Leaders Perception Magazine is currently running an interview series called – Navigating the Dynamic Seas of Modern Marketing & Branding
Today, we had the opportunity to interview Molly Dickinson – Founder & Creative Director @ Banner Day.
Thank you so much for joining us today! We have the pleasure of speaking with Molly Dickinson, the Founder and Creative Director of Banner Day. Molly is a writer, people-person, and entrepreneur who has combined her passions to help fellow entrepreneurs name and brand their businesses. With a background in creative writing and literature, Molly’s love for words and their impact has shaped her career every step of the way.
In our interview, we will be discussing the significant shifts Molly has observed in the marketing and branding landscape over the past year and how businesses should adapt to them. Additionally, we will explore the balance between data and analytics with the creative aspects of marketing and branding in the era of data-driven marketing.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the conversation and gain valuable insights from Molly Dickinson.
Interviewee Name: Molly Dickinson
Company: Banner Day
Molly Dickinson’s favourite quote: One I say a lot lately is, “Make a decision. Then make it right.” I love this because in it is the recognition that “the right” decision is often less a matter of puzzling out the perfect choice, and more a matter of how you handle the consequences of that choice. How you bring it to life. I can’t take credit for this quote, but I also can’t remember where I heard it. If someone knows, please pass it on!
The Interview
Thank you so much for joining us today! Tell us a little bit about yourself. What is your backstory?
Molly Dickinson : Let’s see… I’m a writer, people-person, and entrepreneur who found—or rather, founded—a way to pursue all three in my work. As the founder and creative director of Banner Day® and the co-founder of INVINCIBLE INC.®, I help fellow entrepreneurs name and brand their businesses and then protect what they’ve created. I’ve worked as a writer and for myself in some capacity since I graduated college. (I majored in creative writing and literature, and have applied much of what I learned to our “words-first” approach to brand-building at Banner Day). From journalism to communications, to marketing and advertising, to teaching and mentoring writers, my love for words and deep respect for their power and impact has shaped every step of my career.
What’s the most significant shift you’ve observed in the marketing and branding landscape in the last year, and how should businesses adapt to it?
Molly Dickinson : I’ll answer this from the perspective of our client market, which is small business owners, entrepreneurs, and startup founders. What I’ve seen shift most significantly recently is access to digital DIY marketing and branding tools and resources. I can’t be alone in pointing to AI as one major example. AI-powered language models, graphic design models, research and data tools—you name it—have really made their way into, not just our everyday lives (they’ve been there, mostly in the background, for a long while), but our everyday ways of thinking, doing, and problem-solving. Whether it’s exploring AI tools or specialized apps built to support core marketing tasks, or online educational courses and tutorials, or peer communities designed to help independent, early-stage business owners do more of their marketing and branding work on their own, I’ve seen a surge in the number of DIY-focused solutions in the space. And in entrepreneurs’ interest and comfort level in using these resources.
As to how businesses should adapt, that depends on your business, right? If you’re a small business owner in the B2C or B2B space, you might adapt by exploring intentionally. This could look like setting a specific portion of your marketing budget aside to try out some of these tools. Then researching to decide which ones you want to trial for that budget, and setting a timeline for when you want to see results—and what those desired outcomes look like. This way, you can balance trying something new with continuing to invest in the essential, proven marketing approaches that keep your business running. If you’re a branding or marketing service provider, like we are, adapting looks more like helping our clients understand the benefits and drawbacks of these tools, exploring alongside them, sharing knowledge, and making recommendations when we have wisdom to offer. It also looks like continually educating our clients, and all of our audiences, on what we do, how we do it, where the technology and tools come into play—and where there’s just no substitute for human minds and hearts.
In the era of data-driven marketing, how do you balance the need for data and analytics with the creative aspects of marketing and branding?
Molly Dickinson : The data should inform and inspire the creative, not inhibit it. Since we focus on brand strategy and brand identity development, we use data like a compass. It points us toward where the authentic positioning and personality of our client’s business connects with the needs, wants, and behaviors of their target market. And where it stands apart from their competitors. This allows us to create a strategic brand identity that reflects the most valuable expression of the company to its most valuable audiences.
Leaders Perception would like to thank Molly Dickinson and Banner Day for the time dedicated to completing this interview and sharing their valuable insights with our readers!
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