Tag: america

  • Day Trading Attention Book Club: Week 1 Recap

    Day Trading Attention Book Club: Week 1 Recap

    Labor Day’s behind us, the pumpkin spice is flowing, and at Vayner that means it’s Q4 grind time which is basically the first day of school for marketers. To kick things off, our CMO Avery Akkineni and VP of Core Relationships, Nick Dio went live on LinkedIn with the launch of our Day Trading Attention Book Club, a weekly series running all September where we’ll be breaking down the biggest ideas, chapter by chapter, from our favorite CEO, Gary Vaynerchuk’s, latest book.

    If you missed the live session… no worries, there’s no pop quiz 😉 but keep scrolling for your TL;DR.

    What Is Day Trading Attention (Really)?

    Gary’s idea is simple but seismic: attention is today’s most valuable currency in marketing.

    Brands that know how to spot, capture, and leverage attention in real time are the ones who are winning.

    And before we get into all the details, this is not just about platforms or ads… it’s about culture. Whether it’s billion-dollar empires or a really cool guy on a longboard with cranberry juice, the throughline is the same: attention runs the show.

    Chapter 1: The TikTokification of Social Media 📱

    Remember when only TikTok had swipeable short-form video? That feels like ancient history. Now, every platform from YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, to even LinkedIn followed suit. (AND let it be known, Gary wants you to be posting on all of them!)

    The main takeaway from the evolution of these platforms is to note that we’re in the ✨non-follower era.✨ That means your content wins not because you have 10M followers, but because the algorithm sees people engaging with it. Wedding posts, a fall haul, an ootd for school, or your uncle’s viral Facebook rant… the playing field is wide open.

    This is absolutely exciting for brands and creators, but it’s not easy without strategy, so let’s break it all the way down.

    Speed Is the Strategy ⚡️

    If there’s one word that defines Day Trading Attention, it’s speed. 

    Culture moves fast. Remember that trend from… two weeks ago? Exactly. 

    Brands need to move faster. Wait four days for approvals? The moment’s already over. You can’t trend-jack everything, but you can’t afford to miss the right moment either.

    Chapter 2: The Modern Advertising Framework

    The Vayner framework is an integrated flywheel where strategy, creative, and production move together at the speed of culture and feed the creative we’re producing for brands.

    Instead of siloed teams handing off briefs for weeks at a time, insights are flowing in real time and are informing the content that’s relevant today.

    The Rise of the Personal Brand

    Another big theme in today’s social media era is people trust people. Consumers want real product reviews, behind-the-scenes moments, and the messy human stuff…not polished perfection.

    Whether you’re Beyoncé, or a small business owner, building an authentic personal brand is a massive unlock.

    Pro tip: Don’t overthink your credentials. You don’t need a Wharton degree to share your POV. You just need to show up consistently and authentically with your audience.

    Making Content Out of Culture 🎾

    From The Eras tour to the US Open, cultural moments are MASSIVE opportunities for marketers to show up authentically and fast.

    At Vayner, even our client outings double as content engines. Instead of just hosting at the US Open, we captured insights, asked mini mic questions, and turned it into LinkedIn content that reached hundreds of thousands of viewers.

    Don’t just slap on a logo, and call it a day. The real impact comes from being in the mix and gathering insights that will continue creating content and reach long after the event is over.

    Your Homework This Week: Read the Book (Or Join Our Book Club) 🎒

    No pop quizzes, but there is homework 😉

    Join us live every Wednesday this September as we continue to unpack Day Trading Attention, chapter by chapter, hosted by key Vayner Voices.

    Want to catch the live replay from Week 1?  👉  Watch on YouTube

    Want a hard cover copy to bring on your commute? 📚 Grab Gary’s book here

    See you this Wednesday, September 10th, at 11am ET for our next book club session! RSVP here

  • Big News: H&R Block Taps VaynerMedia as Social and Media Agency of Record

    Big News: H&R Block Taps VaynerMedia as Social and Media Agency of Record

    Taxes may only come once a year, but H&R Block is showing up for their consumers 365 days. (Drum roll, please!) That’s why they’ve expanded their partnership with us, naming VaynerMedia as their Social Creative and Media Agency of Record.

    This isn’t just a title swap. It’s part of a bigger transformation led by Chief Marketing & Experience Officer Jill Cress, turning H&R Block from a “see you in April” tax prep brand into one that delivers year-round value. Because being relevant in this industry isn’t just seasonal; it’s about showing up when consumers need you most.

    From Seasonal to Always-On

    For decades, H&R Block has been synonymous with the once-a-year filing rush, and it’s now building upon its legacy of earned consumer trust by moving into everyday online conversations that matter.  For us, it means creating content that earns attention, builds trust, and delivers impact at scale. The brand is rewriting its own playbook and meeting the needs of every generation, every day.

    A Shared Belief in Social-First

    Consumer behavior has shifted. People don’t want brands that pop in once a year; they expect you to show up every. single. day. Period.

