1909 TEAM Archives - 1909 DIGITAL

From Directing Freight to Directing Accounts

/in 1909 TEAM /by Andrew Dorsett

Multitasking has always been a strong suit of mine. The more the merrier. No, really!

I fell in love with logistics while searching for a true passion after college. What started as managing third-party logistics (3PL) warehouse relationships and over-the-road (OTR) freight turned into running 60% of a company’s supply chain. This led to three promotions in two years, including a position made just for me where I managed logistics and an external sales territory. Eventually, I managed over $40 million dollars in e-commerce in the duration of a year and over $200M in revenue in under three years.

Life is wild, and my career hasn’t been an exception.

Joining Team 1909

In 2021, I had an opportunity to join friends who had created a digital marketing startup (1909 DIGITAL!)–and I took it. Going from managing sales and logistics to my current role was a no-brainer. At points, the transition had a learning curve, but also felt seamless.

Instead of talking with freight brokers and warehouse managers, I now talk to business owners and marketers. On any given call the discussion can range from strategizing about SEO to paid advertisement, new web design and database migrations, writing copy, and more. As the Director of Accounts for 1909 DIGITAL and TrustEngine, I value partnerships and collaborating with our clients. Years of logistics and supply chain management taught me to have an unparalleled hustle and a love of grinding to reach goals. This has allowed me to help businesses with their digital marketing focus and strategy.

My Passion Project: TrustEngine

When I joined 1909 DIGITAL leadership told me every month companies ask about services that required marketing implementation, rather than strategy. Together, we saw an opportunity to turn those inquiries into a chance to impact more businesses. In the name of short-term projects and implementation, TrustEngine was born.

How Did We Get Here?

1909 DIGITAL focuses primarily on digital marketing strategy. We set up your foundational documents that give you the tools and actionable plan to make a splash in your sector. We’re experts in creating capital campaigns, messaging frameworks, personas, content plans, in-depth digital audits, and competitor analysis.

While our core 1909 DIGITAL team focuses on strategic work, business owners have reached out for help because they’ve heard of us through our network or current clients. These businesses might already have a strategy, a smaller budget, or need immediate implementation. We listened to the needs of these potential partners and developed a business that fit just that.

Introducing TrustEngine

In July of 2021, 1909 DIGITAL launched TrustEngine–a brain trust delivering on content creation, building small-business websites, blog copywriting, social media, email marketing, paid advertising, and more. Knowing these businesses are typically on a budget, we figured out how to provide top-class delivery at a budget-friendly price.

We turned to family, friends, former team members, and our network to establish our brain trust. These are people who we’d trust to have on team 1909. They might own their own agency, work as full time freelancers, or already work a 9-to-5. This brain trust is not another “white pages” of faceless freelancers, they are vetted colleagues who we know do awesome work. They’re ready to smash goals.

Another great perk? TrustEngine is stewarded by 1909 DIGITAL to provide exceptional account management and strategy oversight.

What’s Next?

We are now a full year into TrustEngine. The journey has been absolutely amazing. We’ve designed and built websites, created new copy for brands, paid advertising for local businesses. We’re learning, streamlining, and growing every day. We’ve had the privilege to work with great clients and develop an amazing team to support digital delivery. We’re so excited to see what year two brings.

From those early hours working OTR logistics and walking warehouses, to developing marketing for brands and project managing digital delivery– I’m living the dream with 1909 DIGITAL and TrustEngine.

Check out the TrustEngine website at trustenginedigital.com and follow our LinkedIn for the latest updates.

Flat lay of an open laptop, camera, phone, passport, map, travel bag, sun hat, and sunglasses on a brown table.

Being an Occasional Digital Nomad – 10 Tips to Work While Traveling

/in 1909 TEAM /by Kelly Musick

Organization & Project Management

Hi! I’m Kelly, the Digital Project Manager at 1909.

I’ve been responsible for a wide variety of tasks in my current and previous roles. I’ve scheduled meetings, ordered supplies, created and implemented processes, invoiced, planned events and team outings, purchased incentives, set up systems access, and the list goes on. This requires me to stay organized and keep very detailed notes.

Not unlike in my personal life, I’m able to juggle many things at once and incorporate my love of lists and all things organization. I absolutely love planning and executing parties, making lists for myself, and I could watch episodes of “Get Organized with The Home Edit” or “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” all day. It’s SO satisfying to see the finished projects!

A well-organized plan is my love language.

