Why Values Matter For Brands in 2022 and Beyond, with Del Esparza and Dr. Brandale Mills Cox

Del Esparza is the CEO of Esparza Advertising. Founded in 2000, Esparza is a New Mexico based business that provides strategic marketing, advertising, and business solutions to a broad range of national public and private clients, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Oppenheimer Funds, PNM, BMW, Mini, and many other fine organizations. Author of "The Next Dinosaur,"a book published in 2021 as a guide for small to mid-sized businesses to transition from bricks and mortar models to e-commerce, Esparza has always been committed to giving back to small to midsize companies and supporting them in the ever-changing advertising industry. Brandale Mills Cox, Ph.D., principal and founder of Inclusive Market Research Group, has over 12 years of marketing and public relations experience, with nearly 7 years of research experience. Her research specialization include Black consumer insights, media audience insight and focus group facilitation. She is also a skilled branding and public relations consultant with evidence of multicultural marketing strategies. She has also been recognized as Albuquerque Business First's "40 under 40." What you will learn in this episode: How social and political unrest during the 2020 pandemic led to a shift in buyer behavior Why values and how companies express them matter to today's consumers How companies can build successful DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) initiatives that do not feel performative or patronizing Why a solid online presence is an absolute necessity for any company What "cancel culture" really means and how to recover from a misstep as a brand Why it is critical to connect with your consumers and ask them questions instead of assuming you know everything about them Resources: Website: https://esparza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delesparza/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/esparza-advertising/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/delesparza Website: https://www.inclusivemarketresearchgroup.com/