Nevada State University Seeks Brand Strategy Partner to Support Enrollment Growth
At a Glance Buyer: Nevada State University Industry: Higher education Location/markets: Henderson, Nevada; local, state, regional, and potential western U.S. markets Primary scope: Branding and marketing services to build university awareness and increase enrollment Key deliverables/channels: Research, brand positioning, student personas, messaging, creative development, digital and social advertising, SEO and paid search, print, outdoor, landing pages, brand video, media pl… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Eastern Kentucky University Opens $1.1M Recruitment Media and Search Opportunity
At a Glance Buyer: Eastern Kentucky University Industry: Higher education Location/markets: Richmond, Kentucky; statewide Kentucky; southern Ohio; southern Indiana; eastern West Virginia; northern Tennessee; select national metropolitan areas Primary scope: Advertising and related communications services for undergraduate and GOAT recruitment, plus college search strategy Key deliverables/channels: Strategic planning, media strategy, media buying and placement, performance analysis, college search services, audience segmentation, reporting, digital, broadcast, print, search, social, and other traditional and emerging media Budget: $1.1M annual all-inclusive budget Contract type/term: Not specified Key dates: Proposal deadline: Not specified Eligibility/must-haves: Higher education marketing experience strongly preferred; ability to support local, regional, and national campaigns; comfort collaborating within the University’s internal project environment; vendors not required to be locally based but must be properly registered to conduct business in the Commonwealth of Kentucky Why This Could Be Interesting Eastern Kentucky University is looking for an agency partner to support enrollment growth across undergraduate and GOAT audiences — graduate, online, adult, and transfer. This is a public university engagement tied directly to recruitment performance, market expansion, and long-term audience development. The assignment is broader than a basic media-buying brief. EKU wants strategic planning, channel strategy, media placement, performance reporting, and a full college search approach that spans students from freshman through senior year of high school, with segmented outreach built around different recruitment pathways. What makes this notable is the mix of scale and complexity. The University is planning across local, statewide, bordering-state, and select national markets, while also pushing harder into online, hybrid, graduate, adult, and transfer enrollment. It also wants employer-partnership thinking folded into the GOAT strategy, which gives the work a stronger growth and pipeline-building angle than a typical awareness assignment. Best suited for agencies with higher education enrollment marketing experience, strong paid media and search capabilities, and the ability to plan across traditional students, adult learners, online audiences, and employer-connected recruitment efforts. Proposal deadline: April, 06, 2026 Download the full RFP here. Apply to the RFP here.
Where Agencies Can Help Underdog Fantasy Become a First-Choice Brand
At a Glance Interviewee: Kimberly Corbett, Chief Marketing Officer Company: Underdog Fantasy Estimated Revenue: ~$500M projected (2025) Location: New York, NY Website: www.underdogfantasy.com Industry: Fantasy sports, sports betting, and sports media Company Notes: Fast-growing sports gaming platform founded in 2020, spanning fantasy, pick’em, sportsbook, and original content Best-Fit Agencies: Brand strategy, performance media, lifecycle CRM, analytics and measurement, cont… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Inside TikTok’s Next Phase of Commercial Growth
At a Glance Interviewee: Sofia Hernandez, Global Head of Business Marketing and Commercial Partnerships Company: TikTok Location: Culver City, California Website: www.tiktok.com Industry: Social media, creator platform, advertising, and commerce Company Notes: Privately held platform with 10,001+ employees, a global creator ecosystem, and a growing ad, commerce, and AI-enabled marketing business Best-Fit Agencies: Creator marketing, social strategy, measurement and attributi… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
CMO Moves – Week of March 16, 2026
Highlights Darren Chait named Chief Marketing Officer at Beehiiv Beehiiv is a newsletter and creator platform that helps publishers and creators build, grow, and monetize audiences. The appointment stands out because Beehiiv says it is expanding beyond its roots as a newsletter publishing tool into a broader platform for creators and publishers. The announcement also makes clear the company is moving from product-led growth toward a more deliberate marketing buildou… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
