Marketing Major

Welcome to Season 4! New hosts, new guests, new year, new vibesssss. Join us in this first episode as we introduce our hosts and you get to know them a bit better. From our University hot takes to what we really think about influencer marketing we are warming up the season with an exciting first episode.

It’s a wrap on Season 3!!! Thank you for sticking with us for this long, we hope you enjoy this last episode of the season and join us back on Season 4!

To start things off, Jenaya puts the boys on Poshmark and Moh talks us through his annual Air Force 1 splurge. Moh has slept on Parks and Rec for too long and now Jenaya has to watch both that and the Office, end of story. [0-10:27]  Today we are joined by the OG Marketing Major Podfather Josh Radostits, who is a recent marketing grad from the U of A. We talked about the transition into “the real world” and what it was like graduating right into a pandemic. We try to crack the code on how you get your first job. We then dive into the whole imposter syndrome talk that marketers love and how quickly it sets in for Josh. [10:30-26:14 ] Moh reminisces about the past and shares how quirky of a guy Josh is and we learn about some of his new hobbies that are certainly better than watching paint dry. Josh then shares the wild twists and turns of his recent engagement to his now wonderful fiance Peyton. [26:18-36:19]

Josh tells us about his new position as an account coordinator at FKA and how there are some things that came easy but also some things that required a bit of skill. Moh questions how much actual content from our classes is used in a real job and we discuss what we learn beyond just the in-class content. [36:24-45:45]

Alex flips the script to Moh and Jenaya, our graduating members of the team to hear what life was like post-grad and what it took to release those university toxins from the system. We look ahead at the importance of both liking the people you’re surrounded with at work and knowing what you want in a company culture. We wrap up the episode by getting Josh’s seal of approval of the new directions the podcast has taken, congratulating Moh on his lovely run, and passing the torch to the new host of the next season! [45:50-1:04:08]

thanks for the laughs, friends

until next time!

Your eyes do not deceive you, we are indeed talking Public Relations today. The hosts generically discuss how their finals season was and get sidetracked by their quirky exam anxieties. Friendly tip: NEVER CHANGE YOUR ANSWER!!!!! Moh tries pitching a campaign idea to the hosts and let's just say it still needs some work. [0:00 - 7:00]

We then dive deep into the identity crisis that comes with graduating, it’s truly unhinging. [7:08 - 16:24]

We are blessed with the presence of Lori Harito who is a talented journalist turned publicist out of Toronto. Alex and Lori bond over their heritage which was absolutely hilarious! [16:30 - 18:20]

Lori lets us into her journey to becoming a publicist and eventually starting her own PR agency! She paints a great picture of how her stint in journalism helped her climb the ranks in public relations. None of the hosts really knew what publicists do, what goes into a PR release, and the different approaches to publicity...until Lori explains all that great stuff of course. While Marketing and PR are closely related, Lori clarifies the subtle differences between them and their dynamic.  [18:25 - 37:29]

Being a good publicist boils down to connections and trust, Lori tells us how she’s gone about building both while dropping some great tips. Moh has a minor anxiety attack over how stressful being a publicist seems, it really takes a special breed to keep it all together. It turns out it's pretty easy to go through a PR nightmare, the way brands respond is really the deciding factor and most do it wrong. [37:35 - 51:21]

We then switch gears into how the pandemic affected Lori and the nature of PR. Her agency was taking off right before everything shut down but somehow she found a way to make it work.  [51:26 - 56:14]

It’s time for PR NIGHTMARE!!! We put Lori through our new guest segment game. We throw some ~ hypothetical ~ brand blunders and she tells us how she would handle them as that brand’s publicist. Turns out she’s really good at her job. [56:10 - 1:07:46]

The gang chats about their takeaways from our insightful discussion with Lori. You’re going to want to stick around to the end for a little announcement for what's coming up next… [1:07:52 - 1:14:36]

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The gang is back and we’re bringing the energy right out of the gates! The boys trade stories about recent laundry mishaps that have mostly turned out okay. Jenaya talks through her not so friendly relationship with spiders. Luckily, she has two warrior co-hosts who are well versed in spider combat. (0:00-6:46)

Today we are joined by Anita Chauhan, a stellar marketer out of Toronto with a profound background in EDI and inclusive marketing. She begins by detailing her transition from law into marketing and tells us how she got into the inclusive marketing space through her involvement with Women in Tech. We all talk through the definitions of EDI and inclusive marketing and go through the differences between the two. We explore some key concepts to good inclusive marketing such as avoiding performative action, making small acts of defiance that can lead to bigger change, and why tokenism doesn’t work. (6:46 - 31:20)

We discuss what an acceptable pace is when trying to enact change and being thoughtful and intentional about your activism by using our privilege for good. We question why it seems so many brands struggle with inclusive marketing and EDI as a whole. Anita brings up key concepts such as not putting people in a box, ensuring that brands are actually talking to their customers, and other approaches to engaging with the community. We offer inclusive pricing as an option and discuss if it is really viable or effective. We finish off the conversation by talking through some mistakes that Anita has made in the past and talk through how and why we see brands missing the mark in their inclusive marketing attempts. (31:20 - 1:04:32)

