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Interesting people, insightful points of view and incredible stories on what’s popping and not popping in marketing, tech, and culture you can use to win immediately. Brands, Beats and Bytes boldly stands at the intersection of brand, tech and culture. DC and Larry are fascinated with stories and people behind some of the best marketing in the business. No matter how dope your product, if your marketing sucks your company may suck too. #dontsuck
DC: Let's go. You're listening to another podcast of Brands, Beats and Bytes. Brand Nerds, today is a very special day. Sometimes we meet people and they're like friends of ours that we have seen and known throughout our years and our careers, but it's not often that we get two of them from the same area.
I'm going to let Larry say a little bit about that early, but we don't necessarily get pairs on Brands, Beats and Bytes. The other thing, uh, brand nerds, you all know that we started Brands, Beats and Bytes. At the, at the zoo, KZSU, the public radio station at Stanford university. So we were, we were at Palo Alto LT. You know, this, you and I and Jay. In the heart of Silicon Valley and Brand Nerds here and in the 49 other countries that listen to us, we all understand how important tech is, especially now that we have AI, all of these different things that are happening is tech, tech, tech, tech, tech. Well, Larry, you and I grew up in brand management. And so when we were coming up, CPGs and marketers and brand. We were kind of like the cat's meow. Brand Nerds in the area of tech communications and PR. That's the cat's meow. That's the cat's meow. And today Brand Nerds and LT. We've got someone in the building who is at the tip of the spear at understanding that both comms and PR in the tech world. This is going to be a treat LT. Who do we have, auspiciously in our building today?
LT: Ooh, what a good preface D. I love it. DC. We have Paige Young in the house today. Welcome Paige.
Paige Young: Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
LT: We're thrilled to have you. And uh, all right, D, as I was very fortunate to work with Paige when we were both at Edelman. Not only is she a highly successful C suite tech exec, she is also really good people. That mix does not happen often enough. And one of the many reasons why Paige is exceptional. Truth be told, we have been trying to get Paige on the podcast for a long time, and we are really happy we finally have her on.
Also, Brand Nerds, you should know Paige's husband, Wayne Hickey, is a prior guest. Album 2, Track 24, we actually re ran Wayne's episode last week, since it was so good and we thought it would be a great lead in for this one with Paige. Plus, as I texted Wayne, with having Paige now, we really are saving the best for last, but I do digress.
DC: So, can I ask you a quick question? Have we, have we ever had a, a pair on a married pair? Have we, has that ever happened on Brand V somebody?
LT: Not with separate, this is the first one, separate, separate episodes, right?
DC: Okay. All right. I thought, Oh, this is good. This is going to be good. Uh, maybe we can get Paige to give us a little dirt on her hubby, but okay, let's go, let's go.
Paige Young: I'm ready. I'm ready.
LT: Wayne's going to love this, right Paige? Let's get into Paige's amazing background though. So Paige is truly one of the very best PR comms leaders in all of Silicon Valley. That's what DC was alluding to when we have great accomplished guests, like Paige, we love for our Brand Nerds to hear the path.
She has taken from college through present day, so let's do it. Paige went to college at the University of South Florida, earning her degree in Mass Communications and English Lit. After graduation, Paige joins gaming company Wild Tangent, clear across the country in Seattle, first as a PR Manager, then Marketing Communications Manager.
Paige then gets an opportunity to join game engine developer Lith Tech as Director of Marketing Communications, obviously a step up in responsibility and all that goes with it. Brand Nerds, please note, this is the first of many instances where Paige does this exceedingly well in her career. The next move for Paige is to join top PR firm, Weber Shanwick, working on many facets of the prominent Microsoft account.
She joins as account director, and in her five successful years there, she works her way up to VP. Then Paige gets a fantastic opportunity to jump back to the client side, joining Expedia as Director of PR, and she is eventually promoted to Director of Global Marketing and Communications. So Brand Nerds, here is where relationships and doing a great job pays dividends in ways you cannot imagine.
Paige jumps back to the agency side, joining Edelman, one of the largest global communications PR firms, on the Microsoft Stores account. If Paige doesn't do really well in the Microsoft account while at Weber Shanwick, this simply doesn't happen. Paige does so well in this role, a couple of years later she is promoted by Edelman to be their EVP and Global Client Relationships Manager for the very important Adobe account.
The best description of Paige's job performance on the Adobe account is Adobe asked Paige to join the company as their Senior Director for the Creative Cloud Communications. After three years at Adobe, tech customer solutions provider Zendac comes calling and Paige joins them as their VP of Communications.
After a stint also as VP of comms at Unity Technologies, Paige jumps to a big promotion, joining her current company, ServiceNow, as their Chief Communications Officer. At ServiceNow, they believe in the power of technology to reduce complexity and make the world a better place by helping digitize and unify organizations so they can find smarter, faster, better ways to make work flow.
Some highlights for ServiceNow, which by the way, Paige, this blew me away, and their 22,000 employees are three bullets that come out. 2. 2 billion in Q3 subscription, subscription revenues, 98 percent renewal rate, and approximately 85 percent of the Fortune 500 use ServiceNow. As the leader of global communications and service, now Paige and her team build highly influential communications and PR strategies that enhance the service now brand reputation with both external and internal audiences.
Paige and her team also drive high visibility media opportunities to raise profiles of Service now leaders. We are super excited to finally get her on the show. And this is going to be a real fun one Brand Nerds. Welcome to brands, beeps and bites Paige Young,
Paige Young: Alittle tired, just hearing that description, but very humbled.
LT: You did it all
Paige Young: Over, over 30, 30 years, but yeah. Yeah. Thank you so much. That's probably the best Intro I will ever have in my career.
DC: These are your flowers. These are your flowers that you have, you have already seeded, planted, grown water. They're all you. And Larry does a fantastic job of that. And Paige, whenever he does this, I enjoy watching the faces. I know some of, most of the brand nerds will listen to this. They won't see the visual, but I enjoy seeing the faces of our guests as these things are being read. Now I'm going to be morbid for a second here, but just, just bear with me.
It's like. An obituary, but not so much. It's, it's being read while you're here and we normally hear these things when we're done. So congratulations. Congratulations.
Paige Young: Thank you. Thank you. I'm glad it was before the eulogy at my graveside. So it's nice to get a little you know, uh, you preview of that, of that moment.
DC: Well, well done Paige. All right. Brand nerds. Before we go to Get Comfy, uh, Paige, I just want to go to the brand nerds and point something out. These were the three bullet points that Larry said about a service. Now we're Paiges 2. 2 billion in Q3 subscription revenue Brand Nerds. If you took the word out subscription, that's still really good.
That's still really good. 2. 2 billion with the B. But when you add the word subscription, that gives you an indication that not the Paige and the leadership team are resting on their laurels. This is coming like that. They got to earn it. They have to earn it in a renewal rates. They have to earn it. But having a business that's based on recurring revenue.
Nectar sweet. So you're listening to someone who's been a part of building that kind of business. So I wanted to point that out to the Brand Nerds as it relates to the revenue picture. Now we go to get comfy. So get comfy is where we go into a subject just to kind of get you warmed up as we get ready for the other questions.
