Marketing Agency

[Alexander Lau]

As @Ed Brooks said, your Linkedin profile says you are currently employed by them. Not "doing some work with them".

There is a difference between consulting/freelance and being on payroll.

Tomato / Tomata, either way we should have the ability to say, "hey here you go, when someone asks a question." If you must know, I am on my way out of this agency... I thought it would be a nice thing to do for them and I don't work in Traditional Marketing.

Please, take a look at my other responses here, which are 99% helpful, not self-serving.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Tomato / Tomata, either way we should have the ability to say, "hey here you go, when someone asks a question." If you must know, I am on my way out of this agency... I thought it would be a nice thing to do for them and I don't work in Traditional Marketing.

Please, take a look at my other responses here, which are 99% helpful, not self-serving.

Alex, if you work for a company and you're going to promote them, you need to disclose to the community that you work for them. Not matter what your situation is with the company, leaving soon or not. You know our rules and you know we frown upon self promotion. You can jump across all the conversations and offer up great advice but once you do lose the trust of the community by not being transparent then you're doing yourself and the community a disservice.

 

[Chris Cachor]

"Doing some work with them"

 

[Alexander Lau]

Alex, if you work for a company and you're going to promote them, you need to disclose to the community that you work for them. Not matter what your situation is with the company, leaving soon or not. You know our rules and you know we frown upon self promotion. You can jump across all the conversations and offer up great advice but once you do lose the trust of the community by not being transparent then you're doing yourself and the community a disservice.

Actually, I don't know the rules entirely, but it seems as if answering a question with any 3rd party link response is a no-no (duly noted). It's not as if I was promoting any agency in particular in the first response (which I deleted), until the guy asked about Traditional Marketing, which has nothing to do with my team. Looks like I could have easily just contacted him privately here too.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Direct messages from vendor to dealer for promotional purposes is also frowned upon. I know it happens but when it's reported, that person receives a warning.

 

[ed.brooks]

@Alexander Lau - I don't think answering a member's direct question is this issue. It's simply a matter of being transparent. Search the site (above ^) for the words "Full Disclosure" and you'll find scores of examples such as my 2013 response to a post where I discuss a previous employer. It's just about being open and honest and shining some light on one's (potential) motivations and agendas.

...In the interest of full disclosure Chad, I worked at AutoTrader for a decade, but even when I was at ATC, I was always advocate of a balanced approach when it comes to Automotive Marketing. I am a strong proponent of SEM (just not of buying "Billy Bob's Ford" - when you're Billy Bob). I even believe that traditional advertising has a place in every dealer's arsenal. The key is balance.

"Digital Audience Analysis: Understanding Online Car Shopping Behavior and Sources of Traffic to Dealer Websites" - AutoTrader