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Mike Molnar is managing partner at Glow, an independent creative agency, where he’s been for more than two decades. He was previously a senior media consultant at Sunshine Consultants, and he began his career as a publicist for America’s Most Wanted.
Favorite project you’ve worked on? After 24 years in this biz, I have worked on too many projects to pick my favorite projects anymore. But I can say that I have a very special place in my heart for the NBA, where I’ve been able to use decades of strategic and creative advertising experience to drive a constantly changing, ever-evolving creative and strategic approach, in near real-time. It’s unlike any campaigns or clients and requires an always-on approach to advertising.
What’s your favorite ad campaign? Crazy in advertising matters, but cleverness will always prevail. When you mix both, the recipe offers a unique opportunity to connect with consumers. In this case, I have two favorites. The little boy in me gives the ever-classic “Ship My Pants” from Kmart a nod. And the incredible power of the message, the visual redirect that Marcel agency did for Orange to promote women’s football in France was clever, powerful, and poignant. A top-notch approach, purpose-built, and incredible audience and viewer results all around.
One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: I’ve got two official America’s Most Wanted captures I can be proud of for a story I found and brought forward when I worked with the show. It’s probably what helped get me in the door right out of college, and soon after quickly working my way to becoming the show’s publicist, traveling with the crew and host and conducting domestic and international interviews and press conferences.
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What marketing trend are you most optimistic about? Least? I’m optimistic about innovation always. Innovation is a never-ending trend, if you will. Finding unique ways to use (or present for use) new and emerging technologies and attaching this to branded approaches has always been something that we’ve loved about the work we do in marketing for the past 20 years.
I’m least optimistic about influencer marketing. While I understand its value and the impact it’s had on the industry, I am still a bit skeptical about the authenticity and true value of promised reach and engagement that can be lacking within this world. This is a challenge for advertisers and brands, and one that I think we are all working towards combating for the better. So, while I do see all the great potential, I think brands are often too guilty of chasing shiny things that are here today and gone tomorrow. The industry needs to do more solid work on evaluating true ROI on influencer campaigns and proving value. I look forward to seeing how things shake up over the next few years.
What’s one marketing-related podcast/social account/series you’d recommend? The Everyone Hates Marketers podcast. It’s not at all your traditional fluff podcast and is more rife with curse words and real speak than jargon and theory. If you like a direct discussion, hate the jargon-ridden world of marketing, have thick skin and can laugh at yourself and genuinely listen to a no-bullshit, real business talk, this one is for you.