Work From Home or Anywhere

Initially, I struggled with working from home. Although it saved me multiple hours a week in commute time, I missed the social aspect. My co-workers at 1909 do a really great job of staying connected and being part of each other’s lives, even if it’s just to send a quick slack message to say hi, share a funny meme we can all laugh at, or post pictures of their kids. I realized that with the flexibility–and unlimited PTO–I have at 1909 DIGITAL, I could work toward some goals of my own!

One of my ultimate personal goals has always been to travel as much as possible. Life is just so short, and you only get one shot. Since the pandemic forced so many of us to work remotely, I thought, “If I can work from home… couldn’t that actually be from anywhere?”

Turns out, yes! Yes, it can.

“Working from home” can easily morph into an experience of working from an Airbnb, hotel, RV, or boat! Just last month, I was able to work from both Maine and Florida. In Maine, I was able to visit family, explore a local wildlife park, eat some amazing seafood, and sample a local winery. With friends in tow, I went to the beach, an amusement park, and finally to a Pirate dinner adventure show in Florida!

I feel so lucky to be able to blend my work and home life into location independence, allowing me to take more time for myself, fit in hobbies, health, and mental wellness. I ultimately have more time for friends and family, to see the world, and take my job with me on the road.

Flexible & Agile Schedule

Working while traveling requires a lot of planning ahead and organization to accomplish everything successfully. Utilizing our flexible and agile schedule at 1909 has also given me more time to make the most of my travels. Being able to combine my love of traveling and organization into my work life, I’m able to have a truly great work-life balance.

I want to share with you my 10 best tips for working while traveling. If your employer offers remote work and you can take your laptop and go, I highly suggest getting out, even for a solo trip, and enjoying yourself! Becoming a “digital nomad” can be easy if you follow these tips below.

10 Best Tips for Working from Anywhere

Travel with people who understand that you’ll be working.
Take time to organize your blended schedule.
Communicate your schedule clearly to your team and clients.
Research Wi-fi accessibility–or just invest in a hotspot so you can always work from anywhere no matter what.
Account for time changes.
Pack thoroughly, but don’t overcomplicate things.
Bring noise-canceling headphones. Nothing is worse than not being able to concentrate on your call because your surroundings are too noisy.
Don’t be the driver! Offline work that can be synced up later can be done while being a passenger in a car or plane.
Don’t be afraid to work at night. (You can schedule almost anything on a delayed send!)
Create a space in your temporary home that acts like an office.

How to Tap Into Marketing with Magic: the Gathering

/in 1909 TEAM /by juettj

Hey! I’m Jarred, one of the co-owners of 1909 DIGITAL. I’ve worked for agencies and Fortune 500 businesses in Indianapolis for the past decade. Many come to me for my expertise in digital marketing strategy & thought leadership, web optimization, digital advertising, digital transformation, and content creation. But when I’m not thinking about marketing, there’s a whole other world that I’m living everyday–Magic: the Gathering.

No, Not that Magic

It’s a little confusing, but Magic has nothing to do with wands. Magic: The Gathering is a tabletop collectible card game first released in 1993. It’s easily the most popular game you’ve never heard of and has produced tens of millions of dedicated players and enthusiastic collectors over the past thirty years. The community is thriving.

Locally, it is represented by thousands of vendors and gamers each year at Indy’s famed Gen Con, the largest tabletop game convention in North America. There are new, beautifully illustrated “set” releases every few months, an international competitive professional league, a convention circuit, and a billion-dollar card resale market.

That’s where I come in.

Making Magic Work

Remember when I said, “when I’m not thinking about marketing, I’m thinking about Magic”?

I lied.

Even when I’m thinking about marketing, I’m also thinking about Magic. I’m an incredible multitasker- I promise! Doing three things at once keeps me focused. The 1909 team knows that when I’m talking marketing strategy, I’m likely also sorting Magic: The Gathering cards. The perks of owning your own business, right?

What does “sorting cards” mean? It’s my process for reselling some of the most sought after cards throughout the 80+ released sets. Here’s how it works (and how my 1909 sales and marketing skills transfer to Magic.)

I buy someone’s old collection. I offer the fairest prices possible. Success means building relationships and simply being a good guy.

These are important tenets of 1909 as well. We avoid the BS of big agencies who inflate prices and don’t provide the appropriate work for the cost.
I sort the cards. Smaller collections are often 1,000-15,000 cards, and larger collections can be upwards of a million. I can sift through the collections very quickly, pulling individual cards that are worth more and setting aside the “bulk” or cheaper cards.

