Behind every successful digital marketing campaign is an expert who diligently and often tirelessly works to ensure that all of our campaigns are running smoothly and delivering the best results possible for our clients.
Jordan Block, CID’s Sr. Digital Marketing Strategist, is one of those experts. And while so much of his work is often perceived as happening “behind the scenes,” it is integral in ensuring our clients get the most — and more — out of their marketing and advertising efforts.
Let’s step behind that digital marketing curtain to get to know one of our resident SEO, Google Analytics, and all-around ad strategy wizards a little better:
Q: First things first: give us your personal elevator pitch. How would you describe your role at CID?
A: I handle all things digital, which sounds generic and broad, but it’s true. I work in everything from organic SEO traffic to paid media across a variety of channels. I also do a lot of work in Google Analytics for things like campaign setup goal tracking. This all plays into our clients’ overall digital strategy development, which includes everything from ongoing campaign executions to reporting.
Q: Let’s give our readers a peek behind the curtain. Tell us one thing you wish EVERYONE knew about your job.
A: The possibilities in digital marketing are endless and there is so much variety in my day-to-day work, which is something I’ve really grown to appreciate. I would also say that over the years, my organizational skills and ad ops background have taken me so far, and I wish more people starting out in digital marketing knew that there is no one “right” path for you; it can be anything you want it to be.
Q: Your team members admire you for your humor and comedy expertise. Who are some of your favorite comedians past or present?
A: As a comedy nerd this is going to be such a lengthy answer, so I apologize in advance:
In terms of standup comedians that are currently alive, I will always try and see Dave Attell, Kyle Kinane, Bill Burr, Jessica Kirson, Jay Oakerson, Jim Norton, Chad Daniels, and Patton Oswalt. I could get even more specific and break it out by region…but there’s only so much time in the day.
Then there’s my list of amazing standup comedians who have left this world: Mitch Hedberg, Richard Jeni, Richard Schimmel, Patrice O’Neal, and John Pinette are just a few of the greats. None of them are alike, each one has their own unique style.
Ok, last one! There are some sketch comedians that I love: Will Ferrell, Will Sasso, Chris Parnell, Cheri Oteri, Kennan Thompson, Kate McKinnon, Donald Glover, Bill Header, Andy Sandberg, and Will Forte — just to name a few!
Q: Aside from the great comics of the legend, who would you say is/are your personal hero/heroes?
A: This is such a corny answer, but my wife is a personal hero just because she’s so opposite of me. (Editor's note: Aww!) I am somewhat of a space cadet because I am usually thinking about 15 things at once and oftentimes that takes me out of the moment. Whereas my wife is the complete opposite and is always present and grounded.
I am also a huge fan of Ted Lasso (the little soccer coach with a heart of gold).
Q: Outside of bringing our clients’ digital dreams to life, what are some of your talents, hobbies, or superpowers?
A: I used to love writing comedy. I was never gutsy enough to do standup, but I used to write sketches for Second City and UCB back in the day. I am also a gigantic video game nerd. But more on that later.
Q: Word on the street is you have a bit of a sweet tooth. What are your go-to, ride-or-die, all-time favorite sweets and snacks?
A: Such a tough question to answer, because it’s really dependent on the mood I am in. For example:
If I am trying to figure out a complex problem like an analytics issue or something more technical in nature, I often find myself munching on some type of gummy candy (usually Haribo gummy bears or Nerds clusters).
If I am doing something that requires repetition and attention to detail, I usually go with some type of hard candy, which tends to be either Blow-Pops or Jolly Ranchers.
Last but not least, if I just need candy, I will usually go with Hershey’s white chocolate (cookies and cream) or a classic Crunch bar.
Q: You always keep our teams and our clients entertained. What movies, books, tv series, podcasts, games, or other media have you been enjoying lately?
A: Being a newer parent, I am super behind on all movies and shows – if the TV is on in my house, it’s either on the Disney Plus app or Ms.Rachel on YouTube. My son literally steals the remote and pushes all the buttons at this point.
That being said, I am currently watching Avenue 5 on HBO Max and it is great. So many great actors and such a funny story. I am also finishing up Severance on Apple+ and re-watching Ted Lasso before the new season (have to justify that Apple+ price hike somehow!)
I also listen to a ton of podcasts (not a huge music guy). I’ve got my regular rotation of comedy podcasts: (How Did This Get Made?, Get Played, Smartless, Your Mom’s House, Where My Mom’s At?, The Danny Brown Show, Tuesdays with Stories, Bad Friends, 2 Bears, 1 Cave, L.O.S, BS with Brian Simpson, Whiskey Ginger, Fatman Beyond, and the Bertcast) that I listen to daily, but the four that I have really taken to this year have been:
Taste Buds — a show about arguing over food preferences.
Dudesy — a podcast run by an AI.
The Always Sunny Podcast —the cast of the show (Always Sunny in Philadelphia) talks about the production of the show - On a recent episode, we learned Danny Devito started his career as a hairdresser.
Are You Garbage?— a show about comedians’ lifestyles to determine whether or not they are, in fact, garbage.
Q: Lastly, what is a mantra, motto, catchphrase, or personal code that motivates and inspires you?
A: I have two at the moment that I think about constantly:
“Adapt and overcome.” This one has come from parenting a younger child over the past year and a half. It’s a constant reminder that no matter what our children are throwing our way, we will always adapt and overcome. It also is applicable in almost every aspect of daily life.
“Be a person.” Modified from a couple of different movies and shows over the years, but it’s also something my parents used to say to me all the time. It's a modern adaptation of that golden rule we’re taught about as children — a constant reminder to just treat people the way you wanted to be treated.
Want to experience Jordan’s infectious humor, strategy expertise, and marketing wizardry first-hand? Contact CID to work with our top-notch digital strategy team on your next project!
"Bring in the Klinkhammer," they said...and we did! Amy is part of our award-winning marketing & strategy team where she writes for ads, email, the web, video and so much more. She also drinks too much coffee and spends too much time debating the Oxford comma.