Interview with Ivan Nuñez of The Nancekivell Group
I’m happy to introduce Ivan Nuñez of The Nancekivell Group for our next MIMA member interview. Ivan and the rest of the folks at The Nancekivell Group work with an exciting range of clients. I hope you enjoy “meeting” Ivan in this interview and leave a comment introducing yourself and saying hi!
Q: Tell us about The Nancekivell Group where you work. What type of businesses make up it’s client base and what services does The Nancekivell Group provide?
A: The Nancekivell Group specializes in strategic marketing communications. The company has 25 years of broad business experience providing services to clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 corporations to non-profit organizations.
Current active accounts include Possis, St. Jude Medical, 3M, Best Buy, Cargill, Artic Cat, amongst others.
We provide services in:
- Corporate brand strategy and communications (Research and Competitive Analysis, Strategy and Positioning, Naming and Identity Systems Design, Brand Launch Programs, etc.)
- Marketing communications (Strategic planning, Message development and positioning statements, Employee communications and recruitment materials, Capabilities materials, etc.)
- Investor communications (Annual reports, online Annual reports, Investor presentations, Shareholder meeting materials, etc.)
- Interactive solutions (Web Site Strategy and Design, Intranets, Extranets, Web Applications, E-newsletters, etc.)
Q: In your bio your title is Director of Interactive. Explain for us what you do and whether you are working on client projects or interactive activities of The Nancekivell Group.
A: As Director of Interactive at The Nancekivell Group, I work directly with our clients to develop interactive strategies that would support their business objectives. My role includes participating in “pitches” to prospective clients to working with our seasoned group of designers and strategists to help our clients deliver positive brand experiences online. I also oversee and execute the development of the interactive solutions we propose. I am a seasoned designer and programmer with 13 years of experience. I came to the Nancekivell Group last November from another local agency where I held the same position for 6 years. I was impressed by The Nancekivell Group’s list of clients, experienced team and quality of print work. My goal is to raise the quality of their interactive media solutions.
Q: Does The Nancekivell Group provide, manage, or recommend internet marketing services such as media buying, analytics, social media, mobile technologies or search engine optimization/search engine marketing (SEO/SEM) to your clients?
A: We recommend interactive marketing strategies to our clients, but these are not at the center of our services. Many of our clients come to us looking to re-evaluate their online presence aiming to engage investors or to provide business to business corporate information. Most are ready to re-analyze and re-prioritize their sites, but few are ready to include an interactive marketing plan in their site overhaul budget. The benefits of some services, such as SEO are easy to promote; however, few clients understand the value of online marketing and perceive that traditional methods such as print ads are more measurable. My job as Interactive Media Director includes educating clients about new opportunities in internet marketing. Since I am learning about online marketing myself, I find my MIMA membership essential.
Q: What are the emerging and growing trends you are seeing in the interactive services you offer and recommend?
A: Many of our clients are still catching up to Flash interaction and video, so I see no new trends within the services our clients demand; however, I am personally interested in how brands can promote consumer trust by engaging them socially. Consumers want to learn about a product or service from people like themselves. This topic has been widely discussed at MIMA, particularly in relation to blogs and podcasts. I think as companies feel more comfortable relaxing their guard, they will open up to social media changing that space in interesting (good?, bad?) ways.
Q: What have you found to be the most challenging and rewarding aspects of working with the large clients of The Nancekivell Group?
A: Working with large clients usually means our work will be highly visible. It is also satisfying to work with clients whose product or services I have used or know. A small drawback to working with large organizations is how layered and cumbersome their approval process could be.
Q: How long have you been a member of MIMA and what are the beneficial aspects of being a member for you?
A: I think 4 years; 3 for sure. When I first joined MIMA, my goal was to learn a little more about the agencies doing interactive work in MN. What I found was a wealth of information on trends, best practices, new technologies, interesting strategies, and more. Being a MIMA member has helped me in my job. The annual Summit is a “not to miss” for me. In addition, meeting people in the business has been great.
Q: Music, sport or passion: What do you like to do, read or listen to when away from work?
A: Because I spend a lot of time on the computer daily, I like to do social or outdoor activities when away from work. I’ve been taking French classes for the last four years. I am fairly fluent now and go to a French discussion group at Cafe Royale every Saturday morning. I also like to go out with friends for dinner, a good martini and even dancing. Count me in for the MIMA socials! I have a canoe by Lake of the Isles and I go canoeing after work during the summer.
Q: Do you have a tip or a couple of your favorite resources you would like to share with the MIMA folks?
A: Blogs I visit:
Thanks Ivan for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share a little about yourself and Nancekivell! I and many others look forward to meeting you in person at the next MIMA event!