This is not dissimilar to 1909’s digital marketing auditing process. We sift through a client’s current digital state and prioritize the changes worth investing in, setting aside those that are less relevant.
I list and ship the cards. Magic isn’t all cardboard. There’s a robust online sales ecosystem where sellers and collectors coordinate and share Magic products. I maintain an online store where I list cards and ship them all over the world to collectors. Any given card could be worth a fraction of a penny, $.25, upwards of eighty dollars, or even $511,000 USD. Like gas prices, the cost of each card fluctuates depending on the ebb and flow of the market.

Our job at 1909 is to stay on top of trends and best practices to give clients the most up-to-date strategies and tactics. We don’t want to sell a product (or produce a document) that’s not valuable and helpful both now and in the future.

Jump-Starting a New Business

A year or two ago, I would have considered Magic: the Gathering my hobby, not my business. That has all changed in the last nine months.

I now seek out larger collections to build up my online store more often, and it’s allowed me to bring in significantly more money than when I treated selling as a hobby. These larger collections also started taking up more space in my home, which proved unsustainable. The time was right to pursue any nerd’s dream–to open a game shop. Tabletop game shops are more than a place to buy cards and supplies. It’s a space for local players and families to grab a snack and gather for a fun game or a competitive tournament.

Paradigm Games is my new business and brick-and-mortar game shop located in the heart of Indy’s near-northside. And in a lucky turn of fate, the space is immediately behind my home where I work for 1909 each day. It takes me twenty steps to get from my garage to my new shop’s back door!

Things are feeling more real by the day. Cards are in the display case, supplies are on shelves, the tournament tables are set up, and the Mountain Dew and Doritos are ready. We open Friday, July 15, 2022, with our very first Friday Night Magic tournament.

1909 DIGITAL is going strong, and I’m excited to continue to help our amazing roster of clients and lead our solid team. In fact, the 1909 team has helped me in my journey to open Paradigm Games from day one. Lori, my partner in life and business, is Paradigm Games’ co-owner and chief organizing officer. Logan, 1909’s Creative Director, created the logo and brand colors using the same collaborative process for 1909’s clients. Kelly, our Digital Project Manager, used her administrative savvy to track down permits and vendors for our new street sign. Chris, our fearless co-owner, strategized the e-commerce workflow and Point of Sale system. And Brittney, 1909’s Director of Digital Strategy, wielded her high-visibility influencer status to get the word out. I’m grateful for my 1909 family’s sincere and enthusiastic support for this crazy dream of mine.

Photo shares examples of different types of font using the letter E.

Talking Type

/in 1909 TEAM /by Logan Acton

Talking Type is the first blog post in a series that will be written by our team members. We’ll each share things that we love or nerd out about outside of our work life that bleeds into our professional roles. This first post was written by Logan Hamilton Acton, our Creative Director. He’s a member of the Association Typographique Internationale, Type Directors Club, and The Typographic Circle. To say he geeks out about type is an understatement. Read below to learn a bit more about Logan’s passion and gain some high-level enlightenment.

Type in Action

Type and lettering are some of the most powerful, and often subliminal, communicators of meaning. In my role leading brand development for clients, I am able to put my passion for typography into action as our team works to ensure that all public communication reinforces a company’s core values and effectively supports its goals. At times this may take center stage — when designing a logo, for instance, which will be replicated nearly endlessly and come to be all but synonymous with that organization. In these cases, it is crucial that the typographic and symbolic content efficiently identify the business they represent, encapsulating its essential voice.

For everyday situations, the role typography plays tends to be quieter — one more piece of the brand puzzle that an audience feels but does not actively think much about. Far from diminishing its importance, in fact this drives us to do our very best to be sure our clients are using all the tools in their belts to communicate their core messaging. If a campaign aims for ‘friendly’ and a type treatment feels foreboding, we are already fighting an uphill battle. While there is no one right font for a particular purpose, there are most certainly better and worse options. Getting it wrong won’t ruin your business, but standing out with the same care and craft with which you make every business decision? That can be a powerful differentiator and one more way our team loves to help our clients succeed.

On Structure and Stability

Typography is a special thing. While letterforms have changed a great deal since the innovation of moveable type nearly 600 years ago, their structure is remarkably constant. Language is a living entity, no doubt — malleable and constantly evolving as new words enter common usage and others are yearly removed from our standard dictionaries. Within the Latin alphabet, however, the letters that comprise these words remain nearly unchanged through centuries of technological and cultural innovation.

