Social media guru hired

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Brad Lowrey brings a new element to the college's social media and boasts several high-profile companies on his resume. (Photo Courtesy of Brad Lowrey)
Brad Lowrey brings a new element to the college’s social media and boasts several high-profile companies on his resume. (Photo Courtesy of Brad Lowrey)

The social media department employees in External Affairs found an inspirational quote on the dry-erase board when they arrived in Moss Hall Feb. 2.
“NO! Try not! DO or DO NOT, There is no try,” the quote from Yoda read. The wise words, traditionally written by the first person in the office each morning, exemplify both the ambition and excitement that new Director of Digital Marketing and Social Media Brad Lowrey exudes.
Lowrey’s vibrant background spans from shooting rodeos for television to working as a digital account director for Weber Shandwick, a global public relations firm in Detroit. As the new director, he plans to both relaunch the entire website and use social media to enhance Hillsdale’s online recognition.
“It’s not a dream come true because I didn’t know about Hillsdale before, but it’s the most perfect scenario I could think of for where I want to be,” Lowrey said.
Though Lowrey grew up in Michigan in a conservative family, he didn’t know of Hillsdale until he applied for the position. He researched Hillsdale for close to five days, amazed by the “historic legacy” of the school. Despite his unfamiliarity with the school, his affable personality and belief in Hillsdale’s purpose hooked the attention of his co-workers and employees.
Before he was hired, Lowrey drove down to Hillsdale with his wife to watch a concert to discover the “vibe” of the school.
“Even when he wasn’t ‘the choice,’ he was still going that extra mile to learn about Hillsdale, and that means a lot,” Director of Marketing Bill Gray said. He said he feels as though Lowrey has been part of the team for much longer than a week.
“He wanted to be here because it was Hillsdale, and not just because it was a career move. He’s really invested in the mission of the college and what we do here, which I think is really helpful as far as clicking with the group,” Social Media Coordinator Hannah Strickland said.
His curiosity about the school strengthened his overall application and appeal to the Hillsdale social media staff.
“I think most Hillsdale people have this unique sense of humor, which Brad definitely has…quirky, intellectual humor,” Web Content Manager Kokko Tso said.
Additionally, Lowrey’s diverse background distinguished him during the interview process. His work with companies like Ford Motor Company and clients such as CNN prepared him for the challenge of his new position.
“His resume was outstanding, and he just understood the college,” Gray said.
“During the interview process, what really stood out was his impressive background. He’s had a lot of success, a lot of experience,” Tso said. “Whereas some more traditional marketers may be still getting into learning the area, learning Twitter, learning Facebook, Brad really knows the system well.”
While his compatibility with the school’s beliefs and his impressive resume may have landed him the job, his enthusiastic nature may be his most memorable quality. Gray, Tso, and Strickland almost immediately defined Lowrey as “funny.”
“He’s an Android user, which makes me very happy. It doesn’t surprise me; all good people are Android users. He’s a fun guy to be around. I think it’s surprising to me at least because I tend to think of marketing people as being very serious,” Tso said.
He said he loves the “nerdy” side of Lowrey — the side which loves Superman and zombies.
“One of my borderline obsessions is Superman. I always had him as a role model growing up,” Lowrey said. He connected the names of both his sons to Superman. In similar fashion, he added a phrase to his LinkedIn profile suggesting that people follow him “in case of an apocalypse.” He reported that he’s still looking for his Hillsdale hiding spot.
His quirky hobbies must have proved endearing, because Lowrey found friends at Hillsdale before he even began working. A week before he began, his younger son ended up in the emergency room for a surgery on his neck.
“Not a single person from where I was working at the time emailed or said ‘How’s he doing?’ I had three people here reach out, who I’d only met during the interview process. It set up a really nice welcome,” Lowrey said.
He’s captured his team with his momentum and ambitious goals. Strickland estimated that they hoped to increase Instagram numbers by 3000 percent.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity, because it’s going to be challenging. That’s our job: To really show what’s going on at the school, to really get people interested in what’s happening, and then unite it with the purpose of the college,” Lowrey said.