Proper right here’s a marginally as to the identity of nowadays’s grab in promoting: Once I asked what his pie-in-the-sky promoting dream used to be as soon as, he sighed like Ahab looking out the white whale.

“I might in reality love to get cast people from The Undergo” — Hulu’s Chicago-set show ” — “to record announcements or do motion pictures for us, highlighting what a Chicago icon we’re.”

“We’ve had quite a few cameos in it, and it’s made us look in reality good.”

Any guesses?

Meet the Take hold of

Eric Munn, Director of promoting, Chicago Transit Authority

Process: Juggling the marketing of the second-largest public transit system inside the U.S. with a government agency-sized price range. (This is such a lot smaller than it sounds.)

Claim to standing: Introducing the ones sweet limited-edition throwback CTA passes

A laugh truth: Juggling isn’t just a day inside the life of a scrappy marketer. Eric can also juggle apples … and take a bit of them at the identical time

Lesson 1: Digital is vital — but it’s now not the whole thing.

Munn is under no circumstances a Luddite, alternatively he cautions in opposition to focusing this kind of lot “at this time and latest trend [that you] fail to remember regarding the reliability and good fortune of a couple of old-school promoting that’s as simple as mailers or billboards.”

Yep, even though your target audience is maximum repeatedly Gen Zers and more youthful millennials.

I was surprised that the CTA’s target market skews that more youthful, alternatively “those are the oldsters however finding out their transportation conduct.” It’s sensible — he’s promoting to older youngsters who’re the usage of public transit on their own for the main time and 20-somethings who moved to Wrigleyville after college graduation.

So I was doubly surprised at how ready Munn is on old-school selling. Mailers? Billboards? In this monetary device?

{Photograph} courtesy Chicago Transit Authority.

On the other hand some of the necessary CTA’s most a success campaigns is a brand spanking new resident mailer, reminding them that the CTA is solely $2.50 to adventure. “I believe it’s an effective way for a Chicago icon identical to the CTA to welcome you to the town.”

It’ll seem to be an old style promoting tactic, alternatively Munn says he hears from people who stored that postcard because it used to be as soon as the main mail they gained as a newly minted Chicagoan.

Earlier doesn’t should suggest goé. Mailers, billboards, sponsorships, partnerships — the ones are all “in reality great ways to however get your logo and message into places, and might be a lot more moderately priced.”

{Photograph} courtesy Chicago Transit Authority.

Lesson 2: Go local (or a minimum of regional).

Final 12 months, the CTA performed its first influencer advertising and marketing marketing campaign, beginning with 3 Chicagoland influencers. Munn outlines two massive advantages to this method: Affordability and a greater likelihood of good fortune.

Munn used to be as soon as pretty particular about what he wanted. “Our advertising and marketing marketing campaign used to be as soon as fascinated about the usage of the CTA because it saves you money, on account of this more money on your pocket to transport do the entire problems that Chicago has to supply.”

So he sought out influencers who make content material subject matter like “5 problems to do in Chicago this weekend” or “Chicago’s hidden gem stones.” On account of there aren’t as many creators doing this sort of content material subject matter as, say, a best go back and forth influencer, the ones space of pastime accounts often have extremely engaged, precious enthusiasts. And compared to best go back and forth influencer prices, local influencers are further moderately priced, even on a smaller promoting price range.

(And FWIW, all evidence means that Munn’s onto something: HubSpot’s latest State of Promoting file identified niche-influencer promoting as a rising trend in 2025.)

Lesson 3: Relationship-building stretches in every path.

Munn says that some days he turns out like Tom Hanks’ character in Castaway, who “had to get in reality innovative with just a few property.” While you’re running for a government company, “property are very tight. You’re doing a large number of hard art work.” And every so often you need to knock out your own enamel with an ice skate.

So when he talks about developing relationships, he’s casting (pun meant) a big web. Riders, social media consumers, even marketers at other public supply companies (“a in reality cool team of workers, because of they’re now not my festival, correct? We’re all rooting for every other.”).

“I’ve introduced myself to many — I identify them transit suggest accounts — people who are merely steadily posting regarding the CTA or almost about public transportation normally,” Munn says.

He’s taking the time now to get to grab them “so that after I’ve a advertising and marketing marketing campaign, I can reach out to them and say, ‘Hey, we’re thinking about doing this, and I wanted to get your concepts.’” (I used to art work within the identical place of business as Munn, and can vouch that this isn’t a cynical promoting play; he’s as original as they get. I’m unsurprised to hear that he’s found out good fortune with this tactic.)

If you happen to’re going via leaner budgets, lower head depend, or other belt-tightening measures, believe the numerous relationships you’ll have the ability to assemble outdoor of the usual stakeholders. Like Hanks’ Castaway character, use what you’ve spherical you to build your own good fortune.

Lingering Questions

This Week’s Question

What’s a blind spot inside the promoting international that, if addressed, would make people’s lives upper? —Jeff Wirth, Co-founder of the Interactive PlayLab

This Week’s Resolution

A vital blind spot inside the promoting international is forgetting that the general public don’t seem to be as conscious about your logo as you’re.

Many makers use messaging that already assumes people know who you’re or what you offer. Make sure to’re clear about what your product or service is going to do to lend a hand people. Witty and attention-grabbing is fun, alternatively the conversion is in solving people’s problems.

Next Week’s Lingering Question

Munn asks: What‘s a career you’ve always wanted to get into alternatively not at all have?

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