    Enter H&R Block. Led by Chief Marketing & Experience Officer Jill Cress’s “fail fast, learn fast” mindset, this partnership is built to move at culture-speed and designed to test, learn, and pivot in real time. No dusty playbooks here.

    And the proof is loud. From AI-powered assistance to social-first storytelling to even gaming integrations, H&R Block isn’t waiting for relevance, they’re creating it.

    “Bringing social creative and media together under one partner isn’t just operationally efficient, it’s a competitive advantage,” says Cress. “VaynerMedia’s integrated approach fuels agility, sharpens our cultural edge, and ensures we’re building stronger connections with more customers, all year long by integrating H&R Block into daily interactions.”

    Year-Round Relevance, Built for Today’s Consumer

    Together, H&R Block and VaynerMedia are proving what happens when social creative and media don’t live in separate lanes: you get a brand that shows up in culture every day of the year, backed by measurable results that matter.

    Our CEO and Chairman of VaynerX, Gary Vaynerchuk, says it best, “When social content is supercharged with strategic media efforts, the results speak for themselves. By championing the integration, Jill is demonstrating H&R Block’s dedication to advancing modern marketing practices. We’re incredibly humbled that the Company has put their trust in us, and we’re eager to deliver impact that exceeds their brand goals.”

    Want to partner with us? Drop us a line!

  • The Modern Brand Guide: Creating Scroll Stopping Content on Snapchat

    The Modern Brand Guide: Creating Scroll Stopping Content on Snapchat

  • Meet the New Presidents at VaynerMedia

    Meet the New Presidents at VaynerMedia

    As VaynerMedia continues to scale globally, two key leaders have stepped up to take us to the next level: John Terrana (JT), President of the Americas & Global Chief Media Officer, and Marcus Krzastek, President of International. With a combined 20+ years at VaynerMedia, the deep support of Gary and the trust of our clients, we’re thrilled to welcome the newest Presidents at VaynerMedia.

    JT: Pushing the Boundaries of Media and Creative

    John Terrana, known by most as JT, has spent the past five years shaping the agency’s media operations across the Americas and beyond. He’s passionate about VaynerMedia’s unique integrated approach. “There’s no other organization in the industry like us. We’re running billions of dollars in media while simultaneously producing millions of social media ads. No one else has that combination of media, creative, and production under one roof.”

    A firm believer in the agency’s Honey Empire philosophy, JT values ambition balanced with kindness. “We want to win, but we also truly care about people. That’s what makes this place special.”

    For those looking to thrive at Vayner, he offers this advice: “Meet 100 people in your first 100 days. Everyone here is not only talented but generous with their time. If you take the initiative, you can accelerate your growth by learning from the best minds in the industry.”

    One of JT’s proudest achievements is launching the Residency Program, which started with just over a dozen participants and has since grown to welcome nearly 100 global residents each year. “Watching that program become one of the best onboarding experiences in the industry is something I’m really proud of.”

    Rather than focusing on traditional campaigns, JT champions VaynerMedia’s always-on approach. “We don’t think in campaigns the way traditional agencies do. Our model is always-on, organic and paid social at scale. I love what we’re doing for brands like Wingstop, where we’re producing hundreds of social media ads per week, optimizing in real time, and delivering results that wouldn’t be possible with a traditional ‘big campaign’ approach.”

    Marcus: Scaling VaynerMedia’s Global Footprint

    Marcus Krzastek has been in the room since day one, witnessing and shaping VaynerMedia’s evolution from its earliest days. Starting as a part-time team member of the finance team, he quickly became a key player, helping land foundational clients like Campbell’s Soup and Zappos. Over the years, he took on various leadership roles, including serving as Gary Vaynerchuk’s Chief of Staff for many years—a role that gave him a front-row seat to the agency’s rapid growth and a deep understanding of its inner workings.

    “There are so many nuances across different markets,” Marcus explains. “From budgets to cultural perspectives, staffing, and communication lines—each region requires a unique approach.” His mission is to build a globally integrated yet locally nuanced structure that maximizes impact.

    Over the years, Marcus has worn many hats—helping land early clients like Campbell’s Soup and Zappos, launching VaynerMedia’s analytics and platform teams, and serving as Gary’s Chief of Staff before running The Sasha Group in 2024. Now, as President of International, he’s focused on ensuring that VaynerMedia’s global expansion remains deeply rooted in the company’s core values. “Doing the right thing is always the right thing,” he says. “Even when it makes life harder in the short term, prioritizing clients and employees over immediate gains leads to sustainable success.”

    For those looking to grow within VaynerMedia, Marcus emphasizes the importance of exploration. “There are incredibly smart people across every department. To truly succeed, you need to understand all the moving parts.” He encourages specialists to step outside their silos and learn from other teams. “If you’re in media, spend time with creative. If you’re in creative, get to know client partnerships. The more you understand, the more effective you become.”