[00:00:00] Donny: Many of the most memorable brand campaigns have been driven by cutting edge marketers who are driving innovation in massive growth for some of the most beloved brands. This season, we’re getting a fresh perspective and highlighting women, marketers who are making an impact in both crypto and mainstream brands as always we’ll discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing our industry.

[00:00:25] While uncovering the brave marketing moments that have led these marketers to where they are today, hosted by brave software and me Donny Devor.

[00:00:38] You’re listening to a new episode of the brave marketer podcast. And this one features Sierra Reed. She’s the vice president and director of social strategy at Digitas. She has over 10 years of experience and social influencer and content strategy and has developed global and social strategies for brands such as Mozilla, Firefox, and Yelp.

[00:00:57] As a strategist, she’s always looking at how [00:01:00] the Internet’s changing landscape provides new opportunities for people to better connect with brands than one. I think you’re really gonna love this episode because we talk about marketing in the metaverse and what the future could look like for brands

[00:01:11] But before we hop into today’s episode, we wanna highlight our brave pick of the week.

[00:01:14] Every episode we choose our brand that has run an ad campaign with. And this week, we’re choosing color museum and they’re the world’s first digital museum dedicated to color and meaning. And they ran a sponsored image with us, push notifications check them out and look at all their NFTs. And now for this week’s episode of the brave marketer, Sierra welcome to the brave marketer podcast.

[00:01:44] How are you doing

[00:01:45] Sierra: today, Donnie? I’m doing well. Thank you very much. It is a beautiful day here in New York city after experiencing a little rain. So very happy to have sunlight. How are you? Yes.

[00:01:58] Donny: I’m doing well as well. Thank you so much for [00:02:00] asking. So I am a big fan of Digitas. I’ve worked with Digita many times over the years and you lead up social strategy there.

[00:02:07] So for people who don’t know about let’s start, and then we’ll go to Sierra. So can you start off like telling everybody about Digitas as an agency?

[00:02:16] Sierra: Yes. So Digitas, we are the connected marketing agency, which I know anybody listening to this. You’re probably a marketer and you’re like, cool, great. What does that actually mean?

[00:02:27] Real words please. But truthfully we empower. Best creative through connected strategies. So connected campaigns, social marketing experiences, CRM and loyalty, and truly just transformation of brands. We have really, really wonderful tools and work together in doing socially native content and just bringing people together because at the end of the day, everyone’s just trying to reach their consumers and have positive.

[00:02:58] Yeah.

[00:02:58] Donny: And who are some of your biggest [00:03:00] clients?

[00:03:00] Sierra: So some of our biggest clients that I work with happen to be Macy’s and visa. We also work with lots of the platforms, so meta, which everybody knows encompasses Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, we’ve done some activations on roadblocks, working across discord, other things, and really fun for me.

[00:03:22] That’s great.

[00:03:22] Donny: That’s great. You mentioned Roblox. Who makes me think of like the metaverse? How much does the metaverse play into everything you guys doing? Any like marketing in the metaverse yet or

[00:03:30] Sierra: too early? Oh, gosh, you know, there are so many brands that are interested in being active in the quote metaverse which if you haven’t already, please, everybody go read ready player one.

[00:03:44] I heard the movie’s great. Never watched it myself, but the book has a really good explanation in my opinion of what. The future could look like of an always on connected digital experience. And we’re actually at a really nascent stage of the [00:04:00] metaverse we’re so far off from having that interoperability of having something connect across different universes, but there experiences available to everyone to start playing.

[00:04:12] Such as using AR filters on places like Instagram and Snapchat or running games and minis on snap. There’s also avatars. I’m sure many people here. If you have an iPhone, you’ve seen a emoji, guess what? That’s basically a small element of what people will experience in those always on connected virtual experiences.

[00:04:35] Donny: Got it. And have the clients started activating there or not?

