As Chief Revenue Officer of Ascend Agency, George Nellist argues that visibility is no longer optional but rather a cornerstone of influence. He believes that brands and individuals must treat visibility as the foundation of long-term credibility and success. This belief stems from the significant shifts brought on by the internet. Since the World Wide Web was introduced to the public in 1993, it has fundamentally changed numerous industries. As they grew more comfortable with the technology, consumers had greater expectations for their digital interactions and how brands engaged with them.
Before the introduction of the internet, a brand’s relationship with consumers was maintained via two kinds of interactions: public and private. The public interactions were broad marketing maneuvers that reached huge swaths of the population, while private interactions were held between a single consumer and the customer service team.
The internet muddied the lines of distinction between these two elements, making all public interactions somewhat private and all private interactions somewhat public. For Nellist, this shift highlights the importance of visibility in marketing.
The Speed of the Digital World
In the past, a few well-placed advertisements per year were sufficient to keep a popular brand present in the public consciousness and remind consumers of the services they offered. This was partially due to the fact that, prior to the Internet, the vast majority of consumers were tuning into the same sources for their information, communication, and entertainment. As such, placing an ad within a popular publication or on a highly rated TV series ensured that the ad would have a significant impact.
Now, however, this could not be further from the truth. What used to be a monoculture has been fractured into personalized, algorithmically driven feeds by the use of the internet, making it far more difficult to reach a large audience with a single ad. Instead, the digital world moves much faster and has resulted in far shorter attention spans, meaning that marketing teams need to not only make bigger moves but also more consistent ones.
In this way, the internet and social media have made visibility the most valuable currency.
George’s Philosophy
George believes that “the key to leadership is influence, and the key to influence is visibility.” Through his work with Ascend Agency, he and the team strive to bring these distinctly modern beliefs and attributes to the marketing and PR of their clients. While older, more traditional agencies have struggled in recent years to incorporate digital marketing into their established structures, Ascend Agency has been built from the ground up for the express purpose of tackling the digital world.
Because of this, the team understands the importance of tailoring messaging for each platform rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Each social media site has its own unique curation of content, algorithm, and aesthetic, and to not be keenly aware of each is to court disaster. Through these means, visibility translates into partnerships, growth, and reputation in crowded markets.
Accomplishments and Accolades
Ascend has a track record of helping artists and brands grow influence through strategic visibility. Over the past three years alone, the agency has generated over $20 million in revenue. It has become the number-two fastest-growing company in the Pacific region, period, having grown over 7,534% in just two years.
A Better Tomorrow
In today’s digitally-driven world, consumers move quickly. The popularity of social media sites and online platforms has enabled brands to enter people’s lives more immediately, making it essential for them to remain visible and successful in the public eye. Through his work with Ascend Agency, George Nellist has strived to bring his unique insights into this field to clients around the globe and help them conquer this ever-changing marketing world.
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