Zesty Marketing Podcast

As the National Aquarium’s director of Marketing Programs, Emma Wesoloski is no "fish out of water" when it comes to leading marketing efforts that drive attendance and enhance her organizations brand within the community.

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, the National Aquarium has been consistently ranked as one of the top three aquariums in the nation, hosting more than 51 million guests since it opened in 1981. 

At the head of the Aquarium’s paid marketing strategy, Emma recently worked to find a new agency partner to help the Aquarium develop an integrated campaign that would align their owned and paid channels, as well as drive attendance and revenue.

Let’s dive in to hear more about Emma’s experiences in marketing tourism and non-profits.

The Zesty Marketing Podcast takes a summer hiatus until September, when we return with an all-new format. Stay tuned for details!

Resources: National Aquarium website
CAMPAIGN VIDEOS: "The Water is Calling"

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Storied messaging and getting into the minds of the individuals in your brand’s audience are just a couple of ways that our podcast guests continue to be incubators for big ideas.

Jennifer Barbee, CEO, and Kristen Cruz, President, of Destination Innovate have been working in digital marketing for nearly 20 years and are redefining the ad agency model.

They’ve worked with over 400 brands, helping businesses modernize their marketing with new approaches in brand influencers and paid endorsers, looking at the bigger picture in data and statistics, and jumping on board the future of marketing – now.

Resource: Destination Innovate website

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Bartender turned distiller and CEO, Jaime Windon tells us how Lyon Distilling succeeds with a very "anti-forced marketing" perspective. She feels that giving people something of value is the best marketing there is and shares several examples of how Lyon gets it right (and where they got it wrong).

Jaime also discusses the strong collaboration with other tourism partners in St. Michaels, Maryland and other distillers throughout the state. As the president of the Maryland Distillers Guild, Jaime works constantly to promote and grow the craft spirits industry.

Resource: Lyon Distilling website

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Chris Riehl, of Baltimore Rent-A-Tour, provides custom tours to a variety of locals and visitors alike, giving them a great taste of the Maryland and DC metro area. He joins Whitney Hahn on the Zesty Marketing Podcast to discuss how he makes the most out of networking events, community relationships, and social media to boost business and tourism.

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Whether you're launching a new business or product, working to boost brand awareness, eager to promote an event, or hoping to go viral, there are countless opportunities to do so through the use of traditional media like print news, magazines, radio and television. The key is knowing whom to contact and what to say when you do.

The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and American Advertising Federation of Greater Frederick recently gathered a group of media insiders together for a panel discussion on getting noticed by the media and I had the pleasure of moderating the discussion. While not my typical podcast format or studio-crisp audio quality, the tips and strategies felt so valuable that I asked for and got permission to record it and share it with you. I hope you’ll forgive a few inconsistencies in our sound mix.

Representatives from five local media outlets gave us an amazing cross-section of views. Panelists included Guy Fletcher, editor in chief of Frederick Magazine, Andy Wyatt, vice-president and general manager of Nexstar Media, WDVM, Geordie Wilson, publisher at the Frederick News Post, Kim Dow, owner and creative director of Sass Magazine, and Dianah Gibson, news director of WFMD and WFRE radio.

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The Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance (MATPRA) is a cohesive tourism unit comprised of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC! They serve travel journalists from across the country and their DMO partners by providing resources for destination marketers to network with each other and pitch to the media, ignoring geographic boundaries and empowering tourism in the region.

Melissa Muntz of Visit Frederick, MD, and Kaitie Burger of Discover Lehigh Valley, PA, are on the Board of Directors for MATPRA. One of their biggest annual events is the Media Marketplace, a conference that brings journalists and DMOs together at a host destination. Melissa and Kaitie will talk about how they decide who is allowed to attend the Marketplace and how it benefits the tourism industry for the better. They'll also share some tips for networking and building relationships.

Download our 5 Step Podcast Startup Checklist for free if you're considering starting your own podcast!

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People are catching onto the “buzz” about honey wine at Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery in Middletown, MD. Mead is a unique and lesser known alcoholic drink than beer, wine, and spirits. It’s made with fermented honey, which of course comes from some of our most important insects - bees!

Dan Kennedy is our podcast guest from Orchid Cellar, and he'll talk to us about how he uses community partners, events, and appeals to history buffs and pop culture enthusiasts to get people onboard the mead train. He'll also share with us some startling bee facts (and puns), including how many thousands of pounds of honey Orchid Cellar needs to produce their mead every year (it will probably astound you)!

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A bayside campground unlike any other, Buttonwood Beach is incredibly unique in that guests sign a 99-year renewable lease on the properties. In some cases, up to five generations of campers have enjoyed going to Buttonwood, finding seashells by the Chesapeake Bay and getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Deb Carter operates and markets Buttonwood Beach. She will share with us some of her marketing success, including how she and her team planned and celebrated Buttonwood’s 45th birthday last summer, which turned out to be a smash hit that campers of all ages loved! She’ll talk about the importance of forming real, authentic relationships with your customers and the power of word-of-mouth marketing, so listen up!

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The Good People, Good Marketing Podcast is hosted by Adam Walker, co-founder of Sideways8 Interactive, a web design and digital marketing firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. Our very own host of the Zesty Marketing Podcast (and managing partner of Digital Bard), Whitney Hahn, was featured on the podcast. In her episode titled, "People don't give to need, they give to success," Whitney gets up on her soapbox and talks all about her favorite thing: what's new and wonderful in video marketing. Hear what she has to say and how it could change your life and the way you market.

This week's guest, Natalie Lauzon, is the Business Development Manager for 50 Degrees North, a travel operator specializing in the Scandinavian and Nordic countries. Natalie will dive into how she and her company craft unique custom-made tours targeting niche groups of travelers, including women-only trips. By forming valuable partnerships with both industry and non-industry partners, 50 Degrees North creates one of a kind tours that give travelers the incredible experiences they've been looking for.

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