But, uh, I don't think you knew this Paige about me. I'm a girl dad. So I have three daughters, one of whom works with a Brand Positioning Doctors on the podcast, Hailey, who you saw at the beginning. So I am definitely a girl dad. I was raised by a grandmother and, uh, and my mom, both of whom, uh, rest in peace.
So I'm going to go to a one direction and I'm going to bring it back to me being a girl dad. So I want to talk about movies and superheroes. So if you look at the top five movies globally of all time. Two of them are Avatar. The rest of them are all Marvel movies. So the world is infatuated with superheroes as an archetype, like this superhero that does all of these things, here are three names in tech, Steve Jobs, rest in peace.
Bill Gates. Mark Zuckerberg. Globally, the story, the narrative behind these brilliant men, Jeff Bezos, let's add him into the mix here. Is somehow because of their sheer brilliance out of a garage or on a college campus, they birthed this idea and then they launched these companies and they become multi hundred billion dollar companies in some cases, market value of a trillion dollars and they did it largely on their own.
Okay, this is the narrative Brand Nerds. That's a false narrative. Yep. None of these gentlemen, as brilliant as they are, did it on their own, but the archetype remains and typically it is a male. And typically, if you look at the top 10 most valuable brands, now it's in tech. So now let me bring this question to you and Get Comfy. Paige, you are not a man, but you are in tech, but you are in tech. What's it like? And this is as, as a girl dad, as I think about my adult, um, my adult daughters. For the Brand Nerds out there that are women seeking to be successful in tech specifically where this superhero narrative about men and how smart they are, uh, and how brilliant they are pervades, how have you been able to distinguish yourself and have you found anything that has come up throughout your matriculation where you thought, because I am a woman, I need to kind of move a bit differently? Anything like that for you?
Paige Young: I mean, I would say, um, every woman probably in every industry and every sector has felt the need to very carefully consider how they show up in the workplace. Um, you know, it's a term that's sometimes often called covering, which is you have to just give extra thought to, um, how you appear in the room to how you write your emails to how you dress. I think the good news is, is that is starting to shift, but you can't pretend that it's gone away at all. And it is. It's unfortunate. Um, I, you know, I think you'll probably find through the course of this interview, I'm pretty real. I'm pretty transparent, but I think there are a lot.
LT:
That's a yes. I have to say that.
Paige Young: Thank you, Larry. You can attest. Um, but I do think there is an extra layer of pressure and responsibility that female leaders or leaders from any or employees, honestly, it doesn't have to be just leaders from any under underrepresented group. You absolutely feel that and it is you just get used to it.
And it just becomes second nature to the point that sometimes you don't even realize you're doing these things. I'm really pleased that some of that's shifting and changing. And I think of, um, so many of the women on my team, you know, early in career and the confidence they have to be themselves. In the workplace and to just show up as who they are.
And I tried to greet them where they're at and just invest in them. And it's like it's such a point of pride for me. But I also can't pretend that these aren't still factors. And as a girl dad, it is something Um, you know, I'm very open to your opinion here. I'm not. I'm a, I'm a dog parent. I'm not a parent of a human, but, um, it is one of those things that I think you want to, you know, you try to guide in the best way, but also not, um, I know I guide the people on my team to not over index to it in the hopes that it's not something that they have to deal with in the future.
LT: D, I have to chime in here? That's a great answer by, by Paige, of course, and again, having worked with her, I have the benefit, Paige shows up so authentically, like, there's no BS about her, and there's no airs, she is who she is, so I think it becomes a great reflection for all those, both males and females who work with her, work with her and for her.
Um, and I think it's, she's an incredible model for the females on her team because she shows up as genuine and, uh, Paige, you know, again, you do all the things that you do and whether that's going to get your nails done, which, you know, Paige works harder than anybody, but I know that there were days where she had to go get her nails done and she was going to do it. And by the way, she would let people know I'm still available. Because Paige and I were on a couple of fire drills and that happened and and it wasn't like she was hiding, you know what I mean, like, that's who she is and it was, I, I always thought it was such a breath of fresh air and so appreciative of because she showed up that way and so, and others see that and feel that and realize that they can be their true selves too.
DC: Yeah,
Paige Young: I'm sorry. Um, I appreciate you saying that. I think the thing that I always try to do is is sort of model. Um, what, you know, what are the qualities or what are the ways of showing up in the workplace and outside of work? Um, that that really inspired me when I was building my career. Who are the people that showed up for me?
Um, and what were the qualities that really I respected and admired? Um, sometimes, yeah, I might be going to get my nails done. But there are other things. One of the things I try to do really right now. Um, and I really try to model it to my team is when I go on vacation. I'm always accessible. Um, I don't have a nine to five job.
I think we, you know, we all know that. Um, but I really try to, when I'm off, I try to be off. There's always a great way to reach me, but I really want to model the behavior. To my team that when they are vacation, they can really be on vacation. We're all so much better at our jobs when we've had a break. Um, and so I just think there are those little things, um, that, that I think can be really powerful, um, that you think are small, but they actually show your team who's watching you closely to see what are the right ways, um, of showing up. What are the, what are the things to do? And that those are things that are important to me.
DC: I've got one follow up question here, and then we'll, uh, we'll move on to the next section. Paige, uh, you've talked about showing up multiple times in this answer. You also mentioned the word confidence. I'm gonna share a very brief story about myself. When I got out of B school and I went to the Coca Cola company as a newly minted, uh, MBA um, I did not have, uh, the confidence that I should have had.
My hang up was I graduated from a, um, uh, HBCU, great school for those brand nerds who don't know what that means. That's historically Black, um, uh, college universities, HBCU. And amongst me were, uh, MBAs from Stanford, Wharton, Harvard. Uh, Fuqua Kellogg. So some of the best school Oxford, some of the best business schools in the world. And so I thought I had to be like them in my own Black skin version of it. And it, it was an unmitigated disaster. So it wasn't until I said, Oh no, I'm going to do it my way. Shout Frank Sinatra that it began to work. Was there a moment for you when you had the confidence to show up? Or has that just always been you, Paige?
LT: Well, I love this.
Paige Young: Yeah, gosh, that's a, yeah, you're, I'm digging deep here. Okay, okay, I, um, I love it. It's such a great question. I don't know if there was a specific moment. Um, but I think one of the things that, you know, age teaches you or mistakes teach you is, um, you sort of start to come into your own power in a way that I think is, is really meaningful.
And at some point you just start removing all the layers of bullshit. And, you know, I talked about covering and like how you think you're supposed to be and, and you just are yourself and that's, you know, that's the old, that's my, you know, my, my responsibility is to show up as me to bring the gifts that I, that I have, um, and to provide a platform.
So my team can do the same for themselves. And I think it was honestly just over time and coming more into myself in a way that. Um, I think I just I couldn't keep up the facade any longer. It's exhausting to be someone other than yourself. It is our jobs are difficult enough. Life is difficult enough that you just want to peel the layers and just be real.
