Discussing GIANT Creative’s Journey with Marty Menard

Discussing GIANT Creative's Journey with Marty Menard

In a compelling interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Marty Menard, President & Chief Business Development Officer of GIANT Creative, delved into a range of topics that highlight the company’s dynamic approach to marketing and its impressive growth trajectory. Marty emphasized the effectiveness of GIANT Creative’s marketing strategies, noting their adaptability across various sectors. He provided insights into the evolving landscape of franchise marketing in 2024, considering technological advancements, global trends, and shifts in consumer behavior. Marty proudly reflected on GIANT Creative’s significant achievements under his leadership, illustrating how these milestones have fueled the company’s success and expansion. He also outlined potential opportunities for growth and expansion, including upcoming projects and partnerships, underscoring GIANT Creative’s forward-looking vision in the marketing sector.

Award-winning sales and marketing expert Marty Menard is a leading marketing advisor to national brands that include McDonald’s Canada, Sola Salon Studios, and Chairman’s Brands.

As the President & Chief Business Development Officer of GIANT Creative, Marty believes harnessing the power of data, storytelling, and technology will always have the biggest impact on his clients’ success, no matter what challenges the marketplace faces.

A former serial entrepreneur, Marty understands what it takes to build something from the ground floor and how best to invest resources for growth. He is a passionate advocate for both the agency and their clients and loves the feeling of multiple people rowing in the same direction to achieve something greater than they could do as individuals.

Known for his BIG personality, Marty is an experienced public speaker, presenting at industry conferences and panels across Canada. He hosted his own AM980 weekly talk show for four years and wrote, produced, and starred in his own Rogers TV show, which had the second-highest ratings (after London Knights broadcasts). With an extensive sales and leadership background, Marty has been published in Franchise Voice, OptiMYz, Chill Magazine, and various Sun Media publications.

Marty is Dad to a crazy, beautiful, wild beast of a daughter who fills up most of his free time. He also kicks butt on the drums and has toured the world in assorted bands, most of which you’ve never heard of.


Can you share some insights on the most effective marketing strategies that have contributed to GIANT Creative’s success, and how do you think these strategies can be adapted for businesses in different sectors?

At GIANT Creative, we’ve found success through a blend of data-driven decision-making and creative innovation. For instance, our focus on omni-channel marketing allows us to create seamless customer experiences across all platforms.

First & foremost, it’s about doing a deep dive into understanding our client’s audience. The work our strategy team puts into building out detailed buyer personas is the first step in tailoring our marketing efforts & messaging to ensure we resonate with specific customer segments.

What’s great about this approach, is that it can be adapted to other sectors by leveraging data and analytics to understand any business sector’s customer preferences and behaviours, and emphasize the importance of consistent messaging.

Ultimately, it’s about creating a unified brand experience, whether our client is in Franchising, Non-Profit and eCommerce brands.

Looking ahead to 2024, how do you foresee the evolution of franchise marketing in the context of advancing technology, global trends, and changing customer behaviours?


Looking at the future of franchise marketing, I see a significant shift towards more personalized and technology-driven strategies. With advancements in AI and machine learning, franchise brands can expect more sophisticated customer segmentation and targeted marketing.

The franchise industry’s reliance on data analytics is going to continue to increase exponentially in terms of better understanding and personalizing their customers’ experiences. Advanced AI and machine learning algorithms will not only help in better predicting their present and future consumer preferences, but it will help franchises offer more tailored products and services for their customers.

Global trends like sustainability and inclusivity will also play a key role, requiring franchises to adapt their messaging to reflect these values.  Highlighting eco-friendly initiatives and socially responsible practices can resonate well with consumers.

Ultimately, strategies that prioritize personalization, seamless experiences, sustainability, and community engagement are likely to be at the forefront of successful franchise marketing in 2024 and beyond.


Under your leadership, GIANT Creative has achieved significant milestones. What are  some of those major accomplishments and how they have shaped the company’s journey of success and growth?

I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last few years in terms of growth & key milestones.

For example, we have doubled our client base in the last two years, largely attributed to our innovative approach to performance marketing, lead generation, and customer acquisition. This strategic growth allowed us to expand our services into key new markets, such as the franchise, non-profit and eComm brands sectors.

We’re a relatively young agency, but we have invested heavily in adding and recruiting exceptional talent, which has been a key factor in our continued success, and work culture. Good people are excited to work with good people.

Winning GOLD at the Canadian Marketing Awards this year for Branding Building certainly stands out as a major accomplishment for our GIANT team. A true end-to-end campaign that benefited from every department’s efforts, and yielded excellent results.

These achievements reflect our company’s commitment to growth and our ability to adapt to the changing marketing landscape, continually aligning our strategies with the latest industry trends and client needs.


Creative strategy and design are crucial in marketing. How does this philosophy form the core of GIANT Creative’s approach, and why do you believe it’s essential for effective marketing?

At the heart of GIANT Creative’s approach is the belief that creative strategy and design are not just about aesthetics but about effective communication.

Our team integrates creative design with strategic thinking to ensure that every marketing campaign resonates with the target audience and drives results.

This philosophy is essential because in today’s saturated market, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it that makes your brand stand out. Our commitment to this approach has helped us deliver consistently high-performing campaigns for our clients.


What are some of the primary challenges that the marketing industry faces in today’s digital age, and how is GIANT Creative innovatively addressing these challenges?

The digital age presents numerous challenges, such as data privacy concerns, the ever-changing algorithms of digital platforms, and the need for content that fosters brand loyalty and drives meaningful engagement.

GIANT Creative addresses these challenges by prioritizing ethical data practices, staying agile with platform changes, and focusing on authentic, engaging content creation.  We believe in staying ahead of the curve through continuous learning and innovation.


Performance marketing is rapidly evolving. How do you think these emerging trends will transform the future marketing landscape, and how is GIANT Creative incorporating these trends into its strategies?

We are seeing how Performance Marketing is evolving in real time towards a greater integration of AI and automation to drive more efficient campaign management and measurement.

At GIANT Creative, we’re incorporating these trends by investing in advanced analytics tools and AI-driven platforms. This enables us to provide real-time insights and predictive modelling for our clients, ensuring that we’re not just reacting to trends but anticipating them.


Finally, what are the potential opportunities for growth and expansion that GIANT Creative is exploring, including any upcoming projects or partnerships?

GIANT Creative is strategically positioning itself for growth by exploring untapped markets and innovative technologies, with a particular focus on the integration of Artificial Intelligence in our creative processes.

We see immense potential in harnessing AI for more personalized and impactful marketing campaigns. This technology not only enables us to analyze consumer data more effectively but also to generate creative content that resonates deeply with diverse audiences. In addition, we’re looking to forge partnerships with AI-focused startups to enhance our capabilities and offer more advanced solutions to our clients.

Our goal is to be at the forefront of AI-driven creative marketing, delivering campaigns that are not only innovative but also highly effective in engaging customers.

Lastly, we are planning to launch a series of workshops and training programs aimed at empowering SMEs with essential digital marketing skills, reflecting our commitment to community and industry growth.

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