Having been established for over 50 years, Hard Rock is one of the most instantly recognizable and revered global brands. But with such remarkable success and widespread expansion, it's easy to forget what the brand truly values at its core. To refresh our memories and to explain what Hard Rock stands for today, we are joined by the President of Entertainment and Brand Management for Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming, Keith Sheldon. As a lawyer-turned-marketer, Keith describes his current role at Hard Rock, how he and his team are navigating the unique challenge of redistilling Hard Rock's brand identity under one banner, and how his approach to marketing has changed since 2023. We learn about the evolution of Hard Rock's identity and DNA, how its memorabilia collation began, the ins and outs of the brand's recent resurgence (including its new advertising campaign), and how it benefits from its various partnerships with other big brands and noteworthy influencers. To end, Keith explains why mentorship at Hard Rock is a two-way street, and we learn about the brand's measured approach to adopting AI!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Keith Sheldon's professional journey began as a lawyer.
- The evolution of Hard Rock and how Eric Clapton influenced its memorabilia collection.
- Insight into Hard Rock's recent brand resurgence.
- How Hard Rock's identity and DNA have evolved over the past 50 years.
- What Hard Rock's partnerships with F1 and Red Bull Racing do for the brand.
- The ins and outs of Keith's role as President of Entertainment and Brand Management.
- Embracing the challenge of redefining Hard Rock's identity under one umbrella.
- The campaign to reintroduce Hard Rock to the world, what the brand aims to achieve, and the payoff for customers.
- A look at the brand's local marketing efforts and property ownership structure.
- Understanding Keith's approach to marketing challenges in 2023 versus now.
- An overview of Hard Rock's stance on AI.
- How Keith learns from the youth at his company just as much as he offers them advice.
- Career opportunities at Hard Rock International.
- Keith’s hot takes on influencer marketing, TikTok, and Google!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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