Art direction can be a powerful thing when done well, proven true in this episode of Marketing Then and Now. Senior art director Heather McCain talks to us about her overarching creative philosophy, how the world of art direction has evolved over the years, and what her experience has been as a marketing expert on the board of the Refugee Empowerment Center – including her efforts in rebranding the nonprofit and then spearheaded a candle-selling campaign that brought in a regular monthly income for the nonprofit and offered a way for female refugees to make an income, gain on-the-job experience and learn English. 

We see you. Tired. Having trouble concentrating. Uninspired. But we’re not here to call you out for being lazy and procrastinating. We’re here to tell you you’re just burnt out.

What is burnout?

The World Health Organization defines burnout as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Although first defined in 2019, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has not only brought more attention to burnout and its long-term effects but has also shed light on just how rampant burnout is among working individuals.

It’s not often that an agency’s operations manager feels compelled to write a blog post. After all, we work “on the business,” not “in the business.” I’m admittedly no expert in the field. But, as those who know me can attest, it’s probably most fitting that this news comes from me:

The world of advertising lost a grossly under-appreciated icon with the passing of John Cherry III on Sunday, May 8, 2022.

You’ll definitely believe in the power of the written word after listening to this month’s episode of Marketing Then & Now. Inspired by the advertising bible, Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This, associate creative director (and previous senior copywriter) John Vogel shares his philosophy and personal approach to copywriting. He discusses how it has changed over the years, including his take on the wonderful world of AI – like Jasper.ai, an AI copywriting tool. Packed full of dad jokes and clever puns (ones that won’t make your eyes roll), you won’t want to miss this insightful and delightful episode. 

In this episode of Marketing Then & Now, we take a detour from bottom lines and ROIs to focus on doing good. Our guest this episode is Laura Spaulding, Bozell’s director of corporate communications, who talks about our 100 years of “paying rent for the space we occupy on this earth”—a credo our founder Morris Jacobs embodied decade after decade. Listen and be inspired as Laura shares examples of how Bozell and its employees have made a lasting impact – from our work with Boys Town in the 1930s to our Free Ad Day celebrating our 95th anniversary to our current work with Make-A-Wish Nebraska – proving that, when businesses give back, it betters the community, your employees and society as a whole. 

Bozell took home 12 awards, including a Judge’s Citation, at Nebraska’s 2022 American Advertising Federation’s American Advertising Awards on Friday evening. In addition to the Judge’s Citation, the marketing agency earned six gold and five silver awards in multiple categories.

There are plenty of small business owners who know the pain of shutting down a brick and mortar due to high costs. But, if you’re Sarah Spitsen, founder and chief candle lady at Feya Co., you start a new company the very next day with a newfound mission: to do business “the right way.” In this episode of Marketing Then & Now, our special guest Sarah shares her journey from defeat to success. She talks us through how putting quality products over profit and letting your mission guide everything you do can create a loyal community of customers and lead to a prosperous brand. (And she even shares her story about how she got invited to promote her candles at The Oscars, which you won’t want to miss.) 

I recently read a Fast Company article entitled, “Three Essentials to Strong Agency-Client Relationship.” Its tips include:

1. Remember why they hired you.
2. Overcommunicate and anticipate needs.
3. Don’t neglect the relationship.

Close to the Customer: A Bozell Tradition

As I was reading the explanations for each, I realized that they all rolled up to one mantra that Bozell has been emphasizing for 100 years: Close to the Customer.

Do you hear that?

The year is coming to an end. And what better way to celebrate the holiday than to reflect on all the craziness we’ve endured? So scroll down, hit play and sing along to these traditional holiday tunes with a not-so-traditional 2021 twist.

Bozell is taking applications for its newly launched program for nonprofits. To further its vision of “empowering those who aspire to change the world,” the full-service marketing agency will aid 10 nonprofits free of charge each year starting in 2022 and establish matching partnerships with up to 10 more nonprofits.