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Qualitative research is an essential tool for consumer insights. Its direct observation and analysis of people make it invaluable for market research. But, over the years, has it adapted to the changing ways we interact and communicate? To learn more about the past, present, and future of qualitative research, we sat down with Liz White, Senior Vice President at buzzback, an insights agency pioneering research innovation since 2000. Liz’s career has spanned across both quantitative and qualitative approaches, including founding the qualitative division at buzzback. Over the past 19 years, Liz has not only developed a holistic knowledge of the industry—she’s impacted its evolution. Q: What do you like most about qualitative research as opposed to quantitative? LW: I love the human component of it all. The qualitative pieces of research are just so illuminating—you really get to know folks. As many great insights as quantitative research gives, it always leaves you wondering about the person behind the number. It was important for me to dig my heels into that. Q: Being in the industry for nearly 20 years, what’s the biggest change you’ve seen in qualitative research? LW: About 20 years ago, we stopped doing research with pen and paper and started recording it digitally and using the internet to facilitate that. And until about 12 years ago, everything was done in person, in a facility. Doing qual research online wasn’t a thing, period. Then, when COVID hit, it really cemented the change and made online qual the leading method of qual research. Brands had to be open to doing online interviews and leaning on different digital platforms to help them connect with their consumers. Online is where people are and how we are accustomed to communicating. Q: How does online qualitative research differ from in-person? What makes it so great? LW: At buzzback, we’ve always tried to meet the consumer where they are, and right now, that’s online. So, we try to leverage different online tools or techniques that are relevant to what we do in our daily lives to paint a true picture of somebody. That means mobile-first methods, digital captures, videos, and remote discussions, to name a few. Online qual has a host of benefits. You still get to meet the person and get snippets into their lives—and at times, it’s even more true to who they are while recording their thoughts immersed in the environment or occasion you are exploring. There’s always been something disjointed about asking a consumer to come into a focus group facility at 8 PM to talk about brushing their teeth that morning! I prefer talking to them while they’re in that moment—when their thoughts, attitudes, and experiences are fresh in their mind. And lastly, it can be done from anywhere for efficiency—which helps brands who are tightening their belts with expenses and need to be more agile. Q: What were the biggest obstacles to garnering qualitative research when you first started? LW: It was all very manual and quite honestly a bit gated. It used to be incredibly laborious for research buyers to find a moderator who’s perfect for their project—the telephone game, posting on LinkedIn, all that. It was a bit of who do you know, and the size of your network. But not everyone has those types of connections and even those that do, inevitably find themselves tapping out their network in need of fresh thinking and partners. Similarly, recruiting participants took an agonizingly long time. You needed more time to do that part alone than some projects were scoped for from start to finish! Really there was a lot of obstacles & barriers that we just lived with and accepted despite it not being ideal for anyone. Q: Have those problems been solved? LW: Well, it’s funny because while we’ve evolved to embrace these online methodologies, so much of how to make it all work was not evolving. There’s been so much innovation on the quantitative side of our industry, but on the qual side, our processes were still very antiquated and inefficient. It prompted us to look at some of these quantitative ResTech platforms and even solutions outside of our own industry. It made us think—what can we learn from that? Can we take a page from their book? So, we finally did. In 2024, we launched Studio—an online service on-demand platform to bring the qual research process into modern times. With the creative help of TTC, we developed our launch campaign introducing Studio as the Future of Qual. Q: Can you tell us a bit more about Studio and its improvements to the qualitative research process? LW:  Studio was born out of an experience that needed to become more agile, accessible, and efficient. It expedites the moderator search process by allowing clients to find the perfect moderator for their unique project through our wide network of vetted qualitative professionals and robust profiles. Not only that, but Studio provides built-in features, administrative tools, fieldwork and recruiting partners so that everyone can focus on what matters most (consumer insights!) and ultimately improve the speed to obtaining them. Think about it this way: We’ve all booked a weekend somewhere and used AirBnB to find the perfect place for whatever mood we’re looking for. We applied that same thinking to organize a place for folks looking for qual research services. Q: Where do you see qualitative research going in the next five years? LW: I’d like to see research technology, like Studio, become increasingly available, making consumer insights more accessible for everyone. I hope that continues. You should have tools that allow you to test new ideas and collect consumer feedback easily, no matter who you are or the size of business you work for. Our vision of the future of qual is with Studio. We see the opportunity as limitless, as the pain points that Studio solves is everywhere. Studio has refined qualitative research to fit the digital age. The evolution of this industry relates to how we live our own lives, as it seeks to study just that. Reach out to us at info@thethomascollective.com to learn more about the future of qual.

The role of Artificial Intelligence in marketing continues to evolve as much as AI itself. As it’s progressed in form and function, AI has become more prominent in the marketer’s toolbox. But with new technology comes new questions: how do these innovations alter how we approach our jobs? Is AI going to take our jobs? AI will never replace us, but it can enhance the way we work. We’ve learned a few valuable lessons about how and when to utilize the power of AI—let’s get into them. #1 AI Should Streamline and Expedite Your Process Artificial Intelligence is all about efficiency—expediting operations is its bread and butter. From speeding up engagements with consumers to culling down research, here’s how we use AI to streamline our daily work: Instagram Community Management: Through Instagram’s AI-organized Explore Page and Suggested Posts feature, we quickly find relevant content and trending topics, boosting engagement for our clients' social accounts. This streamlines audience outreach, optimally connecting consumers with a brand. Research: Instead of only relying on traditional search engines, we use AI tools like ChatGPT to gather information from a wide range of sources succinctly, offer new perspectives on concepts, and analyze large bodies of text. With the help of machine learning, we can reach deeper levels of understanding quickly, allowing us to spend more time on creative and collaborative endeavors. Copy Editing: Applications like Grammarly ensure our ideas are clear, concise, and tonally sound (pun intended). Whatever the project or platform, building a narrative involves conveying an intentional message, which Grammarly monitors through its grammar and diction suggestions. Yes, AI helps simplify our tasks, but it won’t replace the role of the social manager, research team, or copy editor. Marketing requires the human touch, which brings us to our next lesson. #2 Don’t Over-rely on Artificial Intelligence Much to AI’s chagrin, it can’t solve every problem or answer every question...yet. It’s crucial to grasp not only its capabilities but also its limitations. Most AI chatbots lack updates on current events, so it’s our job to keep up with emerging information and create new ideas from what’s available. Sure, ChatGPT has the knowledge of Marie Curie mixed with Leonardo da Vinci and everyone in between—but it lacks the essential life we bring to our work. To create timely, successful campaigns, we alone are responsible for creativity and ideation. Our experience, knowledge, and individuality are what make our ideas unique. Creatives think outside the box—which often means going in a different direction than an AI’s formula suggests. Our originality gives us a standard of creativity that AI algorithms will never be able to achieve. We build campaigns with lasting power by combining AI tools with extensive research, creativity, and a human understanding of the people and cultures around us. #3 Use AI at Work for Inspiration, Not Execution We implement AI to complement our processes, not replace them. We like to think of AI as another colleague we can bounce ideas off. Our creative team uses AI tools for design inspiration, to help edit copy, and to overcome writer’s block. For us, artificial intelligence is another way to stimulate our creative juices. As integral as AI has become in marketing, TTC understands the extent of its capabilities. Marketing is constantly evolving in the digital world, as is AI’s place within it, but our grasp on its applications prepares us for the future. Reach out to us at info@thethomascollective.com to learn more about how we use AI and how its evolution can affect the marketing world.

We’re on a mission to humanize brands, and to do so, we utilize a human-centered approach to develop our campaigns. We call it our Collective Intelligence Process, a three-step approach that brings together emotional, cultural, and brand intelligence to create powerful perspectives. TTC developed this proprietary research method with the help of Lara Tabac, PhD—an anthropologist with deep experience in research and policy development. From consulting for NYU to tenure at the United Nations, Dr. Tabac’s decades of experience includes successfully launching a qualitative research project spanning five countries, as well as steering the advancement of global best practices concerning data dissemination, taking her around the world to lead workshops in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Currently, Dr. Lara Tabac resides in New York City as a director at Vital Strategies, a global public health organization. As an expert in the field, we discussed anthropology with Dr. Tabac, unearthing some compelling insights about how marketers can utilize the social science to build relevant campaigns. Q: What is cultural anthropology? LT: Cultural anthropology looks at beliefs and practices to understand why people behave the way that they do. It also examines how cultural variables play a role in individuals’ beliefs and practices. Think of the variation in greetings around the world: handshakes, cheek kisses, bowing, hands in prayer position at your heart—these ways of connecting with others are insights into the cultures from which they stem. A culture where it is normal to press your cheek against that of a stranger may be seen to be more "open" and "warm" than one that keeps others at "arm’s length." Q: How can anthropology be used for marketing? LT: Marketers can use anthropology in many, many ways. From decoding cultural nuances to uncovering consumer values or gaining a deeper understanding of societal dynamics to tailoring brand messages—all of which help brands resonate with diverse audiences, craft better campaigns, and create better connections. An anthropologist could explore any behavior to understand the values and influences that inform and predict market behavior, drawing insights that can contribute to the success of a campaign. For example, Airbnb employs an in-house anthropologist who helped shape their platform to reflect Millennials’ thirst for community. Intel has an in-house cultural anthropologist who oversees research into consumer behavior and preferences, and Microsoft, which uses anthropologists to study how people use technology in their daily lives, is reportedly the second-largest employer of anthropologists in the world. Q: What methods of collecting and analyzing different cultures do anthropologists use? LT: Traditionally, anthropologists have collected data through participant observation, focus groups, structured and semi-structured interviews, as well as content analysis of key texts and media. Interestingly enough, marketers utilize the same techniques to garner new insights about their target audiences, and these techniques stem from the social sciences. Q: How have these methods evolved in the digital world? LT: Now that we live in a world where so much interaction happens in the virtual space through highly segmented self-selected "communities," there are many passive ways for anthropologists and marketers to observe and learn about these micro-communities. Becoming a member of topic-driven Facebook groups, analysis of tweets from relevant demographic groups, and a deep dive into TikTok videos can all provide nearly real-time information about tastes, fads, and prevailing ideologies influencing target markets. Likewise, these digital methods of monitoring audiences allow marketers to shape their campaigns to resonate with their target and remain relevant. Q: Do you think more companies should utilize anthropologists? LT: I believe that every company would benefit from an in-house anthropologist. Not only can they help support market research, but they can also provide critical insights on efficiency, productivity, and workplace satisfaction in the culture of the company they work for. Thank you, Dr. Tabac, for the insight into how anthropology serves as a compass, guiding marketers to better understand their audience. Through this understanding, we can engage with audiences on a deeper level, ensuring their wants, beliefs, and needs are at the forefront of every campaign.

At TTC, we focus on our people. In fact, we have a People First motto. This means we create a work environment that considers and fulfills the needs of our employees. An important part of ensuring this positive workspace is socializing outside of work. Throughout the year we close the office, creating opportunities to learn more about our colleagues and the world around us. Summer outings, team events, Trend Trips, and holiday parties are staples of TTC get-togethers used to cultivate our community. Let’s dive into three insights we’ve gathered on the benefits of out-of-office team building. #1 Environment Nurtures Creativity Group activities spark our collective curiosity. Immersing ourselves in a different country, or even another neighborhood in New York City, allows us to learn from experiences as a team. New sights and sounds enrich our thought processes, making original ideas plentiful and collaboration instinctual. #2 New Experiences Foster Growth Shared experiences strengthen our bonds with each other and, in turn, our work. Our outings foster a unity that goes beyond the workplace but also impacts employee tenure. Developing a communal sentiment through new experiences makes us feel more connected with our coworkers, which increases the likelihood of long-term employment, resulting in consistency across brands and campaigns. This unified identity leads to TTC-isms: a common vernacular based on our new, shared perspectives. Being a part of a workplace that doesn’t revolve around deadlines and bottom lines ironically fosters a community that benefits the results of our campaigns. As our overall fulfillment with our jobs increases, we feel more engaged and responsible for our piece of the pie that contributes to the success of TTC. #3 Outings Broaden Perspectives Of course, there’s a difference between our work selves and our home selves. While at work, we don our creative or account hats and focus on taking care of business. But what about our chef hats? Or our baseball caps? Our personalities, observations, and insights outside of the office add a foundation of creativity that enhances our ability to produce relevant, effective campaigns. Through these excursions, we can learn more about how our coworkers see the world, enriching our collective imagination and ideas for future projects. Having time to get to know each other better without focusing on work lets us talk about a myriad of topics, adding to our creative bank from which we draw ideas to build meaningful projects. Closing the office throughout the year to focus on the team is a priority for TTC. Building a collective memory and discovering the layers of our coworkers fosters community and curiosity, two values that fuel TTC’s creativity. Interested in our outings and the ways we build a strong community? Email us to learn more at info@thethomascollective.com.

Every year, we close the office for a long weekend to explore a global trend up close and personal. The annual Trend Trip—a hallmark of TTC for nearly 20 years—is designed to inspire creativity, expand our perspectives, and grasp global movements as they relate to our work. We’ve traveled all over the world chasing trends and even explored our own NYC backyard. However, our travels are less about the destination and more about the inspiration, helping to spark our creativity and cultivate our community. You might be wondering: how do they pull this off? Below, we’ve answered FAQs we get about our Trend Trip—from our clients, friends, and even families. #1 Is it a boondoggle? No, our Trend Trips aren’t just trips. Although we do experience our destinations in the form of food, drink, and culture, the focus of our Trend Trip is just that: trends. Each journey, whether centered around the trend of Art & Design, Eco-Tourism, or the Paycation, offers a complete immersion into a fresh perspective. #2 Is it expensive? How do you afford to take one every year? Our creativity isn’t just artistic and literary. Trend trips are filled to the brim with sightseeing, team-building, and cultural exploration that can only be accomplished by getting a little scrappy. We use mass transit, opt to share Airbnb rooms, and discover our destination’s history through proactive research complemented by diverse activities. #3 What do you do on Trend Trips? We use the global trend to structure our activities. Whether we’re focusing on culinary tourism, ancient culture, or health and wellness, we spend our time immersing ourselves in our theme of choice through the tours we select and the sites we visit. We also take time to bond as a team, using the new environment as an opportunity to build relationships with each other and the world around us. #4 How does it benefit your business? Trend Trips benefit our business by nurturing our curiosity and community–two of our core values. We return with an abundance of shared experiences and collective memories that fuel creativity. Plus, we apply our wider breadth of knowledge to future campaigns, adding reference points through a richer understanding of consumers and culture. #5 Which Trend Trip is your favorite? That depends on you! We’ve had once-in-a-lifetime experiences on each of our 19 trips across 4 continents. If you like horseback riding, Mexico would have been your perfect destination. Want to pick up a new rhythm from a professional? Tango dancing in Madrid would be at the top of your list. And our political focus in Moscow would’ve piqued your diplomatic interests. #6 Can I come on the next Trend Trip? Of course! When you join the team 😁 Learn how to be a part of TTC and embark on a Trend Trip by emailing info@thethomascollective.com.

TTC’s approach to both strategy and creative is influenced by design thinking, which is steeped in the belief that the consumer is at the heart of all decisions. We create powerful perspectives through a non-linear, three-step process—what we call our CIP. While we like to keep the details of this technique close to the chest, this blog will answer FAQs about our CIP, and why it works so well for us. #1 What does CIP stand for? Collective Intelligence Process: a structured approach of analysis that focuses on the consumer, culture, and brand to gather emotional, social, and behavioral information. The process provides us with intelligence that pinpoints where brand empathy intersects with audience desires, identifying opportunities for timely platforms built on human connection. #2 How did you develop your Collective Intelligence Process? With the help of a PhD-credentialed Cultural Anthropologist, we found that identifying the relationship between a consumer’s internal motivations and their environment helps determine how we can effectively market a brand. We focus on how a brand can speak to the innermost needs of its consumers to inform our campaigns. #3 Why is it important to bring social sciences into marketing? Social sciences are crucial for marketers to utilize, as they provide valuable insights into human behavior, attitudes, and interactions. We use cultural anthropology as a framework for analyzing information because it examines how people live as individuals and as part of society. Understanding why people make social choices is necessary for businesses to recognize where they fit into their consumers' worlds. #4 Why is culture so important in marketing? Understanding cultural idiosyncrasies helps us personalize marketing campaigns, adding depth and individualism to broad ideas. Social sciences give us insight into the differences between cultures, which we use to highlight specific aspects of communities and avoid any cultural missteps that could harm a brand’s image. The social sciences also allow us to tailor campaigns to specific demographics and relevant cultural movements and trends, leading to more relevant, meaningful ideas. #5 What makes the CIP uniquely TTC’s? Our CIP is a direct product of our curiosity—one of TTC’s core values. It guides the questions we ask and the research we conduct. We instill curiosity into our CIP by engaging it through research and diverse methods of analysis. By gathering information and asking questions, we better understand the consumer and culture—helping us in our mission to humanize brands. From our very first brainstorm to the final campaign, we incorporate our CIP into every idea. Through an anthropological lens, we’re able to provide a specific perspective on how a brand can meet its consumers' needs—which can be very powerful. Do you have questions about our CIP? Email us at info@thethomascollective.com.

