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Cody, Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America : Advize Career Interview
Dive into the world of digital marketing at Bank of America through the eyes of a manager whose career journey began in auto loans and led to impactful campaigns.
This role is about executing strategies, collaborating with diverse teams, and constantly learning in a dynamic environment. Success hinges on communication, attention to detail, and understanding the "why" behind every project.
The biggest challenge lies in aligning stakeholders within a large organization, but the reward is creating content that resonates with a broad audience.
This industry welcomes all skills, offering various paths from technical roles to strategic thinking.
Embrace every experience as a learning opportunity, especially during rotational programs, and focus on developing soft skills to elevate one's career.
Networking, particularly with MBA peers, provides a lasting safety net and access to future opportunities. Trust the process, persist through challenges, and watch the impact snowball!
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Cody Bannon
Digital Marketing Manager
Bank of America
American Public University
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey, MBA
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Business Management & Admin
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
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Career Path Of A Digital Marketing Manager At Bank Of America
Cody's career path began with a business and marketing background, then initially progressed within financial services, starting at a credit union in indirect lending, specifically auto loans; from there, Cody transitioned to a dealership group working in loan origination, eventually becoming a sales manager before pursuing an MBA which "led [them] to work for Bank of America."
Main Responsibilities of a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America
As a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America, Cody's main responsibility is executing digital marketing campaigns, working closely with the strategy team to target different clients within the rewards team. The role involves a significant "program manager role" aspect, coordinating with creative agencies, channel implementation, and tech teams to bring campaigns to market, followed by performance monitoring and providing feedback for optimization.
A Day in the Life of a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America
As a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America, Cody describes the day-to-day as a program manager varying greatly depending on the campaign stage, from "fine tuning the strategy" and working with creative agencies to "monitoring performance" and analyzing engagement metrics; Cody emphasizes that these different stages can often happen simultaneously, creating a dynamic work environment.
Most Important Skills For A Digital Marketing Manager At Bank Of America
For a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America, being "detail oriented" and able to "keep track of lots of moving parts" is crucial, but more importantly, communicating the "why behind something" to various teams and stakeholders is vital to ensure everyone understands and aligns with the overall strategy and desired outcome. Success in this role hinges on making sure different teams like tech and strategy understand the "so what" of their specific contributions.
Favorite Parts of Being a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America
Cody, a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America, enjoys the role due to the "constant learning," where downtime is utilized to learn more about analytics tools and products, and the ever-present change, noting that "no day is really the same" due to involvement in different parts of lengthy campaigns, ranging from strategy meetings to meticulously reviewing creative assets.
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Digital Marketing Manager At Bank Of America
Cody, a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America, finds the biggest challenge in the role is "getting all the stakeholders aligned" within a large, matrixed organization, requiring "best practices" of over-communication, constant follow-up on deadlines and deliverables, and consistent availability for stakeholder input. The need to frequently realign with numerous teams at different stages of a project highlights the complexity of navigating such an environment.
Favorite Parts Of Working In Financial Services As A Digital Marketing Manager
Cody, a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America, initially did not expect to stay in financial services after their MBA, but found the industry appealing because "it's an industry that includes everyone," from basic checking accounts to complex investments. As a marketer, Cody enjoys creating content that appeals to a wide range of clients across all demographics because "everyone uses some type of financial services product."
What Type of Person Thrives in the Financial Services Industry, According to a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America
Cody, a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America, believes that due to the universal need for financial services, the industry doesn't have a "one size fits all" employee profile and can accommodate a wide range of skills and personality types; from "introverted, technical focused" individuals in operational roles to "big picture thinker[s]" in strategy. What Cody loves about working at a large corporation is the opportunity to find a role that fits you.
What a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Finance Industry
Having had six different roles in four years at Bank of America through a rotational program for MBAs, the most insightful thing Cody wishes someone would've told them is that "there's something to be learned from every one of them," even if the role "wasn't a preference" or the function wasn't necessarily enjoyable. Cody suggests that regardless of whether a role "looks great on paper," there's always a great learning opportunity.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Digital Marketing Managers At Bank Of America
Cody recommends aspiring candidates look into rotational or leadership development programs offered by major financial institutions like Bank of America, as these programs provide a "wide range of experiences" across various roles, such as fraud marketing strategy and competitive intelligence, allowing one to discover their strengths and preferences while also tackling potential weaknesses. According to Cody, "everything's there and available" if one is "willing to take on a challenge".
Significant Career Lesson From a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America
Cody emphasizes the importance of "trust[ing] the process" and persevering through obstacles in digital marketing, rather than giving up when encountering initial setbacks. The key is to maintain a long-term perspective, continuing to "keep plugging forward" and pushing the project forward because success often comes from the "snowball effect" of sustained effort and patience.
College Experiences That Helped a Bank of America Digital Marketing Manager Succeed
To set oneself up for career success in digital marketing, focusing on developing soft skills such as "executive presence, presentation skills," and networking proves more valuable than solely focusing on mastering hard skills like SQL or Tableau because those skills allow one to "market that dashboard" and "tell a story." Cody believes that while technical skills are important, soft skills ultimately drive career advancement and the creation of meaningful relationships.
What It's Like to Be a Digital Marketing Manager at Bank of America
Cody found the relationships built with peers at WP Carey to be the most impactful experience, as the networking now provides a valuable safety net across Fortune 100 companies and access to opportunities that "continues to grow as your career goes on." Cody emphasizes the value of knowing people that can be counted on, especially "years down the road as you have a friend who makes director."
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