Ai by Sir Hatch 

Altruistic Interviews by the world’s most curious mind.

Hello, Director of Marketing

Hello, Sir Hatch.

Is a Director of Marketing like a movie director? Do you sit in a director’s chair and yell, “cut!”

There are similarities. Everything in marketing follows the lead of the director. We are trying to tell the most engaging story, to show our audience the magic of wonder. Yes, we also cut a lot and insist on multiple takes. There are also differences. We deal with normal people, not actors. Our world is real life, not a set. And, unlike movie directors, we don’t expect to be nominated for an Academy Award.

I noticed you eating a big bowl of Cinnamon Life. Is that the breakfast of marketing champions?

Yes! Life is life. Life could be vanilla and passé. Cinnamon is the aroma and flavor of youth, mystery, excitement, and optimism. That’s marketing—adding cinnamon, flavor, storytelling, yumminess, unpredictability to life.

What do you do when you’re not directly Director of Marketing?

I watch as many Atlanta Braves games as possible.

Really? What’s the story behind that?

First, every Braves player must give at least 1% of his salary to The Braves Foundation. (When they start using Hatch, it’ll probably be closer to 10%…)

[Sir Hatch, smiling]

Second, baseball is a lot like fundraising and marketing. While you always gotta swing for the fences—sometimes hitting a home run; sometimes striking out—most of your scores hinge on small ball: the daily grind of working the count, turning a single into a double (but never stealing!), laying down a bunt, situational hitting, good baserunning, unleashing the little things that make big victories possible.

Why do I feel like you’re setting me up for a wicked punchline?

Like baseball, marketing and fundraising all comes down to pitching!