Sunday marked my three-year anniversary with Affinitive. While three years might not be a monumental milestone for many who have been with companies for decades, in the agency world in this city - it is a measurable moment. At least it is for me. My longest commitments outside of Affinitive are to my chihuahua and my education, both of which I'd like to keep my entire life.
When I arrived in NYC in late August of 2006 still closing the final chapter in my first start-up experience with a mobile marketing company, I was an active social network user but had no idea that my career would take a turn down the social marketing path. I'm not sure I even realized that brands were leveraging these types of networks, mediums and platforms, although perhaps at that point many of them weren't... yet. How quickly the industry has grown. The frequency and volume at which brands have begun to adopt these non-traditional social tactics, it all feels a bit like a whirlwind. I often feel as though I've blinked and now so many of my favorite brands (some clients, some not) have begun to talk to so many of their biggest fans and foes. Really talk to them.
My educational background firmly ingrained in the world of "Public Relations" - I had grown wary of the "pitch" and the idea of trying to convince someone that whatever I was schilling was newsworthy. While I still believe that PR is an integral part of any company's overall communications strategy, especially in moments of crisis or groundbreaking news, I knew back then that I wanted to move to a more consumer centric experience - as a consumer of so much in this big new city, the foundation of so many of my decisions (where to go for a weekend getaway, what to eat, which museum to schlep up to on which days, which galleries had great opening parties) were all based in Word of Mouth - it just felt like a natural fit for me, in that time in my life. This city can be quite intimidating - I don't know what I would've done without consumer reviews of NYC 'things' and my favorite foodie blog.
I didn't know until I started doing my homework that research companies like Forrester had been measuring the growing impact of peer recommendation and WOM for quite some time. When I discovered that boutique agencies like Affinitive actually specialized in facilitating, measuring, and amplifying this type of brand communication - I knew what my next move had to be.
At times I feel like this industry is one big sociology experiment - what people respond to, what compels them to make that recommendation, what happens when they are jaded... how you can influence and ultimately change perceptions... it is all quite fascinating.
Three years and over 30 + programs and campaigns later I feel as though I've learned so much I could perhaps author a book. Although for every single strategy I've concepted, program I've managed, campaign I've executed, ROI I've calculated... I feel as though I've barely scratched the surface.
Perhaps that is what is so amazing about this niche in the big world of marketing - it is so new that we all can be teachers and pupils at the same time.
I intended on writing this post about my most interesting projects to date but the list became so epic it is really impossible for me to narrow it down. Whether it was a multi-city non-profit beach event series or a video game fan community or the launch of a new wine varietal or an automotive focus group - they've all been fun, fascinating, and mentally rewarding. Honestly.
In a quest to find commonality and come up with some conclusion about my experience to date, I realized that the core of all of these programs is a deeply rooted foundation of listening. First, foremost, always.
Interestingly enough, my time in NYC here outside of work has taught me the very same thing - it all starts with listening. Listening to what people are saying, what your city is saying, what your stomach is saying (ha!), what your mind and heart are telling you, from inside to out. Listening to your gut, when it tells you to follow your dreams, pack up your Volvo and move to the big city that never, ever sleeps.