Surprisingly (or perhaps inevitably, given such wide variation) there is no official system of type classification. Different attempts have been devised to help categorize typefaces, to various degrees of usefulness. Broadly speaking, the most familiar terms for most people will likely be the four big buckets which are commonly used to organize more detailed subdivisions: serif, san serif, script, and display or decorative fonts.

Put simply, serif faces are those we often encounter when reading books and include the finishing strokes on the top and bottom of letters, called serifs. Times New Roman will be familiar here. San serifs generally follow the same approach, but omit the serifs in favor of a simplified and more direct form — the star of its own well-known documentary, Helvetica might come to mind. As their name implies, scripts recall the process of writing and popularly find themselves in logos or formal invitations rather than used for large bodies of text. Finally, display or decorative fonts include a massive range of expressive designs intended for limited application at large sizes.

The Seduction of Form

While the structure of letters has proven highly durable, within (and to the limits of) these boundaries is plenty of space for endless innovation. We are able to easily discern the letter “E,” for instance, in its simplest and most unadorned san serif form to its most elaborate script and display varieties.

Sometimes, the richness of character may be felt more than seen, registering through the overall ‘texture’ of a piece of writing rather than through the specific elements of a given letter. This is particularly true of fonts used for setting body copy, or large amounts of text. In this case, smaller sizes and the way we read words rather than individually identify letters mean that we don’t (and arguably shouldn’t) pay attention to the details but instead focus on the content at hand. Beatrice Warde famously asserted this exact point in her essay “The Crystal Goblet, or Printing Should be Invisible.”

At larger sizes, however, something somewhat magical happens and the forms of a letter have the power to be monumental, graceful, even unfamiliar. Outside design there is also no shortage of artists who have been captivated by the abstract forms of lettering or the visual dynamics of calligraphy. Ellsworth Kelly, Franz Kline and many other artists dedicated much of their careers to such an exploration of form. And you will, of course, find all manner of type enthusiasts within the ranks of designers and collectors of type specimens, those beautiful publications intended to showcase (and sell) collections of letters. Although the practical function typography serves in visual communication is critical, its expressive, emotionally rich potential makes good business sense in differentiating a brand. Maybe just as important, the beauty of a well-crafted form offers a moment of pause and appreciation in our increasingly complex world.

Finding the Right Fit | Kelly Musick

/in 1909 TEAM /by Brittney Mason

I wasn’t one that knew definitively what she wanted to be when she grew up, other than maybe a famous photographer. While that didn’t work out like I had planned, I HAVE worked in multiple industries over the years, from food distribution to medical billing and collections. Each of these experiences taught me many things, but none really piqued my interest or challenged me. This changed years ago when I landed at one of the nation’s largest media companies. There, I did a bit of everything as the Administrative Assistant for their largest sales team, and I was able to be involved in all aspects of digital marketing and sales. I love that the digital world is ever-changing—there is always something new to learn. Especially now, digital platforms are important because they keep people connected when we are often physically apart.

That brings me to today, where I’ve now joined Team 1909 Digital! I’m so impressed with 1909’s vision and core values, and I can’t wait to put my skill sets to use—my love of organization, collaboration, and problem solving.

10 Things to Know About Kelly

- Hoosier: I’m a born and raised Indiana girl.
- Loss: I lost my Mom in 1993 when she was just 37 years old. It has molded me and made me more empathetic and adventurous. I treasure the time I have with those closest to me, because you never know how long you’ll get to have them around.
- Co-adventurer: This year I will have been married to my husband Kyle for 18 years! He is an amazing partner and makes me laugh every day. He is many things: mechanic, scuba instructor, photographer, backpacker, blogger, luthier, and woodworker. He’s a busy guy!
- Big Sweetie: Coco is our lovable German Shepherd. We adopted her into our family in 2017 at the age of three. She adores cuddling, belly scratches, and chasing squirrels in the backyard.
- Aunthood: While we still have never been blessed with children of our own, I am “aunt Kel” to countless kids and I love spending time with all the kiddos in my life. Nieces, Nephews, and all my best friend’s kids as well. It takes a village!
- Musick: My Dad was a member of several bands while I was growing up, so I’ve always been surrounded by music. I even married into a Music(k) family! I love attending live shows, but ALWAYS have music playing of some type or genre.
- Travel: I love to travel and experience new places and cultures, domestic or abroad. There are so many places on my to visit list, but Italy, Ireland, and Hawaii are right up there at the top!
- Besties: I am honestly so lucky to have the group of friends that I do. Friends can make all the difference in the direction your life takes, and mine have for sure steered me down an amazing road. They make me feel supported, valued, and accepted in all things. Some of my favorite things to do with the girls: movie nights, wine tastings, crafty things, and road trips.
- To Do: I love lists, organization, and I CAN be a perfectionist when it comes to some things.
- Nerd: I love all things Harry Potter (I’m a Hufflepuff), Star Wars, and Marvel. I love watching the movies, visiting the theme parks, and just geeking out in general.

