July 30, 2015
Cult Collective held its first annual collaborative Summit for our Collective Members this July 3rd (conveniently after our Stampede Party). So who exactly are these dedicated members who comprise half of our company name?
Our Collective is comprised of over 60 world class agencies, researchers, analysts, consultants, and craftsmen who represent the very best of the best in their respective fields. This Summit is an annual coming together to further indoctrinate ourselves in the changing marketing landscape. The depth of experience the Collective has to offer provides our clients with a deep category section of leaders to aid them, regardless of their needs.
The depth of experience the Collective has to offer provides our clients with a deep category section of leaders to aid them, regardless of their needs.
Chris Kneeland, Cult’s CEO, kicked off the day with an overview of our shared success and the vision of continued partnership. There are only bigger and better things to come as we continue to develop relationships to better serve clients and create ground-breaking work.
Ryan Gill, Cult’s President held a session on how to boost your relevance and maximize effectiveness and profitability within the Collective. Below are some insights that are applicable to many partnerships:
- Be the Expert, Always: being a generalist is not what will make you sorely missed if you disappeared today.
- Experts Write: show off your know how, put it in writing. It both adds legitimacy to your claims and allows you to easily share your beliefs.
- Share Work: the rising tide lifts all boats; while a cliché, it’s true, if you are open to sharing work with other clients you will both be better off in the end.
- Share the News: when one partner does something truly outstanding why not give them a shoutout? It goes a long way and shows you are proud of who you work with.
- Cohabitate: while this might be difficult at times, being present is a great way to ensure your voice is heard and valued.
The day also provided a valuable line of sight on what exciting projects are ahead for Cult, a speed networking activity to help build relationships and foster collaboration, and a preview of what’s in store for Cult’s Annual marketing conference, The Gathering in 2016.
One of the highlights of the day was hearing the keynote speech from Ethan Song, the Cofounder of Frank & Oak. Ethan’s entrepreneurial spirit was a perfect fit for the crowd, as he shared his journey and vision of utilizing technology to enable mass customization. He has certainly had success doing so in the men’s clothing and accessory industry in Canada and the U.S. Ethan humbly admits that they still make mistakes and are learning along the way, but Frank & Oak has had tremendous success and definitely knows how to keep things innovative. They were named one of the 10 Most Innovative Retail Companies in the World by Fast Company and one of the 10 Most Innovative Companies in Canada by Canadian Business. It was inspiring to have Ethan share the stories and lessons that he has learned along the way, inspiring the crowd and reminding us of the importance to accept and use failure as a weapon.
Don’t just take our word for it, here is what some of the attendees had to say about the event:
“The insight into what projects CULT has in the works and is currently pursuing as well as getting a feel for the skill sets of other people in the collective.”
“It was a fun, well-organized day that got me thinking a bit differently/out of the box. Met a lot of great people too.”
“I knew a lot about the Collective and Cult as a whole before, but this Summit gave me a lot more insight and sense of connectivity to the Collective”
It is precisely this feedback that warms our hearts, our Collective are so much more than category leaders, they are part of our Cult.
I am a recent addition to the Cult team and specialize in marketing communications. I have worked with some of North America’s most well known brands, helping them refine and perfect their communications execution while building their brand and engaging consumers. To me, the greatest reward is seeing something you have worked so hard for come to fruition. I love working with people who have different strengths than myself, learning from each other in the process. 
