Matthew Fusaro

Everyone who knows me, knows that brand design is my passion. It always has been. But those same family members and childhood friends also know that long before I started my career 28 years ago as an Art Director for a small ad agency on Long Island (LKG&S) and before I more recently became a co-founder at KickAds, above all, I was an artist FIRST. A true, born artist. I was, and am STILL proud to be an artist - to the core - up to this very moment. As such, I have always experimented with all artistic mediums, noticing the one that, by far, resonated with me the most, was painting large faces on oversized canvas. Like most artists, I also experimented endlessly with different processes and techniques. During one of these experimentations, in 1997, I tried diluting the paint, and letting it "drip down" my freshly painted (still undry) portrait on the canvas. You see, for me, painting a portrait was both mystical and therapeutic. All the faces that I have painted throughout my life, each somehow had specific characteristics & attributes, so naturally they almost developed a personality to me. Even though none (except one, inspired by my Mom’s passing in 2009) was based on anyone’s actual face. They may have been inspired by someone at the initial concept or phase, but by the time the artwork was completed, any resemblance to anyone was purely coincidental. Sometimes, I feel that I am almost “creating” these people - people that bleed, sweat and cry. People that feel. And most important - people that feel, like ME. More than any other subject, painting these faces mesmerized me. My professors & art mentors have always told me to "keep going" with it - that I “have something here.” I soon discovered this new style brought with it a tremendous amount of emotion & mystery. Fans of my art have told me the same. They “got it”. They got my intention that one could be able to "feel" the emotion of the subject in the art. The pieces that followed were the subject of 4 one-man shows. I have been approached (several times) by prospective buyers. But, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I wasn't able to sell anything at all. I just couldn't part with any of my artworks. I felt - and still feel - that my art is a part of me...a part of my soul - as crazy as that may sound. I was recently asked to create a digital booklet of several BST works, including actual painting reprints, manipulated photographs and digital illustrations. Attached below is a teaser containing a small part of BST, or The Blood, Sweat, & Tears Collection, and I am sharing it for the first time here. Eventually these will be on view in person, in a gallery, soon. As well as BST Apparel. Stay tuned :) Life is short and as an artist, my dream is that my art outlives me. They say true love is eternal. And I believe the same for true art. Thank you for reading about & experiencing my art. It means more to me than you can ever imagine. God bless. ❤️&🌞

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When you let ChatGPT write your Speaker bio "from the perspective of your favorite TikTok influencer" 😂 Looking forward to being the featured speaker and sharing a bit more about what Róisín Consulting is up to at tomorrow's meeting for The Connective's Hoboken Chapter! #DigitalMarketing #SpeakerBio #FeaturedSpeaker Text from the image: Hey, hey, hey, Connective fam! It's your girl here, and today we're diving into the world of Caitlin Duffy-Ryon and her fab company, Róisín Consulting! So, like, Caitlin is this total boss who started Róisín Consulting in 2021. She's all about mixing data with creative storytelling to build strategies that EXPLODE your revenue AND followers. With over 50 years of experience (yeah, you heard that right!), Caitlin and her team are like the digital dream team! Róisín Consulting is all about cutting through the noise and making your brand stand out. They've worked with big names like Upworthy, The Baccarat Hotel, AT&T, John Legere, 1 Hotels, duPont REGISTRY Media, and more, so you know they mean business! Plus, they've got the numbers to back it. These guys walk the walk, know what I mean? They have a ton like these, but this one amazing case study really stood out to me. They helped a new production company launch a YouTube channel for their documentary series, "Coming Home." The results speak for themselves! The production company saw their YouTube subscribers soar from 893 to a whopping 168,000 in just 15 months. Their total video views exploded from 78,000 to a mind-blowing 16,000,000! Plus, they went from making zero bucks to raking in $10,000 in monthly display revenue. Oh, and let's not forget about their Substack subscribers, jumping from zero to 10,000 in the same timeframe! And all this while reducing their average monthly ad spend from $700 to $600. Caitlin and the Róisín team are truly digital wizards! If you're ready to take your online game to the next level, Caitlin and the Róisín team are here to make it happen! Say bye-bye to boring and hello to digital domination with Róisín Consulting.

