02:53:00 with David Morton
Dave Morton (no, he’s not related to Morton the Mouse), a gaming enthusiast himself, mentioned how over the course of the pandemic, the video-game industry has overtaken both the film and sports industries, reaching a revenue of over $179.7 billion in 2020. The increasing popularity of video games has led to the rise of pro teams, leagues, and competitions, and even esports collegiate programs across the nation. I recently read a report in my AP Seminar class that conducted face-to-face interviews with college esports players which investigated how players’ identity formation, skill development, and perseverance were contingent upon esports being a team-based activity, as well as perceptions of esports and its associations to gaming culture, and the technological investment by colleges to create and expand esports programs. Moreover, when discussing creative ad campaigns targeting Gen Z and millennial gamers to entice the usage of a fast food delivery app, Dave responded with an interesting idea: Craft a message from the standpoint of an older person who is a digital immigrant or layman who reprimands gamers. In my age group I am in the minority of not being a gamer so I can gather inspiration and conjure up jokes that poke fun at gamers and are relatable to non-gamers as well. The ads would have an element of reverse psychology and a humorous appeal to gamers through the standpoint of a so-called crotchety non-gamer. This is definitely an interesting point of view, but as with most innovative, rule-breaking ideas in marketing, should be put to the test with market research (time and budget permitting) to discover the reactions of the target audience prior to releasing to the general public.
Hailing from New Hampshire, Dave is an Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Ceros, an interactive web design software built for marketing and design specialists, which eliminates the need for developers. It is a software with an interface similar to Adobe that creates animated and interactive designs for web pages, infographics, landing pages, etc., which makes applications more appealing, thus increasing users’ dwell time and engagement. From personal experience creating my own web page with the software, I can confirm that the Ceros Studio is quite robust and loaded with features which empower you to create any design you can imagine, and if you ever get stuck, help is on the way with a friendly support team ready to get in on the action and work on your project with you in real time.
The Connection Between Marketing and Sales
Dave explained that the first interaction a lead has with a business-to-business (B2B) company is through top-of-the-funnel marketing, and then they should seamlessly transition to sales, where messaging is tailored to how the product can benefit and meet the specific lead’s needs. Dave emphasized that marketing is essentially sales, since marketing strives to craft an unforgettable message to increase brand awareness, which helps acquire leads, drive sales, and ultimately fuel business growth. Furthermore, Dave explained that a data layer is a Javascript object that passes information from a website to Google Tag Manager, and is mostly used in E-Commerce. To witness data layers in action, Dave and I did a retargeting experiment where I went to a shoe brand’s website, clicked on some products and added them to cart, and finally left the site abruptly. Over time, ads from the brand had been appearing on multiple sites I visit, demonstrating the immense power of data layers and retargeting. Although I enjoy being creative with strategizing and implementing marketing campaigns, it can be quite aggravating to be on the receiving end of unwanted commercials as a consumer, but while I can typically identify and understand when I am being marketed to, Dave said to never underestimate how susceptible peoples’ reactions can be towards advertisements, especially when their personal data is being tracked and utilized. In my own life, I definitely have come across folks who vulnerably chase after every coupon or discount, regardless of how meager, without realizing that the price was unreasonably high to begin with, and slicing a small amount from a high starting price does not make a sizable difference in profit for the business.
Keeping an Open Mind
With the 16 revolutions around the sun I have lived through, there is so much out in the world that I have not even scratched the surface of, and places, people, experiences, inventions, opportunities, and many other eventual discoveries I do not even know exist yet. As the saying goes, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” When encouraging me to broaden my outlook on topics I know little about so I can diversify my perspective and knowledge, Dave recommended three novels that relate to sales, leadership, and personal growth: The Art of War by Sun Tzu, Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court by John Wooden, and Turn the Ship Around! A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders by L. David Marquet. Dave also suggested that I make full use of my spare time in my youth to travel, and consider studying abroad in college to discover the world outside my own and be exposed to new ideas, cultures, and traditions. I always want to be mindful of not getting trapped in America’s fast-paced and constantly moving “hustle culture,” by allocating time away from the 9–5 to unwind with my friends and family, fitness, passions, and side projects. When working nonstop for long periods of time, especially on a project or assignment I am not passionate about that, I tend to lose interest and get burnt out, so I have also started to prioritize three small “energy refreshers,” as I like to call them, which include going for a walk or moving in any way, drinking water, and taking a power nap. Inspired by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, I hope to maintain these habits moving forward into my junior year of high school, and beyond. Dave also stated that it is important to always think twice before posting online as everything remains online permanently and has the potential to go viral, and I absolutely agree, especially after researching about cancel culture, and how it has affected the lives of ordinary people due to the viral resurfacing of years-old posts containing an inappropriate comment or image on a social media platform such as Snapchat or Instagram. The advice we were all presumably taught in primary school, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,” is especially applicable to posting on social media, as many people, young and old, well-known and unknown, have been left with severe repercussions after receiving targeted backlash from strangers due to an unkind comment or post, such as being rescinded from their dream university or fired from a job.
“A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”
- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Thanks again, Dave! Until next time!
04/08/21.
