“Human beings have the capacity to do amazing things”: The Digital Marketing Meet Up kicks off in style
It may still be November but the Christmas tree was up at the first ever Digital Marketing and Communications Meet Up, held at the University of Northampton’s Waterside Bar, with:
Kardi Somerfield, Course Leader and Senior Lecturer in Advertising and Digital Marketing at the University of Northampton and owner of Fridge Street
Hannah Brady, Director at The Brady Creative and President of Next Generation Chamber
The event was hosted by Ken Punter, Lecturer in Digital Marketing at the University of Northampton.
Here are some highlights from the evening, featuring loads of great advice from Kardi and Hannah for anyone interested in a career in digital marketing.
What do you love about your job?
Kardi: There's quite a lot of freedom in how we do digital marketing. The bit I find really rewarding is when we can make things happen together, when somebody has a good time learning or gets something out of the experience.
You have to do the hard yards and get the work done and the big smiles on graduation day is the culmination, but having a great time in the classroom, when you can make that happen is what I love most.
Hannah: 18 months ago I was dreaming of running my own agency. Now I'm doing it, it's important everyone's aware there are still occasional days when I don't want to do it but when I think about what I'm enjoying most, it's the challenge.
I'm more stimulated than I've ever been - as a marketer, as a creative, as a person - running The Brady Creative with my mum as the creative and myself as the strategist.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career?
Kardi: People in your life will be important. You're a number to the company but a person to the people. People will have loyalty so think about your personal relationships first.
Hannah: If you're struggling to work out what you want to do, try to talk to other people on your course because they might be having the same problem. Think about where you want to be in a few years' time, do some research about the kind of businesses you might want to work for and don't be scared to make a change if it's the right thing for you.
What do you wish you could change about digital marketing?
Kardi: If I could do anything, I'd make sure the digital environment didn't hurt people. I'm incensed by what social media in particular can do to people's heads. It makes me sick what it can do to people. Whatever role any of us can have in that, I'd change that because it can be horrific.
Hannah: I wish I could change the comparison culture and vanity in business. I spend a lot of my time educating clients on how to look at their metrics properly. People get sucked into the vanity and lose their purpose, why they're actually doing it.
Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Whether as individuals or businesses, people lose their sense of identity on social media. Focus on what you're trying to do.
What do you wish you knew?
Kardi: I wish I knew everything I needed to help my students - I can cope with not knowing everything about my subject but I wish I knew how people needed help. One of the hardest things is that there are 150 students on my course and I don't know what everyone's going through.
Of course, I can't know that. My brain would probably explode if I did but I hate not being able to help people and the thought that someone might be struggling and not getting that help.
How did you decide to change direction in your career?
Hannah: I left my job two weeks before the pandemic hit. I didn't know that was going to happen obviously. I was in an environment where I knew I was good at what I do but I wasn't in the right culture.
I got increasingly frustrated and I just thought to myself - you only have one life. If you don't try you'll never know. I've always been quite willing to take a risk so I took a leap of faith. Human beings have the capacity to do amazing things.
Kardi: There's no such thing as one job for life any more. I'm on my fourth career now and probably have at least two on the go. You don't necessarily need to be one thing. It’s important to figure out what you're good at and what makes you happy.
I see Fridge Street as an opportunity to celebrate Northampton. I was standing in front of the remains of Marks and Spencer and the remains of Debenhams, being asked to talk to the media about the death of the high street when actually I wanted to change the narrative and draw attention to the many smaller, independent places in this town that people love.
Get social
Follow Kardi on Twitter: @kardisom | @FridgeStreet
Visit Fridge Street
Follow Hannah on Twitter: @BradyWords | @brady_creative
Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn