In feature 020, we interviewed Omri Hurwitz, a Tech Marketer, PR Strategist and Founder of Omri Hurwitz Media. During our conversation, Omri shared how he got into marketing, why marketers should be building their personal brand, advice on launching a marketing campaign from a PR strategist point of view and so much more.
1. Can you please share your story on how you got into marketing? When did your marketing career begin, what is your current role(s) and what role(s) have you previously had within the industry?
I got into marketing very early on. I started out as a writer, writing dating stories and publishing them in magazines. However, I needed people to read them, so I had to learn how to market these stories. By doing that, I realized that I enjoyed the marketing aspect as much as the writing. That led me to build my marketing agency, which later became a media company.
2. You’re a tech marketer with their own media company. You mentioned in a recent interview the importance of blending traditional media with social media for broader reach and impact.
Can you share how this strategy has evolved in marketing campaigns, and how marketers today can effectively use this approach to maximize engagement? Are there any examples of companies you’ve seen execute this well?
It all starts with understanding the consumer, your target audience. In this modern era, consumers make buying decisions differently than they used to. It is what I call a “game of touchpoints.” Your prospect needs to trust you and compare you to alternatives from everywhere (as the internet and shipping democratized business). In essence, you need to have a wide portfolio of consistent and engaging touchpoints with your prospect. For that, you must combine traditional legacy media with current social media trends. It’s not one or the other. Every touchpoint counts. Too many marketers rely only on the marketing niche they feel most comfortable with, which is a mistake. You need to win in all marketing areas, whether it is PR, PPC, SEO, Thought leadership, etc.
3. Do you believe that it is important for marketers of companies to begin building their personal brand?
I will say something controversial. I firmly believe that if an in-house marketer is not obsessing over his own personal brand, then he is, in fact, not a real marketer. True marketers can’t help but market themselves. I always tell CEOs who are looking to hire a new CMO to see if the CMO candidate has built a brand from himself. If he didn’t, then how would he build a brand for your company? Too many people work in marketing instead of actually doing marketing.
4. Has marketing become more data-driven than creative?
Nope. It is, in fact, becoming more creative than ever. Data-driven stuff is wonderful, but you need to understand that everyone has it, so the benchmark is higher, and when the benchmark is higher, creativity needs to be higher. If you have better data-driven insights then your competitors, you are able to allocate budget in a better way, but once you know where to allocate budgets, you need to be very creative to scale that.
5. The media landscape has evolved, reshaping and redefining the game for public relations. What advice would you offer a brand planning to launch a marketing campaign from a PR strategist’s perspective?
Focus on your owned media assets. Make them tell a story. Then, communicate that to the reporters. Don’t be in a position where you need a reporter to write a story about you. Don’t be needy. You can tell your own story; the reporters are a bonus. It is similar to dating principles; if you have your own thing going, people want to date you, but if you are needy, they don’t. Focus on yourself, and share lovely stories with reporters who you truly care about.
6. Where can our audience follow and engage with you on social media?