[00:04:39] Sierra: I know we have some clients that are interested when I was at Wheeler, we actually worked with Spotify to help them promote their Spotify island within Roblox. So they did a partnership with Mr. Beast, which I actually helped to crash. So Roblox because people got so excited about Spotify island.

[00:04:59] [00:05:00] Thanks to him. Nice.

[00:05:01] Donny: That’s awesome. And so why don’t you talk a little bit about your role at Digitas on the social side?

[00:05:07] Sierra: Yeah. So I’m a vice president director on social strategy. Yes. There are people who do strategy for social media. While many of us participate in online spaces. There’s also a strategy that goes behind it.

[00:05:22] So looking and understanding what are consumers doing? Why also recognizing trends that are coming up, which is such a popular word. Thank you, TikTok. Now everybody uses the word trends, but also what are the behaviors and how can that drive our media and what we’re doing outside of just social. I love Twitter.

[00:05:44] FYI, if like, I love it. Mm-hmm you like you, you’re gonna have to probably pry it from my cold dead hands, but it’s also a place where you have people speaking in eye and in words, and you can really start reading and understanding what’s happening on [00:06:00] Instagram. You are seeing how people are connecting with one another at a deeper level.

[00:06:06] On Facebook, I would say it’s really looking at how people are participating in groups and on TikTok. It’s really about who we are besides just saying like I’m Sarah, I’m a social strategist who happens to like CrossFit. Well, guess what I also happen to really like to read, which is why, you know, book talk is so popular or for people who are a little witch.

[00:06:30] Yeah. Or maybe somebody that’s into home design while they’re also an engineer, it’s really about those other parts of our lives. And it’s looking at all of those pieces and helping to build cohesive strategies in activating.

[00:06:42] Donny: Got it. So Sierra what’s the most, interesting thing that you’re working on right now?

[00:06:46] Like what’s your big project?

[00:06:48] Sierra: The most interesting thing that I’m working on right now is with Macy’s. I love Macy’s so yay. I’m excited that I get to work with a client where I’m like, oh yes, I like shop here [00:07:00] or use this product. And it’s really to help them build out a full scale creator program.

[00:07:07] Lots of times we see you brands and they’re doing like pay for play, right? Mm-hmm like, all right, we’re gonna work with these 20 people and have them post today about our sale that we’re doing. But there’s so much more that brands can be doing when it comes to working with creators. And it’s fun to help build that program with them from the ground.

[00:07:29] From sourcing the creators to helping them provide added value. Because at the end of the day, this is a two way street, right? Like while the creators are making content and sharing, there’s so much that brands could be doing for the creators. And Macy’s recognizes that. So helping them put on events so that the creators can hang out with one another and see each other, helping them get education from the platform such as TikTok and meta to help them up their game, or be part [00:08:00] of things that are in beta testing or alpha testing to improve the products that we all end up using every.

[00:08:06] And I love being able to provide value for creators and helping the brands do that as well, because it just makes the experience for everyone so positive.

[00:08:17] Donny: As you know, this podcast is all about brave marketing moments. Can you tell the audience about your brave marketing moment?

[00:08:25] Sierra: Everybody. I would like you to close your eyes and go on a journey with me.

[00:08:29] The year is 2016. It is baby Sierra working at her first, very large company in a marketing role.

[00:08:37] I was working in like community management and social at Mozilla and Firefox. And the Misso side was working on hosting an event and it was going to be in December, late November, December in New York city.

[00:08:51] And the original name of the event was going to be the white room. Now, putting this into context, it [00:09:00] is 2016. We were in the middle of we’re just about to have an election in the United States that caused a lot of people to have feelings that were not necessarily positive. We were seeing a rise in online communities and offline behaviors and attacks of people from historically excluded groups.

[00:09:22] and I was concerned about the brand having an event. With people in all white clothing

[00:09:30] Donny: now is this before, after like P Diddy white parties and

[00:09:34] Sierra: all that. Oh yes. like, those are like many years prior. Right, right. You think about it. Like I watched gossip girl. Right. And, you know, yes.