Astrology 101: Anita uses her deep passion for astrology to teach us a little bit about it. We learn that there are a lot more layers to it beyond the cheesiness of the daily horoscopes and how it’s kind of making a comeback into the mainstream recently. We also learn that there’s something mildly suspicious with the timing of certain planets and certain recent world events. She then puts her knowledge to the test by trying to guess all of the hosts’ signs and then talking us through what the different signs actually mean. Not gonna lie… some of it was mad accurate. (1:04:32 - 1:26:30)

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Oh snap!! The hosts have taken over. I mean...we’ve always been in control, but now we’ve RLLY gone rogue. On this episode of Marketing Major, the hosts get to debating hot button marketing topics amongst themselves. We start off by talking about online shopping and the pros and cons of having ~options~. We then try to figure out why Vancouver fashion is always 2 steps ahead of Edmonton; it truly brings out the best in us when we make the trip over. It does make a difference to live in surroundings that just feel more inspiring. [0:00-11:12]

Alex introduces a discussion about movie trailers and how much we pay attention to them. There is always a time and place for trailers, but often they show too much or misinform the consumer’s expectations. We ask ourselves if movie trailers make the overall movie watching experience better or worse overall. As usual, Moh tries to revolutionize the trailer game and the gang tries to crack the puzzle. [11:20-28:18]

On the topic of movies, we discuss Ryan Reynold’s ad agency Maximum Effort that is making viral ads ONLY. We talk about if storytelling is really a difference-maker or just another buzzword in the advertising industry. Jenaya questions the reason for Gosling’s success in advertising. Is it actual know-how or just a big name? We then transition to talking about Super Bowl commercials and how their formula completely lacks relevancy. We discuss how influencer marketing can be authentic and GRILL Moh on what he deems to be the most authentic marketing. Jenaya and Moh reflect on some of the ethical qualms of working in marketing and following your own values...again.[28:28-59:09]

Coming off of International Women’s Day, we bring up the Burger King Twitter meltdown and discuss when shock value goes terribly wrong. We talk about how there is value in giving power back to hurtful and dehumanizing language but the intention isn’t enough if the execution is imperfect. While these attempts are often paired with valuable action, the lacklustre execution of it all often causes more damage than good. We pose the question “Should brands just donate their budget to the causes rather than build a campaign about it?” We also debate if it is ethical for brands to use movements for equality and justice like International Women's Day or even Black History Month as an opportunity to run a campaign and how much better it would be if companies focused on genuine action rather than advertising in those times. [59:00 -14:49]

We round out today’s episode by looking at recent rebrands that companies have done and play a classic game of Hot or Not. From Beartracks, to KIA, we discuss what the purpose of the change was and if we feel like it was any good and if it was necessary at all, we are the experts after all. [1:14:56- 1:33:00]

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You want me to put a down payment of how much?!

The team starts by dreaming about homeownership goals and aspirations. Jenaya and Alex share a little moment about tiny homes and the whole gang share their expensive tastes. We then try to envision our future trajectories and plan a youth takeover of the Island or simply romanticize starting fresh in Europe. We add a little bit of spice with some trending business buzzwords. [0:45 - 16:52]

Today we’re talking with John Rota and Ngoni Nyazika from the Müve Team about all things real estate! In their introductions, both guys talk about their unique route to getting into the industry and show that there is no one-size-fits-all way of becoming an agent. John mentions that getting into real estate is easier than we think (perhaps too easy?) and Ngoni shares the benefits of having a team vs. starting solo. [16:56 - 37:30]

Diving into marketing specifics, we talk about the relationship between real estate groups and brokerages. We discuss their marketing techniques and how a group like Müve Team assists agents in developing their personal brands as well. We compare and contrast geographic farming, real estate’s most popular marketing strategy, with the Müve Team’s digital strategy. [37:36 - 57:48]

Finally, we bring COVID into the mix a little bit. We look into how the dynamic between agent and client has changed with more digital and masked interactions becoming necessary. We also look ahead to see what their expectations are for the industry not only with COVID but also Gen-Z and Millenials’ perceptions of home buying. [57:55 - 1:16:50]

We close out the show with a classic game of Price Is Right! We made short Edmonton house listing descriptions and make them guess the closest price without going over. It’s the real estate vet vs. the new kid on the block in today’s matchup and these old friends like to get competitive with each other. But wait! Things get extra spicy when one of them starts to recognize some of the properties? You’ll have to stay tuned to see what happens. [1:16:56 - end]

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What’s this??? A new episode of Marketing Major??? Who would’ve thought?? (Well...us really). With our first episode of the new year, we had to get our resolutions out of the way. As we do in every episode, we reminisce a little about campus life. We then run through the classes we’re taking this semester. We're all having a bit of fun with our courses because we’re in a pandemic so why not??? Alex apparently had fun in Intro Accounting and we try to unpack that...[0:47-27:50]. 

