The Room Insider: Allyssa Kaiser

Q: What is a marketing hill you are willing to die on? i.e. what is a topic you are passionate about where people often disagree with you?

Brand marketing is the new performance marketing. TikTok is the new Google. Or really, that ____ is the new ____ blank. IMO? It’s all clickbait. We spend too much time chasing what’s new and shiny and not enough time on marketing fundamentals. Sure, basic marketing principles aren’t the “sexiest” thing, and they may not make a great headline for next year’s conference keynote, but the best brands are the ones doing the basics exceptionally well.

Q: How do you stay motivated during a hectic week? What activities or habits energize you throughout the day?

My morning HIIT workouts keep me sane. They are a major stress reliever and allow me to start each day with a W. I highly recommend Rumble Boxing, F45 Training, and OrangeTheory.

Q: Imagine you have an unlimited budget for a campaign or PR stunt. What wild idea would you bring to life?

As a Millennial in marketing, I’m constantly researching Gen Z interests and consumer trends. I’ve recently become obsessed with Sabrina Carpenter, the TikTok-dubbed Polly Pocket behind viral hits “Espresso” and newly released “Please Please Please.” I grew up in the 90s during the iconic Rock the Vote campaign, and with 2024 being an election year, I’ve been thinking a lot about public service advertising (PSA). Sabrina would be on my short-list for a 360-marketing campaign.

I’m also a big believer in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and would love the opportunity to better integrate philanthropy into my work. Every summer, I fundraise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, leading up to their NYC Walk/Run event in September. This year, I decided to start a team, Hudson’s Heroes, inspired by my toy poodle. If given the opportunity, I would weave in organizations that support children’s and women’s interests, as well as the public arts. I credit much of my early career success to Perpich Center for Arts Education, a public institution just outside of Minneapolis, MN.

Q: What core principles or values have guided your decisions throughout your career?

Each of us, at some point in our career, experience the dreaded imposter syndrome.

Throughout my career, I’ve asked myself questions like:

Do I belong here? Am I good enough to be here? Did I make the right decision?

The idea of “what is meant to be, will be” has assuaged much of my anxiety. As a mentor and manager, I’ve also embraced this mindset. Women question their abilities more than men, and young women are more often discouraged from seeking out life-changing opportunities. We can blame society and gender stereotyping, I suppose, but regardless, I like to think I have influence in motivating and instilling confidence in the next generation of aspiring marketers.

Q: Outside of work, what is a topic you could talk about for hours?

My toy poodle, Hudson. He’s conveniently plastered on my phone, front and back, so he’s a great conversation starter at an industry event or dinner party. Hudson turned one in February, so he still has that puppy energy. Whether he’s showing off the latest trick he’s mastered or tippy-toeing on our daily walks through Hudson River Park (his namesake), Hudson brings so much joy into my life. A few of our partners have taken notice – our programmatic agency, Keynes Digital , gifted me a crewneck sweatshirt with Hudson’s face embroidered on it, and just last week, Bluecore engraved “Hudson’s Mama” onto a Coach sunglasses case.

Q: Take out your phone and pull up your camera roll. Tell us about the last photo you took.

Initially, it was a photo from The Fragrance Foundation Awards, where NEST New York was awarded FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR: POPULAR for our Eau de Parfum, Lychee Rose. However, now it is a picture of my aura, which was captured by Cordial at the CommerceNext Growth Show. According to the interpreter, all my hard work over the past weeks/months will soon pay off.

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