We recently connected with Jonah Price and have shared our conversation below.

Jonah, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

Digital Marketing is evolving faster than Corporate America can adopt, and the reason lies in the accessibility of media creation and consumption for everyone. The generations growing up in this digital age are not only consuming more media but also generating more content than ever before. It’s estimated that 34 million videos are posted each day, with over a billion posts seen daily on TikTok alone. To put that into perspective, it’s over 8.5 times the viewership of the Super Bowl, which averages 115.1 million viewers – and that’s just on one platform!

However, Corporate America often fails to grasp four crucial aspects of social media:

1.)There are two sides to your Brand (Community and Mission).
2.)Hiring Creators who understand both sides of your brand is essential.
3.)Taking care of your creators is invaluble for maintaining the brand.
4.)Developing a social media presence takes time.

Every brand has two facets: its mission and how its audience perceives it. Take Apple, for instance. Their mission statement: “Apple strives to bring the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals, and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software, and internet offerings”. However, in the eyes of the audience, Apple is a status symbol known for its design and iconic blue text bubbles among many other features of their various products.
This disparity becomes evident on Apple’s TikTok. Apple has four videos about digital mask-making on Procreate, amassing a total of 65.5 million views. However, their engagement rate is only 3.04%, falling short of the 4.15% platform average.

When it comes to hiring creators, companies often focus on short-term gains without realizing that creators are an extension of their brand. For example, I once worked with a company that wanted to hire a TikTok representative. Despite having numerous options due to their household name status, they chose a creator with about 2 million followers who was already producing content for their brand. This duplication of genre on both the creator’s personal page and the brand’s page hindered the brand’s social media growth, as it failed to build a community around the established brand identity. In contrast, Disney excels in influencer marketing by collaborating with creators whose content aligns with Disney’s mission, such as lifestyle, travel, fashion, and theme park creators, rather than only partnering up with fans that are already creating Disney related content.

Taking care of creators is essential for maintaining brand integrity. Content creators wear multiple hats – they’re writers, gaffers, lighting experts, directors, producers, set designers, editors, and often, their own managers. Most importantly, they represent a brand during the video’s runtime. Consistency is key, and when done effectively, it can result in brand icons like Flo from Progressive or Milana Vayntrub, the AT&T spokesperson. Nurturing these relationships not only enhances brand identity but also lends the opportunity to make the brand relatable through storytelling.

Lastly, social media development takes time, as digital content has a direct impact on the audience. So finding someone that understands the two sides of your brand identity will help companies directly connect with their consumer. For established businesses, the ROI may not manifest as direct sales, but rather in the form of a positive brand image, community engagement, or discourse, all of which can significantly affect sales.

Jonah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an experienced digital marketer and a seasoned public speaker. My fascination with the world of digital marketing and the attention economy began as I grew up with the inception of the internet and social media. This interest led me to explore these concepts through broadcasting and performing.

My professional journey has been enriched by collaborating with renowned companies such as iHeartMedia, CBS Radio, CW6 News, and CBS 8 San Diego. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Radio, Television, and Film from San Jose State University, which has empowered me to apply my knowledge to my personal content. As a result, I’ve garnered a dedicated following of 154.7 million across various platforms and have received millions of likes.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with prestigious brands like Nerf, X-shot, and Marvel. Additionally, I’ve had the honor of delivering impactful talks for esteemed companies such as Google, Viv Labs, and The Exploratorium.

My speaking engagements cover a wide array of topics, including:

Effective marketing and branding through social media.
A deep dive into the attention economy and how it impacts businesses.
Strategies for optimizing influencer campaigns.
Enhancing communication skills for better engagement.
Addressing creator burnout and maintaining productivity.
Building thriving online communities.
My mission is to share my knowledge and experience with the world, helping businesses and individuals navigate the dynamic landscape of digital marketing. Let’s collaborate to elevate your understanding and capabilities in this ever-evolving digital era.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson that I had to reevaluate was the idea that “keeping your head down and working hard will get you to where you want to be.” This belief was deeply rooted in me, influenced by my upbringing. However, my professional journey introduced me to experiences that challenged this belief.

Before I discovered my passion for public speaking in marketing, I held a series of less-than-fulfilling jobs, including being a package delivery person, working in a grocery store and many other entry level positions. Despite my dedication and diligent work ethic, promotions seemed elusive. I often encountered empty promises and a lack of clear opportunities for advancement. At first, I turned inward, scrutinizing my performance to identify where I might be falling short. But as time passed, I came to understand that my stagnation wasn’t necessarily a reflection of my abilities or work ethic. Instead, it reflected the corporate culture I was in, where those in higher positions prioritized job security over fostering an environment of growth and mentorship.

This realization marked a pivotal moment in my journey. It prompted me to question my deeply ingrained belief and recognize that hard work must be complemented by strategic networking, self-advocacy, and the courage to seize or create opportunities. This process of unlearning was challenging but incredibly enlightening.

Interestingly, it was during this phase that I uncovered my passion for marketing and public speaking. I began to see the power of community and the ability of shared ideas to unite people. To me, brands are an idea or even a symbol that people can congregate around and It’s the individuals within these communities, united by common goals or beliefs, who have the potential to achieve remarkable things.

By unlearning my old perspective and embracing a new one, I found fulfillment in my work. Today, my joy comes from building communities, crafting compelling narratives, and driving positive change. I firmly believe that this shift in perspective has played a pivotal role in my journey toward success.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist or a creative, for me, is the profound and often surprising impact that my work can have on people I’ve never even met. Despite the diverse nature of my content, which spans gaming, comedy, and unboxing videos, a significant portion of it revolves around communication and mental health. In an era where information is plentiful and easily accessible, I believe we’re collectively starting to understand the complexities of mental health and the subtle art of communication much better. As people are navigating this journey, they often stumble upon my work and reach out to share how it has helped them. This is always an incredibly gratifying experience.

For instance, I recall a public speaking event in San Francisco where I was due to present to a room full of individuals who were, by many measures, far more successful than I was at that time. I was apprehensive about whether my message would resonate or be deemed valuable by the audience. Yet, once I finished and stepped down from the stage, a middle-aged woman approached me. She shared that she had been quite successful in the business world, earning over $200,000 a year, but had recently decided to leave it all behind to pursue her passion. She confessed that she had been feeling quite uncertain about her decision, but after listening to my talk, she felt reassured and inspired.

Hearing that my words could provide comfort and encouragement in such a pivotal moment in her life was deeply humbling. It was a stark reminder of the power of art and creativity, and it underscored the fact that the real value of my work lies in the ability to touch lives and instigate positive change. That, to me, is the greatest reward of being an artist.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonahprice/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PriceJonah
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pricejonah/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jonah_price
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jonah.price?lang=en https://www.tiktok.com/@noobiememes

Image Credits
Ben Landis Jadon Price David Fiori III