Our digital marketer Nicole is celebrating a decade of RED. From her roots as a copywriter to becoming a digital marketer, we reflect on her highlights and ask… what’s next?
What has been your proudest professional achievement at RED over the past ten years?
I have many moments that I’m proud of. Passing my CIM Level 6 in Digital Marketing last year was a big one. The other is probably my first cross-channel campaign which involved a content gathering trip in Germany.
I think the thing I’m proudest of, however, is how we’ve all managed to pull together as a team, through the highs and lows of ten whole years.
How has digital marketing evolved since you started, and how have you evolved with it?
It’s a completely different ‘ball game’ now. Video has always been important, but the focus on it is greater every year and the trends change constantly. AI is also a new addition (although I’m secretly hoping it dies out in terms of actual creation).
On top of that, the metrics that people view as important changes all the time, and algorithms shift with that too.
Taking the CIM was part of my evolution, but equally I am an avid social media user myself (chronically online, some might say) and I think this helps stay updated with trends.
However, although it changes quickly, digital marketing has always been about looking at data and trends and using the findings accordingly. That hasn’t changed and never will.
What’s the campaign or project that best represents what RED is all about?
There are so many. I think any campaign which involves getting out there and meeting real people, getting video, testimonials, press releases and social media content that the audience can relate with.
There are too many to choose from, but the “Hitachi Heroes” campaign is an all-time favourite of mine. RED and Hitachi Construction Machinery visited three loyal customers across Europe to gather a full range of content, including feature-style videos.
One was with owner Wiggo Rønningen, and the result is human-centric content with a lot of personality – I love the final video and have repurposed it plenty of times. You can see for yourself here.
What skills have become most essential to your role
I started as a copywriter with experience in pay-per-click ads and social media, but I’ve had to evolve to understand analytics more deeply, work on strategy, create graphics, edit video, adapt to new algorithms and build digital magazines. I’ve spent a lot of the last ten years learning – either through formal courses or as I go!
What trends or innovations in digital marketing are you most excited about right now?
The rise in authentic content and use of smaller influencers. Stiff, overly corporate content is on the way out and more fun and relatable content is in. It opens a lot more way for creativity. It’s what I personally like to view on social media in my spare time too.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in digital marketing?
Get good at reading data and analysing it properly. It’s the best way to find out what your audience really likes. Also be prepared to evolve and ‘shapeshift’.
How has working at RED shaped you as a person, not just as a professional?
I have a lot more confidence than when I first started, some of it due to aging, and life changes (becoming a parent changed my outlook completely… for the better). However, a lot of it comes from being in an environment where I’ve been given trust and autonomy from the RED team and our clients.
The culture and values that we have at RED has also shaped me. We work as a team where we solve problems and celebrate successes together. We also all share similar values with regards to the importance of family and health. The last two are extremely important to me and I think some of my views on work-life balance come from my surroundings at RED.
What does the next ten years hold?
Who knows!? I have a second child on the way soon, so there’s that.
In terms of career and the marketing landscape, I suspect I’m going to have to be continuously moving forward with the times and retraining in new tools to keep up (like AI) – but that’s what keeps it so interesting.