We are joined today by Jamie Bay, Marketer, Entrepreneur, and International Wellness Speaker. Jamie walks us through her journey from being a university student to an award-winning marketer [28:00-44:23]. We then talk about how Jamie got involved with mental health activism and how wellness is incorporated at Rogue 52, Jamie’s Agency. Jamie opens up about her own mental health journey and her experience with managing her mental health in the industry and as an entrepreneur [45:47- 1:13:40]. Oh imposter syndrome….does it ever stop? Apparently not. But it can be managed and we talk about some different approaches you can take in your personal and professional lives [1:13:45-1:26:35]. 

We wrap up our chat with Jamie with “Jamie’s Wellness Tips” where she shares her go-to tips for managing your wellness and mental health in any stage of your journey. She has A LOT, we recommend trying one at a time [1:26:40-1:39:50]. We finally wrap it up by reflecting on the conversation and Jamie’s tips [1:39:50-End]. Hope you stick around :) Thank you for listening!!!

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It’s a holiday miracle! A new MM episode hot off the press!

The Marketing Major podcast gets a fan recording… No wait that was just for Jenaya. Alex elevator pitches a lukewarm cup of water and Moh INSISTS on ordering his holiday bevs on the app. [0:59 - 12:39]

We are joined today by Meghann and Karine from Re:Plenish, a local zero-waste refillery in Edmonton. They talk about the start of their store and what it’s like to work with a good friend. We make sure that the store pets (a dog and a BUNNY y’all!) are treated fairly for all the hard work they put into the in-store experience. [13:20 - 30:09]

Their personal values guide their marketing above anything else, showcasing their expertise despite lacking traditional biz experience. We learn that Re:Plenish grew using social media and traditional media, while NEVER looking back on media appearances. The dynamic duo focuses on keeping things simple and not setting boundaries for themselves. There is more to business than growth, and taking things slowly can be very beneficial. [31:34 - 46:32]

We dive into how they keep marketing ethical when marketing itself is not super sustainable in nature. They explain their ‘Litmus Test’ for ethical practices and how it can intervene in some decisions, even for them. Jenaya voices her crisis but Meghann and Karine reassure her that there is a space for these businesses more than ever. Their strength is their authenticity and it’s an exciting time to be a part of it. Being completely ethical and sustainable is practically impossible and being honest is an important element of it. Looking more specifically at their personal careers, Meghann and Karine talk about how they’re more focused on growing their movement rather than their business and how they don’t necessarily plan on doing this forever. [46:32 - 1:26:00]

When You’re In a Bind But You Want To Save The Planet: We throw some zero-waste swap scenarios at our favourite zero-waste pros and they are ON IT! We go from the grocery store, to the cafe, to the holidays. We discover that being eco-friendly is just easier if you know how to juggle. Elliott has a quick word with us too. [1:26:08 - 1:43:47]

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It's a SEASON PREMIERE! A new year brings a brand new season of the Marketing Major Podcast. While the name remains the same, we've got a new format and a new team to spice things up! In our first ~official~ episode, we’re going big with the longest Marketing Major episode to date because…why not? We dare you to listen to it all in one go.

First, the gang talks about music streaming preferences and Alex's Big Disc Energy (spoiler alert: it was not the name of the episode). Moh speaks out against suits and pledges allegiance to the Turtleneck™️. [0:49 - 14:40]

Next, we are joined by veteran podcaster Adam Rozenhart, as he walks us through his super dynamic career and outlines the importance of unapologetically dedicating yourself to your passions [14:48 - 55:47]. Then, we supplement your education with something curriculum often leaves out—what even is storytelling, and what implications might it have for your career in a digital context? [56:59 - 1:39:33]

Role Reversal: In today's special Guest Segment Adam becomes the new host of the pod and turns the spotlight onto the hosts. He asks them questions about their experience in university, their plans post-undergrad, and provides some guidance for us coming out of school and into this wacky world. [1:39:41 - 1:56:57]

Lastly, if you made it this far, you might as well stick it out ‘till the end for a somewhat succinct debrief and Moh’s quote(s) of the day. [1:57:05 - end]

What can we say? This episode is filled with absolute gems we wouldn't dare cut out. This is the content our listeners DESERVE. Thanks for hanging with us!

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We are BACK for Season 3 and our mental states are just as unstable as our internet connections. In this season prologue, we introduce the newest members of the Marketing Major team and welcome back a familiar voice. Joined by other members of the University of Alberta Marketing Association (UAMA), we warm up our podcasting muscles and chat about awkward breakout rooms, work-school-life balance, and other surprises we've noticed a month into virtual university.

The episode begins with an eclectic (read: hectic) conversation with Moh, Alex, and Jenaya, discussing everything from Michael Bublé to spooky season (1:00-18:03). After that, we introduce some members of the UAMA Bunch, Kaylin, Anjika, and Braden, and discuss their experience with classes à la Zoom (18:45-37:50). Finally, we hear from UAMA members Jill and Leo, and how they've adjusted to the semester thus far (38:47-1:04:15).

Thanks for hanging with us! Stay tuned for the first ~official~ episode of S3, dropping soon!

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