How The F**k Did You Get That Job‪?‬ Grit Player Services

Elias Martinez, AVP for University Marketing at Texas State University, recently sat down with me on How The F** Did You Get That Job*. Elias gave us the real story of his wild ride from the middle of nowhere in New Mexico to the big time in higher ed marketing.

Elias' insights couldn't have come at a better time for higher ed marketers. The game is getting tougher, and students are getting pickier about where they want to spend their college years (and money). In a world where everyone's craving authenticity and relatability, Elias' approach to storytelling and brand-building is a masterclass in how universities can stand out from the crowd and actually connect with young people.

He makes it crystal clear that marketing isn't just about selling a product – it's about promoting opportunities and making a real difference. Elias is challenging higher ed marketers to take a long, hard look at what they're doing and how they can do it better. He's pushing them to think outside the box and get creative with their strategies – not just to boost enrollment numbers, but to create brands that actually mean something to students and society as a whole.

So if you're in higher ed marketing and you're not paying attention to what Elias has to say, you're missing out on some serious wisdom. This is your sign to start keeping it real, telling better stories, and making a real impact with your work. Because at the end of the day, that's what it's all about – not just selling a degree, but changing lives and making the world a little bit better, one student at a time.

In the world of business, it's easy to assume that being the market leader is the ultimate goal. After all, who wouldn't want to dominate their industry and enjoy the spoils of success? But there's a compelling case to be made for the advantages of being a challenger brand - a company that may not be the top dog, but is hungry, agile, and ready to shake things up.

As Marissa Solis, SVP of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing for the NFL, puts it, "If you can combine both the swagger and the hunger, I think you get a perfect marketer." In other words, while market leaders may have the confidence that comes with their position, challenger brands have the drive and adaptability that can propel them to new heights.

In this episode, we'll explore the benefits of embracing the challenger mindset, from avoiding the pitfalls of complacency to connecting with underserved markets. We'll also examine real-world examples of companies that have leveraged their underdog status to achieve remarkable success. So buckle up and get ready to root for the underdogs.

On the latest episode of "How The Fuck Did You Get That Job", we sat down with Heidi Anderson, a trailblazer who's gone from a small Danish town to the upper echelons of Silicon Valley. As the current CMO and CRO at Nextdoor, Heidi's journey includes impressive roles at Google and LinkedIn, where she played a vital part in driving these tech giants to new heights.

Heidi grew up in a tight-knit Danish community of just 100 people. But her curiosity and love for reading sparked dreams of exploring the world. Her path took her from the University of Southern Denmark to a life-changing gap year traveling the U.S., igniting a passion for the fast-paced, innovative spirit of Silicon Valley.

In this episode, Heidi discussed the ups and downs of navigating the tech world as an immigrant and a woman in leadership. She offered valuable advice for aspiring leaders, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships, staying resilient, and constantly growing. Heidi's story is one of embracing opportunity, pushing beyond comfort zones, and harnessing the power of community to drive positive change.



You can also watch this conversation on Youtube.

Picture this: you're a hotshot marketer, ready to take on the world. But you're faced with a tough choice — should you be a jack-of-all-trades or a master of one? It's the age-old debate between being a generalist or a specialist.

To help us navigate this tricky terrain, we brought in Charlotte Mostaed, the CMO of Health-Ade Kombucha. Charlotte's got a multidisciplinary background in development studies, which has shaped her unique approach to marketing. She calls it "very general management focused." Basically, she's a boss at seeing the big picture.

As Charlotte puts it, "This ability to do a very multidisciplinary major really, really spoke to me. And I would say that that's how I've now approached marketing and my brand of marketing, which is very general management focused." Her experience shows just how valuable a generalist mindset can be in marketing.

But before we crown generalists the winners, we’re going to break down the merits of being a stone cold specialist in certain fields.

In this article, we'll dive into the pros and cons of being a generalist or specialist in marketing, look at some real-world examples of successful marketers from both sides, and give you some actionable advice to help you navigate this complex landscape.

Picture this: you're a marketing mastermind, perched atop your throne of brilliant ideas, ready to take on the world. But wait, what's that sound? It's the drumbeat of artificial intelligence, marching steadily toward your kingdom. Do you cower in fear, clutching your trusty whiteboard marker? Or do embrace your new robot overlords and use AI as your secret weapon in the battle for marketing supremacy?

As Sophie Kelly, SVP of Global Tequila at Diageo, aptly put it, "Gone are the days of sitting in a room trying to think of all the possible ideas." The AI revolution is upon us, and it's not just a passing fad – it's a seismic shift in how we approach marketing. With AI tools readily accessible, we're no longer limited by the boundaries of our own imagination. We can feed the machine a few prompts and watch as it spits out a smorgasbord of ideas, each more tantalizing than the last.

But here's the catch: having a vast array of options is only half the battle. The real challenge lies in navigating this sea of possibilities to uncover the true gems – the ideas that will resonate with your audience, drive engagement, and propel your brand to new heights. And that, my friends, is where the importance of creativity and fearlessness comes into play.

In our insanely overstimulated and infinite world of social media, trying to communicate your brand’s message loudly to multiple generations simultaneously is like trying to juggle flaming chainsaws while riding a unicycle on a tightrope.

As consumer decision-making becomes more collaborative and family-oriented, marketers must channel their inner circus performer and adapt their strategies to appeal to a diverse range of age groups. Each generation comes with its own quirks, preferences, and communication styles.

The higher education sector is a perfect case study for this multigenerational marketing clusterf**k. As Gabriel Welsch, VP of Marketing and Communications at Duquesne University shared on the podcast this week, "In 90% of cases, the parents are a huge part of the decision, and increasingly the grandparents, because for millennial parents, whose kids are now growing and starting to look at college, the grandparents often were the caretakers. So they're very invested in their success as well." It's like a family reunion, but instead of arguing about who makes the best potato salad, they're debating which college has the most impressive dining hall.

Below, we'll dive headfirst into the challenge of multigenerational marketing, using insights from the higher education sector and time spent talking with Garbiel Welsch as our guide. We'll explore each generation's unique characteristics and preferences, uncover best practices for crafting cohesive brand messages that resonate with audiences across the age spectrum, and equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to become a marketing superhero.