How Has AI Disrupted Marketing? Personalization, Data privacy, & the Agency Apocalypse

How much do consumers care about personalization and privacy? Is data merely bringing accountability to advertising? Are we headed towards an Agency Apocalypse? In this episode of IBM thinkLeaders podcast, we are joined by Vic Drabicky (founder & CEO of January Digital) and Jennifer Usdan McBride (Managing Partner at We Are Phase2). We talk to Vic and Jennifer about balancing data and strategy, how digital content is not merely putting a 30-second ad on YouTube, and how the human side of marketing can ensure that advertising is not boring and vanilla. We also get into Amanda’s Instagram feed and dog food ads, the impact of GDPR, and whether everyone will have a similar wardrobe in the future.

“I think content is really important, but digital content isn't just taking a thirty-second ad and putting it on YouTube.”- Jennifer Usdan McBride, Managing Partner at We Are Phase2

“What technology is bringing to this is accountability. It's getting rid of the laziness in advertising.” -Vic Drabicky, founder & CEO of January Digital

Connect with us:
@IBMthinkLeaders
@vicdrabicky
@jenunifferific

BIOS

Vic Drabicky, a retail and marketing expert, is the founder and CEO of January Digital, an award-winning, data-led, full funnel digital marketing agency and in-house consultancy for leading brands including David’s Bridal, Kendra Scott NARS Cosmetics, Peapod grocery delivery and TUMI. January Digital differentiates itself from traditional executional agencies by also serving as in-house business consultants. As a result, January Digital provides fully-informed strategic leadership that drives overall business growth.

Named 2018’s Large Interactive Agency of the Year by the Interactive Marketing Awards and one of Inc.’s Fastest Growing Companies, January Digital has been recognized by the Content Marketing Awards, Digiday Awards, Drum US Search Awards, Glossy Awards, and US Search Awards, among others. Equally important, January Digital was named a Best Workplace by Ad Age, Fortune and Inc. for its pro-employee policies and Good Works program, created by Vic to make giving back to the community a company priority. Prior to founding January Digital, Vic led digital marketing strategy in-house and at leading agencies for renowned brands including Tory Burch, Nike, Cole Haan, and J. Crew.

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Jennifer has a passion for bringing digital content, social strategy, technology and innovation to life. She has worked on notable campaigns for Google, Puma, Black Lives Matter, Johnson & Johnson, Northwell Health, Microsoft, Tribeca Film Festival, TNT & PNC Bank. Her work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, Clio, Effie, One Show, Communication Arts, D&AD, AICP, Webbys, LIA, AdWeek and NY Festivals.

Some of Jennifer’s past achievements include a seismic evolution in the type of work created at J. Walter Thompson. With a focus on innovation, rooted in digital marketing and strategy she led the agency in developing award winning work for clients. In two years, she helped the agency win 23 Cannes Lions all for work in digital (the most Lions awarded in the history of the agency).

Jennifer is an outstanding creative thinker and believes that anything is possible. She brings a collaborative spirit as well as a sincerity and kindness to the projects she works on.

As a regular industry speaker, her favorite topics are the future of creativity & technology, creativity & data & emerging technology. Jennifer was invited to speak at Cannes Festival of Creativity, Advertising Week and NYVR Expo. Jennifer was most recently an awarding jury member on the Digital Craft jury for the Cannes Lions in 2018 and has judged final rounds for both the Global Effie’s in 2017 & 2018 and WARC in 2018. She has also guest lectured at the New School in NYC.