Gina Sisk, Media Director at Manna Inc / Bridgeman Foods, discusses the balance between local tie-ins and national campaigns and why AI still needs a human touch to win.
Do you prefer brand awareness or performance? What is your preferred marketing channel? In this series, we get to know past Insider Summit attendees and ask about their
preferences.
Gina Sisk, Media
Director, Manna Inc / Bridgeman Foods:
- Local Team Tie-Ins or National Campaigns: I actually think there is a place for both as one can set the stage and
the other can amplify locally as long as overall strategies align.
- Short Redemption Windows or Season-Long Rewards: Short Redemption Windows – in this day and age
when media/messaging is heightened all around us, an immediate call to action breaks through and resonates creating an experiential moment in time that guests want to be a part of.
- Outcome-Based Offers or Guaranteed Discounts: The outcome-based offer makes the experience more exciting/rewarding.
- Flexible Media Activation or
Pre-Committed Buys: I could argue for both – While it’s great to have the committed buy in place to know there is coverage, it’s also nice when those partners can pivot
on a dime when market/sales conditions call for it. A healthy mix of both is ideal. The trick is to have contingencies built into the pre-committed buys as a safeguard should a pivot be needed.
- AI-Powered Optimization or Human Gut Instinct: Again, both! AI has its advantages but without the human touch /oversight /accountability we’re leaving too much to
chance. At the end of the day if sales/traffic are thriving powered by AI optimization, our goal should be not to rest and let it “do its thing” but to work that much harder to ensure
we’re thoroughly understanding the “why?” and simultaneously anticipating and are prepared for the next challenge.
- Always-On Campaigns or Tentpole
Moments: While always-on keeps your brand/message top of mind, unless you have something really compelling to say, that can become white noise vs the Tentpole moments if they create the
necessary excitement and engagement and result in moving the business forward.
- Chocolate or Vanilla Wendy’s Frosty: Always Chocolate – any day that ends in
Y!
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