Um, and I, you know, I was talking about some of the young people on my team. I love how real they are. Um, not that they don't feel the same pressures or, um, you know, we all felt that early in our career when you're just trying to figure something out, but you found some mentors and some people who guided you along the way.
And you just started to come into your own and you know, the confidence piece, you get some success too. You work through mistakes. I think those are the moments where you just, um, really figure out who you are and what you're made of. And I think for me, it was this sort of. On peeling back the layers of the onion and, you know, and just kind of coming into my own, that really did it for me.
DC: Paige. Thank you. We'll, we'll go now to our, uh, to our read here. Uh, but I'll, I'll just conclude by saying this, not only is it exhausting trying to be someone else other than your true self. Everyone else happens to be taken.
Paige Young: True. That's, that's all there really is. Right.
DC: Yeah. That's right. All right. Uh, uh, LT, uh, would you like to do the honor of, uh, the Specificity read? Yes,
LT: I will. So, Hey, Brand Nerds, back at you to talk with you about Specificity and Brand Nerds, we know many of you are immersed in digital marketing or simply involved in it.
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That's serious money down the drain. Here's where Specificity comes in to save the day. Specificity does not track or know user's personal data such as name, social security number, etc. Specificity uses device ID numbers similar to a VIN number on a car So they track what users are doing without knowing their personally identifiable information, working in complete harmony with the post privacy update.
Now with Specificity, both the consumer and the advertiser are happy since consumers see digital ads that are relevant for them and advertisers serve ads to people that are receptive to the message. Let's give a real life example. If our super producer Jeff's old brand Lunchables wanted to use Specificity, they can serve ads to only parents, but not just any parent. They can dial into serving ads to only working parents of children 6 to 12. Additionally, if they wanted to, they could also not serve ads to any parents who are vegetarians or vegans, consumers who are not exactly prone to buy Lunchables. Bottom line is that this would enable Lunchables to be incredibly efficient in serving their message only to those who would be most receptive and doing it in a way that completely respects said consumers privacy since they do not know or learn any personal information about these people. The bottom line is in the end of 2023 here We believe no one else out there can deliver better digital marketing results than specificity We have introduced Specificity to many clients and everyone is super happy since each client has been more successful with their digital marketing efforts than they were before.
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DC: Thank you, L. T. All right, Paige. We are now into five questions.
I ask a question. Larry asked the next. We go back and forth until we arrive at five. What was the first experience that you can recall, where a brand captivated your soul? You were into this brand, Paige. You could not get enough of this brand. When you engaged with this brand, you smiled, it brought you joy.
Not for reward, not for remuneration, not for recognition. It was just you in this brand, almost like a first love. What was this for you?
Paige Young: I, so it, it has to be Barbie. I have to give, you know, I'd love to have a more intellectual answer. I don't, it was Barbie for me. I was, I grew up in, um, And the late 70s and 80s, and it really, uh, totally sort of took over my world at that time.
I was absolutely an avid consumer and, um, and I could feel the, the tangible qualities of that brand and, you know, sort of what it meant for me, um, growing up.
LT: You're not the first guest to say that, by the way. Um, so that's interesting. Did you have you seen the movie?
Paige Young: Of course. Of course. And I loved it.
LT: It was amazing, wasn't it?
Paige Young: It did. It did. I think, you know, um, I don't know if your previous guests felt this way, but those of us who loved Barbie as young people, I think you start to sort of question, there's, there's certainly some challenges with the imagery, um, that Barbie and the, you know, the visual that Barbie put out into the world, we've all seen the super weird Barbies that, um, they sort of showcased in the movie that are just sort of troubling. Like you really thought that that was a product that you should market. And so, you know, you kind of get distance from it and you look back and wonder, you know, were you, um, were you supporting a stereotype? And the answer is yes, you absolutely were. And I just think that they did such a good job, um, hats off to the entire team, but to Greta, specifically because she just did such a good job, um, sort of putting in context that story and also breathing new life into it and focusing on the female empowerment aspects of it and women supporting women that I think was just, I mean, it was so good.
LT: Well, it was so good Paige and I've DC and I've talked about this.
I don't think on the show, but you know, what's amazing to me is that Mattel pretty much let them go because, you know, again, we've we've all you I Paige. I know you've been on this end of DC and I have as well when you're giving your brand to a third party, you know, to a creator in some form or fashion.
And, you know, you're always trying to strike the balance of how creative do you want this person to be or, or group to be versus how your brand is being portrayed and. I give huge hats off to Mattel for letting them do what they did, because they certainly didn't put the brand in just the, you know, with the movie, they didn't put the brand in the best light all the time, they did reveal all the things that you mentioned, but at the end of the day, it's the greatest two hour commercial for Barbie now going forward.
Including getting the origin story in with the Rhea Perlman character, right? Like, I'm just blown away and I think most companies, I don't know, would have had the, the fortitude and the confidence to let all that go.
Paige Young: Yeah, I think that's, it's such a great point. And I think if you read some of the, um, the stories that have come out about the making of, you knew it wasn't just that she put the script forward and they said, Great. It was a, it was a journey.
LT: That was a thumbs up Brand Nerds.
Paige Young: Yeah. Yeah. It was, uh, it was, I was absolutely a journey. Um, they had some areas of discomfort and she stayed with the course and was absolutely right. I had conviction on the story that she was trying to tell that she could do respect by the brand, but also.
Talk about the challenges and the history and some of the areas where they've gone wrong over the years. And it was so much more credible for it. And so I, um, I mean, honestly hats off to them, but, um, I think hats off to, to her, especially just because she had conviction and the bravery and the courage to know that she was on the right track.
DC: Now, I have not seen Barbie, I, I've not seen the movie, but what I have seen, Paige, um, is I've seen the reaction to the movie, uh, by those that are consumers of Barbie, like you were, and, and my daughters have been, and my sister growing up was as well, and I've also seen some of the stories about it, so my, my perspective on it is not one Who has actually seen the movie, but here is what I have been reminded by.
You mentioned Mattel, Larry, is that none of us who are in the business of building brands on the side of a client own the brand don't own it. Consumers own brand. And what Greta recognizes that, Hey, Mattel, you may have the IP rights to the brand, but you don't own this brand. And I, as a consumer, Greta, as a consumer are going to walk you all through this process of acknowledging that consumers own this brand and love this brand, and they also have some issues with this brand as well. They've got some issues, and we're going to lay it bare in a very entertaining way. So brand nerds, when you're in these meetings, take a Paige out of Greta's book. If you have an understanding of what the consumer really thinks about the brand, stay with that, even if there's discomfort along the way. That's my learning from Barbie.
LT: Huge point, D.
Paige Young: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. And I will say my own experience and I'll just speak on this briefly of that is I came up in my career in gaming, spent some time in gaming, and also in the creative work sort of working and supporting Adobe's Creative Cloud. And I think what I learned is exactly what you just said, DC.
It is really something where you have to understand this is where so many companies go wrong that they are just a conduit for the brand back to the audience that loves that brand and, um, and you really, I mean, and you see it in gaming all the time where companies kind of go off the rails. They take the story in a different direction.
