HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Susan Friesen

With the arrival of the holiday season, it's time for the memorable end-of-the-year advertising campaigns and familiar music to hit the airwaves; our TV's, radios, and computer/tablet/smartphone screens will be bombarded by reminders of the season. Since I've been honored to share several inspiring series on my blog over the last year including my #FallBacktoReadingSeries, #SpringLeadershipSeries, and #OlympicsLeadershipSeries, I've decided to end the year with my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

I've asked 10 thought leaders to chime in and share some of their holiday thoughts as they pertain to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Since today's featured guest is from Canada, I'd like to share some basics about Boxing Day so that we can all join in the festivities. Celebrated on December 26th, the day after Christmas, Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part of Christmas celebrations. It is celebrated in Great Britain and some Commonwealth countries, particularly Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

According to Britannica, "Explanations for the origin of the name have varied, with some believing that it derived from the opening of alms boxes that had been placed in churches for the collection of donations to aid the poor. Others have held that it came from the boxes of gifts given to employees on the day after Christmas. According to this theory, because the work of servants was required for the Christmas Day celebrations of their employers, they were allowed the following day for their own observance of the holiday. When December 26th comes on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is designated as the official public holiday."

And now, for today's post, I'd like to introduce Susan Friesen, based in Canada. Susan is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of British Columbia's premiere boutique web development and digital marketing agency, eVision Media. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she's an expert in helping businesses to establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity. Her passion for empowering female entrepreneurs to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the marketing industry.

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?
SUSAN FRIESEN: Lindor chocolates exemplify a memorable holiday brand. Their strategic packaging and promotion cater to a range of occasions, from Halloween to New Year's. By introducing seasonal flavours and themed packaging, Lindor ensures that they stand out and remain an easy choice for consumers navigating the candy aisle.

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?
SUSAN FRIESEN: I find WestJet's holiday commercials to be truly remarkable, thanks to their well-thought-out campaign of gift-giving called, "The WestJet Christmas Miracle." For their 2023 campaign, they honoured Canadian travel industry workers by reuniting these holiday heroes with their loved ones by flying their families from around the world to Canada. It's always exciting to observe their behind-the-scenes strategy and planning, and then witness the fulfillment of giving such incredible gifts.

QUESTION: What is your favorite piece of music or SONG during the holiday season?
SUSAN FRIESEN: Since my husband usually starts thinking about the holidays in mid-October, our favourite song that starts the whole season off is, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." We typically don't see any snow at that time yet, but the cooler weather brings the promise of snow and the Christmas season soon to come.

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays, and why? (Think outside the box and do not share any religious choices.)
SUSAN FRIESEN: The personal brand that stands out for me each Christmas season is Mariah Carey. Who doesn't have a vivid image in their mind right now of her kneeling in the snow in her red outfit from the cover of her famous album, "Merry Christmas," which premiered her iconic song, "All I Want for Christmas" by just hearing her name? That's the sign of an exceptional personal brand.  Despite her losing her bid to register the "Queen of Christmas" brand in 2022, she will always be my Queen of Christmas!

QUESTION: And lastly, since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE, and why?
SUSAN FRIESEN: I love this quote by Roy Disney: "It is not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are." This quote resonates with me because running a business and leading a team are fundamentally based on integrity, which stems from our values. It is much easier to make decisions when our values are clearly defined, which I have instinctively done for the past 21 years of running my company, eVision Media!

My gratitude to Susan for sharing her leadership insights and for being a part of my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

SHARE THIS: It is not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. ~Roy Disney via @eVisionMedia #DebbieLaskeysBlog #HolidayLeadershipSeries

Image Credit: Illuminim.


Read more about West Jet's 2023 holiday campaign:
https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2023/westjet-christmas-miracle-celebrates-deserving-canadians-over-th

Listen to Bing Crosby sing "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
https://youtu.be/d82Xzey-4B4?si=5xxB-Us1zdQjpmu3
and
Listen to Michael Bublé sing "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
https://youtu.be/QJ5DOWPGxwg?si=hAuGEqdGAYq7Sjdx

Listen to Mariah Carey sing "All I Want for Christmas"
https://youtu.be/aAkMkVFwAoo?si=NBs_FuvHQBPAPXrx

Connect with Susan at these links:
Website: https://eVisionMedia.ca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susan.evisionmedia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evisionmedia/
Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/eVisionMedia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eVisionMedia
Free Branding Gift: https://www.facebook.com/eVisionMedia

Check out Susan's previous appearances here on my blog:

OLYMPICS LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Susan Friesen (August 2024)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/08/olympics-leadership-series-featuring_01233314215.html

SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Susan Friesen (June 2024)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/06/spring-leadership-series-featuring.html

FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Susan Friesen (October 2023)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/10/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring_02107667638.html

Digital Engagement Tips to Attract Customers and Fans (November 2022)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/11/digital-engagement-tips-to-attract.html

The Importance of Brand Identity (November 2021)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/11/the-importance-of-brand-identity.html