Cookies, coffee, ‘Chef’ soundtrack: How Digiday Awards judges prepare for a campaign launch

Food, music, caffeine, adrenaline-infused panic: Every marketer handles the weeks of stress before a campaign launch differently. The 2016 Digiday Awards regular deadline is tomorrow at midnight, and marketers with entries to finish before the fees increase will be dealing with the stress of the deadline in any way they can.
Ahead of the deadline, five Digiday Awards judges — no slouches in the media and marketing departments themselves — shared how they and their teams get through the tough weeks before their work is released to the world.
Nick Yaeger, managing director, Politico FOCUS
This may seem a little weird but when crunch time hits, it is a guarantee that the “Chef” soundtrack will make an appearance in our office. Something about the Cuban beats brings us to a happy place. Oh yeah, and of course we need a baker’s dozen from Captain Cookie to keep us going.
Teal Newland, svp, marketing and partner management, Condé Nast Entertainment
Exercise. But not just exercise — exercise I can win. Flywheel, a group cycling studio, lets you compete against other participants and it feels so good to have a come-from-behind victory in minute 44 of a 45-minute class.
Liberty Kelly, head of sales, Americas, Spotify
Without a doubt, music fuels the movement and feeds the soul. I am a ‘binge’ listener, which means I’ll listen to the same music over and over, which is energizing. For times when I really need to concentrate, I’ll play the “Deep Focus” playlist, which seems to work.
Ashley Serotta, senior director, digital marketing & e-commerce, Living Proof
Come in early, put on headphones and my ‘get things done’ playlist.
Kim Patel, senior manager, strategy & operations, AOL
Lots of bottled Starbucks iced coffee (in the office), and heading to work early that week blasting my ‘pump up’ playlist on Spotify.
Mike Isabella, director of consumer engagement, Timberland
Coloring books, yoga, long hikes. OK, that’s all a lie. Mostly panic, pizza and coffee. We call it the PPC method.
The regular deadline for the 2016 Digiday Awards is this Thursday, July 14. Learn more about the awards and enter by clicking here.
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