They get rid of a beloved character. They don't take care of the product and the experience in a way they start charging for a bunch of extra stuff no one's expecting. And that is where they usually. You know, they hear from that community. That's the thing you can say about gamers is they will definitely share their perspective and their feelings and usually make it known quite clearly, so couldn't agree more.
DC: Hey LT, before we go to the second question, uh, so Brand Nerds, uh, our super producer, Jeff, Paige, he doesn't like, uh, Larry or I to date our podcast. So Jay doesn't like that Haley doesn't like that so that folks will listen to it and go, Oh, wait a minute now that happened, but I'm going to date this one. So, uh, brand nerds, you may or may not be aware.
LT: And D breaks this rule all the time, Paige.
Paige Young: But you acknowledge the rule while breaking it.
DC: Yeah. So Jeff, I know the rule I'm about to break. So, Brand Nerds, this past week, the world lost a, uh, a writing icon. All right. His name is Norman Lear. Norman Lear. So he is famous for many sitcoms that happened back in the seventies, uh, maybe even as far back as the sixties and the eighties, uh, All in the Family, The Jeffersons and so, and there's, as there is with any story, there's going to be a little turbulence out there, but I just want to connect this to what, uh, what you said, Paige, about the, uh, a conduit.
What Norman Lear as a story writer and creator, I think understood was the characters in his shows were not his characters. Those characters in his shows became family members of the viewing public. So true. All we are are conduits, and to the degree that we understand that, our brands do better, movies do better, shows do better, books do better.
To the degree that we hold on too tight. Problemo, problemo. All right, Larry, second question, brother.
LT: So Paige, you alluded to this before. So I'm really looking forward to this question. Who is hatters having the most influence on your career?
Paige Young: This is one of those that's impossible to answer. Um, of course. We've talked about him already. I have to give a shout out to my husband. I think that Yeah, you know I gotta just you gotta acknowledge a tribute to old what's his face yes, it's a commercial for Wayne Hickey, um, we're gonna talk for about two minutes now. Um, I am very lucky that I have um, a partner who understands what I do because we met at work. Um, But I also, I had, I've had so many, I was really, as I was thinking about this interview and this question, I've had, I've had so many bad ass female leaders who took an early interest in me, who invested in me, who pulled me aside and had the tough conversation, uh, because tough conversations, we, we joke, feedback is a gift, it actually really is a true gift if delivered in the right way. And I was lucky enough that I had people who really believed in me along the way, all the way from my first job and comms to my work at Expedia to my boss at Adobe, Maria Poveromo, so many, um, but then I also had a lot of, um, Just, you know, leaders who really, I talked about sort of leaders who showed up, who modeled the qualities that I admired. And I always admired leaders who just approached, um, their work from more carrot versus stick. I don't think, and, and, you know, let's be clear. I've been doing this for a while. There was a distinct period in my career where the, culture of being a workaholic. I mean, there were a number of years where we'd get to the end or the weekend and we'd say, I worked 80 hours this week. It was like a point of pride. You're like, yeah, yeah, that's your badge of honor. Like, oh, you're really invested. That is not a point of pride. And nor do I, you know, I definitely put the time in, but that's not for me where we should be encouraging. We've all You know, uh, thrown ourselves on the altar of workaholism, and it is not something that I think is, um, you know, burnout anxiety. Mental health issues. You know, um, these are all things that are we, you know, we'd like to convince ourselves it just exists outside our little bubble. These are other people's problems. No, it's very real. It's very tangible. It is absolutely a crisis. And I think it is something that I, um, I have admired leaders who have integrated lives who are are great partners, love their kids, go on vacation, have hobbies, have lives outside of work.
And so I was able to work with a lot of leaders who really epitomized that as as well. And also just came with so much kindness and patience and inspiration. And those are the people that That I really want it to get behind and support. I'm lucky right now. I have a boss and a CEO who absolutely epitomized that for me today.
I can, I can say that I'm very lucky to be in this situation. And that's one of those things that I keep trying to bring of myself. And in those moments, because if you're a perfectionist and someone who can overwork, and I am one of those people you have to keep, it's a constant battle, constant journey. And I kind of keep reminding myself to, uh, To, you know, wellness and well being and time away from work is something that's important
LT: Paige. I watched you struggle with that different times. And the fact that your humanness takes over, um, I think what's cool about Paige is. She's never going to ask anybody to work harder than she does, and she works harder.
And actually, what was my experience? You didn't expect people to even keep up with you because you understood that even as a leader at that time. And so I think it's really cool. Uh, with. With not only what you say, but you back it up. I have an interesting note. My first job. Um, with in brand was with Seagram, which doesn't exist anymore.
It was a fortune 50 company and the head of marketing. Uh, and this was in New York and the culture in New York, uh, on, uh, in the summertime is you got to take advantage of every nice day there is. And so we, the company had half day Fridays. And so. The head of marketing, Tom McInerney, Tom McInerney, shout out to him.
He sent out a, um, a note to everybody in the marketing group said, and saying this, that half days, Fridays are starting whatever date. Uh, I leave it one, so you should too. You should take advantage of this like I do. Which was really cool, because what he was really saying is, you know, this is what everybody should be doing, I'm taking advantage of it, and you're not getting any points if you're here at 110.
Right.
Paige Young: Yeah, those are the things we, these are small. We believe as leaders, they're small gestures. They're not. People are watching. They remember that, those things. It is, again, it comes back to modeling the behavior that you want your team to do. Um, to, to be part of and that's, you know, same point for me about, um, really taking my vacations and really signing off again, you have my mobile number I'm available, but I really am trying to be, take a break.
And um, it's just, again, one of those things that I think is, is so important. Um, and yes, I, I definitely, I, I try not to, I, I try not to ever ask my team to work harder than I am working. And I always see if I can take some of the burden from them to, to free them up a little bit. Um, but I think at the end of the day, um, I'm going to probably butcher this quote, but one that I always come back to is from Ariana Huffington when she was doing some of her early work around sleep and wellness, where she said, You are not paid for your stamina.
You're paid for your discretion, your strategic thinking. You are paid for what you can bring to the business. And I really think that, uh, breaks getting a good night's sleep, taking care of yourself is really makes you better at your job.
LT: No doubt.
DC: Great stuff. You know, Paige and LT, um, uh, you, you all know this, uh, I know this as well, but a lot of our Brand Nerds, Paige, are coming out of school early in their career, and they're really trying to glean what can they learn from podcasts such as ours to help them move to, uh, the levels they want to move to in their, in their careers.
And so the next thing I'm about to say is more directed to those Brand Nerds. So for you Brand Nerds out there who are thinking, Oh, I'm in, I'm doing my 80 hours at my 85 hours, that kind of thing. Nobody cares. Nobody really cares. So there isn't someone. Tracking your hours and going, Oh, they hit the magic number of 80. They need a promotion right away. There's not someone at a, at a, uh, at a wall street bank saying, Oh, they hit the magic number 80. I'm not going to stroke your check for 50 million dollars in your series. A no one cares like legit. No one cares. So, uh, if you're doing that, just recognize that no one cares.
