😭 Creativity, branding, & layoffs

Hey 👋

What do creativity, branding, and layoffs have in common?

Yeah, that sentence wasn't a typo.

With all the current layoffs happening, it makes you think... "do executives not know how to plan properly or what?!"

At least that's the go-to sentiment about layoffs.

And if you've recently departed from a company, our thoughts go out to you. It's why we curate (remote) job postings at the bottom of this email, so marketers around the world can find work they love.

But here's a dark side of layoffs not too many people are talking about.

If you think about it, many companies currently doing mass layoffs don't have to let people go.

Unfortunately, companies see this time as an opportunity where layoffs are bit more socially acceptable. It's that cyclical period that only comes around every decade or so.

This gives companies an opportunity to let go of job coasters, quit quitters, or under performers. And that's definitely not to say that these are the only people being let go.

There are tons of amazing people that are also thrown into this mess. It's a mix of both poor planning from leadership and less-enthused employees.

But let's bring this back to creativity and branding. How the **** does this have anything to do with layoffs?

You see, marketing is a creative act. In fact, you could claim that everything you do is a creative act. Making a cup of coffee, writing an email, going for a walk — these are all creative acts.

And what leadership at some companies don't understand is that great brands are built by creative humans with great ideas.

And that's where things get messed up in corporations that just don't "get it."

Ideas are signals. We don't find ideas, they find us. And if corporations don't give us marketers the space to let these ideas come, how are we supposed to love what we do and create a great brand through our work?

In Rick Rubin's new book, "The Creative Act: A Way of Being," Rick says:

"How do we pick up on a signal that can neither be heard nor defined? The answer is not to look for it. Nor do we attempt to predict or analyze our way into it. Instead, we create an open space that allows it. A space so free of the normal overpacked condition of our minds that it functions as a vacuum. Drawing down the ideas that the universe is making available."

Great brands are built because executives know that their employees need space and comfort to let great ideas come to them.

So when some companies emphasize that productivity = only revenue generating initiatives, they can sometimes stifle creativity without even knowing it. They close space for marketers to think freely. They put people in a scarcity mindset. And this is where marketers begin to throw their hands in the air and coast through their jobs.

So when these mass layoffs come around, who's fault is it really?

Luckily, creative people know that they can influence the world (as cheesy as that may sound). Sure, there are some systemic issues in every workplace. But as a marketer, as long as you become aware of what great leadership looks like, you'll be able to navigate your career with grace and confidence.

So while sometimes things may be out of your control. How you decide to course correct is definitely in your control.

And this week when we curated jobs, we noticed that it was the first time in over 2 months that we had way too many jobs than we could list. So rest assured, opportunity is abundant.

If you want to dive deeper into the connection of creativity and branding, there's a great article from HBR in 2001 in the "Branding" section of this newsletter you should definitely check out.

With that, let's get into what we have in store this week (lots of good stuff):

• Marketing news from the past week

• 0 to 200k users in 14 months

• Email marketing for B2C SaaS

• Overcoming AI detection for SEO

• Lessons after spending $200k on Quora ads

• Ad from the past

• Website of the week

• Cool marketing jobs

• And much more

🗞 In the news

• OpenAI and Microsoft extend partnership

• Twitter’s revenue down 40% as 500 top advertisers pull out

• How WeWork is tapping new revenue by bringing consumer brands inside co-working spaces

• Ad spending on TikTok defies advertising slowdown

🚀 All things growth & product

From 0 to 200k users, starting your product-led growth motion, studying your competitors, and a guide to product positioning.

✍️ Content, email, and social media

$0 is better than "free," adapting to AI writing tools, 15 B2C SaaS email marketing strategies, examples of amazing welcome emails, and social media best practices for 2023.

⚙️ SEO

Overcoming AI detection for SEO and a 33-step SEO checklist.

🎨 Branding & psychology

The paradox of star brands, the future of brand experience, and 12 marketing psychology tactics to influence buyers.

🧠 Extra stuff

Building a marketing team from 0, lessons learned from spending $200k on Quora Ads, and the purpose of event data.

📣 Ad from the past

(Penn ad from 1988)

Kruhsaant or kwason? 👀

💻 Website of the week

🏝 Cool remote marketing jobs

• Head of Marketing at Metomic

• Content Marketing Manager at Dropbox

• Email Marketing Manager at Teikametrics

• Lead Content Marketer at Passthrough

• SEO Manager, International (Remote) at Quizlet

Okay, that's it for now 🖤. See you next Tuesday!

“Is it time for the next project because the clock or calendar says it's time, or because the work itself says it's time?" — Rick Rubin

Riddle answer: SERP-rise parties