FIVE MINUTES WITH Stephanie Preston VP of Marketing, HALO Branded Solutions Connect And Engage Stephanie Preston, VP of marketing for HALO Branded Solutions, offers insight on what consumers expect from marketers today, how to meet those expectations in the current climate and motivate your team to be their best. by Danielle Renda Stephanie Preston has dedicated her career to identifying how to craft creative marketing campaigns to drive sales growth. Now the vice president of marketing for HALO Branded Solutions, a distributor in Sterling, Illinois, she has spent nearly 18 years with the company, previously serving as director of marketing and, earlier, as a marketing manager. Marketing today involves experiential campaigns designed using the latest tech and AI, which, Preston says, is largely driven by consumers’ growing desire for community and connection, especially post-pandemic. PPB spoke with Preston to learn more about what consumers expect from marketers today, how to go about meeting—and exceeding—these expectations in the current social climate, and how to motivate your team to do so. PPB: How do you feel experiential branding has changed in recent years, and what do consumers expect from brands today? Preston: COVID has had a significant impact on the expectations of end users. The feeling of community is more important than ever. Brand experiences that provide this are imperative to creating meaningful and lasting connections. Isolation has created anxiety and stress, and end users are expecting connections that feel joyful and inspired. PPB: What types of marketing strategies or campaigns are seeing the most success, in your opinion, and what is losing popularity? Do you see this changing? Preston: The return to in-person events is slowly happening, and As part of a personalized gifting experience for the employees of a cybersecurity client, HALO Branded Solutions created a virtual reality-themed appreciation package. 78 | MARCH 2022 | THINK
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