By Reagan Cooper, Recruiter & Digital Marketing Manager @ eCommerce Placement
This month, our spotlight is on Aaron Smith — Senior Marketing Executive with 20 years in the eCommerce industry. From graduating high school at 15, pioneering attribution in marketing in 2007, and being the youngest to make Associate Partner at Publicis, Aaron is a highly innovative trailblazer in the digital world.
What sparked your initial interest in marketing?
"My interests have always been at the confluence of art and science. Marketing marries these seamlessly at the intersection of people and data."
What's your story? How did you get to where you are today?
"Back in 2000 I knew I wanted to be a builder of the internet, so I sought out the first accredited school that provided a degree in Web Development. By 2003 I was building ecommerce websites, teaching myself PPC, SEO, affiliates, and analytics. There was no school or curriculum for any of this."
What projects are you most proud of?
"In 2015, I worked with a group of incredibly smart people to help get Toys 'R' Us out of debt — we delivered over $1B in revenue in just six weeks leading up to Christmas and shattered all previous records. Beginning in 2016 at Mizuno, I was the first appointed head of Marketing and Digital across all lines of business, helping steer the 110-year-old company through a full rebrand."
One piece of advice for someone starting their marketing career?
"Work until you're proud. A simple task, a brief, an entire project should not be finished until YOU are proud. The quality of output when someone is genuinely proud of their work — there's simply no comparison."
Outside of Work
Aaron is a runner, boxer, musician, and home cook based in Georgia. He prioritizes quality time with family and believes work-life balance becomes increasingly important as personal responsibilities grow. He is currently open to new opportunities in the Atlanta area or fully remote.