[00:09:41] We had the vitamin water white party in season two. Yes. Episode like three. Yes. I wanna set two or three. Thank you very much. So, gossip girl, which is why I also live on the upper east side dream of mine,

[00:09:52] Donny: my wife and I used to watch that, like this was like before DVRs and everything, we would like literally get home from work and whatever, and then have our dinners [00:10:00] and watch gossip grow together.

[00:10:01] yeah, so this is like way after that. And this is also during the rise of things such. Black lives matter. You know, we are starting to see people organizing and recognizing actual problems that are within our systems.

[00:10:14] Sierra: Mm-hmm and having the brand have an event that’s called the white party could have won sounded just really off putting like by name, right? Like it sounds exclusive in a way that is also. Not positive on the racial or diversity side as well. And then part of the goal for the project, you know, is for brand awareness, positivity, and to help people learn and be educated.

[00:10:40] So I was like low woman in the organization. Like I had only been there for not even six or so months. And. Wasn’t sure about how to express this and in my own experience, you know, like expressing things like that could cause [00:11:00] problems or not listened to. I mean, we all know what happened for Pepsi and the Kendall Jenner commercial.

[00:11:07] And I was very concerned of this happening So I went to my boss at the time and her name was Les and she expressed that she also had concerns. And I’m very lucky in that I had supportive managers while I was at Misso and she encouraged me to go to our VP at the time and talked to.

[00:11:30] so I got time with our VP, which was terrifying. I can feel my body still reacting as if I’m in that situation. Like, Ooh, the anxiety and nerves. And I got time on his calendar to talk to him about how I was really concerned about how this would be perceived and the potential implications of the event and the brand and where this could go for everyone.

[00:11:55] and I honestly wanted to avoid one, like a media circus of potential. [00:12:00] And I wanted things to go well and just knowing what the climate was at the time. Like not a good idea. So he heard and listened to me and then asked for me to put this in writing, which also terrified me, which is why I originally had a conversation.

[00:12:16] Most of us know, we don’t tend to put things in writing unless it needs to be. So I was really scared about doing that. I was like, gosh, this could be used against me. Or like, what happens? You know, if I do this and I ended up sending over my concerns, which he then took to our partners, which was a different group and what they pushed back on.

[00:12:36] Whereas basically that it already says this in the contract. they were upset because the contract said we were gonna go with the white room. Mm. Which is so silly to

[00:12:49] Donny: me. yeah, exactly. So such a like dumb reason to move so forward something just because the contract says it. Yes.

[00:12:54] Sierra: And luckily actually, because I was willing to put this in writing and express [00:13:00] my concerns that actually helped us push back with them on why this should be renamed, went back and forth.

[00:13:07] And in the end, the name did change and ended up becoming the classroom experience. I like it, but I truly. For me, it was about being brave for myself, for others and having managerial courage, which is a skill that so many of us, have to learn. And it was also a brave marketing choice because. It really put the DEI part of marketing that everybody talks about into the foreground rather than saying, oh, we’re committed to DEI.

[00:13:41] Well, when push comes to shove and rubber meets the road, are you really right? And it showed that place. Mozilla was committed to that truly.

[00:13:51] Donny: You were brave. And I commend you for that. You fought the contract and fought the

[00:13:54] man. so let’s open it up a little bit broader. What do you think the issues or the most [00:14:00] pressing things right now, are for marketers? Are you worried about anything that’s changing in the marketing world? How are you responding to that?

[00:14:07] Sierra: I’m worried about what’s not changing actually. Okay. In the marketing world, my.

[00:14:12] Personal opinion is that we are often so focused on immediate results and ROI in that the models we’re using for funding, or to say whether a project initiative campaign, et cetera, were successful, don’t match what actual success looks like. Mm-hmm in the time it takes to generate that type of success and investment.