In an ever-changing industry, maintaining long-lasting relationships is critical for success. The essential characteristics that ensure longevity in client and agency partnerships don’t always fit on end-of-year reports. Rather, the keys to fruitful business connections are often learned over time. We’re proud of our client tenure, which is nearly triple the national average. While there is a plethora of factors, the following are the top reasons behind our strong partnerships. #1 Treat Every Project Like a New Opportunity Whether we’ve been working with a client for six months or six years, each new project presents an opportunity to showcase inventive, ownable ideas. We’ve learned that new, progressive concepts keep a client relationship fresh. So, we continuously make an effort to reignite the creative spark that won over our clients in the first place. Every year, we share at least one out-of-the-box idea, proving that there’s no room for complacency, only novel and innovative insight. #2 Build Trust To ensure our unconventional ideas land, we must first establish a base of trust. Here are three strategies we implement to build trust with our clients: I. Broadening Perspectives While larger companies have dedicated teams for specific projects, we have a dedicated agency, pulling in members from any department to spur creativity. A broad range of perspectives gives depth to every brand analysis, which also deepens our client relationships. They trust that we’ve left no stone unturned, knowing all hands are on deck. II. Seeking Expert Help Creativity can also be sparked by external team members to add specialized perspectives on projects. We often collaborate with research specialists and experts in various subjects—our “field authorities”—which range from sommeliers to anthropologists. These experts give us invaluable insights, which enhances our work and demonstrates our commitment to exceeding expectations. III. Investing in Relationships At TTC, we have a People First philosophy—creating a desirable work environment that considers and works to fulfill the needs of our employees. By supporting team members with training and development, we experience lower turnover and higher ownership, improving our work output in the process. We’ve learned that when employees feel valued, they, in turn, care about their relationships with clients, which boosts levels of trust on both sides. Working with the same clients for over ten years requires originality, passion, and trust. After all, creativity is like energy: it can’t be created or destroyed, only transformed. Our clients allow us to use our creative energy in innovative, unexpected ways because we’ve established a foundation of trust, backed by effort. We hope you can use these insights for your own company to foster strong, dynamic business relationships.

Public Relations (PR) is an age-old concept; since Ancient Greece, information has been tailored to influence the public’s opinion. With the advent of mass media in the last century, curating a crafted image of a brand, company, or public figure has become more important than ever, which is why PR has evolved into what it is today: a full-fledged, multifaceted industry. Today’s PR industry primarily deals with promoting company news or events, quelling negative press, or simply maintaining one’s public image. Media coverage, crisis management, and community engagement are all examples of putting PR into practice. These functions of PR make it essential for a public entity’s long-term success. Brands, political organizations, and public figures need to strategically engage with an audience so they can find common ground. How does this brand better my life; why should I support this campaign? PR attempts to answer these questions by persuading—not controlling—the opinions of its readers, watchers, listeners, or participants. In a world of endless information and infinite sources to get it, PR has become more important than ever. But, in an ever-changing industry, how do its standards of measurement keep up? We’ve tackled this tricky subject so you can better understand PR’s evolving applications, the challenges of measuring them, and our own system of solving those problems. #1 What are common challenges of measuring PR? a. The main challenge of measuring PR lies in the very definition of PR; a relationship is difficult to put into numbers. Clients, and data in general, favor quantitative data over qualitative because, ironically, numbers are easier to define than words. However, this preference for quantitative data can sometimes overlook the fundamental objectives of collecting PR campaign data: to gauge shifts in the public’s perception and connection with a brand or its products, which numbers alone can’t measure. PR metrics like event attendance, mentions in the press, or media impressions, try to turn opinion into numbers, but that’s where we run into another challenge of measuring PR: b. There are no consistent, industry-wide standards of the various PR metrics. Which makes understanding the results that much more difficult. Along with the examples of PR metrics listed above, there’s message pull-through, share of voice, and brand recognition, along with a slew of others. A lack of consistency in measuring results can confuse clients, leaving them to possibly misjudge PR campaigns, especially in an evolving landscape of media outlets, which brings us to our final challenge: c. The PR channel is continuously adapting. Digital outlets and social media have begun to take center stage, while newspapers, print magazines, and television are on the periphery. The previously described challenges are exacerbated by this change from “old media” to “new media”; metrics are evolving, and interactions are becoming both more and less personal, allowing brands to reach different audiences in new ways. This provides opportunities for agencies like TTC to maximize the potential that the new PR landscape presents to their clients. #2 How does TTC mitigate these challenges of PR, so clients can