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PPB
What is your academic
background, and how did
you end up in your current
role with MediaTree?
Collins
I have a bachelor’s
degree in professional writing
and a master’s degree in cre-
ative writing. My writing back-
ground runs the gamut from
teaching creative writing
workshops to copywriting to
corporate communications. I
came to MediaTree after
doing some freelance writing
for them. While I was free-
lancing on a large-scale proj-
ect with them, they had a
need for someone to head up
their marketing team. From
learning so much about the
unique product line while
freelancing, I was excited at
the possibility of taking on
the role. Now, nearly five
years later, I am still just as
excited and can’t imagine
doing anything else or work-
ing with any other team.
PPB
How have you been
able to incorporate your
unique skills into your job?
Collins
My creative writing
degree has been an unex-
pected asset in my profes-
sional life—which is a big
relief because after I gradu-
ated with the degree, I felt
like I had made the most friv-
olous and irresponsible deci-
sion of my adult life.
A decade later, I’m happy
to say that with marketing’s
shift toward focusing on con-
tent and story, it was a solid
decision. Plus, having the
unique combination of a cre-
ative writing background
along with experience writing
across multiple disciplines
and channels has been a
huge asset. I can easily shift
my approach, style, and tone
depending on the piece and
the target audience. On any
given day, I can be found
writing taglines, email blast
headlines, blog posts, copy
for a client, press releases,
content for flyers, slides for a
pitch deck, emails to
prospects and funny copy for
self-promos … to name a
few. Once I even wrote
tongue-in-cheek legalese
from Chewbacca.
PPB
How do good commu-
nication skills help compa-
nies promote their brands?
Collins
Brand architects who
have good communication
skills tell a story people want
to hear, one they’ll care
about. In other words, they
connect. A brand story
should tell the audience who
you are and how you add
value. And people who are
excelling in this area know
that even when it’s about
you, it’s really about the cus-
tomer. Communication and
outreach always have to serve
the customer.
Also, the brands that are
doing it right, in this industry
and beyond, know that good
communication is more than
the copy on their website or
blog. They are using story-
telling and narrative in every-
thing they produce. From
product copy, emails and
social media posts to pod-
casts, infographics and
videos. With the technology
available to us today, the
possibilities are endless. And
that’s awesome.
PPB
What kinds of commu-
nication mistakes or over-
sights do you often see in
this industry?
Collins
Despite all the talk in
the media about content
marketing and the resurgence
of story and narrative, I don’t
see many brands using com-
munication to help them-
selves stand out and stand
apart from the rest. Most
businesses don’t focus on
what makes them unique.
Additionally, I don’t think
enough businesses focus on
quality copy and content.
Too often people think that
because they can write, it
means they can
write
. Like
design, writing is a craft. We
AS THE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
for
Parsippany, New Jersey-based supplier MediaTree (UPIC: tni),
Aubrey Collins knows a thing or two about communicating the
importance of a brand. Collins tells
PPB
how she ended up in
the promotional products industry, and how good business
communication skills can boost a brand’s impact.
JUNE 2016 •
PPB
• 67
Five Minutes With
FAST
FORWARD
Aubrey Collins
THE
Write Stuff
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