In the dynamic world of brand marketing, integrating the voices of consumers is not just a best practice — it's a necessity.

In this episode, Jen Belcastro and Bill Southard explain why listening to the consumer is crucial for brand success. They discuss how understanding consumer behavior, preferences, and emotional connections can lead to more effective marketing campaigns and business strategies.

Consumer research is an investment that can save companies from costly missteps and ensure they remain responsive to market changes and consumer needs.

This ongoing and adaptive process is not a one-time effort but a continual practice that sustains brand relevance and drives continuous improvement.

Jen advocates for starting small to win stakeholder buy-in for consumer research. This could involve initial stakeholder interviews to identify gaps and build a case for wider research, demonstrating the value through incremental insights.

Key Takeaways

• Putting people at the heart of marketing strategies helps to build strong emotional connections with the brand.
• Identifying the correct target audience is crucial; often, companies have assumptions that may not be accurate.
• Consumer research, even on a small scale, can reveal vital insights that lead to better product and marketing decisions.
• Tracking brand performance and consumer behavior year-round is essential for ongoing success and adjustment in strategies.

About the Guests

Jen Belcastro is Founder & President of Escalate Strategies. She has spent over 20 years as a Consumer Insights & Brand Strategist at mid to large corporate agencies, serving clients from multiple verticals (B2C and B2B). She has a depth of experience in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies with a particular passion around helping clients grow winning brands that truly make the world a better place. After witnessing how typical big company challenges — high overhead, politics, bureaucracy, complex staffing models, and employee burnout — were to the direct detriment of the clients they claim to serve, she founded Escalate Strategies to offer clients direct access to her senior-level experience, entrepreneurial creativity, and laser focus on strategically impactful results.

Bill Southard is founder and CEO of Southard Communications, a firm he founded in 1994. Under his leadership, Southard Communications has shown significant growth across a number of market segments. Headquartered in New York City, the firm has executed successful public relations, digital marketing and communications and social media campaigns for a wide range of B2B and B2C companies, for several of which the agency has been recognized with industry awards. Southard has four decades of experience in the public relations industry. Prior to founding his current firm, he was executive vice president/general manager of Dorf & Stanton Communications, an agency that was sold in 1989 to Shandwick. The agency has worked on a number of iconic brands in the toy and game space including Etch a Sketch, LeapFrog, The Elf on the Shelf, Pound Puppies and Slinky, to name a few.

About the Host

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing...

Lauren Reed-Williams has a passion for creating PR campaigns that not only drive business success but also make a meaningful difference in the community. In this episode, she discusses the significance and impact of cause marketing in today’s business landscape.

Lauren emphasizes that cause marketing should not be seen as an either-or alternative to traditional marketing tactics but rather as an additional layer that enhances the overall strategy.

She highlights the importance of genuine passion and alignment with the cause, noting that authenticity is critical for the success of these campaigns.

Lauren also provides a detailed checklist for evaluating potential cause marketing partners, covering key aspects such as online presence, cross-promotional opportunities, alignment of core values, and measurement of success.

Key Takeaways

• Authenticity in cause marketing is crucial for its success; both the company and the cause should benefit.
• Effective cause marketing campaigns can be conducted by businesses of any size, from small local companies to large national brands.
• Measurement of cause marketing efforts should be as rigorous and detailed as traditional marketing campaigns, incorporating tangible and intangible metrics.

About the Guest

Lauren Reed is CEO and founder of REED, a full-service public relations and marketing agency in Nashville, TN. With over a decade of experience in the industry, her passion lies in the psychology of communications and marketing, with a particular interest in cause marketing. Under her leadership, Reed PR has developed innovative campaigns that resonate deeply within both the local community and broader markets.

Lauren earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) designation in 2010 and is a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Women Presidents’ Organization, former president of PRSA Nashville and recipient of the PRSA Nashville 2011 Mercury Award, which recognizes the top young PR professional in the Nashville market. Most recently, Lauren was named to the Nashville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and its Most Admired CEO list in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. REED PR was also named one of the Business Journal’s Best Places to Work.

Even with all of her awards and the tremendous work she has done, she still says one of her greatest professional accomplishments was creating REED PR’s Be The Good program, which reserves a portion of the agency’s revenue to provide travel grants to individuals who want to do volunteer or mission work at home or abroad.

About the Host

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

PRGN Presents is brought to you by Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local public relations agency. Our executive producer is

Nick Leighton returns to the podcast to discuss the evolving landscape of Generative AI and its impact on marketing and public relations.

Gen AI represents a significant departure from traditional content creation methods, harnessing algorithms to generate original content based on learned patterns from data.

We discuss the rapid growth of Gen AI, challenges and risks associated with its use, the importance of transparency, and the need for ethical responsibilities in leveraging this innovative technology effectively.

Nick aptly characterizes Gen AI as a valuable "co-pilot" for professionals, emphasizing its role in generating fresh ideas, localized content, and innovative storytelling. By leveraging Gen AI as a creative partner, PR professionals can unlock new possibilities and expand their content horizons.

Key Takeaways

• Gen AI refers to a class of artificial intelligence designed to generate new content based on learned data patterns.
• Gen AI serves as a valuable co-pilot, aiding professionals in content creation, localization, and idea generation.
• Businesses must be transparent about using Gen AI and ensure content quality and authenticity.
• PR professionals should familiarize themselves with Gen AI basics, experiment with tools, and prioritize ethics and responsibility in its use.
• Staying informed about Gen AI developments is crucial in navigating this rapidly evolving field.

About the Guest

Nick Leighton is the founder and CEO of NettResults International Public Relations, an award-winning Middle East-based public relations agency launched in November 1999 with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, and California. He has over 30 years of experience in media relations and marketing and has lived and worked in the United States, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. He has represented the public image of Fortune 500 companies, some of the largest non-profit organizations in the world, political parties, and members of royalty.

About the Host

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

PRGN Presents is brought to you by Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local public relations agency. Our executive producer is Adrian McIntyre.

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