better understand its importance? Quantifying the public’s opinions into consistent, understandable metrics in a constantly evolving industry takes time, communication, and consideration of your PR campaign’s goals. TTC communicates the entire process of a campaign throughout the PR funnel. Before we start activation, we define the metrics we will be using to our clients, so they understand how exactly we’re going to measure its success. For example, when pitching to members of the press, we set clear goals each step of the way: i. Awareness and exposure to the press highlight how large of a reach each potential placement may have. ii. Knowledge and understanding measure the number of press members who open or respond to a pitch. iii. Consideration and evaluation take into account the interest of a press member; did they attend the PR event, request more information, or ask for samples of our client’s product? iv. Preference and advocacy consider the sentiment behind the press member’s messages; was it positive? Did it highlight specific key points of the product or brand? These measurements help us quantify our relationships with members of the press, which allows clients to clearly see the success rate of a campaign from start to finish. That said, qualitative data is also considered, as we track message sentiment and record how many “Golden Egg” publications we receive. For us, a Golden Egg is any media publication with over one million monthly readers. The various print and digital forms of media dictate which measurements we use; social media posts, impressions, and engagements have become staple metrics in measuring new media PR success, and we give our clients a detailed description of each before beginning a campaign. The relationship between a brand, company, or public figure and its audience directly correlates with its success. While that sounds intuitive, utilizing the tools and strategies of a successful PR campaign takes careful consideration but yields enormous return. We hope our thoughts helped you understand the importance of PR and the advantages of investing in it. If you’re looking to definitively measure your results, we’re happy to partner with you! Please reach out to us at info@thethomascollective.com

In the wake of the unforeseen global pandemic in 2020, our professional landscape endured a profound shift, redefining how we work. Organizations around the world swiftly adapted to a new reality characterized by remote collaboration. As office doors closed, opportunities for virtual interaction opened. Born out of necessity and safety, this transition soon became a significant milestone in office culture. Over three years later, our team has embraced a hybrid work model, giving us the choice to work from home or the office. Looking back, this sudden shift to remote work brought a myriad of learnings that may resonate with many companies. While some of these revelations have become part of mainstream discussions—like the necessity of embracing digital tools, the surprising increase in productivity, and the importance of communication—others remain relatively unexplored. We’re eager to delve into these lesser-discussed insights. #1 People Still Come First TTC was built on a people-first philosophy, meaning we’ve fostered a culture where people feel cared for and valued. The shift to remote work did not diminish our people-first belief. In fact, the importance of employee well-being has become more crucial than ever. While we couldn’t be together in person, we kept the company culture alive virtually via employee check-ins, Zoom happy hours, and team-building activities. Some events were quirkier than others—like Water Cooler Wednesdays—an optional Zoom event to discuss whatever topic the week's host decided, or virtual St. Paddy’s Day, on which we were each gifted a make-your-own green cocktail kit. No matter the theme, the goal was to instill the same camaraderie one could feel in the office. #2 More Isn’t Always Merrier It seemed to us that moving to remote work created more meetings with more people. Meeting room capacities were no longer an issue, so the more, the merrier, right? Not always. More people often translated to a number beyond what allowed for efficient decision-making, which resulted in extended meetings that deviated from the planned agenda. Ever heard the common gripe, “This meeting could’ve been an email”? Well, sometimes it's entirely valid. Now, before we schedule a meeting, we carefully assess the guest list and recommend including individuals who are essential to the meeting's purpose. For those who don’t attend—we send the minutes via email. #3 Some Things Are Better in Person While remote work unveiled a variety of benefits, sometimes face-to-face interactions still hold an irreplaceable value. a) Onboarding: We learned that the onboarding process is more effective in a physical environment. So, we’ve adopted an in-person policy for the first week of employment, allowing new employees to meet their team and attend training sessions for their new role. b) Building Relationships: As much as we love technology, human dynamics remain essential to fostering connections. While virtual meetings and events allow us to connect with our team and clients from anywhere, face-to-face interactions are unparalleled. We plan in-person events throughout the year, allowing us to bond as a team. c) Repeat After Us: Hybrid Brainstorms Don’t Work. From our experience, trying to organize a meeting with some people at home and others in the office becomes chaotic quickly. We prefer to be in person for meetings that require quick thinking and ideation. Sometimes we just yearn for a creative session infused with the tangible presence of pen and paper, and the exchange of ideas echoed across the room, without needing to remind someone they’re on mute😉 The shift from office to remote work provided new insights for our team—some more niche than others. We hope these lessons can serve as a blueprint for your own team’s success as the world of hybrid work evolves.

