For the past nine months, I’ve been taking the pulse of the local business community.

 

Kelowna is a resort town – not a corporate melting pot. Kelowna is headlined by healthcare, construction, and tourism – not exactly my wheelhouse. Kelowna wants to become a tech mecca – not a marketing metropolis.

 

 

 

All of the above makes my job-seeking mission a little tougher. Like a two-dollar steak. Like building a second bridge spanning Okanagan Lake. Like the Blue Jays’ chances of winning the 2015 pennant.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m out there pitching-and-catching leads. Many at-bats ago, I did a search for local marketing firms. A couple names popped prominently. One was Pulse Group Media & Communications (Smart Marketing. Creative People.). Its main office is in Kamloops (about a two-hour drive), with a second in downtown Kelowna.

 

I contacted Rob Cupello – Director of Client Services. Since that summer salute we’ve been playing digital tag. Rob is busier than Hillary’s campaign manager. He ventures to Kelowna about as often as it rains here. Sooner or later we’ll shake hands and talk shop. In the interim, Copywriter Jim went the Q+A route to get the rhythm of Pulse’s creative vibe:

 

 

 

Where did the name Pulse Group Media & Communications (PGMC) come from?

I wish I had a grand story to tell about how we became Pulse Group, but it was just a group of us sitting around the table throwing out names. Pulse resonated as we wanted to be the agency that had its finger on the “pulse” of the marketing landscape. And our preference was the electrical definition, not the medical one.

 

What was Pulse Group’s vision in 2004 when the agency was started/founded?

We wanted to provide a new option to clients that were tired of the traditional agency ways – nickel and dime for every service. My partner (at the time) and I both had marketing and media backgrounds and liked the fact that we didn’t have to be beholden to any one media. Our goal – slowly grow into an agency that serviced the Thompson-Okanagan and provide a full-service approach. Our motto – work hard and have fun.

 

 

From those early days – how has the marketing/agency/media business changed and how has Pulse Group adapted to those changes?

There has been a big change in the agency landscape. More so in Kelowna than Kamloops. In Kelowna, we saw an opportunity to capture the non-real estate market as all the current agencies (at that time) were so heavy into real estate development marketing. Then when the crash hit we slowly saw the major players in the market close their doors. In addition, we have seen a growth in digital marketing and clients pushing more and more ROI (which is the way it should be). We were fortunate enough to diversify our client base, and as other agencies were closing their doors, we were able to continue to grow.

 

 

From those early days – how have clients and their needs changed and how has Pulse Group adapted to those changes?

The biggest change has been the growth of social media and online advertising. The landscape is constantly changing and our role is to ensure we are looking for the most cost effective way to invest the client’s marketing dollars. We are definitely buying less and less traditional media for clients, but we are still advocates of an integrated marketing plan which includes traditional and “new” media. In addition, we have seen a growth in other non-traditional mediums such as out-of-home, sponsorship, and referral programs. We continually try to stay up with the latest trends by being part of a North American agency group called Second Wind. It gives us the ability to access what’s working in other markets. We are always seeking opportunities to attend conferences where we can learn and share.

 

Does PGMC have traditional and digital marketing specialties….and what are they?

As a full-service agency, we offer our clients everything from buying traditional media to sourcing a logo’s pen. That being said, we are not social media “experts”. We concern ourselves more with ensuring the client is properly branded across all channels and then build a strategy on how to best reach the target market. With a strong design team and full-time media planner/buyer, we are able to provide a full-service approach to clients.

How many full-time employees does PGMC have? Does PGMC utilize a roster of part-timers, interns, consultants….and why?

We currently have a team of eight, which covers account, design, media, and development. We bring in our partners when needed for services such as public relations, social media, and audio/visual. Again, we ensure all elements are branded and oversee all production – something our clients really like about the service we offer.

 

 

PGMC’s main office is in Kamloops and there’s a satellite office in Kelowna……..why?

We originally started in Kamloops, but saw a big opportunity in the Kelowna market (see above on comments about real estate). We opened in Kelowna six years ago because we wanted to ensure we had people on the ground in the Okanagan to properly service our clients. With all the technology today, we still try to have as many face-to-face meetings as we can. In order to be properly invested in the market, we believed we needed presence in the market. It was the best move we made.

 

 

Can you tell us a favorite/lighthearted client story (something that happened during a meeting, photo shoot, or presentation)?

We seem to always be on the go – try to fill our day with meetings and ensuring we meet deadline. But one recent day was like no other. I was running late in the morning (not feeling well the night before) and ended up being late for my first meeting. Got through it okay and was off to my next meeting, which was across town. Got there and the client couldn’t meet so the meeting was cancelled and moved. Got back to the office for my last meeting where I was presenting our ideas to a potential new client and realized I was locked out of the office. So I was standing in front of our office door with the client and we couldn’t get in. My keys and proposal were in the office. So we headed downstairs for coffee and I did my best to present from memory. Late for a meeting, cancelled a meeting, and locked out of a meeting all in one day. But in the end the client was impressed how composed I stayed and worked well under pressure. We got the project.

 

 

 

 

 

What are PGMC’s biggest challenges in 2015 and beyond?

Staying focused. We are always tempted to chase the latest and greatest marketing platform, but we find most success when we stay focused and just continue to do what we do best. In addition, we need to always find more efficient ways to deliver our services to our clients.