Building Your Brand: Paid vs. Earned Media Strategies with CEO John Sampogna of Wondersauce

Pitchin' and Sippin' with Lexie Smith

In this episode, Lexie Smith sits down with John Sampogna, the CEO and Co-founder of Wondersauce, an agency specializing in brand storytelling, paid media, e-commerce, and digital experiences. With over 15 years of experience in digital marketing and advertising, John has created and led work for a wide range of clients such as L’Oreal, Scott’s, Golf.com, and Subway, amongst many others. Featured early in his career in Business Insider’s “30 Most Creative People In Advertising Under 30”, John’s insights have been featured in numerous media outlets, including Glossy, Adweek, CNBC, Medium, Yahoo, and Digiday. Today, he manages a team of over 100 creatives, strategists, producers, and technologists at Wondersauce, and is well-regarded industry-wide for his innovative approach toward digital marketing and brand storytelling.

Lexie and John delve into the intricate dynamics of brand storytelling and media strategies. They explore the importance of crafting a cohesive brand narrative and discuss how brands can navigate the often complex landscape of both media strategies. John emphasizes that successful marketing today requires more than effective campaigns—it demands a thoughtful integration of top-of-funnel brand-building efforts and bottom-of-funnel performance tactics.

John also provides practical advice for businesses, whether they're just starting out or scaling up. He discusses how brands can effectively leverage paid media to generate earned media, stressing the importance of creating engaging content that resonates with audiences. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to refine their brand strategy and harness the full potential of both paid and earned media.

Here’s What You’ll Learn:

• Understand why a brand's content is a crucial reflection of its identity and how it can influence audience perception.
• Learn how to balance large-scale, brand-building campaigns with tactical, performance-focused marketing efforts.
• Discover how to use paid media not just for immediate results but to test and refine content strategies that can generate organic, earned media.
• Explore the potential of newer advertising platforms like connected TV for reaching audiences in innovative ways.
• Get insights into using paid media for AB testing to determine which messaging resonates best with audiences before full-scale deployment.
• Learn how partnering with influencers can be a cost-effective way to amplify brand stories and create engaging content.
• Understand how to create effective content strategies on a smaller budget and why foundational content development is crucial before scaling paid efforts.
• Emphasize the importance of knowing where your audience spends their time and tailoring content and advertising strategies accordingly.
• Find out how to identify and exploit niche market opportunities that can offer high rewards for brands willing to diverge from traditional tactics.
• Gain insights into effectively integrating paid and earned media strategies to maximize impact and drive brand success.

Social Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsampogna/
• Wondersauce: https://www.wondersauce.com/
  
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