Creative agencies come in all shapes and sizes. Some house thousands of employees and numerous departments, while others—like TTC—succeed with fewer people and more focused departments. So, what separates a small agency from a big one, outside of size? Brittany Allen-Ambrose has some thoughts on the subject. She’s the Brand Manager for i-Health©, a company dedicated to making science-backed supplements available for everyone. In her three and a half years at the company, TTC has worked closely with Brittany to maximize the advertising, marketing, and PR potential of their products. In our interview, we took the opportunity to ask Brittany about her experience with agencies of different sizes. Q: What are the main differences you’ve noticed between working with a smaller agency, like TTC, versus working with a larger agency? BAA: The challenge for me is, while resources with a larger agency are plentiful, timelines are often stretched because there are so many people that need to see or touch things. A project that we may lean on to be done in a week with TTC may take 4-6 weeks with larger agencies. In terms of timing, smaller agencies tend to be more efficient than larger agencies with similar projects. Q: Would you say efficiency is one of the main reasons why your team decides to work with a small creative/PR agency like TTC for certain projects? BAA: Definitely—but also execution. The speed and accuracy with which TTC’s small but mighty team gets things done helps with our decision to choose a smaller agency like yours. Q: Are there any potential drawbacks or challenges your team considers when choosing a smaller agency? BAA: I think that many people feel that smaller agencies won’t have the same breadth of services as their larger counterparts, so the larger ones may have employees with specialties that smaller agencies don’t, or a perception that with more headcount, they’re able to work on more projects simultaneously. In many cases, company executives—who don’t work with the agencies on a day-to-day basis—may think that a larger agency can save on budget allocations by bundling resources. But for me, a smaller agency means better results because of more involvement from everyone. Not only do smaller agencies mean faster turnaround, but a team more focused on my business and its success, too. That’s been my experience with TTC—the level of collaboration and insight, even things I’m not thinking of, that happens because you know my accounts intimately. It helps that we’ve had such a longstanding relationship and that you guys are really invested in my brands. Q: Looking back on your experience, what is most memorable about working with a smaller agency? BAA: The flexibility and agility of working with a smaller agency, and truly owning the output. That’s one of the most enjoyable components: truly owning the output that we’re putting in. Throughout our conversation with Brittany, we were reminded of the benefits that smaller agencies, like TTC, can offer. The flexibility, efficiency, and effectiveness of smaller teams ensure clients are satisfied with the result. While smaller agencies have fewer people, the level of care and collaboration is a measurement of quality, not quantity. Thank you, Brittany, for showing us that small agencies can have a big impact.

