Hiring: VP, Strategy

The VP of Strategy leads client engagement direction and is an integral part of the agency’s full-service interactive team.  He/she acts as a consultant to develop the online strategy as it relates to the client’s overall business goals. The Strategist is fluent in recognizing and negotiating multiple client-side department stakeholder business objectives, understanding consumer behavior, defining analytics strategy and developing actionable reports. Key deliverables include creating and optimizing an online channel development / enhancement plan and interactive marketing roadmap. 

Core Responsibilities:
- Performing strategic analyses and best practices audits
- Developing integrated marketing and promotions roadmaps / campaigns for clients
- Developing customer targeting and segmentation strategies
- Developing customer acquisition, retention and conversion strategies
- Developing business cases and ROIs for various business purposes, including direct response advertising campaigns, marketing programs, campaign options, and website development efforts
- Partnering with senior account leadership to support client decision-making
- Providing strategic counsel to executive level clients
- Actively contributing to cross functional delivery teams
- Coordinating with media and analytics teams to make sure findings inform strategic planning
- Supporting business development efforts with research, structure and smart thinking
- Scoping and pitching projects for new and existing clients

Required Skills:
- 5-8 years Internet, marketing or management consulting experience
- Leadership, collaboration, and presentation/communication skills a must
- Notable experience in financial sector or with financial clients
- Ability to review vast amounts of research, synthesize and draw relevant conclusions
- Ability to multitask so as to support multiple projects
- Experience in consumer brand marketing (consulting or client-side)
- Experience with online advertising, online strategy, site development strategy, basic -front-end technology issues
- Excellent presentation skills and comfortable presenting ideas in front of clients
- Team player with the ability to play different roles within the team
- Ability to manage, mentor and grow one or more direct reports
- Comfortable with being able to quickly join the client team and immediately add value
- Comfortable developing Excel models of average complexity
- Excellent PowerPoint skills
- Must be willing to travel a few days a month, as needed
- MBA a plus

To Apply
Email your resume and cover letter, with the open position of interest in the email title to careers@gearyi.com 

About Geary Interactive
Located in San Diego and San Francisco, Geary Interactive is a full service digital advertising agency. We’re dynamic, fast moving and always innovating. Whether you ride the cutting edge or want to get your career started in digital marketing working with some amazing brands, there may be a place for you in our family (we call it the Gearyites). 

You can learn more about us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Let’s connect! 

Geary Interactive is a division of Geary Group. 

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Infographic: Disasters in the age of new media and social sharing

The notion that social media has revolutionized how we absorb, share and find information is not new. Twitter broke the news about Osama bin Laden’s death, and media outlets depend on social media as a source for breaking news. Lesser known is how social media and smart phones have become a valuable asset for disaster relief as they facilitate communication when other channels are compromised. Recent events like the earthquake in Haiti and the tsunami in Japan prove the utility of social media during a natural disaster.

Combined with the mass adoption of smart phone devices, most of us have access to our social networks and the world in the palms of our hands. Especially in the wake of natural disasters, when electricity and phone lines are down, smart phones and social media networks serve as the best (and possibly only) way to communicate and share critical information.

We wanted to investigate the utility of smart phones and social media during crises a little bit deeper. In this infographic, we have compiled information that shows how smart phones and social media have aided communication during recent natural disasters. The research and stories were shocking. Tales surfaced about a man who used his phone, while stuck under rubble, to access first aid tips, and others used flash light apps to see when electricity wasn’t working.

These stories and statistics highlight the value of social media as an information sharing tool. Most of us already feel like we are married to our phones, so do not think of this as proof that you need to be plugged in 24 hours a day. That said, it doesn’t hurt to grab your smart phone on your way out the door either.

Created by Geary Interactive, a digital advertising agency.

USE THIS IMAGE ON YOUR SITE

<a href=”http://i.imgur.com/H7AgA.png” mce_href=”http://i.imgur.com/H7AgA.png”> <img src=”http://gearyi.com/fresh/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Social-Media-Support-During-Disasters-Infographicl.png” mce_src=”http://gearyi.com/fresh/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Social-Media-Support-During-Disasters-Infographicl.png” width=”600″ height=”800″ border=”0″><small>Created by Geary Interactive, a <a href=”http://www.gearyi.com” mce_href=”http://www.gearyi.com”> digital advertising agency</a></small></center>

Was the iPhone a prop in Minority Report?

The recent controversies regarding Apple’s iPhone tracking make it seem like we are getting closer and closer to a reality similar to the movie Minority Report. Are we shifting to a culture where little “precogs” track everything we do? Maybe not yet, but our phones do have the capabilities to track, log and transmit our every move.