1909 team sitting on couches in front of a window at the Peace Learning Center

RETREAT & REFLECT: 2021’S BIG WINS AND LEARNINGS

/in 1909 TEAM /by Brittney Mason

If anything is necessary regarding 2021, it’s a good reflection session with plenty of focus on the big wins and a healthy discussion about the challenges. It’s easy to get hung up on a couple losses, but at 1909 DIGITAL, we know that we always land in the best place.

Not landing a project we know we would have excelled at? There’s usually a bigger, better, more “fit-to-our-expertise” project knocking down our door the next week. In fact, this has happened frequently! In this blog, we’ll share fun facts from the year, some stats and wins from our clients, and our thoughts about the rollercoaster that was 2021.

In November we took the time to get our whole team together to reflect on our past year. We gathered at the Peace Learning Center, a local nonprofit which facilitates community learning to act as a catalyst for peace, equity, and justice. They also happen to be a 1909 client! Their beautiful office and grounds are located in Eagle Creek in Indianapolis—the perfect space for our small gathering. The serene, natural surroundings provided a wonderful spot for our team to brainstorm and reflect. We are so fortunate to have partners like the Peace Learning Center, because they are willing to share their spaces and resources to do good work for our community.

APPRECIATING OUR TEAM MEMBERS

We celebrated our team members individually during the retreat by handing out Hot Wheels “trophies” and sharing the amazing things each individual has brought to the 1909 team this year. Each Hot Wheels car subtly represented a distinct skill or interest for each team member. It’s always fun to reflect on the breadth of experience and depth of expertise we rely on daily and don’t necessarily appreciate on a regular basis.

By just being thoughtful, a 99 cent purchase—Hot Wheels are very budget friendly!—provided the morale boost our team needed!

REFLECTING

We accomplished BIG wins in 2021. Despite a worldwide pandemic, our team and our list of incredible clients has continued to grow. In contrast, there were a number of prospective projects that encouraged us to stretch our skill sets, networks, and work process. The experience and confidence we gained simply from the opportunity to pitch these projects was invaluable to our leadership team. While we didn’t secure these next-level contracts, we were often the second choice, with valid reasons that another agency was selected. It showed us that we can stand next to the extremely well-resourced, larger agencies and are absolutely capable of the “big” stuff.

Speaking of the “big” stuff, it’s easy to forget that we launched a whole second company this year! TrustEngine is a brain trust of vetted marketers, developers, and creatives who we know, love, and are confident will deliver on project goals without breaking the bank. TrustEngine helped us streamline our core 1909 team to focus on strategy and optimization. This allows our wider network to support implementation and delivery work. We always say, “There’s no such thing as competition,” and we stand by it. This networked-centered venture means we can spread the love when work comes our way, while still supporting both our clients and our trusted vendors with our project management and processes.

We are committed to seeing everyone—team members, our network, and our clients—excel in the future.

Are you a numbers person? Take a look at this wrap-up from 2021:

Fun Facts:

✔️ 3 co-owners full-time

✔️ 6 full-time team members

✔️ Over 25 clients from 2020-2021

✔️ 6 Preferred Partners

✔️ Launched a second business—TrustEngine!

✔️ 5 TrustEngine Clients

✔️ 40+ Trusted Freelancers

Big Wins:

⭐ $550,000 raised in three months for a local nonprofit’s capital campaign

⭐ Helped a long term client increase sales by 25% YOY with less staff
⭐ Completed tech stack overhauls and data migrations for two essential community-centered nonprofits

⭐ Selected to run a facilitated live webinar on Social Media Strategy for an online resource library focused on small museums

⭐ Got a music school back to pre-pandemic registration levels at a higher margin

⭐ Clients returned for additional trainings, renewed contracts, and kind referrals & recommendations

⭐ Developed more processes and streamlined our own work to better serve our clients and our business

PLANS FOR 2022

If 2021 was so great, where do we go from here? Only awesome things are in our future. We’re excited to start the year off with clients we’ve worked with since the beginning, clients we’ve found and continue to build strong relationships with, and new clients who share our values and make an impact in their communities!