The second thing is this now, this is for the leaders. So Paige has said when you go on vacation, you, it's clear that you're available if needed, but you try to, you, you try to take a vacation. So this is you modeling this. Larry, you talked about your former head at Seagram's saying for summer hours, I'm leaving at one. So this is a, a behavioral model based approach. I'm going to a quote, Larry, that, um, uh, you've never heard before, uh, Paige, from my mother. Rest in peace. She used to tell me, baby, make sure the audio matches the video. Make sure the audio matches the video. And here's the deal. If Paige says to her team, when you go on vacation, really take a vacation. And every day she's emailing what's up with this. I need to report. Then the audio is not matching the video. What she's doing is she's making certain the audio matches the video. So brand, so leaders. Remember the audio must match the video and those that are coming up. Nobody really cares. You're working 80 hours.
All right. That's it. That's second question.
LT: Love it. Yeah. You can't use your mom's quote enough because it's such a great quote and applies so many places, you know.
DC: Mama Cobbin rest in power, rest in power Paige. I'm going to question number three. Larry has given you your flowers. You've had many successes throughout your career.
This third question, I want to know about none of those successes, zero, nada, squadoosh. I want to know about your biggest F up. I'm talking big, wet, stanky, just terrible F up and what you learned from said F up.
Paige Young: Yeah, I mean, you know, I have a, you have a bunch. I don't think you, I actually feel like if you don't have a pretty good list of failures, you're probably not trying hard enough.
Yeah. The fact is, is, you know, that's. That's where you learn the most. That's where you, um, you hone lessons. That's where you change tactics. And I mean, we're in such a vital, fast moving, always changing industry that it's, you know, I guess you could just play it safe and just constantly be updating the playbook, but if you're making bold moves, which most of us are doing and in this industry that we're in, I feel like you got to have a pretty That's Long list.
I'll give you one. I'll give you one. Um, early in my career, I worked for, um, uh, sort of a, one of the early web gaming companies. Uh, and I had a very charismatic CEO. I was very young. I was probably maybe mid twenties. I was, um, this has happened throughout my career. Sometimes I get jobs that are a little beyond my skillset.
This would probably be considered one of them. And I was, uh, supporting him. And a series of different interviews with big sort of, uh, business publications. And, um, this particular leader had come from a very well known technology company. And, of course, I'd known over time that he had left under sort of challenging circumstances.
And he had He just, he, you know, he could not see beyond the challenging circumstances of when he left. So he would do an interview, give a great interview, very smart, you know, great storyteller, just great speaker. Um, and then invariably get to the point in the interview where he would just talk shit about his previous employer.
And he would just, you know, Now, let me really tell you something and, you know, kind of have one of those moments. I was so early in my career and there was, you know, of course, he was older than me, more seasoned. Of course, I admired him and I just didn't have the wherewithal to really realize, like, this is horribly inappropriate.
I just couldn't see through counseling him to not to, to frankly, just shut up, stop doing that. You're not helping us in any way. And it wasn't until a story came out that basically, because he, you know, the other thing he didn't do is ever mark this stuff off the record, which is also just, you know, comms 101.
Uh, and so he would, which, of course, most comms will tell you nothing's really off the record, but either way, he never sort of couched it in those terms, and a story came out about everything he had said. It turns out it, you know, that major technology company was a partner and a customer, which makes it even worse.
And, uh, I remember, um, you know, sort of getting called to task. Why did you allow this to happen? And of course, part of my answer was, why is our CEO doing this? But it is one of those things where, um, you. You know, I think probably realizing that business leaders are also humans do, and that sometimes your job as a communications professional is to help them get out of their own way.
And sometimes. We counsel them. They're working through their stuff. I mean, sometimes I joke it is a little bit of therapy too. And I think at the time I couldn't really see that. It was just too early. I just didn't have the confidence in myself or my career, my, you know, my gut. I wasn't listening to myself.
And so I just, I let it go on too long and it hurt. It hurt him. It hurt the business. Um, I learned a valuable lesson. Um, and I, you know, I definitely look back on that moment, um, having appreciated the lesson, but having realized how absolutely painful it was to learn it.
LT: Oh, that's a good one. Don't you think D
DC: I don't think we've ever heard one like this before.
This is good.
LT: Yeah, this is really good. So Paige. So the obvious follow up is. Has anything remotely like that happened since?
Paige Young: No. You know, that was such a unique one. I mean, not that I haven't worked with a leader who may have part of their narrative or, you know, to, to hone their story or their message or their delivery. Of course, that's part of it. Um, and again, sometimes you have to realize, you know, there, there are people, you know, we're all working through our stuff, right. That's why we're on what I like to call Earth School is we're here to learn and work through our dreams. I like that. So the lesson more than once.
So if you're, if you're me. Um, but I, I never dealt with specifically that circumstance. Again, that was a very unique one.
LT: A really good one. D, what you thinking?
DC: Hmm, I'm not sure. Well, actually, let me ask this question. Take yourself back to your, your, uh, self at that time. Knowing what you now know. So let's, let's, let's wind the clock back. And the same thing happens. It plays out exactly the same the first time. What do you do differently?
LT: Great question.
Paige Young: Yeah. Um, a couple things. I think knowing, let's say it just. went the way it did, I think, after the fact, what you deal with in those circumstances, because of course, there are moments where, um, you're, you're trying to something said in an interview, you realize it was probably not the best way to put it, or there's a fact that, you know, needs to be updated, or there's something along those lines. I probably one, you go behind the scenes, and you start working with the reporter to say, listen. You know, this was said, you know, I think we need to sort of adjust or can you and I talk through, let's leave this part of the conversation out there are things that you can do, especially if you put the time in and you invested in the relationships in a way that I mean, journalists are journalists.
And if they have a scoop, there is, you know, you can only do so much to adjust, um, and sort of alter or, or even to offer them the chance, um, and access to some other bigger story down the road. That's some things that you can do. Um, those are, that is, that was absolutely a unique one, but knowing what I know today, those are probably some of the things I would have done.
Um, I also will say that knowing what I know today, I would have Stopped that, uh, probably from, uh, from occurring, um, as it did.
LT: Well, it sounds like you did it multiple times too. It feels like you would have stopped it after the first time.
Paige Young: Yes. Yes. There was by that point a history. Uh, this was not the one first and only it was, it was multiple times.
DC: Okay. Brand nerds. I'm just going to say this, uh, quickly, uh, there was a power dynamic happening with you, Paige. You had the CEO, was it a male? . Okay. You have CEO, a male and you are a a were you a junior person at this stage? Yes. Okay. You are a junior person and you're, you are, the CEO is the one being interviewed, not you.
So this, so the so and so, it's daunting Brand Nerds to think of how does a junior person in PR try to stop a CEO from doing something dumb? So th that, this is very, very tricky. Now, uh, for all of you Brand Nerds, no matter where you are, I need you all to know something. Um, the days, and you already know this Brand Nerds, the days of people being in jobs, one job, one company, or, or several jobs in the same company for 30, 40 years, those days are gone. We know those have been gone for a long time. So here's, what's going to happen. Every job you have in your career, you're either going to get fired or you're going to quit. I don't care what the job is, you're going to get fired. You want to get quit the risk of Paige saying something to the CEO, not the reporter, but CEO.
