All posts by Shahlayo Ranson

Content Production, Marketing

The WNBA Is Missing a Marketing Opportunity of a Lifetime

Have you ever seen a brand miss an opportunity that seems so obvious you wonder if you are going crazy because they AREN’T executing it? Well, the WNBA is in the midst of letting one fall through their grasp that couldn’t be better even with an unlimited budget and a million years to plan. Follow me now…

Women’s Basketball is the Hottest It’s Ever Been

Unless you’ve been under a rock, you know that this year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament was the talk of the town. It was the highest rated women’s March Madness ever, with the final championship game cementing its place as the most-watched basketball game (men’s or women’s, college or pro) since 2019. This jump into the national consciousness was fueled by stellar performances from players such as Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso, Juju Watkins and Paige Bueckers. The NCAA got its moment in the spotlight, and many of these women declared for the WNBA draft, ready to bring their newfound fame and fans with them to the professional stage. But from the outside looking in, while the WNBA is receiving athletes prepared for the big time, the WNBA itself looks like it needs some more time to develop.

You Couldn’t Write a Better Story to Market With

You have intrigue with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese being highly sought recruits this year after going head to head for championships, putting up big stats, and even setting records. You have a championship caliber recruit in Kamilla Cardoso, a defensive powerhouse from South Carolina’s undefeated squad. You have highly marketable women who can be the foot in the door to untapped demographics. And the general public knows next to nothing about them or their journey from high-level collegiate athletes to the crucible of professional sports.

Continue reading The WNBA Is Missing a Marketing Opportunity of a Lifetime →
Cinema, Content Production, Travel

Me, You, Paris And The Louvre Too

So we all know the longing for the airport experience again since life drastically changed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Even though all my travel plans this year (and until further notice) have been canceled, I was fortunate to have been able to take a dream trip last year to Paris.

Even though I’ve been traveling since I was a few months old (shout out to my mom and St. Thomas!), this was my first intercontinental trip…and I was doing it solo. After a few weeks of Duolingo training (which did not withstand contact with actual French-speaking people), I hopped on a plane with a backpack, a camera and a list of places I had only read about that I needed to see with my own eyes in the five days I’d be in the city.

I shot a ridiculous amount of footage and due to that (plus procrastination, but that’s besides the point) I finally got an edit together of my experience at The Louvre. Check out the video and let me know what you think in the comments!

Content Production, Entrepreneurship, Marketing

Creatives and Engagement in the Age of Coronavirus

All around us, the fundamental landscape of how we do business is being changed. We are concerned for our continued health, our clients are concerned for theirs and you may be dealing with shelter-in-place orders. This puts many creatives in hard situations, especially those who depend on interacting with clients face to face. While you may be biding your time before you can start booking clients again, here are a few tips for staying connected and engaged with your audience during these trying times.

Keep posting!

While the unprecedented global situation may have you out of your creative flow, focus on maintaining some consistency. You may not post as often as before, but once or twice a week will keep some level of engagement with your audience. You don’t want to disappear off the radar completely. It’s completely understandable if you need to decompress or relax during this stressful time, but if you can do it, keep posting (even if its just a little)!

Continue reading Creatives and Engagement in the Age of Coronavirus →
Content Production, Marketing, Social Media

Viral Marketing and “Striking While The Iron Is Hot”

All publicity is not good publicity.

I’m sure when Peloton released what they thought was a cute, holiday oriented showcase of their aspirational fitness product, that they had nothing to look forward to but increased sales this holiday season. Unfortunately, they misread the tone of the commercial and made the viral ad joke of the holidays. Immediately, the ad was skewered across the social media landscape and Peloton’s stock price dropped over 9 percent. While most people found humor in the ad’s tone-deaf nature and conflicting emotional range in the acting, one company saw an opportunity to capitalize and generate easy viral marketing: Aviation Gin.

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Marketing, Tech

What Can The Cybertruck Teach Us About Marketing?

Tesla knows how to make an impact.

Unless you’ve been on a deserted island, you’ve heard about the announcement of Tesla’s new e-pickup truck by now. Whether you’ve deep-dived into specs or just saw clips of the failed “bulletproof glass” test, you have some idea of what the Cybertruck is (and all with no paid marketing).

From the first announcement of the Tesla car line to now, Elon Musk and his company have continued to change the car industry. But while most people look at how Tesla pushes the boundaries of automaking, their bold marketing moves is what has interested me the most. Let’s see how Tesla’s moves could yield some good tips for your business.

Continue reading What Can The Cybertruck Teach Us About Marketing? →
Content Production, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Social Media, Tech

Why Isn’t Your Podcast Working For You?

The new media landscape is constantly changing. From blogs to YouTube channels to Instagram influencers, there is always a new avenue for the Internet to catch the world’s attention. Even so, through it all, one of the earliest democratized digital channels has endured and is entering its prestige era. The podcast is alive and well and here are some tips to make sure yours survives and thrives.

Continue reading Why Isn’t Your Podcast Working For You? →

Music, Travel

5 Destinations To Get You Off the Beaten Path In Atlanta

(Written For Noirbnb.com)

If you are coming to spend some time in Atlanta and want to spend your days doing regular tourist things, there are sites that can give a long list of those. You may encounter many mentions of places like the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, taking in a show at the Fox Theatre or going to one of the many restaurants that can give you a taste of southern culinary flavor. But we want you to experience another side of Atlanta that the tourists don’t usually get to. So here are the top 5 “off the beaten path” attractions you should put on your itinerary for your next Atlanta trip.

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Cinema, Content Production, Tech

Smartphones and Cinema

Never before have we had the convenience of technology that smartphones have brought to society. Just 15-20 years ago, we would have had to carry multiple devices to have access to functions that are a given on current smartphones. MP3 player, telephone, computer, calculator, GPS device, point and shoot camera; having all of this in a portable package is now the everyday norm. Being able to have a nexus of technology in the palm of your hand has changed the face of many industries. From the news media being supplanted (to a degree) by social media to the publishing industry having to change their model to incorporate e-books, accessible tech shifts the foundations of expectation of these and many other industries. Now it seems that these waves of change are starting to hit the shores of the cinema industry.

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Cinema, Content Production, Marketing, Social Media, Tech

Can Short Film Content Stand Against Vines & Snaps?

After reading this article on Adweek about brands increasing interest in short film content, it got me thinking about the changing face of content production. In the age of Vine, Snapchat and Instagram where video content has been distilled to a 15 second maximum, can the general public’s attention span be captured by longer narrative content? Continue reading Can Short Film Content Stand Against Vines & Snaps? →