[00:14:36] We’re often looking for like, oh, it’s an immediate sale, or we need to keep RO as down, but I don’t think that’s the right mix to be looking at. I think everybody here buys things. We are all consumers. And I often wonder how many times do you see something and immediately think I need this right now and go buy.

[00:14:57] Probably

[00:14:58] Donny: 95% of [00:15:00] the time. Yes. That

[00:15:01] Sierra: is the exact answer right there. And so why do we assume that that’s, what’s going to happen all of the time when we are making content or putting it out there. And on the other side of that, I’m concerned that people think value often means. Sale or, price cutting or, getting this right now.

[00:15:22] Consumers want value in a lot of different ways. And brands can offer that in so many realms that they don’t think of because it doesn’t translate to immediate dollars and cents. We are living in a world in which people are often looking for and need community and connection. And they’re finding that and looking for it in different realms.

[00:15:48] I am actually working with my mom on helping her, like get a switch and starting to connect with, let’s say like the gaming community and playing with others. There’s real value [00:16:00] in that right there. So. Why aren’t brands trying to connect with people at places such as discord or helping people find meaning and value.

[00:16:10] That’s also the long term way of positioning your brand and creating advocates and long term customers, because you’re creating meaningful connections with people that they’ll always remember and be tied to at the end of the day. So while it’s not an initial sale right now, maybe in the future, it is because they’re going to remember.

[00:16:30] And have those positive associations from something else that they experienced thanks to your brand.

[00:16:36] Donny: got it. That’s I like that on social media, you go by H B I C what’s.

[00:16:40] Sierra: head bitch in charge? I use that because I’d like to look at it as a mindset and reminding myself, like, I’m capable. I can do this thing. And so can other people, we are all capable. If there’s something you don’t know, I guarantee you can learn it or somebody will teach you.

[00:16:59] most [00:17:00] people, if you ask for help, especially like at work or within the close group of friends, they’ll offer it to you. And part of being in H B I C is, you know, recognizing where you need to grow and where you can help others.

[00:17:12] Yeah.

[00:17:13] Donny: The other, uh, acronym I think of is like Hodel. Do you know H ODL?

[00:17:17] Oh no. our listeners will know this because it’s a crypto reference. Someone was like, are you selling your Bitcoin? Like, it’s going down. It’s going down. It’s going down. And they were like trying to give advice and they wanted to write, hold, just like, hold your position. Don’t don’t sell. And they were writing it really fast and they accidentally wrote H ODL instead of H O L D.

[00:17:39] And then somebody was like, H O D L like, what is he trying to say? What is he trying to say? Is that like, hold on for dear life.

[00:17:47] Sierra: I mean, yeah. I’m here for hold on for dear life because sometimes you have to. Yeah. And I think that also falls into being brave, you know? Yep. Sometimes you do have to hold on [00:18:00] for dear life and just.

[00:18:01] Continue pushing through and seeing things through the end and recognizing I will make it through this or it’s going to be okay. And standing behind your beliefs and convictions, and hopefully bringing others along with you for

[00:18:13] Donny: the best. So we’re gonna go to a conference and you’re gonna wear a H B C t-shirt.

[00:18:16] And I’m gonna wear a H t-shirt .

[00:18:17] Sierra: yes.

[00:18:18] All right. So let’s talk about our younger fellow up and comers. What advice would you have for emerging marketers who are looking to be more brave and take more risks in their work? What would you tell them?

[00:18:29] I work with a couple of, people who are new in marketing and. The number one thing I tell them to stay brave is actually stay curious, being brave and being curious, work together because you’ll ask questions and you will continue learning and asking those questions can sometimes be the most brave thing you’re going to do.

[00:18:52] It’s okay to not know things and it’s okay to ask for help. And it’s okay to recognize. That you need someone [00:19:00] to show you the way the word mentorship, and find a mentor and et cetera, is thrown out a lot, which I think there’s a lot of value yes. In finding a mentor. But I think the first step is just ask questions and be okay with asking questions, especially in a room of people that are more senior than you.

