Assistant Brand Manager @ General Mills with Zack Bloch

05/25/23 • 58 min

In his Year 1ne, Zack works as an Assistant Brand Manager at General Mills, where he’s done marketing on cereal brands including Cheerios, Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.🥣
Some of the highlights from Zack and Blair’s chat include three different ways to deliver value to a customer, which player on the football field a brand manager would be; and, how Zack realizes how stupid he is every three months!
In This Episode 🗣️
Zack’s Year 1ne @ General Mills
1:40 | Introduction from Zack
2:30 | Overview of General Mills
4:45 | Working as an Assistant Brand Manager
7:10 | Does brand management include marketing communication?
9:30 | What does CPG mean?
10:10 | Managing a global brand like Cheerios
12:15 | Essential skills for a brand manager
15:50 | Developing your analytics skills
19:50 | Which football position is brand manager most like?
24:20 | Essential software and tools
26:15 | What’s on your mind in marketing right now?
31:50 | How to deliver value to consumers in a recession
Getting to Day 1ne: The Job Search
34:50 | Getting hired at General Mills
39:00 | Trusting the process
40:15 | Hardest part of the job search
41:55 | The “What’s your favourite brand?” question
Thing’s I’ve Learned in Year 1ne
48:25 | Lesson learned becoming “slightly less stupid"
51:00 | Pro tip on writing fewer notes
53:50 | Lesson learned about Imposter Syndrome
56:20 | Lesson learned on ups and downs
The Hottest of Links and Resources 🔥
Connect with Zack Bloch: LinkedIn
Brands/organizations: General Mills | Cheerios | Ivey Business School | Labatt Breweries | Apple | Coca-Cola | Bubly
Marketing and media tools: Microsoft 365 | Nielsen | Tableau | ChatGPT
Connect with The Year 1ne’s host Blair Smith: LinkedIn
Check out The Year 1ne’s show website for past episodes, show notes and more goodness

Previous Episode

Social Media Assistant @ Ontario Parks with Sonia Dharni

In her Year 1ne, Sonia works as a Social Media Assistant at Ontario Parks, in the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks for the Government of Ontario, where she’s your friendly neighbourhood squirrel...I’ll let her explain.🐿️
(yes, I know that's a chipmunk, there’s no squirrel emoji. 🤷)
Some of the highlights from Sonia and Blair’s chat include the process for doing social media marketing in a government organization, how to answer the “tell us why we should hire you for this job?” question; and, how the National Parks Service is hilarious...who knew!
In This Episode 🗣️
Sonia’s Year 1ne @ Ontario Parks
1:45 | Introduction from Sonia
2:15 | Overview of Ontario Parks
3:20 | Working in social media marketing for a government organization
4:55 | The planning process for social content
7:40 | Doing community management
9:50 | Collaborating central-to-local with each provincial park team
12:00 | Being “your friendly neighbourhood squirrel”
14:25 | How marketing helps with conservation efforts
16:25 | How did previous work in conservation help with this job?
20:00 | Asking the question
21:25 | What’s on your mind in marketing right now?
23:00 | Attention...and long-form vs. short form content
Getting to Day 1ne: The Job Search
27:25 | Finding the “spark” in what you do
29:00 | Getting hired at Ontario Parks
30:00 | The “Tell us why we should hire you for this job?” question
32:50 | Hardest part of the job search
35:00 | Not playing the job application numbers game
37:00 | The “What’s your favourite brand?” question
Thing’s I’ve Learned in Year 1ne
39:00 | Mistake made on not speaking up when things get overwhelming
42:25 | Lesson learned on keeping the message “clear, concise and compelling”
The Hottest of Links and Resources 🔥
Connect with Sonia Dharni: LinkedIn | Website | Instagram | TikTok
Brands/organizations: George Brown College | Canadian Wildlife Federation | Ontario Parks (Website) | Ontario Parks (Instagram) | Ontario Parks (Twitter) | National Park Service (Website) | National Park Service (Instagram)
Marketing and media tools: Sprout Social | Microsoft Excel
Connect with The Year 1ne’s host Blair Smith: LinkedIn
Check out The Year 1ne’s show website for past episodes, show notes and more goodness

Next Episode

Social Media Manager @ Paradigm PR with Sophie Cugliari

In her Year 1ne, Sophie has worked in a few different contract roles and is currently a Social Media Manager at Paradigm Public Relations, where she manages the social media accounts for seven different clients! Prior to this, Sophie worked at JLM Strategic Marketing, a marketing agency specializing in brand experience or experiential marketing.🤳
Some of the highlights from Sophie and Blair’s chat include the importance of tracking your on-the-job “wins” as they happen, working with a recruiter as part of your job search; and, why it’s important to believe that you own your seat at the table.
In This Episode 🗣️
Sophie’s Year 1ne @ Paradigm Public Relations (PR)
1:30 | Introduction from Sophie
3:00 | Overview of Paradigm PR
5:05 | Working as a Social Media Manager
8:00 | Other Year 1ne jobs before Paradigm PR
9:15 | Why work in social media marketing?
10:20 | Essential software and tools
11:10 | Exciting things in this new job at Paradigm PR
13:50 | What is a “boost” on social media?
16:40 | What’s on your mind in marketing right now?
18:45 | Juggling relationships with multiple brand managers
Getting to Day 1ne: The Job Search
20:25 | Getting recruited on LinkedIn
24:15 | Working with a recruitment company
25:00 | Say you’re looking for a job
27:00 | Hardest part of the job search
28:00 | Pro tip on tracking your wins/accomplishments
30:05 | Transferrable skills from dancing
33:05 | The “What’s your favourite brand?” question
Thing’s I’ve Learned in Year 1ne
35:10 | Rookie mistake on being afraid to share
36:55 | Lesson learned to not “pigeon hole” yourself
38:00 | Pro tip that working in marketing is fun!
The Hottest of Links and Resources 🔥
Connect with Sophie Cugliari: LinkedIn
Brands/organizations: Paradigm Public Relations | JLM Strategic Marketing | The Inkey List | George Brown College | Edgewell Personal Care | Bulldog Skincare | Hawaiian Tropic | Under Armour
Marketing and media tools: Brandwatch | Hootsuite
Connect with The Year 1ne’s host Blair Smith: LinkedIn
Check out The Year 1ne’s show website for past episodes, show notes and more goodness