Purpose shapes communications; communications support purpose

Purposeful communications are shaped by your company purpose and also enrich your purpose. Joel Tarver, former senior manager, digital marketing at Baker Hughes, talks about how their digital marketing supports and is informed by their purpose.

Robin: Hello, and welcome to this edition of Brandonomics, an inside look at top brands and their marketing strategies. I’m Robin Tooms, VP of strategy at Savage Brands, and my guest again is Joel Tarver, former senior manager, digital marketing at Baker Hughes. So Joel, welcome back to Brandonomics.

Joel: Very glad to be back. Thank you.

Robin: Well, Joel, let’s talk a little bit about the energy industry. You have said that Baker Hughes isn’t an energy company per se, but really an innovation company that just happens to be in the energy industry. So what do you see as your role as a digital marketer there in helping to build that brand of Baker Hughes in innovation?

Joel: With us in particular, I’d say it starts with “why,” and that we’re a purpose-driven company, right? So we’re looking at enabling safe, affordable energy and improving people’s lives, not just in our technologies, but it comes across in any and all things that we do, and it even refers to marketing.

Robin: Wow, so I am glad that you’ve articulated that, because really what you’re doing with digital marketing, you said, starts with “why,” but how you’re delivering it adds meaning to that message as well.

Joel: Yes.

Robin: Can you elaborate on how you’re helping to build that mindset of innovation?

Joel: Yeah, well, something we have to look at is that if you’re an innovation company, you’re gonna have to do something more than just paper brochures and more than direct mail. That’s not to say that those tactics aren’t still effective, but you’re looking at, what is that perception that everyone else has, okay? So if we’re bringing a message through gamification, if we’re bringing a message through mobile applications, if we’re bringing it through web, through microsites, we’re doing it through social media, if we’re even doing it in our animations and interactive and motion graphics — we try to look at all ways that something can come out, instead of just what the one tried-and-true way is. We’re perfectly willing to go out here and experiment with new ways, too, because it’s just part of who we are.

Robin: Yes, I love that. The medium definitely fits the message you’re trying to get across. Perfect. Thank you for sharing that. This has been another edition of Brandonomics, an inside look at top brands and their marketing strategies.

 

A top-tier oilfield service company with a century-long track record, Baker Hughes delivers solutions that help oil and gas operators make the most of their reservoirs. Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI) provides reliable, practical solutions when and where our customers need them to lower costs, reduce risk and improve productivity. https://www.bakerhughes.com/