The Marketing Matters Newsletter

Today, more than any other week of the year, it’s worth talking about cranberry sauce. Because it wasn’t always a Thanksgiving staple. In fact, the story of how it landed on holiday tables across America is a masterclass in marketing—and a reminder of the power of storytelling to shape traditions. Producers turned a perishable crop…

Let’s talk about content loyalty today. I’m an old Internet soul (or just…old), and I still use an RSS reader to follow my favorite blogs. For those unfamiliar, it’s a tool that lets you subscribe to websites and get updates whenever they publish something new—no algorithms, no distractions, just pure, unfiltered content. As I procrastinated…

65% of marketers are using generative AI tools either daily or weekly, with 37% using AI every single day, says the latest AI Industry Report. Statistically speaking, there’s a good chance you, dearest gentle reader, have already grabbed a front-row seat on the AI Express. But these days, using AI is almost expected—what’s interesting now…

Lately, I’ve felt like I’m running on a treadmill just a bit too fast—not fast enough to jump off, but enough to leave me panting and holding on for dear life.  As I scrambled to finish this newsletter, way past my self-imposed deadline, I had a few conflicting thoughts: Should I send this without the…

As soon as I saw the pack of learning materials arrive, I knew I was in for a ride. My first “official” wine tasting was less than a year ago. Yet somehow, here I am, signed up for a course with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET)—the most recognized international organization in wine education.…

“I’m posting a lot, but I don’t ask anyone to read it all. If you’re not interested, just skip it!” I heard these words during a content writing workshop I led last week. The participant was trying to make the point that they needed to produce as much as possible to keep their brand visible,…

I’ve been thinking a lot about incentives lately. As marketers, we often focus on mastering technical skills like social media management or design tools, or honing strategic abilities like market research and positioning. But I believe the most critical skills for a successful marketing career go beyond that. Three traits, in particular, come to mind…

Over the past two weeks, I’ve been glued to the screen with one show: Netflix’s latest Korean reality “Culinary Class Wars.” Now, I am a foodie, but I’ve never been a fan of cooking reality shows. They seem formulaic and bland. But this time, I was hooked. And I wanted to figure out why. First,…

It’s time to Marie Kondo your year. When I see the number 40 looming in the calendar week space, I know there’s not much time left in the year. But I also know that I’m still in control. I pour myself a cup of tea (October weather is already here) and open my journal to…

I feel like a bit of a fraud when people ask me for advice on personal branding. People work hard to build a brand, and my first foray into it happened by accident. It all started out of curiosity after a class in “New Media” (that’s what we used to call digital back in the…

It’s always cool to see a topic that resonates with your squad. I received many replies from people who said they’d love a behind-the-scenes look at my newsletter writing practice. I’d love to oblige. First, a confession: You may have seen a note at the bottom of these emails stating how long it took to…

Reddit became my second home while researching my first trip to Japan. We don’t have a ton of time, and we’ve never visited Asia, so it’s a double whammy—I really wanted to make sure we’d get the most of it. As I was digging deeper and deeper into /r/JapanTravel, my marketer brain kicked into gear.…

I was planning to talk to you about something completely different today, but real life gives us writing fodder like nothing else. You may remember that last week, I shared ​the upcoming launch​ of my personal branding course. Well, it didn’t really go as planned. No one signed up for the waitlist. At first, I…

If you’ve been following me on LinkedIn, you may have noticed slight changes to my visual style there. As I was considering a brand refresh, I had the chance to work with a super-talented brand designer. But I thought it’d be a better learning experience to do it all on my own. And here’s what…

A strong brand can be many things. It’s the perfect queue-jumping tool, too. I was going out for a morning gym session. Almost on autopilot, as soon as I closed the front door, I loaded up my podcast app. At any given time, I have anywhere between 4 and 44 new episodes to listen to…