How To Redefine Your Brand With Tory Pachis, CMO of Amica Insurance | Ep. 419

What happens when a green owl, a handful of improv rules, and zero fear collide? You get Duolingo, the internet’s most unhinged, hilarious, and effective brand. Zaria Parvez is the creative force behind that chaos. As Duolingo’s first-ever social media hire, she helped grow the brand from 50,000 to over 16 million followers, turning a dusty owl costume in the office into one of the most recognizable (and meme-worthy) characters on the planet. She opens up about how she built a culture of creativity rooted in improv, boldness, and trust. She shares how her team turned social media into the heartbeat of the brand and why “fear is the most expensive mistake” in Marketing. You’ll learn: -The wild origin story behind Death by Duo, the campaign that hit 1.7 billion impressions with no paid ads. -How Zaria uses improv comedy principles to fuel creativity, collaboration, and confidence. -Why giving social teams approval power and autonomy is the key to moving at the speed of culture. Whether you’re a Marketer, creator, or someone who just loves a good brand story, this episode will change the way you think about creativity online. Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at https://wrike.com/tmm Follow Zaria: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaria-parvez-645983140/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials

For years, Marketers have known newsletter advertising works…but proving it has been nearly impossible. Daniel sits down with Adam Ryan, CEO of Workweek to discuss Workweek's new Partner Platform and why it could change how B2B marketers measure newsletter performance forever. They break down why traditional metrics like opens and clicks are often misleading, how bot traffic has distorted reporting, and why many Marketers have been under-crediting newsletters for years. Adam explains how Workweek is connecting newsletter engagement directly to CRM systems, helping marketers finally see the impact newsletters have on pipeline, revenue, and account engagement. And, a handful of decision-makers from the right accounts can be far more valuable than thousands of anonymous clicks. How can you make that happen right off the bat? If you’re a Marketer who wants to learn more about ABM, brand marketing, creator-led advertising, attribution challenges, and why the future of B2B marketing is about knowing who engaged, this is the episode for you.   Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at https://wrike.com/tmm Follow Adam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtryan/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

The future of Marketing? It starts with being social-first.  In this special episode, Daniel sits down with Eric Stark, Co-founder of Slate and former NFL social media leader, to break down why every modern brand needs a social-first content strategy. Eric shares his journey from managing digital and social content at the NFL and the San Francisco 49ers to building Slate,  a content creation platform designed specifically for social teams. They dive into: - Why social teams are becoming in-house media companies - How organic social should validate paid marketing campaigns - The rise of serialized content and creator-led brand marketing And, the title of Social Media Manager is becoming outdated…they reveal what to use instead.  This episode is packed with actionable insights for marketers, creators, and brand leaders looking to build content strategies that actually perform TODAY. Slate is the one stop content creation platform for social media teams. With AI assisted video and image editing, branding, and collaboration all in one platform. No more switching between 10 different tools. Slate is built for how social teams actually work. Click here for more.  Follow Eric: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdstark/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Are your webinars actually driving pipeline or are you just checking a box? Jay and Daniel break down the small mistakes that tank webinar performance and the easy fixes that make a real difference.  Jay explains why a specific, curiosity-driven title beats a fluffy, descriptive one every time, and why two reminder emails on the day of your event is not too many. Daniel makes the case for serializing your webinars on a consistent schedule so your audience starts treating them like a show, not a one-off event. And, why do live attendees convert to pipeline at 400% higher rates than on-demand viewers? Jay gives an explanation.  If you’re looking for quick ways to improve your webinars and live virtual events, this is the episode for YOU.  Follow Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/ Podcast: Do This, Not That Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: https://themarketingmillennials.com/ Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: https://workweek.com/