Here are some of our hopes and internal goals for the new year:

🎉Continuing to build out a new “Clients” page on our website

🎉Sharing case studies about all of our extraordinary client projects

🎉Bringing on another team member to support TrustEngine

🎉Networking in person again.—is this a long shot?

🎉Adding more Preferred Partners from our extensive, skilled community of digital marketing friends

Cheers to 2021, our fabulous team, the impact we’ve been proud to make, and the partnerships we’ve developed along the way!

The Great Museum Exodus

/in 1909 TEAM /by Brittney Mason

Lori comes from a strong museum background, clocking 10+ years as Manager of Digital Content at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. She’s passionate about mental health and the museum industry, so it was no surprise to see her using her expertise to write about both—the exodus happening with professionals in the museum sector. This phenomenon is one piece of a much larger picture, what psychologists and economists are calling “The Great Resignation.” For four months in a row, nearly 4 million people each month have quit their jobs due to a number of factors related to the pandemic, from front-line health concerns to work-life balance. Museum workers come upon both of these issues, and many others besides.

But for the cultural sector, this didn’t start with the pandemic.

Lori wrote her original post, The Great Museum Social Media Manager Exodus, in August 2019 to specifically address the issues among social media managers. The concerns laid out in this first blog certainly hit a chord: The lack of proactive support for burnout and mental wellnessthe challenge of being overworked but unvalued; and the fact that, simply put, there’s a lot of better-paying work elsewhere.

Now, Lori has written a follow-up blog focusing more broadly on the museum sector as a whole.

Some interesting tidbits

Mission-guilt is fading.
Staff appreciation increased. Resources didn’t.
There’s no patience for fake virtue.
Words are not being matched with action.

Why is this important for 1909 Digital?

Everyone on the 1909 DIGITAL team has a breadth of experience while each has a depth of expertise. We have a number of team members who came from the museum industry, so we love to support museum professionals through our work. Their expertise has been invaluable while we have worked with the Canadian Museum of Immigration, Museum Computer Network, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and the Akron Art Museum, with the most recent being the National Indo-American Museum.

Our motto is “Family first, Health first, Mental Health first.” We truly aim to keep these three things top of mind in how we manage our workflow and processes. Our experience with the toxicity of social media and the broader museum landscape has directly led us to do our best to stay on top of our mental health. We are happy to continue to share the sentiments in Lori’s blogs, especially as they relate so closely to 1909 DIGITAL’s core values.

Feedback on The Great Museum Exodus has shown that it’s already making an impact for people and industries outside of the cultural sector! We urge you to read the blog and then consider how you and your company utilize social media, content breaks, and time management to keep mental health as a top priority for your team.

Click here to read Lori’s full post, The Great Museum Exodus.

Intern-turned-Teammate, Living the Dream

/in 1909 TEAM /by Lori Byrd-McDevitt

Hi! My name is Courtney Krauter and I’m the Intern-turned-teammate here at 1909 DIGITAL!

Having just graduated from IU Bloomington this August, I’m so excited to finally put my skills in Digital Marketing and Graphic Design to use.

HOW’D I GET HERE?

With my concentration in Media Advertising and specialization in Ad Creative, at IU I got a great deal of exposure to powerful messaging and effective design. One of my favorite classes was Advertising Portfolio Workshop. We came up with strong campaigns for different companies and created deliverables that captured the essence of the product/service from a fresh and creative perspective. It got me thinking about how important creativity is to digital marketing. Nobody wants to see the same thing twice. Digital marketing requires fresh ideas at every turn, which is why I love it so much. There are no limits when it comes to advertising and I feel so lucky to be a part of a team that lets me dive into my imagination to bring ideas to fruition.

Other than creative thinking, I’d like to think I also succeed in the execution process (you can definitely double check this with my boss, I won’t be offended.) I have about three years of design programming experience under my belt that helps me work efficiently and bring ideas to life almost immediately. I got my start in year two of college when I randomly took an Intro to Photoshop course. (The curriculum said we’d be adding shark bodies to bird heads, duh I’m gonna partake in this.) From there, my curiosity in design rocketed and I started teaching myself how to work in other programs like Adobe Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and AfterEffects. I love that even when you think you have a program down, there’s always more to explore and implement into design, whether it’s for advertisements or beyond.

EVERYTHING ELSE.

