Alex Hammarth works in Marketing for the firm. Learn about her day-to-day responsibilities and why she decided to choose a career in marketing.
What led you to pursue a career in marketing at an A/E firm?
I actually came from a journalism background and found that in addition to writing and reporting, I was just genuinely interested in storytelling. I also like the challenge of learning something highly technical or nitty-gritty (and in architecture, there’s plenty of that) and translating it into a robust marketing story. Finding out what a company can do differently than the competition can be a huge asset when pitching to a client, but if it’s not marketed properly, the message can get lost entirely. I like that colleagues can rely on me to get that message across and give me the creative freedom to do so. There’s also a business development element to marketing that I’m drawn to because you need to learn the business inside and out in order to craft a unique narrative. This includes learning about recent trends in the marketplace and seeing how the business evolves as a result of those trends, which tells you that the company you’re working for is much more than their revenue, it’s what innovative ideas they’re bringing into that industry.
How long have you worked at CannonDesign?
Only one month! But I already feel a part of the CannonDesign family. I couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome, which living in New York City, says a lot.
What is your role?
As a Marketing Coordinator, I work with people of all levels, from Principals to Designers, to create proposals and presentations for new and existing clients. Recently, I’ve been working on projects for our Healthcare and Education practices. Even though I haven’t worked in either of those industries, the real takeaways aren’t all about industry knowledge. At the end of the day, the impact of our projects is what matters most–whether it’s working with hospitals to create more inviting spaces for patients or helping a university preserve its history while building spaces for generations to come.
Describe an average day working in the Marketing Department.
I wouldn’t say there’s ever an “average” day in Marketing, but that’s what I like about it. Our team is usually working on multiple proposals at once, and despite them being deadline-driven, everyone is always on the same page when it comes to being accountable for their own work. I could be putting together a proposal for a college campus library renovation, but rather than just put together our top library renovation projects, I’ll take it a step further to research the underlying goals of that institution and get a feel for their brand history in order to understand what matters most to them. That research makes all the difference because then I’m able to put together a more thoughtful proposal that speaks to their needs. I’m also lucky to work with our national network of subject matter experts, who fill me in on trends in a certain practice that can sometimes get the client thinking about something they maybe hadn’t realized. Hopefully, the end result is a proposal that says we understand your problem and here’s how we can help you solve it.