There have been concerns about Apple’s location history database which is built into iOS. The company says that it is not tracking the location of each iPhone. However, it is collecting data of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell phone towers. This data is sent to Apple in encrypted and anonymous form.

Apple did admit to two “bugs.” One is that the iPhone continued to update its Wi-Fi and cell tower data even when users turn off the Location Service tool. Also, “the reason the iPhone stores so much data is a bug we uncovered and plan to fix shortly… We don’t think the iPhone needs to store more than seven days of this data” (finance.yahoo.com).

Smart phone users should be aware if their phone’s advanced competence. If your phone is lost or stolen, the new user would have access to the tracking data and has the ability to download it to their computer. Also even though Apple isn’t sending this data to any 3^rd party companies, they are allowed to. The government permits “telephone companies [to share] customer data, including location information, with outside parties without first getting the customer’s consent but those rules don’t apply to Apple and other phone makers.” (technolog.msnbc.msn.com).

Groupon hitting the grocery store

Groupon continues to make waves with its clientele as its adds General Mills to its roster. The deal offered in San Fransisco and Minneapolis appears to be a notable success for the CPG giant. The deal offered a sample pack of goodies–from Chex mix to sugar cookie mix, my personal favorite. One notable novelty of this offer was that the sampler pack will be delivered directly to buyers’ homes. This move strikes me as odd as it takes the grocery store out of GM’s grocery products.

Most are applauding GM for hopping on this bandwagon. This is especially true because GM, like most CPG companies, have low profit margins. Groupon was not really considered to be an option for most CPG companies. GM is expected to report on its success soon, and apparently it will be a glowing report. The offer in Minneapolis sold out before 11 am.

Facebook Privacy–Keep your Profile Clean

Facebook is an indicator of our trashier sides. Even with privacy settings, we are still at the mercy of our friends’ posting and picture taking habits. In an aptly named article, “Reppler is the Morning After Pill for your Facebook Profile,” Fast Company looks into a company that is working with Facebook to create some type of process that will save us from friends that just won’t stop posting inappropriate pictures.

Reppler is taking the approach that some subscribers–mostly college students–do not know just how damaging their Facebook profiles can be to a job hunting process. Second to Google, Facebook is one of the first places HR recruiters look when they want to gauge the personality of candidates. If you were applying for a job, would you want a recruiter to see all of your pictures? Probably not.

The company will help manage your connections, so blocking people would not be necessary. Since Facebook has been pretty adamant about maintaining transparency and subjecting subscribers to questionable privacy policies (granted Facebook is getting better), I am surprised that they are open to such a partnership.

Should we really care about what people are doing on Facebook? Not really…but we do. Social media has become a metric against which we measure current and prospective friends. I keep a mental list of my friends who post a few too many pictures or update their status a million times a day. I notice, and I judge. It only follows that prospective employers will do the same. Who knows if Reppler will take off, but either way, we need to take control of our Facebook profiles. And always remember there is always somebody watching.

It is (March) Madness!

March Madness is the exciting display of collegiate athletics that takes over our water cooler conversations and competitive gambling urges every year. It like many other things have adapted itself to the digital world. Tracking The Big Dance has evolved from crinkled up paper score sheets to online brackets, mobile apps and online competitions with huge payouts for those who can pick the winning teams.

There are apps available that predict, analyze and track games along with multiple brackets. As of March 27^th, there have been 41.6 million visits across March Madness On Demand online products, iPad and iPhone apps for the games.

Along with the increased use of apps, more people are watching the games online then years past. During this year’s first five rounds of the tournament, 12.7 million total hours of streaming video were consumed across the MMOD online, iPad and iPhone apps.

Whether you studied the teams and followed the stats or if you’re one to let the fate of a coin or jersey color fill out your bracket, you could have a big pay day if you make that flawless bracket.  Sportsbooks.com is offering a $14 million prize for a perfect bracket! Yahoo.com is also offering a prize of $1 million dollars (yes, I am saying this in my best Dr. Evil voice) for the perfect bracket entered with their contest.

There are also big pay outs for the networks involved. CBS expects to make around $30 million in advertising revenue for its online broadcasts. This is about 30% more then it made back in 2008.

The Championship Game will take place on Monday April 4^th, so if you are a diehard basketball supporter or a fair-weather fan, there are plenty of apps and online videos to accommodate your viewing needs for the end of this year’s madness.

Simple Apple Genius from a College Student

The last few weeks, I have been bombarded with stories of genius youngins. The following are pictures that Fast Company profiled, which is a feat in it of itself, about a product designed by a college student for a “quick two week project.” The design aims to de-clutter desks that are covered in Apple products. I think it’s brilliant, but feel free to judge for yourself.

Angry Groupies

Is it a gift card? A cash voucher? A coupon? No it’s a Groupon!

