Advertising and marketing expert Greg Abel on building brand authenticity

The Roadmap, which brings founders, CEOs, and business owners together, explains how to advance up the corporate ladder, grow your company, and monetize your venture. On today’s episode, host Ted Jenkin, Co-founder and CEO of oXYGen Financial, is joined by Greg Abel, Founder of Tailfin Marketing, who addresses why the advertising business often gets depicted as real-life Mad Men.

Tailfin is known for assisting businesses, whether it be an established company stuck in a rut or a start-up blocked at the starting line. How? With better tactics, more engaging stories, and seasoned knowledge—all without the bloat of large agencies.

Industry evolution

After Abel joined the advertising firm, media was no longer seen as a necessary evil but as a shiny new toy. According to Abel, the agency has changed alongside technological innovation. One of the difficult developments for the business has been how to place, trace, and create messages where the agency can obtain the correct traction for the intended audience. This endeavor is increasingly nuanced now that every media outlet medium has a complex algorithm.

Additionally, Abel claims brands matter at the onset. As soon as the evolutionary endeavor is brought up, attention turns to the marquee. For example, when it comes to a well-known brand like Coca-Cola, the marquee is more difficult to protect. On the other hand, establishing trust at the beginning of any rebranding effort helps create lasting connections. Whereas, with rebranding, the marquee’s authentic truth is revealed, and advertising can reflect that. 

Having gone through two recessions, Tailfin has changed. Abie claims that they now enjoy endless summer Fridays, with a five o’clock dismissal every Friday. They have embraced hybrid, and its retention has been developing various methods of compensating individuals, raising wages to keep up with the cost of living, and when it comes to recruiting people to carry out the company’s objectives, Abel asserts, “That’s where we find success. By pushing people who have faced significant corporate obstacles to higher chances.”