Marketing Strategies from the Top, With Paul Marobella of Republic Brands
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Sweat the details. In any medium, focus on the quality of the production, the art in the casting, detail in the music and narrative. The best creatives and brands understand that the little things matter in the context of an award-winning campaign. Make people feel something through the flawless execution.
As a part of our series about “Marketing Strategies From The Top” I had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Marobella, President and CMO of Republic Brands.
Paul Marobella, an award-winning brand marketer, transformational growth leader and lauded C-suite executive, brings decades of innovation and experience to his role as President and Chief Marketing Officer of Republic. Building on a career advising world-renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Adidas, Jim Beam, Nike and Craftsman, Paul spearheads leading-edge growth strategies to position Republic and its iconic stable of rolling paper brands — such as OCB, JOB, TOP and E-Z Wider — in front of an expanding audience of legal-leaf connoisseurs during a period of explosive industry growth and a shifting cultural landscape. Throughout his career, Paul has been committed to building diverse teams and is respected for his unparallelled approaches to transforming brands, businesses and entire industries.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I’ve been a brand marketer since Day One. When I was 16, I started my own auto detailing business and especially enjoyed thinking about how to convince people that my services were necessary. I distributed flyers around the area, advertised on local bulletin boards (before the internet) and was fascinated by the cause and effect of the marketing converting to customers. I went to Bentley University in Boston to study marketing, and the rest is a longer story for how my career unfolded.
Can you share a story about the funniest marketing mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
My first job was as a Territory Marketing Manager at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA). I learned to negotiate with labor unions — fire, police and the hardest of all, teachers. One day, I received a phone call from a teacher at one of my accounts. The protocol was for members to call customer service, not marketing, so I told her this and sent her on her way with zero empathy. She did NOT like how I handled her issue and made her way to the CEO of BCBSMA. The next day, there was an envelope on my desk. When I opened it, I saw it was from the CEO and it simply said, “I received a call from XYZ and she told me that she really needed you to help her but it sounded like you were busy. Next time, let’s make sure our members get the help they need. And, as Kermit the Frog says, “it ain’t easy being green,” and in our case sometimes “it ain’t easy being blue.”This lesson has stayed with me for 25 years on two levels: One, never be above anything that needs to be done in your organization, and two, the empathy and handling of the issue by the CEO guided me on how to motivate young talent when they make the inevitable mistake. I still have that notecard to this day.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?
Throughout my career, I’ve always strived to take on roles that I was not qualified for and worked to level up as fast as possible. Early in my career, I was offered the chance to help a well-known NYC ad agency integrate their then-nascent digital marketing into a traditional agency service model. This blending of traditional brand development with the new digital and interactive worlds became a theme throughout my career. We went on to win B2B Agency of the Year from AdAge because of this integration and scaled the agency considerably.
Brands and executives are still working to understand how social media fits into a marketing mix. The lesson here is not to be shy or intimidated when you enter the professional world. The executives are looking to you for your natural expertise — use this as a differentiator.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Republic Brands is the coolest company that you’ve most likely not heard of — yet. In many ways we’re like a Brown-Forman (Jack Daniels) or Constellation Brands (Corona); a parent company that owns, markets and distributes some of the most iconic brands in the world. In our case, it’s rolling papers and accessories from legacy international brands like OCB and TOP, and American-based E-Z Wider, to name just a couple. Since 1969, Republic has been providing consumers with the highest-quality roll-your-own and make-your-own products. What separates us from our competition is that we operate with a “plant-to-puff” philosophy, ensuring the highest-quality product for our brand fans.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
We recently launched a collaboration with Cash Money Records and its co-founder, the iconic rapper Birdman, for an exclusive rolling paper brand called JOB x $TUNNA. The product is made from organic hemp that we source from our fields in Champagne, France — hence the name, Champagne Papers.
I am excited about raising the profile of Republic Brands and telling the amazing brand stories that live within our company. As a brand marketer, being able to oversee these iconic, rich brands at a moment where market relevance for our products is at an all-time high is a rare opportunity in one’s career.
What advice would you give to other marketers to thrive and avoid burnout?
There are not many jobs or industries more stressful than working in an advertising agency. Having done so for almost 25 years at the highest levels, managing stress and burnout was — and still is — critical to my survival. My advice is to be yourself and be proud of it; being true to yourself in the context of corporate culture is difficult and can be a source of stress that lives under the surface. Second, do more of what you love, and be sure to steal moments to turn your brain off. For me that means playing hockey, CrossFit, boating on Lake Michigan and riding my Harley; these things keep me grounded and focused.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
At every stage of my life and career there have been people that have propelled me on the journey and without them, I would not be where I am today. Their names are Ed Bleiler, Tucker Greco, Klaus Boettcher, Yannick Bollore, Anson Carter and now working closely with Republic CEO Don Levin.
Tucker Greco (R.I.P. 2012) was the owner and CEO of Greco Ethridge Group when I met him in the mid-1990s and a very successful advertising executive. He saw something in me as a young professional, took me under his wing and more importantly, gave me the keys to lead his agency when I surely didn’t have the experience. As my roles became larger in advertising and marketing, Tucker stayed with me and while he was not alive to see me take the helm in a major holding company group, I know he was there at all times guiding me.
There are hundreds of memorable marketing campaigns that have become part of the lexicon of our culture. What is your favorite marketing or branding campaign from history? Can you explain why you like that so much?
