Whatever the terrible thing that you whirled around in a campaign – a late start, maybe customers – backs – I bet, it did not include any Several hundred thousand dollars burglary.
The master of this week may Place that on your Bingo card. However, it is even more important that your bingo card also works for too long with a list of brands in one breath: Special Olympics, Coca-Cola, Nike, Google, Coors Light, Les Schwab and the legendary radio station Seattle KEXP are only a few.
Today she heads the creative team behind marketing art for the popular trade card game Magic: The assembly. She sat down for one of my favorite interviews, not least because I learned that her grandpa was a chicago boat legger whose house was searched by Eliot Ness of untouchable. But also for the great advice that she shares about adversity and cooperation with creative people.
Alicia Mickes
Senior Creative Director, Wizards of the Coast (Verlagsgesellschaft von Magic: The assembly)))
- Funny fact: Alicia loves to collect it Random certifications. She has certificates for tattoos, personal training, trx, cake decoration, ceramic restoration and even blood -operated pathogens.
- Right to fame: When you saw the Mod Pizza logo, you have seen something that Mickes designed!
Lesson 1: Obtain yourself, but don’t take it personally.
Only weeks before Hasbro should publish a version of Magic: The assembly Based on Wild West Outlaw, the worst happened: Images of unpublished products met the Internet after two top -class thefts.
“A number of cards were leaked because people started selling products before it came into shops,” recalls Mickes. “Our planned marketing campaign really blown up.”
And although I was unable to confirm whether the thieves had old times with waxed mustache, Mickes passes the story with an ear-ear smile and a touch of mischief in their eyes.
This does not mean that she does not take the situation seriously, but you get the feeling that this smile is the heart of which it is as a manager, marketer and human being.
“We could have really got angry. (Instead) We tried to play on it and have fun with it.”
To illustrate her point of view, she shared A blog written by your communication director This has tackled a similar leak with insider jokes and even a few of its own peeks.
We spent time to act. Product launches inflated by eager fans are increasing with early marketing materials. Negative feedback on the Internet.
Taking it is the following: We will all be exposed to a marketing crisis via a long timeline. And whether it is a branding misalignment, a collapse of social media or a collapse of social media Real big theftSays Mickes It is important to take responsibility without taking over it personally.
Sometimes this means that they accept that they have done something wrong or that they have done something that people do not love and agree with it. That is only human. I want all my team members to know that they have a safe place where they can create and explore and take great risks. And great risks sometimes fail. “
“It is what it is. And that’s how we turn.”
Lesson 2: The collaboration begins with culture.
Mickes is a big believer that a powerful creative team requires a supportive culture.
“With all the tests in the world, this does not mean that things will end up as they want it,” she explains. “It is important to have a group of people with whom you can talk about your ideas, with brainstorming and the jump of ideas. And know that it may not be the idea that is selected, but it can help contribute to the entire finished product.”
But this type of dynamic does not happen by chance.
“The aim of creating a culture of psychological security in which everyone feels comfortable when it is themselves and talks about their ideas.“”
Now the topic of cultural processing could fill the newsletter next year, so I asked Mickes about her number one that is most important to work with creative people.
“One of the fastest ways to build trust is to help your team members achieve victories. ” It could look like researching time management strategies with a team member that struggles with a work-life balance. Or teach communication techniques to someone who is afraid of interpersonal communications. (Or who, like my employee, who remains unnamed, but has worked on, is afraid of telephones.)
“We have check-in meetings in which you share the things you have to fight with or share your work to pronounce. It takes time and is not necessarily part of the creative process, but it supports the creative process at the end.”
Lesson 3: Fun is not the opposite of work.
If you are constantly concentrating on A/B tests, commitment rates and the ROI, it is easy to forget that marketing is creative work in the heart. And creative work should be fun.
“We are one of the loudest groups at work. We always get in trouble because we scream and flow in the corner and have a good time,” she laughs. “Some people think we don’t work and I am how. No, we are to the answers!“”
“Creative people who have fun and feel relaxed and safe will do better work. It is not a competition. Nobody tries to win something. They are together and try to make the best possible.”
It is a simple formula. Clever Minds + Fun + Safety = good marketing. If something uses your team, there is a greater chance that your audience will also resonate.
“And if the whole group says:” Hell Yes! That’s it! “Then you know.”
Questions
The question of this week
What is a creative, hot take that, secondly, guess a marketer, how to work with creative work? – Brandon Smithwrick, founder, content for commas
The answer this week
Mickes says: In my experience, the business side (i.e. product strategists, sales and marketing managers) bring creative too late. Is The product strategy.
If you only include us at the end, you will not receive a design, but only decoration. Every time you give us a baked plan and ask us to make it “a pop”, you have already cut your legs out under a more powerful marketing campaign.
Let creative man lead in the past! I always encourage work in groups: lead the early conversations for holistic campaign development with important stakeholders from the media, strategy, product and creative. The future of marketing is about experiences that cannot be distinguished from the brand strategy. If you are still creative as just “make things look good”, you will never create an authentic experience for your consumer.
Question of the next week
Mickes asks: How do you rethink or your company when marketing communication and storytelling shifts to authentic cultural experiences, the role of creativity?