Authentic Avenue

Have you moved this year? I've heard SO many talk about it -- whether it's to move closer to family, get out of the city, explore or otherwise -- the remote life has sparked a certain work wanderlust that today's featured brand is hoping to solve.

Meet Andrew Speyer. He's the Chief Marketing Officer for Landing, and he's tasked not only with making an authentic experience of the often-tiring and stressful situation that is moving, but also making it repeatable. (Who wants to keep on moving? Andrew has an idea.) We also talk about the bump that COVID and 2020 has given the business, and how that isn't at all what the brand is relying on to continue to grow. (After all, eventually COVID will be behind us -- and Landing has ambitions of sticking around for far, far longer than that.)

If you've been bitten by the moving bug, check out what Landing has to offer: https://www.hellolanding.com/. (This host has been shamelessly searching the LA market...as an East-coaster all my life, there is a certain draw to the sun and sand.)

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

It's an organization which helps 1 in every 7 Americans -- a staggering statistic, and one which requires a herculean effort ESPECIALLY in 2020.

Today I help share the story and message of Feeding America with Cathy Davis, their Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. She has been with the organization, and has helped combat this systemic issue, for 4 years -- but this year has proven to be a different beast. In this episode, we talk about how the entire business model for the nonprofit (a network of food banks) had to be turned upside down to meet changing COVID conditions, and how the team continues to push forward through this holiday season.

If you can, I'd encourage you to pitch in...

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Recently, I mentioned on this show and social (links below) that I wanted to learn more about the world of influencers. Recently, I launched that series with Alex Mack from Dyson; here's that show if you want to hear more. From it, I learned that "noise of influencer tech" was a perceived pain point. To learn more about it, I tapped on the shoulder of an influencer tech pioneer.

James Nord founded Fohr, which Nord calls "quite simply the finest influencer marketing company on God's green earth," in 2012. This makes Fohr one of, if not the first influencer marketing platforms in existence. But James is now noticing a world creeping in beyond that of influencers -- that of ambassadors.

How is that different? And how do you get ambassador marketing right? (James has actual rules for it.) Find out on today's Authentic Avenue podcast episode.

You can also learn more about Fohr's take on it here: https://www.fohr.co/ambassadors.

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

I've devoted the last two years to approaching the topic of authenticity in branding and marketing from the side of the organization doing it -- whether that be a startup or a Fortune 100 giant. And, through that time, there's always been a question nagging at me: do people outside of the brand bubble really care about this stuff? I mean, sure it looks good in a PR -- but does it actually benefit the value of a company?

That question has led me to today's interview. I'm on with Simeon Siegel, Managing Director at BMO Capital Markets. Simeon has deep retail knowledge (and is a perennial #1 institutional investor), and teaches me a thing or two about how brand authenticity has real-world impact on the numbers that matter to the market. Hopefully you learn a thing or two as well!

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Get up and out of bed for today's Authentic Avenue podcast episode...and don't return for at least one night.

Today I'm featuring Leesa Sleep through their Head of Mission, Jen-Ai Notman. It's a first for the show -- I haven't interviewed a Head of Mission before -- and we chat about a number of topics, not the least of which is Leesa's upcoming #1BedlessNight campaign.

Did you know 1 in 5 children in the US experience poverty? This is the highest risk factor to getting good sleep. Jen-Ai has seen this issue firsthand not just in the US but all over the world since childhood (more on that in the interview).

Leesa is on a mission to end childhood bedlessness in the United States. Starting this coming Monday, November 23rd, and extending through November 30th, for every person who gives up their bed for one night and shares their experience on Instagram, Leesa will donate a mattress to a child in need.

Read more about the campaign here: https://www.leesa.com/pages/1-bedless-night.

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Ever wondered what it's like to have a notable social handle? Your first name perhaps? (@adam was taken long before I was on social; @authenticadam I got on TikTok though!) Well, today I got to interview two illustrious founders who own @sauce.

Meet Nick Ajluni and Nick Guillen, the co-founders of TRUFF. Their luxury hot sauce pairs well with the luxury username -- and today we discuss how they show up authentically within the many distinct environments in which they appear, from grocery to luxury retail. We also chat about their new pasta sauce line, and the cool ways in which they've won a ton of earned media with influencers and celebs.

Check out TRUFF for yourself: https://truff.com/.

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE, AND ADAM, ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LinkedIn (Authentic Avenue): https://www.linkedin.com/company/68049428/

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

How do you break into the influencer world? As a brand, how do you best leverage them?

This episode is the first of hopefully many within Authentic Avenue in which I dive into the world of influencers and the people within brands who manage that function directly.

Today, I learn more about this particular avenue through the perspective of Dyson and Alex Mack. Alex is an Associate Communications Manager at the consumer tech brand, and he launched its influencer program. We chat about that journey, what he foresees for Dyson going forward, as well as how to navigate the noise of influencer tech.

Learn more about Alex's journey at Dyson here: https://careers.dyson.com/en-gb/who-we-are/meet-our-people/alex-mack/.

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Today I have a double feature for the show: two fantastic founders & CEOs coming together for a partnership benefiting businesses run by females of color.

On this episode you'll meet Heidi Zak, the founder & CEO of ThirdLove, the third largest e-commerce intimates apparel brand in the U.S. The brand has launched a program called “The TL Effect,” created to encourage and support early-stage consumer-focused companies run by female entrepreneurs of color. You'll also meet Arah Sims, Founder and CEO of Kyütee_ _Beauty, who is the winning recipient of its first grant.

It's a pleasure to be able to feature this blossoming partnership -- this host hopes more programs like the TL Effect are launched by brands in the future, especially ones aimed at directly supporting businesses owned by females and entrepreneurs of color.

Learn more about the TL Effect: https://blog.thirdlove.com/the-tl-effect/.

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Made In: the DTC cookware brand which raises a glass to you raising your standards.

Today you'll meet its cofounders, Jake Kalick and Chip Malt. Though the brand is just a few years old, their product story begins in 1929 -- a fact which offers valuable learning to the podcast with regard to how brand development strengthens one's authenticity over time.

We also talk about how digitally native brands vs generationally-built ones differ, as well the ways in which Made In flips the universe when it comes to partners and supply chain.

So look sharp and enjoy the conversation today as I get real with Made In through Jake Kalick and Chip Malt.

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)

Additional sounds by Mediaman57 (https://freesound.org/people/Mediaman57/) via CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

Daily Harvest: a clean DTC meal brand taking care of food so that food can take care of you.

When Rachel Drori founded Daily Harvest, she noticed that all the ways in which "Big Food" launched its lineup were too reactive to be on the cutting edge. Rather than wait until a revenue opportunity appears from a trend, Rachel has sought to catch the upswing of product lifecycles and flip the script on her larger competitors.

But it begs the question: why isn't all food customer-driven like this?

Today, Rachel will help answer that question. So blend up a green smoothie and enjoy as I get real with Daily Harvest and Rachel Drori.

Check out Daily Harvest's menu: https://www.daily-harvest.com/app/browse. (My favorites are the harvest bowls and flatbreads!)

FOLLOW AUTHENTIC AVENUE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Email Adam: [email protected]

Learn more at https://authenticavenuemedia.com/.

Theme Song: Extreme Energy (Music Today 80)