The daily deal website is being sued by one of their not so supportive “groupies.” Eli Johnson is seeking class action status because he was not able to use his Groupon voucher before it expired.

Johnson reportedly claims that the expiration dates on the company’s coupons violate the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act, which prohibits the sale of gift certificates that expire within five years of when they are purchased (www.internetretailer.com).

And what has gotten this specific man’s boxers in a bunch?

He was not able to play a 30 minute game of Whirleyball with his friends. Is missing out on this rousing combination of bumper cars, polo and jai alai worth the court battle? He thinks so.

Along with short expiration dates, Groupon’s fine print has caused other “groupies” to get riled up. Many of the vouchers may be limited to a single transaction, leaving part of the customer’s value unused. Some of the deals have blackout dates, restricting when the product/ service can be redeemed. Plus, the vouchers often cannot be used on alcohol, tax or tip.

Groupon has responded to the customer complaints by offering refunds to unsatisfied customers. They have also increased their customer service support; which accounts for about 20% of their global workforce (www.adage.com).

So online shoppers beware… read Groupon’s fine print!

Where do you want to go? Lessons from the travel industry

Where do you want to go? Lessons from the travel industry

The travel industry is transitioning again with web properties, brands and apps all clamoring for our attention. What can all marketers take away from these changes? Buckle your seat belt folks.

First the aggregator changes:  Like many industries, aggregation and affiliates have become a robust part of the business model.  For the hospitality industry, OTA (online travel agents) are still a major part of the equation, with Expedia being the #3 most visited travel site behind maps sites, but also on the Top 10 were Southwest and Delta (#4 and #9) respectively (eMarketer.com, 12/10). With Southwest running ads that you can only book on their site and Delta continuing to drop OTAs, the marketplace seems to be even more fragmented. As a consumer, I’m not sure if I should go to Kayak.com and open window after window, straight to the airlines or just get a personal assistant to book my travel.

There are few new entrants on the market as highlighted by Fast Company. Hipmunk was highlighted and goes right to my pain point with “agony” ratings (i.e. how painful it would be to fly from the West Coast to Atlanta just to get to DFW). Although it doesn’t have flexible dates, it does give me some great options to ease the pain.

Ultimately, these services keep popping up because the system which once seemed to be getting easier is once again getting harder for the consumer and the marketer. The marketer’s battle for positioning with SEO and expenditures for paid search and display advertising is intense. Google Places also now has drop down functionality and is pulling in OTA rates for locations such as hotels.

Marketers need to be especially aware how they and their partners work together online with strong attribution models and governance agreements.

Second, the rise of the app: The Donnie Deutsch axiom, “there’s gotta be a better way” has pushed companies and marketers to be more innovative.  Cue the apps marketplace. There are so many that I’m constantly on my phone on a trip (see T&L’s Top 10 Apps). This is wonderful, and according to my colleagues, completely normal; however reality sets in when I have no reception.  Ah the yuppie cry for help when I can no longer use my Google Maps. I was like a lost puppy when my phone could not pull up all of my best laid plans (directions, reservations, phone numbers to local eateries, etc) on my last trip. And so I go back to marketers, what kind of utility can you create throughout the process, not just at the point of purchase or early on, that keeps me engaged and connected (and not lost).

So what is next and how can marketers capitalize on the ever changing digital marketplace? Get your ducks in a row first. Learn from the hospitality industry that being in the place where your customers are (Google Places, OTAs) is critical. Get your media dialed in. You are either losing market share or throwing money away if your media is a mess. Be innovative if appropriate and sometimes just making consumers’ lives easier is just the right dose of innovation. Safe travels marketers.

Does someone have a grudge against Google?

Google’s algorithm has been scrutinized recently as name brands have made headlines for their questionable link building practices. One might think that only the offending companies would have PR issues, but because the offending sites successfully increased their rankings, the quality of Google’s algorithm has also been of interest. No one is saying that Google is losing ground or suddenly doesn’t serve the best results. In fact, more people are wondering who is behind this PR attack on Google. There are a few competitors that could be the culprit, but no one has found concrete evidence proving who is after Google’s blood.

There has to be someone though. By and large, mainstream media like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal do not cover SEO (at least not in this great of detail). Rightfully so, the ins and outs of search engine algorithms do not appeal to the general public, but sensational stories about companies being knocked down a peg or two are definitely interesting. With 3 mainstream articles being published in the last few months, it is too big of a coincidence to think that these publications would be able to churn out these stories together on their own. I mean no offense to either publication, as their are the best we have, but they had to be tipped off. While I do tend to be a conspiracy theorist, I think there is probable cause that someone has been helping out the media.

Search Engine Watch contends that there are only a few companies that would be willing to tackle Google–especially on the grounds of quality. We will have to wait and see how this all plays out and how Google will respond if other stories surface.