Defining a team should never be siloed into one company. A team can consist of several people working toward one goal from completely different locations, angles or backgrounds. Ali Siviter receiving the Pride of the Jersey award is proof of that. Building Bridges doesn’t just have to be between Hormel Foods and its subsidiaries. It can have far greater impact than that. Whether personal or professional, our Cultural Beliefs can ring true in every part of our daily lives.
“It was an absolute honor to receive the jersey,” says Ali Siviter, vice president and group account director at BBDO Minneapolis. “I get excited all over again just talking about the jersey. That’s the wonderful thing about Hormel Foods. You never feel like you are an outsider. We are a true team and true partners in promoting great brands.”
Ali leads the development of advertising campaigns for the Hormel Foods grocery products division. Along with the Hormel Foods brand managers, she and her team at BBDO develop communication strategies and ideas that connect with consumers to drive business results. Ali has become a master of understanding the goals of the division and brands, and uses her magic to turn them into strategy and communication ideas. As a team, they bring these strategies to life. BBDO has been a partner with Hormel Foods for over seven years now, and during the recent brainstorming summit, Ali was called up on stage by Hormel Foods Vice President of Marketing Steve Venenga and was awarded the jersey in front of the team.
“I was in shock! I had known about the jersey, but never did I ever imagine that it would be possible for me to receive it,” she exclaims.
Ali was a team member of the sizzle campaign for the SPAM® brand and really tapped into the cravability of the iconic product. The SPAM® brand has seen double-digit growth since the run of that campaign. The teamwork between Ali and the brand team can be thanked for such great results.
“I came to Minnesota from the UK. My original plan was to stay for five years and go back, and here I am 10 years later,” Ali says. “I get a lot of pleasure working on legacy brands. The team is understanding that those legacy brands are just as relevant – maybe even more relevant -today.”
Being a team means you can Speak Up and Challenge Yourself and each other to push beyond the limits of one perspective. Ali loves her job and the people she works with. She speaks of the team as though they are her family. “You can work with really great companies, but it’s hard to find a company with such great people that get you really excited to come to work every day,” she says. “Hormel Foods is that company, and they have the people that make me excited to be a part of the team.”
Ali proudly hung the jersey on the wall of the agency for the Grocery Products team to see. Having the jersey on display has piqued the interest of other BBDO employees.
“It made other people at the agency think, ‘Hey, I could get that too,’” Ali says.
Ali will be the first person to tell you that none of their success would have been possible if it weren’t for such a great team. “You feel so proud to get the jersey, but you just as quickly realize that you are just one person in an awesome team,” she said.
As trite as it sounds, there is no “I” in team. And the most successful teams don’t need to be reminded of that. Challenge Yourself to be part of a team. Whether here at work or at your home. Make the conscious effort to treat everyone around you as a teammate, and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish.
“Build Bridges between the experts and bring it all together to deliver results,” Ali says. “You will never know what your team can do until you try.”