Yo, bro, are you sure you really want to be doing this? The risk is she would get fired. He would say, get the hell out of here. Go do another job. You don't tell me what to say, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, fill in the blank. So what I'm, what I'm saying here at Paige and Larry, and, and, and also to the Brand Nerds, Knowing you're either going to get fired or you're going to quit can be liberating and it might open up some avenues for you to have conversations with people that you might not ordinarily want to do that with for fear of being fired.
So I just say it as it relates to that, uh, that situation. Horrible situation. Horrible.
Paige Young: Yeah, I think I absolutely agree. Um, I also think there is something and this is the job of a communications professional to speak truth to power. Um, and to really ask, you know, is this best serving you and the company and this I know it feels good.
I know it probably feels good in the moment to talk some smack about your former employer, but it's just really. Yeah, it's really helpful. Um, and, uh, or they're the other thing that, you know, given where I was in my career, I could have gone to someone else and said, This is a dynamic that's happening. I know so and so really trusts you.
Would you be willing to address this? That's another way to approach it if you don't feel comfortable in that specific situation. Um, but I will say most. really good business leaders. They want feedback. They asked for it. They want to keep getting better. They have curiosity. They want to learn. And I think those are the best leaders to work for.
And it usually shows up. And the fact that one, I can't imagine many of the leaders that I have a chance to work with now ever doing something like that. I can't imagine it at all, but I also realized that, um, they are open to the feedback and that's what makes them great at their jobs, frankly. Yeah,
DC: L. T.
LT: Let's do the next question, Paige. Oh, I love this question for you because, uh, you are steeped in, uh, in your tech background. So when you're thinking about tech and marketing, can you tell us where you think marketers should lean in or best leverage tech? Or you can talk about areas you think that they should be leery.
Paige Young: I mean, I have to give what is probably going to seem like such an obvious answer, but I would be an idiot not to say that, um, generative AI. I mean, it is transforming so many different elements of our jobs, and I will fully admit I'm a little older and I, you know, probably there's a good portion of the, you know, first few months of the gen AI bubble where I was like, I don't know, it feels like cheating to use it for communications, you know, everything I have to start everything from scratch myself because one of the things that's very important to me is I actually, I still write content, I still create, I mean, I still want to keep my skills really fresh. So I, I don't just review things. I also will write and create content on my own. And, and that's really important to me. But I do think that the blank Paige problem or, Hey, I kinda, I have this. this message, but I just kind of need to pivot or think about it in a different way is exactly what Gen AI is made for.
Um, I don't know any communications team that has been so well resourced. I've never had the opportunity to work for a company that has so well resourced their communications team that you don't feel spread, uh, stretched. Um, you always feel spread a little bit thin. And there is this, um, this might my CEO will call it soul crushing work that we all have to do that.
Gen AI is absolutely made for and then you up to do the truly the things that are truly human. Um, and it's, you know, what I've come to understand is it is not cheating because there's no way that they can fully encapsulate a message or a story or draft a press release that isn't going to need your ingenuity and creativity and strategic thinking, but man, isn't it nice to get something started quickly?
And then to be able to adjust versus always starting from scratch. And that's where I think, um, comms marketing professionals, I mean, do it, of course, within, uh, whatever your company guidelines are, because there's some challenges. Hallucinations are real. Um, You know, there is, uh, you want to be careful about what you're sending into the model.
What is the model ingesting from you, um, versus what it's spitting out. And so there's issues with confidentiality and so on. So do it in the right, safe way, but absolutely dive in. Brave new world out there. Try some of the tools and it's it is kind of it is absolutely fascinating. Um, one of the things that I love to if you have a leader that speaks in a certain way or has a certain tone, um, or way of talking, you can actually say.
You know, I need a social media post about X, Y and Z in this tone. You can actually put your leader's name in there and it is surprising what will come out. And so, um, I would just encourage everyone to, to dive in and give it a shot. If you haven't, it really is, um, it's a powerful, uh, new technology.
LT: I love the way you describe that also from the beginning of your sort of, uh, I don't know about this, you know, the sketchiness, which I think most of us have.
Right. Um, I read, uh, something maybe very quickly a month after, uh, Chat GPT was launched and there was a journalist who talked about, you know, Hey, I, I, I need to understand this. So, yeah. I gave them my, the story I was working on, and what this journalist discovered was that, wow, just what you said, the blank page effect, that, oh, this is a great start for me, and now they started for me, and now they're working This is really awesome.
Meaning you lean in all the way they start. The blank page is very daunting sometimes, and now the blank page is no longer there. I have a head start, and now I will take it to where it needs to go in ways that the AI could never go. So this this journalist went in there very, you know, leery about it to saying, Wow, I'm gonna do all of my stories going forward in this fashion.
Paige Young: Yeah, I completely, completely agree. And, um, I, it is, it is one of those where, um, it really, I think, takes. It really, again, it just, it's about freeing yourself up versus forcing yourself into something that, you know, um, the tool can do just as well. And then it saves your strategies because we all sort of have a finite amount of brain power at any given day.
My mind gets smaller and smaller, um, the older I get in terms of the number of hours I have. And, um, I think it just really saves that brain power for something that's more strategic.
DC: So Brand Nerds, uh, and Paige, you used what I think is a great metaphor. You said, uh, blank page. And that is what exactly what AI is best for is helping to populate the page.
When we say page, we're referring to words. Paige will know this better than you and I, Larry. 95 percent of communication is nonverbal. Yeah. Non verbal. And so, let AI do the page and the words, or at least to get you started. And then as a human, the things that need to be communicated non verbally with the aid of some words.
This is what our brains can do. AI can't quite go off the page yet. They're still on the page. They're really good on the, on the page. By the way, I don't mean double entendre page Paige, but they're really good for the Paige, not necessarily off the Paige. That's all I'll say about that. Great answer. All right.
Final. What are you most proud of, Paige?
Paige Young: You know, I, I think I am. Well, I don't think I am on this, um, sort of journey to be a better person. And I, um, for me, I think I'm really proud of how I show up for my team and for my partner and for my family. I try to be a good friend. Um, I try to be a caring leader.
But if I was, what am I most proud of? Um, I have a couple of rescue dogs that I love very dearly. Uh, they're very special to me. Um, it's really important to me to, I have no judgment about anyone who buys a dog. I would say
LT: Say your dog's names now. Gotta say your dog's names.
Paige Young: Oh, um, Henry and Jinsoon. Okay. And, um, they're both, uh, just with us for about a year at this point, they're about the same age one we got from Fresno, um, which I learned, um, that the SPCA in San Francisco goes to Fresno twice a week to pick up dogs. They have so many, they're so overcrowded at that shelter. So we have Henry, who's just a very nervous, but sweet and lovable lab mix. And then we adopted Jinsoon from Korea. She's a Jindo and, um, you know, I, I won't go into a lot of details because she has a sad story. Um, but she, you know, came from, from challenging circumstances. Um, but is just this amazing, super smart, definitely probably smarter than us. I can say, um, and just a really beautiful dog and to give them both.