[00:19:21] They’ll recognize that you are looking to grow and learn and they’ll see it as ambition. The other side of it for me would also be start to recognize what’s important to you, what you’re okay with and what you’re not okay with. most people spend 40 hours, maybe more, maybe less at work.

[00:19:39] Make sure you’re okay with how you’re spending that time. Mm-hmm because we hear about quiet, quitting. I don’t believe in that it’s you are getting the exact amount of time out of me that you pay me for. So there you go and recognize, is that a place you want to be. If you get to a point where you’re not sure that’s okay, what are you learning?

[00:19:59] What are you getting out [00:20:00] of it and start looking? Yeah. That’s

[00:20:01] Donny: all right. Yeah. Yeah, totally. Are there things that you’re looking forward to in your career or at dig task where you’re like, this is a big decision coming up. I want to be more bold, like ambitions that you.

[00:20:15] Sierra: Yes, big things that are coming it’s relatively new, hot up the presses ish, but Digitas is now the a AR for CROs.

[00:20:23] Yay. Nice. Super excited. Like shout out to my boss, Christina Glass Byer, who is instrumental and landing that business. I have to tell

[00:20:31] Donny: rich, cuz CROX is a customer of rave.

[00:20:33] Sierra: Oh, there you go. Yes. So I’m actually very excited about us winning that business and the potential of seeing where it goes, because CROX is a brand that really pushes boundaries and I’m excited to be a part of that and learn from it and see where it goes and making sure that.

[00:20:51] The brand stays true to its DNA, but we also continue pushing it even further out into the market and other places I would love to also [00:21:00] see more brands working in adaptive fashion and bringing in disabled people. More often and having them be part of the process and not a, oh yeah. It’s, you know, disability pride month in July.

[00:21:14] No, like disabled people live lives every single day. They buy shoes, they use clothes. Like they have things that they need and I would love to see people working with them more often. Mm-hmm

[00:21:23] Donny: great. Can you nominate another brave marketer that you think we should have on the.

[00:21:27] Sierra: Yes. I already said my boss.

[00:21:29] I would also say Danisha Lomax, who worked with Sephora on the beauty of blackness, which was on HBO recently. So like helping a brand, tell a documentary story. And Lizzie Villano, who is over at Whaler and was recently part of the Harvard women of color, like marketing group that they did the very first cohort for.

[00:21:55] So she has some really great experience and stories that [00:22:00] I know this podcast would love. Nice.

[00:22:02] Donny: Great. And how can our audience get in touch with you?

[00:22:05] Sierra: Oh, dear audience, you can find me across basically all social at, I am unders schooler. The H B I C. Yes. You heard that? mm-hmm and I told you, I love Twitter.

[00:22:18] I TikTok for fun. I still use Instagram here or there, you know? Basically find me across the socials. I’m there all day. It’s my job.

[00:22:29] Donny: Great. Anything else you wanna share with the audience before we cut out?

[00:22:32] Sierra: No, I just wanna say thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure to chat with you and it’s okay.

[00:22:38] Everybody stay brave. I believe in you. Awesome.

[00:22:41] Donny: Love it. Well, thank you so much for being on the show. Sierra, you were a great, great guest to have. Thank

[00:22:46] Sierra: you.

[00:22:49] Donny: Thanks so much for listening to another episode of the brave marketer podcast. Four quick things before you go. Number one, if you like what you’ve heard, it’d be really awesome.

[00:22:58] If you’d rate us [00:23:00] or write us a review on your podcast player, and if you didn’t like what you’ve heard, then don’t worry about it. Number two, if you would like to advertise to Braves 60 million users. And have a budget of $10,000 or more simply email us at ad sales, brave.com that’s ad S a L E S.

[00:23:19] brave.com and let us know you’re our podcast listener for a 25% discount. Number three musical credits. Go to my brother, a Devor, and finally, number four, go use brave@brave.com and we will see you next time on the brave marketer.