SuCo Spotlight October ’24 – Jamie Patterson
This month SuCo wants to spotlight our Sr. Marketing Manager, Jamie Patterson. Jamie is the longest standing member of our media team, joining in 2019. Jamie is one of two resident Google Ads experts driving high quality traffic for our insurance team. Jamie recently built and launched a first-of-its-kind campaign that has been a great success for our buyers. Jamie is always willing to lend a helping hand with various projects and initiatives. He shares knowledge and strategies with the team, executes with precision and urgency, and has major chops in ad and website conversion optimization. Take a minute to learn a little more about Jamie…
What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing, and how has your journey been so far?
Believe it or not, MySpace is where it all started for me. Back then, I was really into creating and editing pages for my friends. I didn’t realize at the time that customizing HTML and building layouts could actually turn into a career—it was just a fun hobby.
Later, one of those friends asked if I could build a website for his business, and I figured, “Why not? It’s pretty similar to a MySpace page.” That project opened my eyes to the potential of web design and digital marketing. Not long after, I was asked to run a Google Ads campaign, and I was instantly hooked. The mix of creativity, strategy, and real-time results had me sold.
Since then, it’s been an exciting journey. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with incredibly sharp and driven individuals who consistently bring fresh perspectives. Their insights have pushed me to continuously grow and elevate my work, making the experience both challenging and rewarding.
How do you balance creativity with data-driven decision-making in your marketing strategies?
Coming from a music background, I’ve learned that creativity thrives within structure. In marketing, creativity drives unique ideas and engaging visuals, while data acts as the score, guiding and refining those ideas toward success.
Data gives you the structure, like the steady beat of a metronome, ensuring precision and alignment with your audience. But just like in music, data alone doesn’t create magic. It’s creativity that takes those insights and turns them into something memorable. Too much data, and things feel robotic; too much creativity, and you lose direction.
I find the sweet spot by letting data guide the performance while giving creativity the freedom to shine. The key is balance – using both in harmony to craft campaigns that not only hit the right notes but also get people tapping their feet.
If you could collaborate with any brand (past or present) on a marketing campaign, who would it be and why?
If I could collaborate with any brand, it would be TOMS. Their “One for One” campaign was groundbreaking. Buy a pair of shoes, and they donate a pair to someone in need. It wasn’t just marketing, it was a movement. Suddenly, everyone wanted a pair of TOMS, not necessarily because they were the most stylish shoe on the market (let’s be honest, they’re not winning any fashion awards), but because it felt good to wear them. People weren’t just buying shoes, they were buying into a cause, and that’s powerful. What I love about TOMS is how they turned a simple product into a vehicle for change, paving the way for today’s wave of philanthropic brands. They proved that consumers will support a brand when they feel part of something bigger, even if the product isn’t the flashiest. It’s a powerful mix of philanthropy and marketing, and I’d love to work on a campaign like that – where the product is not just functional, but impactful. Even if the shoes are a little “unique,” you wear them proudly because you’re making a difference.
What’s a quirky talent or party trick you can bust out at a moment’s notice?
I can channel my inner Scott Stapp with a pretty spot-on Creed impression. I’m no Grammy winner, but belting out “Can you take me hiiiiigher” is generally good for a laugh!
