Meet More Get Smart Panelists: Ruben Cantu, Rachel Clemens and Kerri Qunell

By Kathryn Tesar

What’s appealing about the 2012 Get Smart Conference on Sept. 21 is the diversity of speakers. The “Effective Multi-medium Marketing Campaigns” breakout session offers insights from four successful communicators discussing the different ways they work in today’s ever-evolving media.

Mary Anne Connolly, former executive editor of Austin Woman magazine and current founder/chief creative officer of M.A. Communications, will moderate the discussion. She’ll pose thought-provoking questions to the three panelists: Ruben Cantu, founder of CORE Media Enterprises; Rachel Clemens, creative director for Creative Suitcase; and Kerri Qunell, director of Marketing Services for St. Edward’s University. AWC Austin asked them some questions in anticipation of the panel discussion.

Ruben Cantu is a social entrepreneur who focuses on building platforms through media that spur progressive change. He describes the team at CORE Media Enterprises as “strategic storytellers for social causes and companies.”

AWCAustin: How do you balance CORE Media Enterprises’ commitment to social causes with the need to sustain a profitable business?

Ruben: … Not all profit is created equal. Truly profitable companies have a higher return on investment than just one-hit wonders … We’re thrilled when we meet cool socially conscious companies who want to help us grow. And even if they aren’t curing malaria, if our client supports our vision of creating positivity in the world, then they are as good as gold. We have drawn a line, and for each client we lay out our value proposition up front.

AWCAustin: You entered the media and communications field when you were just 14 years old. How has storytelling changed since then?

Ruben: The simple concept of telling a story beginning, middle and end has not changed. … What has changed is the technology we use to tell stories. Things evolve so quickly, that by the time you master one platform things change and you have to learn new skills. Still, to tell a good story you must identify the audience’s motivations, emotions and reactions to make that connection with them.

Rachel Clemens’ love of travel is reflected in the name of her firm, Creative Suitcase. Her experience working on three continents and traveling to dozens of countries has affected her approach to design and communications.

AWCAustin: How do you carry a creative theme consistently across today’s media platforms?

Rachel: The first step is careful planning, whether it’s a marketing plan or a creative strategy. Second, at Creative Suitcase, we create mood boards at the beginning of larger projects. The mood board sets the creative tone for the project and gives us something to refer back to when creating something new. This way, we maintain consistency while the creative theme stretches and grows across multiple media.

AWCAustin: What new media platforms are you especially excited about?

Rachel: I’m excited about responsive design, where a website layout changes based on the user’s device – desktop, tablet or mobile. It brings a whole new idea to context and content … with responsive design, communicators can tailor the online experience specifically to a user based on their device and some new assumptions – like location or what information they’re looking for.

Kerri Qunell is Director of Marketing and a Master’s student at St. Edward’s University, where she leads her team in creating integrated marketing campaigns that serve current scholars and recruit future students.

AWCAustin: How do you manage to keep up with changing media, knowing that your biggest audiences jump on new social media quickly and passionately?

Kerri: As much as high schoolers use Facebook and texting, we are rarely allowed into that sacred space … However, once students enroll and are part of our community, they engage with us through social media to keep up with campus life, events and university news and to share ideas and stories with other students.

AWCAustin:  You’re currently studying Organizational Leadership and Ethics. How do you incorporate that into your day-to-day communications?

Kerri: … I’m often asked, “What do you DO with that degree?” I say, “You learn how to do whatever it is you do, better.” I’ve used my education to better lead my account services team, hire a new team member and make tough decisions regarding client needs. It’s also helped me navigate organizational change and motivate my team through a lot of growth and change.

To register for Get Smart learn more about speaker sessions and speaker bios, visit GetSmartAustin.com.