Doe Anderson - Building Brand Enthusiasts

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Erin Fetz - Director of Brand Stewardship

Brand Experience:

  • Anchor Hocking
  • Bernheim Forest
  • CHS Hospitals
  • Cleveland Clinic
  • Cleveland Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • EMAZING.com
  • FireKing
  • Kentucky Kingdom
  • Kentucky Lottery
  • Kentucky Speedway
  • KraftMaid Cabinetry
  • Six Flags Corporate Marketing
  • Standard Register
  • University of Louisville athletics


Questions & Answers:

What's the best part of your job?
Advertising is one of the few fields I know of where a true type-A individual can interact daily with the less-organized but passionate souls of the world. My desire for by-the-book perfection on one hand, along with a love of inspiring design and creativity, pushed me into advertising right out of college, and I've never looked back.

What makes a good brand great?
When consumers connect with the brand by believing that it really “gets” them, understands them, helps define them. It's the kind of product or service that people will proudly say they use, because they like what they believe it says about them as a person.

What makes great account service?
Listening. Listening. Listening, and then knowing when to do what you're asked and when to give a gentle push back by questioning assumptions.

Why are you excited about working at Doe?
Smart people, first-class resources and passion - that's what it takes.

If you were famous, who would you be wearing?
Carolina Herrera - smart, sophisticated, beautiful and custom-fit to make every individual look their best.

What's your favorite ad campaign running right now?
Target. They have redefined the brand itself and set a new standard for the category. They've made a discount retailer “cool,” and the new brand pervades everything they do, from the completely engaging advertising that places packaged goods in the spotlight, right down to the product partnerships they've formed and the in-store shopping experience. That's marketing at its best.

How do you deal with a cranky creative?
The same way I deal with my toddler - patience and as much empathy as I can muster.

Who do you admire most?
The higher up you get within a marketing firm, it seems the fewer working moms you find. Early on I knew that I wanted a family along with a rewarding career, and there have been a few women I've found over the years who have garnered the respect of coworkers and clients while maintaining some semblance of focus toward their family. They are my heroes.

What was your most embarrassing moment in the business?
In the first month of my career as an account executive, I scheduled a pre-production meeting for the shooting of a sales video and did not invite the art director, copywriter nor broadcast producer to the meeting. Needless to say, the director was a bit frustrated at my “oversight.” After that, I became one of the most inclusive account people you'd ever meet.

What's your brightest accomplishment?
When I was 25, I packed up all my things, jumped in my Jetta with my Cocker Spaniel and headed out to Oklahoma City (11 hours away from any friends or family) to start an exciting new life and career (my one stint client side). By leaving everything that had sheltered me thus far in life, I learned some valuable lessons about what I was capable of and what was most important to me.

What's scarier: bears or snakes?
A cranky creative, much like a bear, I think.

There's a saying, "Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow."

In 1915 in Louisville, Kentucky, Mr. Doe and Mr. Anderson believed the same could be said for growing mighty brands. And one simple typographer's symbol later, the acorn starting revealing a wealth of insights we've never forgotten.

First, there are no shortcuts in growing a brand. Cracking open an acorn doesn't give you an oak tree. And cracking one clever ad campaign doesn't make a strong brand. It takes seasons of growth.

You can't grow a tree from the top down, nor a brand. Only by starting at the grass roots can real growth begin. That's why having a word-of-mouth marketing program is so important, and so effective.

Environment is critical. If you create an inviting experience where customers feel at home, they'll not only put down deep roots, they'll invite their friends to join them, and grow your brand exponentially.

Life is a never-ending cycle. Only repeating growth ensures survival. By continually planting new seeds of opportunity, a brand is able to grow in a predictable way. Fortunately, it offers both quick, green growth, and a long-term system for more.

And since 1915, the acorn has done exactly what it is designed to do -- grow.