When I’m not designing ads and optimizing campaigns for 1909 clients, you can find me at my other job at Sun King Spirits, where I bartend and serve! I’ve always had a passion for meeting people and can talk for hours straight if somebody doesn’t stop me. I love being part of a workplace that encourages communication. Other than work, I spend a lot of time with my family and obsess over my adorable nephews. My siblings are my best friends and we geek out on video games and music together. When I find some time for myself, I love perusing the Target aisles for things I definitely don’t need and thrift shopping for clothes I definitely don’t have any more room for in my closet.

A fun fact about me? I was in an acapella and sketch comedy group at Indiana University. My singing group performed all around campus and the Bloomington community and my comedy group had wacky hour-long shows once a month. Because of this, I have some sketch writing and music composing under my belt! I’ve always been into singing and acting and I don’t see myself stopping post-grad. I’d love to get involved with local Indy theatre. You might just see me onstage performing soon!

So that’s all about me in 534 words! I’m so excited to have this opportunity to work with 1909 DIGITAL and grow in my marketing skills with some of the nicest, knowledgeable, and hard working people in the field. (Yeah I’m biased, so what.)

THE SEARCH FOR EVERYTHING | Brittney Mason

/in 1909 TEAM /by Brittney Mason

As a kid, my dream was to become a newspaper writer. Another dream I had was to make a lot of money. If you know anything about newspaper writing, you know it’s not super lucrative. So I set my sights on advertising, and by the time I was nineteen, I was an Advertising Account Executive for the newspaper in my hometown. From there, I moved on to work for a Fortune 500 newspaper conglomerate, and worked my way from sales to account management, and eventually processes and training.

During my time in newspaper advertising, I got to learn and experience the “new” normal in advertising for my clients—digital advertising. During this time, I was also picking up speed in writing and transitioning into “influencer” status for my lifestyle blog. I’m a natural self-starter and willing to put the work in to learn how to be an expert at everything I do. To me, there’s No Such Thing as something I can’t do, just a series of steps I can take to get there.

All of these things have been smooshed together to land me here at 1909 DIGITAL. A little bit of advertising, account management, writing, social media, and blogging all go into what I do for our clients here every day. I’m so excited to join this team of experts to help make marketing and digital strategy dreams come true.

HOME LIFE

When I’m not swimming in Instagram posts or wading through Twitter, I’m a mother of three children under three. Yes, it’s as hard as it sounds. Along with my husband, we welcomed our shining star, Clara, to our family in 2018. We decided to add another member to our crew in 2021, but karma blessed us doubly! We now have identical twin boys named Pierce and Beck. I’m telling you, the vibe of my house is enough to make me Out of My Mind.

With all these kiddos, it’s hard to enjoy anything outside of them. It always feels like Something’s Missing, but it’s most likely my mind. If I ever happen to have a moment of free time, you can find me at local blogger events, reading comedians’ memoirs, sneaker shopping with my husband, on the hunt for the best bread pudding in the city, or literally just zoning out in my living room watching people share grocery hauls on YouTube.

My blog’s a huge extension of me and now an extension of my family too. What started as a way to share plus size fashion with like-minded women has now turned into a space where I have shared my journey with PCOS and into motherhood, my journey to becoming debt free, and how I manage as a working mom who still has her hand in home life and the Clarity to express herself online.

I GUESS I JUST FEEL LIKE

In true blogger fashion, I will leave you with a listicle:

5 Facts that Can Speak for Me

I’m never physically or mentally able to sit through a movie. I will, however, watch a whole series of reality TV in one day.
I’ll save money by buying bulk meats, then spend $100 on a pair of leggings.
I only go outside because my daughter makes me. I much prefer the Great Indoors.
I got an inner-lip tattoo in 2009. Those tattoos have a general lifespan of 1-3 years, but mine is still going strong 12 years later!
I hid nine John Mayer song titles all throughout this post. That’s how strongly I feel about Mayer’s music.

Five Things Cats Can Teach Us About Digital Marketing

/in 1909 TEAM /by Lori Byrd-McDevitt

Yes, this is a real email we sent with one of our cherished former clients, the Museum Computer Network!

Over the past few weeks, you may have seen an increased amount of animal posts coming from the 1909 DIGITAL socials, including—yes—the official 1909 Long Boi competition (we congratulate the winner Hemingway and reiterate our belief that all our competitors are very good bois). While everyone loves a pet social post, the truth is our pets can teach us a lot about digital marketing!

We’ve had a lot of time to hang out with our pets over the past sixteen months while working all-remote. We’d be remiss if we didn’t learn from our canine and feline coworkers!

Here are our top tips and learnings from the critters in our lives…

Social media accounts are like puppies or kittens.

