Curtis is Director of Social Marketing at Sprout Social and a veteran marketer known as the “Brand DJ” for his ability to fuse culture, commerce, and strategy. Over a 15+ year career leading social, influencer, and partnership strategies for brands like 23andMe, Southwest Airlines, Kroger, and Weber, he has crafted award-winning campaigns and major cultural activations across SXSW and the Super Bowl. Curtis brings this cross-platform expertise to the Telly Awards Judging Council to honor video excellence.

How many years have you been a judge?

This is my first year!

What are your responsibilities in your current role and what do you love most about your job?

My favorite part of my job is the fact that I get to lead a team of amazing strategists who are always thinking of innovative ways for Sprout Social to show up each day. I am inspired each day by their ideas and energy, and that’s what keeps me going.

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

I chose this path because it allows me to work as an “intrapreneur” who can work internally with some amazing people to create some amazing work.

What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?

My first job in the industry was working at a streaming startup just as streaming was beginning to take off. In addition to the technical side, I learned how to introduce innovation to teams that were somewhat concerned that streaming would conflict with their attendance goals.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

I look for a video that is so strong that I can still feel the impact if the sound is off.

What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?

I am excited about our work at Sprout to help brands leverage social intelligence to make better business decisions.

Tell us about a moment of recognition that had an effect on you – whether personal or official? What does recognition mean to you and why is it important in our industry?

Honestly, being asked to participate in the judging panel at the Telly Awards represents that for me. It feels good to be recognized as a thought leader in the industry in such a public way.

Do you have any specific practices you lean on to spark creativity?

I am known as the Brand DJ because over my career I have approached my work like a DJ who is looking to blend a mix of creativity and data-driven strategy to get the crowd to move.

In your experience, what is a significant change you are seeing happen in the video, television, and/or film industry, and what insight can you share about how to navigate it?

I think that new technology has made it easier to produce video for any medium, but it’s important to remember that storytelling is still key no matter what.

What excites you about judging for the Telly Awards?

I am excited to see these amazing entries.