OUTdrive

As marketing director of the Missouri State Fair, Kari Mergen leads the charge, overseeing all aspects of strategic development including budget, creative, media and public relations activities, social media and event planning for the greatest ten days in Missouri. The fair is Missouri's largest agricultural expo, showcasing the best of Missouri's agriculture, agribusiness, domestic and fine arts.

Kari began her career as an educator, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Central Missouri and becoming a high school English and journalism teacher. However, she later joined the marketing team for the Fair, where she has gained more than twelve years of experience in the industry. Her love for education runs deep and she continues to pursue her passion through mentoring numerous interns at the fair each year, providing young marketers with experience and knowledge in an engaging and unique environment.

Learn about Kari's managerial motto and hear what Cliff and Kari have to say about reaching multiple target audiences at once, welcoming new ideas and fresh perspectives and the importance of continuously learning as a professional. Listen now!

What you'll learn:

• Kari shares her personal and professional motto: Trust but confirm
• The unique, collaborative effort that the Fair industry provides
• Kari's views on professional development and welcoming new perspectives
• The value of knowing your target market and the unique challenge of defining the Fair's target audience
• Kari shares her passion for educating and mentoring young professionals
• Tips that Kari believes are essential to developing a collaborative and strategic team
• Why Kari lives and loves the rural American lifestyle and what it means to her
• Kari's thoughts on the evolution of media and how these changes affect the Fair's marketing efforts

As executive director of the Missouri Beef Industry Council, Mark Russel serves Missouri's 45,000 beef producers through his personal and professional experience in the beef industry.

Mark is a life-long advocate for agriculture promotion and education. Growing up on a cow calf operation in central Missouri, Mark has been involved in the beef industry since he was just seven years old. Throughout his career, he has worked with cattle organizations, departments of agriculture and economics and commodity organizations to educate and advocate for the beef industry.

Throughout his career, Mark has found that the beef industry provides similar challenges to other industries. He and his team are continuously challenged to find ways to connect with younger audiences that consume media in ever evolving ways. Embracing digital and social media has proven invaluable to Mark, a lesson that resonates with many professionals. Although it can be difficult to engage consumers, Mark has been successful in educating and connecting with consumers about the beef industry.

Hear more from Cliff and Mark about the importance of listening, creating a strategic plan to engage hard-to-reach audiences and the value of adapting new technologies and strategies as society evolves. Listen now for more insights!

What you'll learn:

• How Mark has built a career in the beef industry over the past forty years
• The importance of listening to understand and using the information to best meet the needs of your audience
• How to approach the challenge of reaching younger generations through marketing efforts
• The importance of digital marketing and how to most effectively utilize it to reach your target audiences
• Mark's thoughts on the importance of personal communication in a world of evolving technology
• Why it is vital to meet consumers where they are and provide them with timely, relevant information that they are seeking
• The role of social media in marketing efforts for the Missouri Beef Industry Council
• Mark's views on the importance of educating and informing consumers about where their food comes from
• What rural America means to Mark and his thoughts on how it is changing

As executive director of the Missouri Beef Industry Council, Mark Russel serves Missouri’s 45,000 beef producers through his personal and professional experience in the beef industry.

Mark is a life-long advocate for agriculture promotion and education. Growing up on a cow calf operation in central Missouri, Mark has been involved in the beef industry since he was just seven years old. Throughout his career, he has worked with cattle organizations, departments of agriculture and economics and commodity organizations to educate and advocate for the beef industry.

Throughout his career, Mark has found that the beef industry provides similar challenges to other industries. He and his team are continuously challenged to find ways to connect with younger audiences that consume media in ever evolving ways. Embracing digital and social media has proven invaluable to Mark, a lesson that resonates with many professionals. Although it can be difficult to engage consumers, Mark has been successful in educating and connecting with consumers about the beef industry.

Hear more from Cliff and Mark about the importance of listening, creating a strategic plan to engage hard-to-reach audiences and the value of adapting new technologies and strategies as society evolves. Listen now for more insights!

What you’ll learn:

• How Mark has built a career in the beef industry over the past forty years
• The importance of listening to understand and using the information to best meet the needs of your audience
• How to approach the challenge of reaching younger generations through marketing efforts
• The importance of digital marketing and how to most effectively utilize it to reach your target audiences
• Mark’s thoughts on the importance of personal communication in a world of evolving technology
• Why it is vital to meet consumers where they are and provide them with timely, relevant information that they are seeking
• The role of social media in marketing efforts for the Missouri Beef Industry Council
• Mark’s views on the importance of educating and informing consumers about where their food comes from
• What rural America means to Mark and his thoughts on how it is changing

David is an accomplished marketer, with more than 20 years of experience in retail and wholesale power and gas markets. He is the founder and managing partner of Enermark Consulting, helping clients find optimal solutions for their energy, risk management and efficiency needs.