Our co-founder Lori Byrd-McDevitt often deploys the motto “social media accounts are like puppies” with clients. While we featured Lori’s doggo Cedric a few weeks ago, this catchphrase also applies to Lori’s kitty coworkers Scarlett and Oliver.

When clients ask us if they should launch a new social platform, we remind them that every social account needs care and feeding. Different platforms also have different “lifespans”—for example, a few months ago it looked like Clubhouse was going to be the next TikTok, but now some experts believe Clubhouse is on its way out. In the end, it always comes down to intentionality. We discovered with the Chicago School of Musical Arts that a core audience—Chicago Public School principals—were using Twitter more frequently than Instagram. Though it seems odd that a small music school should have a Twitter account, it was worth cross-posting content from other platforms to Twitter because they had a specific audience who almost exclusively on Twitter.

Social media managers also sometimes want to make accounts for pet projects or, in some cases, literal pets—as I learned from my past life working on a historic farm. But pets don’t live forever, and it’s rare for even cherished programs to outlast the institutions that host them. We discourage clients from making accounts for projects with a “shelf life.” We also often advise against program or project-specific handles unless there’s an intentional purpose for it.

No cat—and no brand—is alike.

I am the proud mom of two tuxedo cats who are almost indistinguishable but have very different personalities. I know firsthand that no two pets are alike. The same is true for social accounts! When we have a new client at 1909 DIGITAL, we begin with a six-week foundational process to help clients articulate the ways that they’re different. It sometimes frustrates prospective clients to hear that we don’t dive in and start creating content. But we’ve proven time and again that our process helps us know our clients better and also helps our clients know themselves better.

Knowing who you are and sticking to it is the second learning we have from kitties. We always encourage clients to embrace who they are as a brand, and lean into it. Our client Ritron may be a high-quality radio callbox company, but the staff still has a fun side. Their Director of Marketing, Marc, got in on the Bob Ross meme by incorporating a radio callbox into a Bob Ross painting and emailing his sales team. When monoliths were magically appearing in Utah parks, we put a callbox on the monolith! Their audiences loved the monolith and it earned them many likes and comments.

Cats like the person who feeds them best!

If you’re the family member who feeds the cat, you may notice the cat hanging around you more. Social media platforms are similar in that they are reciprocal. No matter the platform, you get out of it what you put in (in this case, time and strategy!)

Instagram debuted Reels in mid-2020. When the feature was first introduced, there were relatively few Reels creators compared to the numbers on Instagram, so those who were building the platform were rewarded within the algorithm. This concept is true across other platforms. Consistency in posting content always pays off. Social media is like anything else—the more time you spend on it, the greater the rewards would be.

Cats are cats—and dogs are dogs. Know your platforms!

Even similar content can have different results depending on where it’s placed. During our Christel House Walk Around the World campaign, we found that Facebook favored posts highlighting walkers, Instagram was best for highlighting students, and LinkedIn did best with highlighting corporate sponsors.

Take care to learn the differences between platforms, and apply this to your own content and audiences. Reporting on progress will uncover how each of your audiences differ from platform-to-platform. You can then tailor your content accordingly.

Always travel with your pack!

On any platform, shares can amplify the reach of your post. Lori is the admin behind the influential Museum Social Media Manager’s Facebook Group, so we know firsthand from our own community how powerful it is to have a pack. Sometimes, our colleagues will ask for backup—such as asking community members to share and comment on posts that might be getting negative feedback, or liking and sharing pages after periods of pandemic-related low activity. We’ve also organized cross-institutional campaigns, so we know the value of a good Outreach Kit!

We provide outreach kits and influencer marketing as a service, such as our work with the Akron Museum of Art #InterplayAkron project. We firmly believe that everyone is an influencer within their own circles. We advise our clients on strategic ways of mobilizing their communities. Everyone has supporters who want to help, but sometimes they need a little coordination. A good Outreach Kit ensures that your pack has the help they need to advocate for you.

Cute + quality = peak content

If you’ve made it this far in this blog post, then thank you—you’ve helped us prove our overall point. We drew you in with cute photos of cats, but kept you with the information. And this is really what cats teach us about social media: cute posts get clicks, but compelling content leads to conversions.

If you want to follow our lead and blast your socials with cute animal photos, we applaud that! Who doesn’t want to log onto Facebook and immediately see cute animals? But if that’s your strategy, make sure there’s quality content behind it! Cute gets people on your page, but thoughtful content will help them stay! If you don’t like our social pages already, be sure to like us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Yes—there will be more cute animals (and rich content!) coming.