Patagonia isn’t just scaling mountains. They’re scaling through affiliate strategy.  This episode’s guest, Cricket Treanor, went from the sales floor to HQ’s Affiliate Marketing and Ecom team. When it comes to partnerships, they’re thinking outside the box: cash back with Rakuten, listicles of the “best jackets”, and speaking out about social issues, to name a few. What should you do as a brand when you don’t lean heavily into loyalty and deals?  And, Cricket debunks some misconceptions about the affiliate space. It’s more than just loyalty, it’s actually about brand awareness. Affiliates aren’t taking sales away from other channels. Where do they fit into the marketing funnel?  Plus, Patagonia is more than just selling products, they’re aiming to bring environmental awareness and sustainability efforts to their audience. How does the buy-back program contribute to Marketing strategy? In a world of overconsumption, how do you get customers excited about new products when overconsumption contradicts the brand mission? If you’re a Marketer who wants to learn more about how partnerships, affiliate strategy, and digital marketing all play a role in scaling, this is the episode for you.   Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at https://wrike.com/tmm Follow Cricket: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cricket-treanor-836515114/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Most insurance brands look the same, sound the same, and spend billions on ads to prove it. Amica decided to do the opposite. Daniel sits down with Tory Pachis (Executive Vice President & CMO of Amica Insurance) to break down how a 119-year-old, referral-only mutual insurer went from 2% unaided brand awareness to 70%…and why a jersey patch on the Boston Celtics was just the beginning. Tory shares how Amica built a sports marketing strategy around values alignment, not logo slaps, and why the Jason Tatum "Back to Zero" campaign became one of the most authentic brand stories in insurance. They get into why humor isn't the only tool in the insurance advertising toolbox, how to make the case for brand investment to a skeptical CFO, and what happens when your star athlete tears his Achilles the night after you sign the deal. They also dig into how Amica is thinking about AI and LLMs, and why a loyal customer base full of organic Reddit and Trustpilot reviews might be their biggest unfair advantage as search evolves. If you want to understand how challenger brands build modern relevance without abandoning their heritage, this episode is for you. Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at wrike.com/tmm Follow Tory:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tory-pachis-7106064/ Follow Daniel:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Should you keep your Marketing running on holidays, or hit pause and wait for a better day? Jay and Daniel make the case for keeping the engine going, and back it up with actual tactics.  Jay breaks down how to mine holiday auto-reply emails for retargeting gold and why long form content tends to perform especially well when people finally have time to read. Daniel explains why consistency beats timing every time, and why skipping one holiday post is how the skipping habit starts. They also get into what is happening with the LinkedIn algorithm right now, why posts are taking 24 to 48 hours to pick up steam, and why that actually works in your favor when everyone else goes quiet on a holiday. Follow Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/ Podcast: Do This, Not That Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: https://themarketingmillennials.com/Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: https://workweek.com/

Have a dog? If you’re a Millennial or Gen Z, there’s a good chance you’re already owning your first pet. But do you have pet insurance? According to statistics, you probably don’t.  This episode’s guest, Trey Ferro, is in the business of making sure you and your pet are insured. From unexpected vet visits to making sure your pup is fully vaccinated, pet insurance can help you have peace of mind. But how do you market such a “complicated” product? The answer is personalization.  And, just how important is a good CTA? Trey reveals the double digit number difference between a good CTA and a bad one.  If you’re a Marketer who wants to learn more about Marketing tougher and more unique products, this is the episode for you.  Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at https://wrike.com/tmm Follow Trey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trey-ferro-320240141/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Does everyone on your revenue team actually agree on who your ideal customer is? Daniel sits down with Hailey McDonald, the new VP of Revenue Marketing at Sprout Social, on day one of her new role. They get into one of the most expensive mistakes in B2B Marketing: building campaigns before your ICP is truly locked in across every team. Hailey breaks down why most companies are doing ABM in name only, how to tell within five minutes that a team's ICP is broken, and why getting Marketing, sales, CS, and rev ops aligned on a single definition is the foundation everything else is built on. She also explains the difference between ICP and total addressable market, and how pipeline hitting while revenue misses is one of the clearest signals something is off with your targeting. Daniel makes the case that personalization at scale is really just personality at scale, and why the brands that stay consistent with their messaging even under pressure are the ones that win long term. Plus, Hailey's marketing hill she would die on: you can't have demand without brand. If you’re looking to actually understand and identify who your audience is, this episode is for you.  Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at https://wrike.com/tmm Follow Hailey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haymcdee/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Is your June Marketing strategy ready for one of the wildest months in recent memory? Jay and Daniel break down three major forces hitting the calendar at the same time. Jay explains why the second half of June through the second week of July is one of the worst performing stretches of the year for webinar attendance, B2B content downloads, and high-ticket consumer products, and why you need to plan around it now. Daniel makes the case for leaning into the FIFA World Cup with soccer-themed email copy and subject lines, whether you're a local brand or a global one. And Jay breaks down why Prime Day lifts all Marketing, not just Amazon sellers, including why people spend about 15% more time in their inboxes during that window. If you’re looking for a plan for June, this is the episode for you.  Follow Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/ Podcast: Do This, Not That Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: https://themarketingmillennials.com/ Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: https://workweek.com/