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🔔 Salt Bae's NYC Steakhouse Closes: A Lesson for E-commerce 🌟 Salt Bae’s viral fame couldn’t save his NYC steakhouse from closing. This reminds us: virality ≠ business success. In e-commerce, it’s tempting to chase viral moments. But here’s what really matters: 1. Strong Foundations: Quality products and stellar service. 2. Customer Retention: Turn first-time buyers into loyal fans. 3. Consistency Over Flash: Sustainable growth over viral spikes. Long-term strategy beats short-term buzz every time. Let’s focus on lasting value! #Ecommerce #DigitalMarketing #BusinessStrategy #CustomerRetention #MarketingLessons

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Stop me if you've heard this one before: A product innovator walks into an advertising agency... He's invented the best hammer to ever hit the market. Now he needs the agency's help to tell the world all about it. "What makes this hammer so special?" the creative director asks. "Just look at it," the proprietor beams with pride. "It's a work of art." "Why would anyone buy it?" the agency lead asks. "Because!" the proud tool wielder interjects, "it is made of state-of-the-art titanium. Its ergonomic, padded grip is like nothing the market has ever seen before. And the reinforced hammer face is so durable, we guarantee it for life!" "Interesting," the creative director observes. "Can we talk to someone who's bought one?" "Sure! Here is our happiest customer," he quickly obliges, handing the CD the customer's contact information. "He'll tell you all about it. The strength, the light-weight design, the innovative handle, the power and speed. If we can get all of that into the advertising and website, this thing is sure to fly off the shelf!" The creative director schedules a phone call with the satisfied customer. They chat. He begins... "Tell me, sir, why did you buy this hammer?" A grin forms on the customer's face. That's when the creative director knows he's going to get to the heart of the customer journey. The trigger. The inflection point. The one to capture in the messaging and marketing. And, sure enough, he gets it... "Because," the customer explains, "I wanted to build a treehouse to spend more quality time with my kids." 💡💡💡💡💡💡💡 Why. Not what. Not even how. 1 --> Lead and captivate with Why. 2 --> Support and differentiate with How. 3 --> Validate and close with What.

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Sometime all that brand needs to do, is to play its stature responsibly. That's what an icon brand does, to stay Iconic throughout, and more! Brands, like #Dove, #Apple, #Nike, #CocaCola, #Disney, etc. which consistently performed to deliver on their promises. What are the 7 powerful qualities that distinguish a brand from the "most-loved" from an Iconic one? What are the common things that they do differently? 1. Iconic Brands push hard to ‘Get sh*t done’ They challenge societal norms, and don’t give up before 100% effort. They persist through adversities, and always stand up for a cause. 2. Iconic Brands avoid theatrics If you’ve reached an iconic status, you tend to avoid ‘gossipy’ narratives. Instead you develop strong relationships with customers based on value-based narratives. 3. Iconic Brands grow Trust slowly An iconic brand grows without tactical or microscopic managing. Instead it’s always available when a customer needs it most, just like a friend. 4. Iconic Brands have positive attitude. - They inspire positivity all around – and not just for their patrons. - In this way, they always make sure a wider audience choose them when they have a need. 5. Iconic Brands Communicate Well - Clarity is the bedrock for every iconic brand. - They have a pervasive way to communicate to every type of their customers, with equal clarity. 6. Iconic Brands always evolve - Iconic brands work unnoticed to be a better partner through your life. - They invest a lot into learning and growing together with their patrons, 1% every day! 7. Iconic Brands work as a team - Every iconic brand understands that their own growth is destined with the growth of their customers. - As a result they make sure they are accountable. How to go from ‘most-loved’ to iconic brand status? 👉 Encourage proactive action within your team 👉 Always show up and perform… even if it’s a small one for brand 👉 Avoid complaining; instead solve customer problems incessantly 👉 Ignore unnecessary conflicts / controversies within your domain. 👉 Address any issues as soon as they arise #Branding #Marketing #Advertising (inspiration: Chris Donnelly) ___________________________ One Percent Consulting draws upon one%inspiration to unleash growth for brands. Book your own 1:1 Discovery Session from my profile page. 

