Halston Marketing Recommends
We have some great talent in our ranks at Halston Marketing. To exercise our expertise we wanted to share some marketing recommendations to celebrate the new year.
Sam – Junior Marketing Executive
There are some great options out there for book learning, and opinion forming. My favourite at the moment and one of my strongest recommendations is ‘Contagious: Why Things Catch On’ – by Jonah Berger. The New York Times bestseller indicated how things go viral and demonstrates phenomenal core knowledge on why people think about things they do.
Released in 2013, the account from Jonah Berger has received critical success and some acclaimed reviews from the industry. By watching his talks at events, and promoting his book, you can see why this is. His stage presence and personality really translate well into his written work, and any marketer junior or senior would benefit from his expertise.
Rosie – Senior Account Manager
Masters of Scale hosted by LinkedIn Co-Founder, Reid Hoffman is a must-listen for me. Reid helped run huge Fortune 500 companies and his extensive experience always surfaces in each episode, he offers practical advice which is backed by real-world examples.
Hoffman talks with entrepreneurs about how they transformed small initiatives into larger companies, touching on the methodologies, tools, and technologies that helped them achieve their objectives. Previous guests include Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Brian Chesky (Airbnb), and many more.
If a business is looking to scale, they must adapt technology, and Masters of Scale is a great resource for any B2B technology marketer looking for help with growth strategies.
Jess – PR and Content Manager
I am always looking for new ideas, wanting to learn more and keep up to date with interesting content. With such a hectic schedule, it can be difficult to find enough time in the day to manage this. One of my favourite tools at the moment which I highly recommend is ‘Blinklist’. Essentially, it’s ‘Cliff-notes’, for adults. You can listen or read to non-fiction bestsellers in just 15 minutes. Not only am I able to digest a higher amount of content, but I can even filter out my favourites, which are worth delving into the full book.
Georgia – Founder and CEO
I love Business Wars, it’s just so well researched and produced, you really get sucked into the stories. A lot of the businesses under the microscope are considered in their heyday. For example, Southwest vs American Airlines (one of my favourites!) or Ford vs Chevrolet, but there’s always lessons in resilience and innovation to be taken from every story, in the case of the latter, an example of a herculean pivot which saw a car manufacturer retool in days to start the production of B24 bombers for the American war effort. That quick thinking and business acumen supersedes time and era and can give inspiration to the strategies for navigating the economic uncertainty we’re facing today. These timeless tales told in an exciting first-person narrative will have you hooked!
Antonia – Senior Marketing Executive
Since lockdown began, I’ve kept Kassia St Clair’s “The Secret Lives of Colour” within reaching distance in order to keep my creativity flowing and refreshed. I would certainly recommend it.
From how we see it to the politics of colour, St Clair captivated my attention solely from talking about 75 of the most fascinating shades, dyes and hues. She has created a unique study of human civilisation, telling the vivid story of our culture, thus opening my eyes to a whole new world of creative freedom.
Colour is one of the most important aspects when your brand is considered.
(Read how to refresh your brand here)
Your logo and company colours are where first impressions of potential customers are based. Colours are more than a visual aid, as they are used in situations to convey experiences, feelings and emotions. Properly selected colours define your values, strengthen your positioning, allow for greater awareness and distinguishes your brand among competitors. Think: a bold black swoosh, a red can/bottle and everyone’s favourite yellow arches – simple colours, yet memorable companies.
Greta – Junior Marketing Executive
My recommendation is 2020’s The Social Dilemma, this investigatory documentary explores the level at which digital can influence the physical living.
It explores the impact tech can have on human phycology, from emotional impact to general behaviour. Everything that is done online is monitored and analysed. The Social Dilemma looks at the devastating impacts this can have on events such as Brexit, The Trump Administration and the rise of radical ideology.
A key takeaway to wet your appetite is that fake news spreads six times faster than real news! Although this may be reduced now that the main instigator has left oval office.
The documentary is an important educational tool on the power that digital can hold, it tells us that this power should be utilised to make life better, rather than to exacerbate radical principles.
Hannah – Junior Creative Executive
I would highly recommend podcasts by Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose, two renowned experts in the field of content marketing. If you struggle for time in the day to consume written content, “This old marketing” podcast is one you’ll find both entertaining and enlightening.
Topics of discussion are always very current which is useful to keep up to date with what’s happening in the industry, for example, the latest one “The content war for creators has begun” surrounding the rumours around Apple launching a subscription program to compete with Spotify for exclusive audio content, amongst other issues within the industry.
Our selections should keep you thoroughly informed and entertained during the next lockdown, however, if you need any further marketing insight, get in touch.