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TRANSCRIPT:
DOUG: As part of our 40th anniversary series, we’re reaching back to some remarkable people who passed through the company and have gone on to achieve greatness elsewhere. As you know, I take great pride in the fact that our average employee tenure is twelve years, but it’s also wonderful to know how many of them have been able to succeed going forward. And Jamie Claudio is a great example. Thanks for joining us.
JAMIE: Thank you, Doug. It’s a real pleasure to be here with you today.
DOUG: So, let’s start when you started at D S Simon Media. Why don’t you share some of your experiences that you had here?
JAMIE: Yeah, absolutely. It was kind of fun strolling down memory lane. You know, when you reached out to me, I kind of got all those memories going and thinking about my time with you and the company. I started with you in 2010. You were my very first job post-college, so my first adult big kid job, whatever you want to call it. And I started as the assistant to the CEO. So, that was my first time kind of clocking into a real office environment and learning kind of the early professional ropes. I left in 2014, so 4 years later, as the executive producer for what then was the satellite media tours and radio media tours. I would argue it was the most fun position in the company, but it was a real opportunity to grow through all of these iterative stages with an incredibly supportive, smart, and successful team. And it really launched the rest of my career, certainly.
DOUG: Yeah. And you’ve achieved incredible heights. Do you share what you’re doing now?
JAMIE: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. So, it’s funny, I was telling Eric this story. So, one of the things that I really took away from D S Simon Media and not only starting my career, but it changed the trajectory of my career. I will never forget, we did a satellite media tour for National Geographic. And I think they had just released there, you know, 100 best places to visit or something like that. And, you know, we had the spokesperson in, and they were talking about destinations, places you could experience. And it was so impactful to me because I was like, oh my gosh. We can talk about places to travel to that can change perceptions, you know? I mean, this is really powerful stuff. I don’t ever want to talk about laundry detergent or men’s razors again, right? So, I knew of because that experience that I wanted to head into destination marketing and working in travel and tourism, which is exactly where I ended up today. So, I am the Executive Vice President for Global Destination Strategy. We’re an advertising technology firm called Tiki out of Hermosa Beach, California, and we specialize in building AI and generative engine optimization products specifically for destinations and travel brands.
DOUG: Yeah. It’s so impressive what you’ve been able to accomplish. Now, as part of our series, we’re also asking people for specific take something. So, what hasn’t changed since you started your career in PR and marketing?
JAMIE: You know what hasn’t changed? It’s the art of the pitch. It is still about the person on the other side that you were trying to reach, right? The journalist, the earned placement, or whatever that looks like. It’s about that connection. It’s not the product. It’s about building the pitch and the story that’s going to resonate for that audience. I think, you know, technology has really changed the who and the where, but it’s never going to change the why they said yes, right? So, specificity is always going to beat volume, and trust and relationships are always going to be the real currency.
DOUG: Yeah, and you’ve touched on it there. What are some of the things obviously, there’ve been so many that changed. What’s maybe one that you want to pick out that’s really just affected you and you found important?
JAMIE: Generative AI has really reshaped PR kind of top to bottom not only in pitching, but also in discovery. I mean, the notion of pitching for generative engine optimization, that’s emerged as a real discipline now. And I think there’s a huge opportunity for PR practitioners, right? Because audiences aren’t passive readers or passive viewers anymore. They’re participants, they’re commenting, and they’re sharing. Those things can outrun the potency of the original story. So, how we’re crafting has become very different.
DOUG: How you’re crafting continues to grow and make a difference. And, you know, thank you for the time you spent at our company and for staying in touch all of these years, and congratulations to you on the success you’ve achieved.
JAMIE: Thank you very much, Doug. It’s always a pleasure and I will always, always hold D S Simon Media near and dear to my heart. Thank you for starting my career.
DOUG: As we hold you.
