Gabriel Eremia: I felt the need to give something tangible for the new generation of marketeers

Gabriel Eremia, professional with over 15 years of experience in the development and implementation of integrated marketing, communication and product management strategies, launched Advertising Unplugged, a learning and improvement platform for advertising enthusiasts.

The platform debuts with the podcast of the same name, which addresses various and current topics from the world of marketing, advertising and communication, revealing real, authentic stories, as well as “behind the scenes” experiences from the Romanian marcomm. The Advertising Unplugged podcast aims to speak to advertising enthusiasts, regardless of whether they work in a company or agency.

AdHugger sat down with Gabriel Eremia and found out more about the project and the idea behind it.

How did the idea arrive and how it evolved? How did you choose the name?

When we were filming the last TV commercial for our Arctic Built-In campaign, I got the idea by talking with the agency & my team. It was an on-spot brainstorming, with everyone at the table during a coffee-break, and it continued to develop afterwards. The shortlist was between Advertising Unplugged and Marketing Unplugged, but envisioning how we would like the upcoming season & discussions to take place, we realized that the name Advertising Unplugged is more suitable.

The purpose starts from the idea that each generation has an essential role in the education of the generations to follow, and at the same time a great responsibility towards them. So right now it’s our time to contribute positively to the development of the new generations. Going beyond my involvement in the business word, I felt the need to give something tangible for the new generation of marketeers.

„Advertising Unplugged” is an honest podcast where we discuss about marketing-related topics, in a very authentic way that shows how the marcomm industry works from behind the curtains and in the spotlight. Also, the podcast comes with a social cause: the funds raised through this channel will be used for Lumea Emei Association, to support Ema my daughter in her journey with an ultra-rare genetic epilepsy.

What is your main target and how are you going to attract it/ communicate the project?

The main target is represented by students who are still in the process of deciding in what industry to start their first job, or for people who are considering a professional reconversion. We are attracting them with relevant content on the platform in which they are already present (YouTube, Tik Tok mostly) and with the right tone of voice, so that we initiate & nurture an authentic communication with them.

How do you choose the persons you are interviewing?

The first season of the podcast features people I know well, people that I have worked with and have become friends, and who understand the purpose of this initiative. There are both agency and marcomm people, to present both sides of the coin.

Do you accept proposals coming to you or are they just persons you choose, based on your experience on the market?

Both, actually. But, as mentioned previously, we want to support the young generations as much as possible and the more we are, the more diverse, the better. So, I am encouraging everyone to come to me with proposals, as I am sure that each marcomm person will bring valuable experience & insights to the table.

Are you open to collaborations with brands / sponsored posts?

Yes. The idea of the podcast is to have a wide reach to our audience and a positive impact among those who follow us. That’s our first and most important goal. When it comes to edutainment for the young generation with reference to this area (marcom), we realized that there is a lot of potential yet unexploited. So, we are right now in the phase in which we should see each other as partners, and not as competitors, all having a more broader objective to reach.

How is the podcast differentiation from other marcomm learning platforms in Romania?

I believe it’s early to talk about differentiation, as there are still few platforms who target this type of content. It’s not your typical leaning platform – it’s one that is much more real and raw, presenting the industry in an authentic way. I also take this opportunity to invite other marcomm people to get actively involved and start developing edutaining content, either in written form, or video format, or any other hype of format in fact. In this manner, we will all facilitate the access of new generations to this type of content, which is useful and will simplify their working experience.  

How is the CSR part of it actually working?

The podcast has also a CSR component integrated: its purpose is to raise awareness and funds for a rare disease – a pathogenic mutation (BPAN) – with which my daughter, Ema, has been diagnosed.

We are already starting to see a positive impact and people are donating to the cause more than expected. And with this occasion I want to thank everyone for the support!

When will the other parts of the platform launch (conferences, e-books, etc)?

The plan is to have a full ecosystem in place after the 2nd season is launched. The 2nd season will be live in autumn, so the other parts of the platforms will follow by end of 2023 – beginning of 2024.

What is your goal for 2023?

To launch the 2nd season, in a similar format as season 1. This time we will invite professionals who are head of department – from both Client and Agency, to look in detail on how the most relevant campaigns they worked on took place, from the initial idea and creative concept, to the implementation & evaluation, post-evaluation.

In parallel, we will work on the next phase of the platform, as mentioned above.