Gunderson says that “This role has me traveling to ~95 accounts in the Portland area, selling the long list of delicious beer in our portfolio.”
Fraser Larock, marketing and branding expert, tells us that “Products are 25 percent of what you sell. The rest is an intangible feeling tied to the product.” That intangible feeling is shaped by the work professionals like Gunderson do in “experience selling.” Gunderson says that “Our beer can sell itself, but what can we do to give consumers a unique experience? Right now we are mostly focusing on college football programs and the Portland Trailblazers, like the Rip City Bus events, as their season is just starting. Away from sports, we also focus on national holidays with specific support for say, Halloween, like “Boo Moon” for Blue Moon, or ugly sweaters during December with Miller Lite.”
The flexible thinking and problem solving that arises from the DWLD minor and Communication major comes in handy. “There are a lot of other moving parts, such as working with the field marketing managers or having management unit meetings for 2020 planning. It’s a constant cycle of change.” When asked about advice for future students, Gunderson says “Set yourself apart early and often! What makes you stand out? Define that and hone in on your craft. Spend time with the people that you work with, in every department. They 100 percent of the time want to get to know you!”
For more information about Gunderson and her work, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-gunderson/
The digital writing, literature and design minor offers students contemporary, online skills in writing, design, and visual analysis. This synthesis of the humanities with information technologies helps prepare students for a wide variety of professional pursuits in the networked, creative economy, as well as graduate study in digital humanities and new media studies. For more information, visit /departments/elws