Do you have a friend or family member with a signature style, an often used saying, or a dish that’s requested for every holiday meal? Just reading that question likely brought back fond memories of that person. Memories you’ll forever associate with them because their style, catch phrase, or grandma’s signature mac & cheese recipe has become part of their personal brand. In marketing, the job is to build a similar feeling between people and our brand. People should have an affinity for products and services and for their experiences doing business with specific organizations. But building a brand people know and trust isn’t easy. As the world accelerated into a more digital space, people have grown weary of being marketed at, with random social media ads that aren’t relevant or meaningful to them. They also won’t tolerate disconnected experiences or those that don’t feel authentic. Marketers need to turn marketing upside down. Instead of marketing to and at people, brands should be...

AfroTech talked to four women who are thriving in their tech careers at IPG-owned Kinesso and Matterkind and working to drive the companies forward in the areas of innovation and diversity. As important as it is to honor and learn from women who made history and enabled little girls to imagine new possibilities for their lives, we also need to make space for recognizing those who are doing big things right now in their areas of influence. Here are there stories. Renu Hooda, Global Chief Talent Officer, Kinesso, LLC Renu Hooda leads employee experiences across the globe at Acxiom, Kinesso and Matterkind. Her primary responsibility is ensuring that people leaders and employees embody the company values and have equitable employee experiences. Hooda started as an actuary with the company, then transitioned to the compensation team at IPG Corporate almost 15 years ago. She says her creativity is unlocked in her pursuit to make sure everyone has the same access to growth opportunities....