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NARRATIVE MOTION is the visual podcast that explores all things related to video production, video marketing, and strategy. IN THIS EPISODE: "VIRAL VISIONS: How Video Marketing Elevates Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses."

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Just because everyone's talking about storytelling doesn't mean they're doing it right.  ​ Too often, brands fall into the trap of recycling the same old formulas and expecting young audiences to eat it up.  ​ The truth is, not all stories are created equal.  ​ You can't just slap a narrative arc onto your product pitch and call it a day.  ​ To truly resonate with Gen Z and Millennials, you need to dig deeper and get more strategic with your storytelling. ​ So, what does effective storytelling look like in the age of Gen Z and Millennials? 👇

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There's a good reason why I believe everyone needs to hone creative thinking skills, even in non-creative roles. Here's why. Once you get into a habit of thinking of more ideas you can solve more problems, beyond creative problems. In the past, I have run workshops for marketing teams where I introduce them to some of the techniques I and many others in creative roles use to find ideas. Seeing people's minds spark and realise that they can develop new ways of working or problem-solving is a great thing to see. In a recent World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Survey, 73% of organizations surveyed put 'creative thinking skills' as a top priority when considering hiring new talent. When I started my advertising career I did a workshop with Edward de Bono, the godfather of Lateral Thinking, it opened my mind - literally. We were all born creative - tap back into that creative inner child by learning some new techniques, aside from it being valuable from a career perspective...it's damn fun. #creativity #creativecoach #creativedirector #creativethinking

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In times of change product people need to lead.

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Great content and bundles. Live sports and entertainment. Nothing genius. Just smart marketing. No more DIGIBABBLE or should I say DISNEYBABBLE? Get on with it guys….you have it!!! The Walt Disney Company From Robinhood: “Disney’s sports push could complete its triple-threat streaming strategy California un-venture… Disney got the equivalent of a “C” from investors after it narrowly missed revenue estimates and posted a small loss in its most recent quarter. The stock fell 10% yesterday. Disney’s fourth straight disappointing quarter came as cable and box-office revenue sagged. Parks and experiences were a bright spot with strong growth as Mickey lovers kept splurging on rides. But Disney’s counting on people sitting on their couches too: Plus: Disney+ and Hulu combined were profitable last quarter for the first time, with Disney+ adding 6M+ subs for a total of 118M. But overall the streaming unit lost $18M because of ESPN+. Still, it’s a big improvement from the $659M it lost last year. Bright side: Disney expects all its streamers to be profitable by fall. It recently won its boardroom battle against activist investor Nelson Peltz, and the pressure to overhaul its biz may have lit a fire under its caboose. Once upon a tile… Disney’s expanding its sports offerings and rearranging its streaming suite as it pushes toward a profit. It plans to integrate Hulu and ESPN+ into Disney+ as clickable “tiles,” which might encourage customers to bundle up. Disney’s also working on a streaming equivalent of its ESPN TV channel (different from ESPN+). If that wasn’t enough: Disney teamed up with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery on a live-sports mega-streaming bundle (which’ll cover over half of all US sports rights). ETA: this fall, although it’s facing an antitrust lawsuit. THE TAKEAWAY Disney’s got a three-legged streaming stool… If content is what wins the streaming race, Disney has two legs up on the competition. With Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, the House of Mouse streams family favorites like “The Little Mermaid,” grownup series like “Shōgun,” and the main reason a lot of Americans pay for cable: sports. CEO Bob Iger’s plan to improve the quality of content (ahem: Marvel) could be the last bit of magic Disney needs.”