Behind every successful brand lies a well-crafted persona—a literal depiction of your business as a person—that holds the potential to capture hearts, inspire loyalty, and leave an enduring mark in the minds of consumers. In this blog, we’ll explore the most frequently asked questions we receive regarding the development of brand personas. Our aim is to provide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to cultivate a truly memorable brand identity that stands out in a crowded marketplace. #1 What is a brand persona and why is it important? A brand persona is the human version of a brand, formed through an anthropomorphic process, with a business’s unique identity and values conferred as human characteristics. This personification moves beyond the more utilitarian qualities and benefits of a brand, allowing stronger interactions with customers and stakeholders. #2 Is a brand persona the same thing as a spokesperson or mascot? While a spokesperson or mascot could be a part of your marketing plan to highlight messaging, a brand persona is a human-like manifestation of your brand, utilized in advertising, social media, and other methods of communication with consumers. #3 What are the key components of building a brand persona? Identify your key customers and their goals; what type of individual would help your audience reach their goals? Build out human traits that reflect the essence of your brand. Which traits will be most relevant and attractive to your customers? Get specific by deciding on the levels of sincerity, sophistication, humor, and creativity you’ll use when creating your brand’s personality; what works for a financial services company might not work for a fast-food chain. Develop your brand voice based on the selected traits and personality. We find it helpful to identify one to three celebrities or notable figures who embody the identified traits. This helps to refine the voice and gives the larger team points of reference. #4 How does a brand persona help in connecting to your target audience? It goes without saying that you should work hard to establish deeper connections with your target audience. A strong, specific persona allows your brand to harness the power of human emotion to do just that—revealing it to be more than just a product or service on a shelf. We’ve found that when you consistently communicate with customers using the persona, you’re able to build better programming that engages. Now, because you have a lens for attitude and personality, your marketing team can make decisions more quickly, moving on to craft communication techniques and activations that the persona is more inclined towards. Implementing these tips and strategies ensures that your brand can remain relevant and influential in the eyes of your stakeholders. By exuding a consistent, authentic persona, you can establish a genuine rapport with your target audience, fostering trust, loyalty, and an emotional connection that extends beyond a transaction. Do you have a question that wasn’t answered in these FAQs? Just ask! Let's work together to create a persona that captivates, resonates, and propels your brand to new heights. Reach out to us today, info@thethomascollective.com.

Capturing an audience’s attention with an initial hook is paramount in advertising campaigns. These lures come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own distinctive value: emotional appeal, data-driven evidence, shock value, limited-time offers, or our personal favorite—leveraging the power of familiarity by featuring a renowned celebrity. It's something that we know a bit about, having worked with a number of highly visible stars in campaigns across multiple industries. We paired Culturelle Probiotics with Actress/Mompreneur, Jessica Alba, driving a 12% increase in sales. Wolf Moon Bourbon and Country Music star Jason Aldean formed the Brotherhood of Bourbon, yielding nearly one billion PR media impressions. Ms. Halle Berry was, expectedly, without a flaw in our campaign with Flawless, a Church & Dwight beauty brand, which cemented it as the top-selling product in its category in the U.S. Our experiences have taught us countless lessons about working with celebs. We’ve narrowed them down to three essential learnings: #1 Prepare for Contingencies Working with a celebrity means more variables, likely increasing the time and investment needed to produce a campaign. Experience has taught us that the higher the personality’s visibility, the more individuals—managers, agents, publicists, and business consultants—will be involved in the contractual scope, creative concepts, and production preferences. Our advice is to allocate additional time for negotiations, reviews, and approvals from the celebrity and their team, along with a budget contingency for unexpected costs that invariably occur. #2 Put an Expert in Your Corner While in-house counsel may handle contract terms, it's advisable to involve an entertainment lawyer who specializes in entertainment law. Not only will they ensure compliance with applicable laws, union mandates, intellectual property rights, advertising regulations, and licensing requirements, but with their experience in the industry, can provide counsel in standard practices, prevailing market rates, and industry customs, allowing brand teams to make informed decisions when negotiating with the celebrity and their representatives. #3 Embrace Adaptability Even with thorough preparation and a clear contract, be prepared to adapt. This may occur when navigating a celebrity's potential scheduling conflicts and changes in availability or when they feel their personal brand and image are not aligned with the campaign's vision. It's also required for day-of-production issues, like finding solutions for wardrobe requests, location changes, or making on-the-spot script revisions. Celebrities are like fingerprints: no two are the same. When working with one, remember to prepare with contingencies, put an expert in your corner, and embrace adaptability. While partnering with an A-Lister requires more investment of your time and energy, the return is incomparable. Hopefully, you’ll have the opportunity to use some of our suggestions in an upcoming campaign. Ready to take the leap into the star-studded world of celebrity partnerships, but unsure of where to begin? We’ve got you covered. Reach out to us at info@thethomascollective.com and together, let's ignite your ad campaign with the power of celebrity influence.