How To Make It In Marketing #8: Kellogg Company / Joseph Harper / E-commerce Marketing Manager - Western Europe
How To Make It In Marketing #8: Kellogg Company / Joseph Harper / E-commerce Marketing Manager - Western Europe
Switching from social media to e-commerce came naturally to Joe Harper when he became E-commerce Marketing Manager for Western Europe at Kellogg’s, having previously worked as the Social Media Manager for the brand. That’s because these parts of marketing are now all connected in the digital world, and this experience has taught Joe some important learnings.
Having worked in both social media and e-commerce, Joe thinks that big brands’ social channels would benefit immensely from featuring user generated content. Its relatability and spontaneity have a lot to add to the brand’s messaging, and this is also why Joe thinks students and young people have a great immediate value to companies, too.
What is your advice about how to make it in marketing?
Don’t underestimate your immediate value.
How have you put this tip to good use?
Young people, straight out of university or even college, are so much more in touch with the users of digital content today. This gives them great immediate value to brands, as they’re able to connect with consumers and put out content that’s so much better and more relevant than anything someone else in the company can do.
At Kellogg’s, we run an apprenticeship scheme where I’ve seen this first hand. Our apprentice did a much better job running our social channels than anyone in the business. That’s because they’re the consumer, they know exactly what type of content the target audience enjoys and is looking for.
This is why my top tip to students is to remember they can be a huge asset to companies right from the start of their career, so don’t forget to capitalise on that in your interviews.
What marketing tips does the industry need most right now?
Bigger brands can adapt their content strategy by including more user generated content on social channels. There’s a time and a place for glossy, scrutinised, very hard worked creative that comes from the brand or an agency. However, in our fast-consuming digital world, anyone with a phone can create excellent content that will establish a faster, more meaningful connection with end users right away.
In connection with this, I also think brands need to focus on short-term ROI (return on investment), but not to the detriment of long-term impacts from other initiatives. For example, efficiency measures can yield great long-term gains that affect the bottom line, too. And building an exciting social media channel can do the same.
Listen to more tips for students, advice on how to make it in the industry, and Joe’s views on why UGC is so valuable to brands, on the latest episode of our Shiny New Object podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3FqtKyJ4Yqimca1RlVlwcF
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