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Is simplicity being lost in the content-heavy world? Heavy narratives and detailed campaigns dominate advertising, but complexity doesn't equate to effectiveness. Simplicity cuts through noise. It's about honing your core message and presenting it simply. Not dumbing down, but embracing clarity. This fortifies our brand voice and amplifies relatability. In creative ventures, don't overlook simplicity's power. Let's peel back excess layers and concentrate on what matters. #SimplicityInBranding

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To get closer to the consumer #marketers need to do far more than ask rear view mirror questions - marketers need to be #innovators outside of the lab #branding #marketing #advertising #seeingthehow Marc Kramer Best Business Minds

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I'm really surprised by the amount of anger and criticism the new Apple ad has received. I don’t like it, but I also understand they are playing with a metaphor... not literally saying they exist to destroy all the creative tools we love. Maybe we are all becoming a bit too literal and jumpy? At the very least, it's a bold creative effort that has sparked debate about technology as a partner or an enemy of creative tools. That’s more than 99.99% of advertising does. I wonder if we should put some of that angst against the MILLIONS of bad, irrelevant, cheap ads that exist to interrupt our lives with useless messages and create no debate. And what’s more concerning, these millions of useless ads daily heavily contribute to the Internet infrastructure's energy consumption... for literally no benefit to society or individuals. Let's fight the real enemy of creativity!

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Hire an elite team to dress up your brand. With over a decade in business and an average employee tenure of 5 or more years, we’re a trusted and stable marketing partner to savvy owners and successful businesses. Start here: https://ny-ave.com/ #NewYorkAve #FullService #MarketingAgency #DigitalMarketing #CentralFlorida #BrandDevelopment #WebsiteDesign #SocialMediaManagement #EmailMarketing #MediaProduction #SEO #SearchEngineOptimization #ManagedMarketing #OutsourcedMarketing #MarketingServices

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Social first brands don’t really exist as much as they should based on the data. And this leaves lots of revenue on the table. The debate since around 2007 has been around if it’s worth investing in this area, what’s the ROI, my agency makes brand films or TV ads, not lo-fi video, etc. Research from Deloitte reveals that social-first brands—those with high maturity in their approach to social media—achieve an average year-over-year revenue increase of 10.2% as a result of their social strategies. Compared to brands with low social maturity, social-first brands are also eight times as likely to exceed revenue goals by 25% or more in their lines of business. Bigger issue? Social nowadays is based around an interest graph, not a follower graph, and the medium is now (been this way since 2012) video. Yet only 43% of brands have any social video strategy at all. Most still just write copy like I’m doing here. But that’s not where platform ad models have moved (follow the money). And based on one consultant who asked me recently how many followers one brand had on a particular platform, many keep asking irrelevant questions to develop a go to market or always on strategy. The huge disconnect is who runs marketing departments and who should be running them. As Mark R. keeps noting in many of his recent posts, people don’t just give up power. That’s why most things haven’t really evolved like they should have for business the past 15 years. If change doesn’t benefit certain positions of power, then nothing will happen. Including social first investment. Who should be directing us out of this quagmire of boredom? It’s sort of a mashup of classic marketer meets creative marketer. Note, technical and mechanical skills are important but they don’t help feed these systems to reach potential audiences. I’d love to see a spreadsheet uploaded to a feed and see it persuade and influence an audience. Sadly we’ve overindexed on operations, management, analytics, people asking for the logo to be bigger. You get my point. The people in power now are people who don’t make anything. Social creatives seem to just be ticket takers now. Yet we need their wisdom on what business was can offer now more than ever. A creative revolution is calling. The question is are you planning to respond or continue doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

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this is getting better and better really quickly

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NARRATIVE MOTION is the visual podcast that explores all things related to video production, video marketing, and strategy. IN THIS EPISODE: "SMILE, CRY, CONNECT: The Emotional Alchemy of Video Marketing."

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