My all-time favorite campaign is The Most Interesting Man In The World by Havas and Dos Equis. Granted, the campaign had been developed before I arrived at Havas, but having played a small role and seeing the magic from the inside made me love that idea even more. Everything about this campaign became part of pop- and meme-culture, and it drove off-the-chart sales for a brand nobody had heard of before this campaign. His famous line, “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis,” has become a part of the lexicon.
My close runner-up is the Dr. Rick campaign that’s currently running, made by my friends at Arnold in Boston for Progressive Insurance. Working hard to not become your parents is a very rich insight that the client and agency have delivered on perfectly. I laugh out loud every time I see one of the spots.
If you could break down a very successful campaign into a “blueprint,” what would that blueprint look like? Please share some stories or examples of your ideas.
The best campaigns have these elements in common:
Non-obvious insights. The best insights into making great work are not at the surface level. They require the team to dig deeper, go further and look in unconventional places to understand where the brand’s proposition and the consumer’s needs will intersect.
Courage x2. Selling non-obvious insights and very powerful creative work takes courage on behalf of both the creative agency and the client. Especially if it is a larger brand, a powerful creative idea can sometimes be perceived as “risky,” but these insights are the ones we remember.
Sweat the details. In any medium, focus on the quality of the production, the art in the casting, detail in the music and narrative. The best creatives and brands understand that the little things matter in the context of an award-winning campaign. Make people feel something through the flawless execution.
Companies like Google and Facebook have totally disrupted how companies market over the past 15 years. At the same time, consumers have become more jaded and resistant to anything “salesy.” In your industry, where do you see the future of marketing going?
Our industry is very interesting as it relates to building awareness because we are restricted to where we can advertise due to regulations. In roll-your-own, cool matters as does speaking to the values of the consumers for each of the brands we market. Influencers, collaborations and marketing at the retail level are important elements of building awareness and brand preference. Like in spirits, brands rely on places like corner stores, dispensaries and other retail environments where a salesperson can influence which brand someone may purchase.
Can you please tell us the 5 things you wish someone told you before you started? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Work / Life Balance Is a Mirage: While this may sound like struggle-celebration, the ability to reach the top of an industry or company requires nothing other than hard work. However, doing more of what you love and keeping yourself at the top of your game does require recovery and turning your brain off at times. I think about it as work / life harmony rather than balance. Find ways to integrate, rather than be linear.
Big Brand Names: Having brand recognition on your resume smooths the road for future opportunities and lends credibility to your experience. It is why brand people go to Procter & Gamble to be trained in brand management; it’s the gold standard.
Take Risks Early: The one regret I have thus far is not starting my own ad agency earlier in my career. As you get older and life happens, taking entrepreneurial risks becomes harder to pull off. If you think being on your own is your thing, do it sooner rather than later.
People Are Everything: No matter where you work, the people around you can make or break the experience. The ego is a powerful thing, and learning how to navigate workplace culture is a skill that many executives fail to learn.
Take Care of Yourself: Executive stamina is real and requires resiliency. Do not take your health for granted because it will catch up to you. Consistency is the key to success, and being in good health will help you get there.
Can you share a few examples of marketing tools or marketing technology that you think can dramatically empower small business owners to become more effective marketers?
The trend toward low- and no-code digital and creative development over the last couple of years has been the key for small- and medium-business owners to act and feel like larger companies. For example, the app Canva is a disruptive innovation in the space of graphic design where anyone can create a cool ad, posting or graphic. Platforms like Squarespace can help a small-business owner create a compelling web presence complete with e-commerce that would’ve cost tens of thousands of dollars in the past.
What books, podcasts, documentaries or other resources do you use to sharpen your marketing skills?
I read at least 100 books per year; some business, some personal passions. Robert Greene is my favorite business author and I would recommend any marketer or business leader read all of his books. I do not read many marketing books but the most helpful brand books are by Byron Sharp and his How Brands Grow series.
The podcasts that are on my regular schedule are: The CMO Podcast by Jim Stengel, The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, and an incredible podcast for leaders, The Reboot Podcast with Jerry Colonna.
Who is your hero? Can you explain or share a story about why that person resonates with you?
My executive hero will always be Richard Branson from Virgin. I have always admired how he leaned into being a “rebel aristocrat” and launched new ideas in the face of criticism and adversity. Not all of his ideas were successful and he kept forging ahead. I also admire how he focuses on giving back and making a difference with his climate initiatives and other programs.
My sports hero is Bobby Orr from the Boston Bruins. He changed the game with his playing style and did it quietly without ever really wanting the spotlight. He helped his teammates on and off the ice and having grown up not too far from him, I have never heard someone utter a bad word about the man.
If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
My passion is to change the color and inclusion of the game of hockey. My activities outside of work often revolve around introducing the game to kids who wouldn’t typically have access to the sport, ensuring representation so that non-traditional hockey players are comfortable playing the game. I also strive to lower barriers to trying the sport, as it can be expensive to play. I am a sitting member on the NHL’s Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives focused on Fan Development, an advisor to the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation and Chairman of a hockey-based educational program in Chicago called The Inner-City Education (ICE) program. I am also currently co-launching a new hockey academy and program for communities of color in North America with former NHL pro and TV personality Anson Carter, called T.E.A.M Hockey.
How can our readers follow you online?
@marobella
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
