Hi! Welcome to my portfolio :)

Hello and welcome! My name is Sirahdia (pronounced SIR -yes sir!- AH -open wide!- DIA -day but in spanish!- ) and I do content. I thought it would make it easier for both brands and people alike to get to know more about me through blog ⁠— because who doesn't blog now-a-days?

Just a heads up on how you, the reader, can expect these blogs to go ⁠— I expect to be fairly genuine and myself in them, no marketing fluff or sales pitches are to be presented in this space! That being said, you can fully expect to see some slang, a controversial thought or two, and some insight on how my mind works as a millennial (*Gasp* A millennial?!) in the 'marketing' industry.

Where to begin?

Over the past year, I've been befuddled over the term 'marketing' and my growing distaste with it. What used to mean an industry that closely resembled something from 'Mad Men', now reflects an industry in which high-school aged individuals are asked to cold call people or an 'intern' is asked to perform ineffable duties. Hence my growing dislike of its use. So after working with several startups in the last 3 years, I decided to brand myself with what I was most passionate about — creating engaging content that connects a brand with its target consumer. You'll hear me say that a lot, like a skipping record player even, and it's because it is my most adamant driver as a creative.

Ok, so what kind of work do you like?

In a world where paid media gets brands through the front doors of their consumers, I completely understand the rat race, but I also strive for something more. I want to push brands into a space that isn't just pay-for-play but one that is so necessary for consumers that they #tweet at or about the brand simply to get a response, a brand that literally adds value to the timeline (TL for short). I want to work with brands that encourage and create brand champions, individuals who hold the brand up during a crowd surf and return them back to the stage for others to continue enjoying the movement. Maybe the brand isn't there yet, maybe they don't know that's where they need to be, maybe they need to start off 'sales-y' in order to get there. That works for me too, as long as the end goal is to be a game-changer, a 'mood', a trendsetter, a motivator, something that strives to be more.

Not every brand can be a Fenty Beauty or a Wendy's, but there are ways for every brand to connect with consumers in a genuine way, one that speaks to each person's individuality. People love that and in all honesty I love seeing it. I could literally spend all day reading comments, responses, and threads of other people's opinions on certain content.

I don't watch YouTube videos, I glance at the first 10 seconds and then scroll down to see what everyone else is saying. I will read an article on Twitter and then find myself lost in thread upon thread of responses and #hashtags.

End Goal: to be your Brand Champion

In summary, I want to get to know your brand and be its very first true brand champion. My first huge (for me at the time) role was running the social media accounts for Busch Gardens Williamsburg, I was fresh out of college and brands, social media, and influencers had just started becoming a major thing. Yes, working at a theme park is as amazing as it sounds, but it also had its very corporate challenges. Even still, I had fun, I experienced directing videos (and one news-worthy marriage proposal), executing influencer tours and several giveaways for consumers who really needed them. I learned to become a brand champion first and it definitely helped me learn to speak to the BGW audience like an actual person, not a corporate spokesperson.

My next big gig started out as a "social media assistant" at ECD Automotive Design (formerly East Coast Defender), but after stepping foot into the building, I realized there was potential for soooo much more! I slowly began expanding my abilities into email marketing, vehicle design, web development and acting as a liaison to certain clients. I loved the vehicles, the people building them, and the opportunity I had to grow and try new things (seriously, my creative freedom was a role requirement). I helped ECD spring into a key industry player and in being the Head of Creative, I became a brand champion for forever.

Whether I am consulting or becoming a part of the team permanently, I want to be involved with a brand that wants to be in their consumers lives for good, if you're a startup I want you to want me as your first brand champion! Relationships are extremely important and it takes time to build them, even if it's with consumers, company team members or new partnerships.

I promise as I write more and get a feel for who my portfolio's audience might be, it will get better, haha! Going forward, I might slip more movie/show quotes into these things also (expect 90% of it to be from The Office).