Modern Marketer Series: Paul Isakson
What does the term “modern marketing” mean to you?
For me, it means that we’re still not where we need to be on the whole. The fact that we need a term to talk about marketing through the use of new ideas, processes, media and tools as opposed to proven and established ways of marketing means that there is still a long way to go inside a great number of companies. It means that there are still too many people clinging far too tightly to the industrialized ways of thinking and working that got them to where they are.
How would you describe the modern marketer?
The modern marketer is someone who uses an effective blend of established and new ideas, processes, media and tools to express the authentic soul of their brand to the world in culturally appropriate ways. The modern marketer isn’t against the proven ways of doing great marketing—they value them and know how and when to use them well. They’re just more excited about trying new things in order to keep their brand alive and relevant to culture.
Who do you consider to be modern marketers and why?
When it comes to thinking about modern marketing, I don’t study individuals. Doing great marketing is the result of a collective effort by many people, both inside and outside of an organization. But if I have to pick individuals, then I’m going to pick the leaders of great brands who are embracing modern ideas about marketing. People like Nike CEO, Mark Parker, Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, and IBM CEO, Ginni Rometty to name a few. Being a great modern marketer requires leaders who create a culture that encourages experimentation and personal growth for their employees. Without these kinds of leaders at the very top, modern marketers will constantly fight for oxygen below.
Which brand(s) do you consider to be modern and why?
There are several brands, both new and established, that I think are doing interesting things with modern marketing. The one that I’m most excited about right now though is Uber. I love how they are playing around with what they can do with their product while fighting governments and bureaucracy to give people a better way to get from point A to point B.
Where do you look for inspiration about modern marketing?
Everywhere. To be a great modern marketer, you have to be curious about the world around you and constantly look for ways to make this thing we call life, better. With the exception of when I’m spending time with other people in conversation, I am looking at everything around me through the lens of “how can I use this to help businesses create a better world.”
How would you describe what Noskasi does?
If forced to define it, I’d say it’s a consultancy with two core practices (brand strategy and modern marketing strategy) and a bias towards action. I refuse to build a business that dumps a deck on a client’s desk and walks away. But honestly, Noskasi is so new at this point that it’s mostly an aspiration, a purpose and some core beliefs that all have to do with changing the way the business world thinks about marketing. I really don’t have a lot down on paper for it yet. All I can do at the moment is speak to it with passion and energy. I’d include some of that here, but it will take up too much space on this question, if I haven’t already. It’s that whole, “I’d have written a shorter letter, if I had more time” thing.
How did you decide that spelling your name backwards was the right name for your company?
I decided it was right when I realized that using a made-up word gave me the most freedom and opportunity to experiment and the ability to create meaning from nothing. Nobody has a preconceived notion of what Noskasi is or does or means. It’s up to me and the people who collaborate, partner and work with me to make it into something meaningful as we grow.
How do you think your beliefs about marketing and brands impact the work you do?
Depending on which way you look at it, I’m either blessed or cursed with a soul that has to love the work that I do. When that is how you are wired, your work naturally becomes a reflection of you in some way. With this being the case, my beliefs about marketing and brands can’t help but become a part of everything I do.
What impact did growing up on a farm in Northern Colorado have on how you work?
Everything about how I work comes from that formative experience. The best two things it gave me are: 1) My unrelenting drive to constantly produce better work, and; 2) Teaching me to become a master deconstructionist. The worst two things it gave me are: 1) An unhealthy disregard for taking time off from work, and; 2) At times, focusing too much on trying to make something perfect before releasing it.
You started the infamous @don_draper feed and he hasn’t tweeted since 2010. What’s up with that?
I didn’t create @don_draper to be Don Draper on Twitter. I created @don_draper to (hopefully) prove that people would engage with a TV character through social media. Once I had my proof, I didn’t have a need to keep going. So, right before the beginning of season 3, I gave the account away through a contest on my blog. I guess whoever took it over lost interest too. That’s what happens when the brand had no interest in supporting the idea of Mad Men on Twitter.
Email me when Craig Pladson publishes or recommends stories