Coworking with Patrick Buchanan

Each Tuesday, we spotlight Marketing Brew readers in our Coworking series. If you’d like to be featured, introduce yourself here.

Patrick Buchanan is VP of marketing at Good American. Earlier in his career, he held marketing roles at companies including K-Swiss and UMG’s Bravado.

Favorite project you’ve worked on? The Good American Open Casting is by far the best project I’ve worked on. I got the opportunity to travel around the world and meet so many incredible women and hear their inspiring stories. Year after year, this campaign has helped redefine what is valued or even allowed in fashion by breaking down barriers and challenging dated norms. It’s a special experience to be able to speak to and spend quality time with your customers.

What’s your favorite ad campaign? It’s hard to just name one. I really loved the Nike campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. The message said, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” It hits on many levels.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile: Well, one job that I didn’t list on my LinkedIn is that I was Kelly Clarkson’s assistant for a day. When I was in college, I won a contest on MTV, and they filmed the entire thing. It’s a memory I’ll never forget and something no one would probably guess (unless you saw that episode of TRL).

What marketing trend are you most optimistic about? Least? I love that more and more brands are prioritizing inclusivity and providing more representation through media. While I know some brands are likely being opportunistic, they’ll soon discover that inclusivity is not just important; it works. I’m least excited about the new gross-out marketing trend, where brands use disgusting food combinations to get consumers’ attention. No thank you.

What’s one marketing-related podcast, social account, or series you’d recommend? Follow Gary Vee. He’s an incredible businessman and marketer. He’s a good one to follow also because he’s known for being super engaging with his audience.