Um, You know, so much love and to see them do normal dog things, knowing the circumstances that they came from, um, it's just a really wonderful gift, um, and it's something I'm really passionate about and Wayne could probably tell you that, you know, every birthday, holiday, Christmas, what have you, I always joke, you know, where's my puppy or where are we?
This is me. We can go get another rescue dog. Um, his answer is, yeah. Usually at this stage, things too is good for a while, but I could absolutely see myself having more in the future. It's just a really wonderful thing that I, I get to do for them and they give it back that much more to me and to, to Wayne.
I love that
LT: Paige. That's so you.
DC: That's good. Well,
LT, uh, shall we head on over to the, uh, what's what's this? What's this? What's this? Yes, we shall.
LT: So D Paige. What's popping?
DC: What's popping?
LT: Paige. This is our chance to shout out, shout down, or simply have something happening in and around marketing today that we think is good fodder for discussion. So I'm going to go forward with, uh, with something that I think will really be cool for us to discuss.
So Morning Consult. I don't know if you guys are familiar with them, but they came, they do this fastest growing brands each year and the ones for 2023 were just released. So I want to give you a little backdrop before I get into it. So to arrive at its rankings, Morning Consult asked consumers if they would consider purchasing from brands.
In January 2023 and again in October 2023 and subtracting the share who said the same between the polls. A total of 1586 brands were analyzed and samples ranged from 1069 to more than 17, 000 responses. So that's the way they do it. I don't know about the, I'm a little sketchy with the way they do it, but it's, it's kind of fun to talk about anyway.
So I'm going to give you all the top 10. As it relates to total population, right? So the number one, and it's very funny, the segway, we have a perfect segway, is chat GPT. No surprise there, right? Number two, D, you're gonna You're going to be a little, uh, perplexed by this one. It's Starry, which is Pepsi's version of trying to be Sprite.
That's my, that's my take, right? That's number two. And now I'm going to read. Zelle is three, Shein is four. That's a fast fashion brain. Twisted T5, Southwest Airlines six. Funny enough, seven is OpenAI, which is, is the, uh, Perveyor of Chat GPT. Eight is Facebook, nine is Instagram Reels, and ten is Coke Zero.
So that's the top ten. Um, and then there's different top tens for each, uh, of the, of, you know, Millennials, Gen Z, et cetera, which is all a little bit different. But what say you, what's, what, what's your reaction as I, as I read, uh, those top ten brands?
DC: Paige?
Paige Young: Well, I mean, in some ways it's not surprising. It feels, um, I'm going to use an old school term, but it still applies.
It feels very viral. It's almost like you could get on that list for I'm sorry, so sorry Southwest. Um, but you know, I think we could understand maybe why Southwest is is on there. So it is one of those things where you could almost see, um, one, I think it's probably you could buy your way into that list.
I don't know if you necessarily earn your way onto that list. And two, it so I questioned some of the methodology too. Yeah. Uh, Larry, but it almost is one of those, there used to be that adage, there's no such thing as bad press. There absolutely is such a thing as bad press, but it usually will get you on a maybe a list like that one and some circumstances.
Yeah.
DC: On this one, um, to me, I've got an issue with the methodology because it's a growth methodology. So let me just predict, predict what's going to be there in 2024. Bud Light. Cause if you fall off a cliff and then you come back somewhat, then you're going to end up being up there. So that's why I'm, I'm, I'm, um, I'm troubled by the methodology.
But I will say this is that, uh, it isn't often that a company has a sub brand and both of them are at the top. It would be like looking at Interbrand and seeing the most valuable brand in the world is Apple. And then the top 10 is iPhone, for example. So there's something going on about that. And then, uh, Paige answered this in the question about, uh, technology.
And, um, and this is, this is the way I think about AI. There are some people, LT and Paige that are like, I don't care about AI. That's the equivalent of standing on top of a 50 story building and saying, I don't care about gravity. Well, gravity does not care that you do not care about it, but if you step your ass one foot off that building, you're going to become quickly acquainted with gravity, it's happening. And so the fact that you have open AI and chat GPT, it's just another example of AI is happening. So when you hear these folks that are in tech saying, we're afraid of AI and what it could ultimately do, the toothpaste is out, it's already out. Now we have to figure out what do we do with the toothpaste is out.
So that's my takeaway from the list. What say you, Larry?
LT: Yeah, no, I agree. I think, uh, I think it's interesting. And I think to Paige's point. Um, you know, or do I don't maybe you said this that you could buy your way onto the list. 1 of the things that said is that, um, it says related to, um, Morning Consult notes that Clinique and NYX professional makeup had products that went viral on TikTok.
So this is also part of this, right? Uh, Dollar General also came in number 15 on the list, quote, due to a combination of economic uncertainty and social media virality. Right? So this list is a little sketchy. I don't know that it has anything to do with true business being done. You know, it's just almost performative, if that makes sense.
Paige Young: Yeah. Yeah, I think we're all kind of coalescing around the same, the same answer it is. I mean, it's still interesting. Right. And I mean, I think you, you guys probably deal with this even more than I do. There's so many lists out there, so many rankings. Um, and it's all. It's the methodology is always interesting.
There's no sort of perfect way to do these things. And they all are kind of looking at some of the same areas, but from a different lens. Um, we just had something, uh, the week prior that I thought was super interesting and that, um, I'm not sure if you all are familiar with the Schultz Family Foundation, but they have been doing something for a couple of years called the American Opportunity Index. Super interesting. They look at it's kind of a big data study, but they're really trying to glean on from a number of different, um, levers. Can you really advance at a company? Are you really doing great by your employees? Um, It's really, it's, it, they are doing it in a whole new way that I think is really powerful.
Um, and of course it comes from a lot of the work that Howard Schultz did at Starbucks, which is very much known for investing in their people and being a value based employer. Um, we came to it because, uh, ServiceNow was number one in software and number five, um, overall the top for technology. And it was a really, Yeah, just I mean, it's one I don't say that just to sort of, you know, try to work in service now.
I say it just because it was one of those moments where You know, when you're investing in your people, a lot of times you're, no, one's appreciating it. You're just sort of doing the right thing, making the right decisions. Um, and you know, just kind of investing in them day by day. Um, we made the decision, um, during COVID and even in the years after where we've had some bumpy macro years, uh, from a economic perspective, not to do layoffs. And to really unlike other companies, we said we weren't going to do layoffs and we really did not do layoffs. And it was in those moments where you get the recognition that you really can have this sort of sense of pride. And I give all kudos to my CEO and our Chief People Officer, um, and our entire leadership team.
But that is one of those moments where you really feel like you're part of something bigger. And those are the kind of lists. There's a lot of lists that are all about, um, You know, they're a little bit of vanity plays. Um, but this was one that felt special and, and I think a little bit different.