David has shared his professional insights through leadership roles at several wholesale and retail energy companies including Aquila, Engie North America and Champion Energy. He is active in the World Affairs Council of Houston, Texas and is a past board member of the council.

Throughout his career, David has emphasized the importance of understanding clients and the unique challenges of their business to maintain a working knowledge to serve them well. Embracing new technology and its capabilities has also been integral to David's success, using it to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of his clients.

Hear what David has to say about the importance of embracing technology and social media, welcoming new opportunities with open arms and providing value as a professional by being willing to learn. Click play to gain more industry insights.

What you'll learn:

• The power of knowing your clients and consumers well and how to best meet their needs while giving them a choice in the marketplace
• How data and capabilities technology is shortening the distance between clients and consumers
• The importance of being willing to learn and welcome new opportunities with open arms
• Ways that embracing technology have helped David build a successful business and career
• The unique challenges professionals face when marketing to rural America and how to best navigate them
• David shares what rural America means to him on a professional and personal level
• David shares his thoughts on what makes a successful marketer and communicator

Nip Neidert has built a lifelong career in the agriculture communications and advertising industry. A Jefferson City, Missouri native, Nip earned his degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis on Commercial Art from Lincoln University. He started his career as a Sales Representative for Data Comm before finding his way into the radio advertising industry. He is a military veteran, having served in the Missouri Army National Guard, and he has been involved in numerous state and national farm and agriculture boards.

Early in his career, Nip served as the Director of Ag Sales and Partner at Learfield Communications, a fast-growing radio network that has since grown into a giant in sports and agriculture programming. Nip was a part of the team when the business was first taking off and helped set the stage for where it is today.

He eventually started his own advertising company, Neidert Associates. His son Andy joined the team and together they built a very successful company, representing a variety of ag magazines to brands all over the country. Nip has always valued a positive attitude and strong work ethic and has exemplified that throughout his career. He views work as an opportunity to grow personally and professionally and loves the unique challenges each day provides.

Hear more from Cliff and Nip about the importance of creating a personal brand, marketing to rural America and the value of a positive attitude and strong work ethic. Listen to the latest episode of OUTdrive now!

What you'll learn:

• The power of a positive attitude
• How Nip built a successful, yet unexpected, career in agriculture communications
• Tips for why and how to become regarded as an expert in your field
• The importance of selling yourself and creating a personal brand
• The value of a strong work ethic and taking pride in your work
• The power and importance of social media to create a personal relationship with your audience
• What rural America means to Nip and how it is changing in his eyes

We're all looking to the future and anxious for life to get back to normal. In this OUTdrive episode, Cliff discusses the unique phases of the pandemic from a marketing perspective in an intriguing solocast. He shares strategies that your brand can implement to drive your business growth as the market recovers and we transition to new normal. Cliff shares insight into how companies have been affected in the midwest and specific marketing strategies brands can implement to connect with audiences and provide valuable content during these transitional times.

What you'll learn:

• The three unique phases of the COVID-19 pandemic from a marketing perspective
• Ways successful brands pivoted and adapted throughout the COVID-19 journey to be positioned for growth
• Ways to leverage new creative assets and valuable content for your customers
• The importance of utilizing digital marketing tactics as digital is being used more now than ever
• How to introduce new ideas and concepts to connect with customers through new interests
• The unique ways that the Midwest and rural America have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and what that means for marketers going forward
• The importance of thinking outside the box as the world transitions to a new normal

OUTdrive shares actionable marketing insights you can apply to help you reach, connect and convert rural American consumers. In the first episode, Cliff Callis, owner and President of Callis, puts the pedal to the metal sharing the story of the evolution of OUTdrive and how it came to be, a brief history of Callis as an agency and some of his favorite nuggets of wisdom.

Cliff founded Callis Advertising in 1987 in his hometown of Sedalia, Missouri. Recognizing a need for a strong advertising agency in the community, Cliff set out to utilize his experience in retail, merchandising and management. Over the years, Callis has grown and adapted to new technologies as the marketing environment evolved. Cliff has built a successful marketing agency focusing on market planning, creating ads and buying media and then leading the agency through the digital revolution. Serving those who seek to reach a rural American audience, Callis offers a wide range of innovative and forward-thinking marketing and advertising services.

Hear from Cliff about the power of following your dreams, taking advantage of new opportunities and tips for establishing yourself and business as a thought leader. Buckle up and listen in now for more insights!

What you'll learn:

• The history of Callis as an agency
• Several of Cliff's personal and professional nuggets of wisdom
• The evolution and future of OUTdrive
• How to position yourself and business as a leader in your industry