Interview with Todd Sebastian – Marketing and Communications Expert
Todd Sebastian is the passionate leader of LINK Training & Consulting. LINK creates stronger connections between marketing agencies, marketers, and the audiences they target, by providing practical expertise in business development and branding. Todd is also the best-selling author of the book Tell Your Clients Where to Go! A Practical Guide to Providing Passionate Client Leadership, which is endorsed by John E. Pepper, Retired Chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble.
Todd’s fun and successful career in marketing and communications spans brand management, advertising, influencer marketing, brand strategy & design, and shopper & consumer insights. He has worked for some of the industry’s most prestigious companies, including Procter & Gamble and Omnicom’s Interbrand. Todd has been featured numerous times in leading business and trade publications, and he is a sought-after speaker on subjects related to client relationships and branding.
- Question: How would you articulate Brand America’s promise?
Every strong brand has a uniquely compelling and competitively differentiated promise that can be summed up in a simple-but-powerful word or phrase. BMW = "driving." Crest = "healthy, beautiful smiles." FedEx = "guaranteed overnight delivery." I believe Brand America has such a promise, which I would articulate as "unparalleled equal opportunity." Like no other place on Earth, America affords people the opportunity to pursue their dreams, with the same possibility of success as anyone else.
- Question: What are the challenges that Brand America must address to consistently be seen as "walking the talk"?
A series of civil issues continue to undermine the Brand America promise. Despite tremendous progress, racial profiling still exists. There are still way too many people living below the poverty line. On average, men still earn more than women for similar occupations. People are prohibited from entering into marriage based on their sexual orientation. These inequities — along with many others — run directly counter to the promise of equal opportunity.
- Question: What are the traits of Brand America that people around the world are likely to find appealing?
One’s own success is capped only by one’s own desire and drive. Skin color, gender, age, and such have no impact.
- Question: What are the different ways Brand America can keep its promise?
Addressing the civil inequities listed above, along with the host of other issues that plaque our country. Our political process has become too partisan. Our political parties need to spend less energy fighting each other, and more energy addressing these important issues in a collaborative manner. People in America and around the world need to see that our leaders are genuinely concerned about resolving inequities, rather than simply using them in campaign promises to get re-elected.
- Question: What is the importance of Brand America in the world?
Brand America is a success model from which other countries can draw inspiration and learn.
- Question: Who benefits from a strengthened Brand America?
The entire world.
- Question: Do you believe Brand America has a relevant, competitive and authentic promise?
Absolutely. As noted above, America affords people the opportunity to pursue their dreams, with the same possibility of success as anyone else. Nowhere else on Earth is this as possible as it is in America.