LT: I'm so glad you brought that up, Paige. That's really cool. And, uh, I think to your point, you can say stuff, but then again, as we've alluded to in many different ways in this podcast, your actions have to back up what you say, right. And for you guys not to lay people off, it feels like there's been a lot of companies overall and a lot in the tech space who have used. You know, the economic and uncertainty from a meta standpoint, say, oh, let's take this advantage and and have some layoffs here. And, um, and clearly, you know, you look at that and you just sort of go, ah, did you really need to do that? Right? I mean, can't you just be. more genuine in the way of, uh, of going forward with, uh, you know, for whatever you think of GE, the fact everybody knows when they went to work at GE, if you're in, however, they compute the bottom 10 percent or whatever, they get weeded out. Everybody knows that. Um, and I think the transparency is, is the way to play is really where I'm going to.
Paige Young: Yeah, I, I, it's such a, I appreciate everything that you just said, Larry, because I do think, I mean, we're words people, right? I mean, we're an industry, it's about messaging and it's about your, you know, design and, you know, customer experience.
These are things that we love, but the most powerful, I mean, it goes back to something you said. Right in the beginning. D. C. is it's actually what you do behind closed doors that the decisions that you make that that have nothing to do with what you say. It's how you really show up and it's how you realize that.
Your brand is actually owned by your customers. Your company is actually owned by the employees. It's just those, those sometimes things that seem like really small gestures, but are really meaningful. And so what I always love is what are you doing when the cameras are off? There's no reporters around.
How are you showing up for your people? Um, that I think is really meaningful. So it's interesting that a person who's all about words, I actually think the most powerful thing is, is truly actions.
LT: And you belie that, Paige. You do.
Paige Young: Thank you. Thank you for saying that.
LT: D, should we go to a close with that?
DC: I can't believe we're already here. I know.
LT: This has been so much fun, Paige. Uh, so, we're at the close, and we, uh, we posit our learnings, which were vast. from you. Um, I'm going to call my down, call mine down to be concise. So I have five. Number one, be you. Paige models that. Just be you. Be your authentic self.
That's number one. Number two, on vacation, be on vacation. Number three, feedback, even if rough, is a gift. Even if somebody provides you feedback in a way you might not like what, you know, yelling or screaming, whatever, try and find the feedback that can actually help you get better. Number four, approach leadership with carrot rather than stick. And number five, this comes from Paige's F-Up, as a young person, if your gut tells you something, Speak truth to power. Paige said it, and I'm gonna reiterate it. Speak truth to power. Even if you're a junior with a senior person like Paige was in that situation, you're much better off because like DC said, you're gonna get fired or you're gonna quit.
Either way, you can look yourself in the mirror and know that you were doing the right thing. Those are mine.
DC: Outstanding, lT. Outstanding. Paige don't know if you've heard any of our podcasts, including that of your husband, including that of your partner, Wayne. But if you have heard any of them, you, you will know that at the end, the attempt that I make is to understand and, um, and summarize the human that's in front of me, what are they bringing to this thing called life?
And, uh, but, and I'm not a therapist just to be clear. I just play one on zoom. He just plays one on zoom. I just play one on zoom. And so, uh, sometimes it hits me. Sometimes it doesn't. I'm going to attempt to share with you what's hit me about you and our conversation today. During our five questions, uh, the first one was, uh, your favorite, your first branding experience, the one that really touched you and you said, Barbie.
And you talked about Barbie, not just as the brand, but you also talked about Barbie, this movie. That has happened, and you specifically referenced, uh, referenced the movie's director, uh, Greta Gerwig. And then we went through this discussion about conduit for the brand, that's what we are truly. And then on question five, when, uh, when I asked, what are you most proud of?
You, you kind of went in a direction that, uh, I, I wasn't expecting, and that's okay. You talked about Henry and Jinsun and, and you specifically said, With Jinsun, but I think the same is, uh, true of Henry, is that Jinsun has a sad story, a sad story. And I thought, hmm. She mentions Barbie on question one and references a movie.
And then on question five about what he's most proud of, she talks about Henry and Jinsun and talks about a story. So, here is what I think you're bringing to us, and we are blessed to have it. You are a marketing movie maker, a marketing movie maker. Let's talk about elements of a movie. There's character development, there's character development.
And so characters have an identity. And one of the things you mentioned early on was this notion of covering. I'd never heard of covering LT. So I looked it up and, uh, covering in the workplace as defined by the society of women engineers says the following brand nerds. The act of hiding or downplaying aspects of one's identity in order to try to match or to avoid violating the norms of a group.
That's what covering means, uh, a Brand Nerds, but in the movie, in the movie movies, the marketing movies that you make Paige, you have a definite. Identity and character, they have to show up. You've said show up many times and who do they show up as? Bad ass female leaders. Okay. That's the character. The second thing is movies have a story arc, arc up and down.
You've talked about successes. Larry read your successes eloquently at the front. And then you talked about, Hey, if there aren't enough failures in one's career, they don't have any, they haven't been trying hard enough. So this suggested me that you've got these story arcs as a part of the movies that you made.
And then finally, there's context. You can have past context, now context, or future context. In your case, the context is humanity. It's timeless. Humanity is timeless. You don't end up adopting, um, um, uh, dogs that are in need of being cared for because those dogs Good things are not going to happen to them if they don't have someone taking them in good things are not going to so you and Wayne take these take in these, these, these dogs that become family members, and even to the point to where you say, Wayne says okay it's it's a holiday like when do I get a new puppy.
So, your context is one of humanity. Now we come down to what is the Paige young movie title and the title you said it. It's called earth school. And what is the Paige young tagline for the movie earth title? So you are the marketing movie maker. It is a tagline. Larry has already said one of them and it's, it's a, it's a triple entendre.
Be you be kind, be bad ass. This is what I think is new, Paige.
Paige Young: Wow, I am just, if you could see me, everyone, I'm absolutely blushing. I'm so humbled by LT and DC. That summary is, yeah, I don't even, I don't have words. Thank you so much. That's really, it's been such a special, special conversation. I'm really grateful.
And yeah, you've totally overwhelmed me. So, um, thank you. Just very humbled to hear. All of your kind words.
LT: That's awesome. You earned it all. Anything you want to share quickly before we sign off your
DC: Paige about what you learned from our conversation? Right.
Paige Young: You know, I think it is one of those, Oh, I, I have, I've listened to some of the other podcasts and colluding old what's his face, um, his other episode.
Um, yeah, but, um, you know, I, I do think probably guess what you learn about me is I really am all about the people, you know, I certainly could. Okay. Wax nostalgic about the programs and campaigns and things that I've run it and I'm very proud of that work. But I really, um. I really care about my team. I care about the people around me.
And, um, I'm just, you know, that's, that's kind of how I orient my work and my day. And, um, it's just, yeah, that's, I guess that's what's come out in the context of, uh, of this conversation, but I've had an absolute blast. I appreciate the invite. I'm so glad we finally made it happen, guys. We did it. Yes. And thank you again.
LT: Awesome. That's a great segue to, to close. Uh, thanks for listening to Brands Beats and Bytes. The executive producers are Jeff Shirley, Daryl D. C. Cobbin and Larry Taman, Hailey Cobbin and Jade Tate and Tom DiOro. That is he. And if you are listening to us via podcast, it would be great if you can please rate and review us.
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