you could have dozens of students, each with different learning styles.
Now, working for an agency, I am astounded at the level of teamwork I see daily. TWIST truly shines because the account, creative, and content teams consistently meet and exceed expectations. The agency values diverse thinking — everyone brings a different point of view to the table. Every team member is willing to pitch in and help deliver the best results to our clients. We find fulfillment in working together to see our clients succeed.
Teaching sets you up for a world of success in nearly all aspects in life. From operating on a customer service-based mindset when talking to parents to keeping your day-to-day classroom moving and on-task, teachers can really be considered a jack of all trades.
I am surprised daily at the number of education-related skills I use. TWIST clients hire us because of our expertise in brand marketing. I like to think they trust me because of my honesty and follow-through. Plus, in my role, working on campaigns for my high school alma mater has been an exciting part of the job! For my education clients, I have a perspective on the student journey that others in the agency don’t — and that’s beneficial to be able to see in the development of campaigns to provide feedback on what educators are looking for and what could stand out. I leverage the experiences I’ve gained as a teacher at TWIST. I’ve learned an educator’s skills are cross-functional. Scared to make that jump because you don’t know you’d fit in or what you could bring to the table? Surprise yourself and take a risk into something you never dreamed possible. Maybe one day you’ll even consider joining our agency team of Fearless Thinkers!
