Janice Suter —Director of Social Media, GSD&M
Janice talks to TheNextGag about the evolution of social media, how to make an ad work in six seconds and why everyone should come to SXSW.
Janice is Director of Social Media at GSD&M in the USA.
As GSD&M’s Director of Social Media, Janice oversees the agency’s growing social media practice. This includes providing strategic leadership and mentorship to her team, the staff and the agency’s 20+ clients including U.S. Air Force, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Hilton, among others.
Prior to leading the social media department, Janice focused on strategic media planning including both traditional, digital and emerging channels for clients like AT&T, BMW, L.L. Bean, AARP and Chili’s Grill & Bar.
Janice is truly passionate about her work and she models a high level of energy and positivity in her work environment. What energizes her most is the process of discovery and listening to find how brands can connect with consumers on a more meaningful level, based on shared values and experiences.
Janice will be on stage at SXSW 2018 for the panel “How to Tell a 6-Second Story: Advertising’s Future“.
THENEXTGAG: What intrigued you to participate in the panel for SXSW ?
JANICE SUTER: I’ve long had a passion about evolving advertising formats and how users change their behaviors over time. And looking at their attention spans in the newsfeed and through data and analytics, we can see how much time people pay attention to video formats. So when you’ve seen this natural drop-off in the first couple of seconds, it is really interesting to see how the industry has adapted.
TNG: IT’S THE FIRST TIME I SEE AN AD AGENCY TALKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC INSTEAD OF SAY A PUBLISHER OR A MEDIA AGENCY.
JS: I think it is a subject for everybody. I think publishers, agencies and marketers are impacted by user behaviors and what viewers are consuming, video and social channels. The publishers are typically at the forefront of these trends and recognize this, because they are producing, developing and pushing out so much content. And brands and agencies follow suit.
But, it definitely impacts all of us in the ecosystem.
Getting my start in media has really provided a great foundation for being in a social world.
TNG: YOU’VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR A WHILE. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A SOCIAL MEDIA VETERAN ?
JS: Well, I actually started in media here at GSD&M quite a while ago. Over twenty years ago. So, I am a veteran of the agency. And what’s great is when I first got into the industry, digital, and much less social, was not around. But, getting my start in media has really provided a great foundation for being in a social world. Social has transformed into a pay-to-play channel and there is a strong emphasis on paid and different formats. So, I am really excited to be involved in social.
But along the way, I’ve worked in traditional media, digital strategy, and emerging media. I played a lot of roles here in the agency, and that’s what I love about being here at GSD&M. It’s being able to have the freedom to reinvent myself, as the landscape changes and the clients’ demand changes and as my interests changes, to be frank.
I loved the digital arena when I was planning television. It just felt like a natural evolution to start getting into the digital arena and ultimately into the social world.
And in my personal life, I am an avid consumer of social. I share a lot. And I love to follow the trends. Personally, it is very satisfying for me to being doing that on a day-to-day basis.
TNG: TALKING ABOUT TRENDS, WE’VE SEEN VERTICAL VIDEOS COME AND NOW IT IS ALL ABOUT SIX-SECOND VIDEOS. WHY SIX AND NOT FIVE OR FOUR ?
JS: I don’t know if there is any magic in six seconds. And this is something that we’ve been debating quite a bit. There is really no reason to be rigid around six seconds. It is just that YouTube and bumper ads have all put out the standard six seconds ads. I think what is important is that we hook people in second one and second two. And what happens after that is hopefully a great story. But, really, anything under ten seconds is definitely adequate to tell a compelling story.
And I know six seconds has evolved to become a buzzword. But, also the networks are starting to feature six second ads as well. In the NFL, we are seeing that as well. So, it is very interesting that social formats and social behaviors are driving viewing trends. And the broadcasters are taking note at how people are viewing video and adapting to that. I am really interested in how social is influencing television advertising.
We don’t want to be an interruption or an annoyance, we want to be welcomed friends in the viewing experience.
TNG: CAN WE TEACH VETERAN COPYWRITERS AND ART DIRECTORS TO WRITE SIX SECONDS ADS OR DO WE NEED TO GET THE VINE GENERATION FOR THAT ?
JS: That’s a great question. I think it can be taught. For sure, there are certain principles of the six seconds ad that people need to commit to. Like I’ve said before: hook them in the first two seconds and have a great visual. To be very visually appealing and be very purposeful with what you want people to take away from that video. And also to be singular in your focus. Not try to tell a bunch of different stories. I think that’s a great opportunity for us to focus on one feature or benefit or topic within a video and to produce and publish a series of these videos. So, you got all these different stories that are targeting different people based on their different interests and their passions….showing the brand in different ways through these small pieces of content.
I love the way the industry is going. I know that I don’t have a lot of patience for long videos when I am watching television. It’s very disruptive. It is taking away from what you want to do. Whether you are watching television or you are surfing the web, it is an interruption. So, to be concise and respectful of people’s time is what we are all in it for. We don’t want to be an interruption or an annoyance, we want to be welcomed friends in the viewing experience.
I am fully supportive of six seconds ads and shorter format ads, as long as they follow the best practices and respect people’s time.
TNG: WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT FOR THE NEXT EDITION OF SXSW ?
JS: Do you mean in terms of topics in general ?
I tend to gravitate towards panels that will teach me something new or to expand my mind in some interesting way versus things in my industry.
TNG: ANYTHING. IT CAN BE THE BBQ OR PEOPLE COMING INTO THE CITY …
JS: We are really into the Austin’s cuisine scene. It’s great.
SXSW is a great opportunity to meet up with people that you’ve worked with before or people that you’ve met digitally or through different circles. So, it is really exciting to share ideas and connect with people outside of the panels and the planned programming. That is definitely a huge draw and it is great that Austin, Texas, is a place for all that to happen.
Aside from that, I tend to gravitate towards panels that will teach me something new or to expand my mind in some interesting way versus things in my industry. I do tend to attend things that would definitely teach me something that I just don’t know or having been exposed to.
It is a great place to meet people, connect and network. And just have a good time. I encourage anyone to come down to Austin, Texas, in March.
Janice Sutter
Director, Social Media
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