Inside Kimberly Corbett’s Clear-Eyed, Proof-Driven Leadership Lens
Executive: Kimberly CorbettCompany: Underdog FantasyIndustry: Sports gaming and fantasy sportsCompany Snapshot: A sports gaming platform that blends fantasy play, pick’em games, sports betting, and original sports media.Format: CMO Journeys Interview Why It Matters Kimberly Corbett didn’t take the typical “marketing major to CMO” route. She began in accounting and auditing, then built a marketing career by teaching herself digital skills in the real world. She says sports fans carry fandom as part of their identity—which raises the bar for how brands show up. For agencies, her viewpoint is useful because she’s clear about what earns attention: real understanding of the business, proof you can deliver, and zero fluff. Their Path, in Short Corbett traces her work ethic back to an extremely rural farming and ranching community in Eastern Oregon. She worked from a young age, and it gave her confidence that she could “out hustle almost anybody” and figure things out. She started her career in accounting and auditing. It was a solid path—but she didn’t love it. And she’s candid that when you don’t love something, it’s hard to be great at it. So she quit and became a nanny. While the kids were at school, she volunteered at a nonprofit, discovered a Google grant budget for search ads, and taught herself search engine marketing and SEO. That became her bridge into digital marketing. Through each transition, she kept a quantitative edge. She says she’s always loved finance and economics, and that understanding how marketing investments flow through to a P&L has been a competitive advantage—something she believes has made her more successful in her roles. From there, she moved into mobile games and major franchises, including work tied to Marvel, Game of Thrones, and Mortal Kombat. Those experiences sharpened her view of community: when people care, they become advocates—but they also bring high expectations. She says teams sometimes learn the hard way that not engaging with a customer base is the wrong move. Now she’s in sports gaming. The business model may be familiar—software, an app, transactions—but the fan base is different. Sports, she says, is “always on,” and sports fans are deeply tied to what they love. For her, that makes the job both more intense and more meaningful: you’re not just selling a product. You’re trying to earn a place inside something people already care about. Big Themes From the Conversation Hustle shows up as a core belief. Corbett talks about hard work as the baseline—the thing that lets you walk into a new domain and learn fast. She’s also vocal about permission to pivot. There’s no shame in trying something and deciding it isn’t for you. The real mistake, in her view, is staying stuck and letting that become your identity. Community is another through line. Working on well-known franchises taught her that engagement isn’t optional. She says not engaging can be “really detrimental,” especially when the audience feels ownership. Then there’s the bar she sets. She tells a formative story: when she wanted a promotion, her boss asked what she had done that no one in the industry had done. “Never been done” became a standard she carried into her teams—an expectation that people can do bigger things than they think they can. Her leadership style follows from that. She isn’t a micromanager, expects flawless execution, and asks new team members where they want to be in the future—because sometimes someone’s in the wrong seat on the bus, and the job is to help them move toward the right one. Watch CMO Journeys Interview How They Choose the Right Agency Partners When I asked Corbett what great agency partners get right, she went straight to leverage. The best partners, she says, offer something that would be a high-capital investment for her to build internally—technology, specialized expertise, or a capability that’s hard to recreate. The price has to be good enough that she won’t even consider doing it herself. And the partner has to bring real domain expertise, not a generic pitch dressed up in trendy language. Her make-or-buy framework is practical. First: capital position and cost structure—how much fixed cost versus variable cost does the business want? Second: time—do you need results now, or can you afford a longer build? Third: what must remain proprietary? She’s wary of building something bespoke with a vendor only to see it turned around and handed to a competitor in a way that changes the game. That same clarity shows up in how she evaluates agencies and vendors who want her attention. She says she’s “not on the overly fluffy side of CMOs.” She doesn’t want someone who can’t explain how even great brand work impacts business results. She wants case studies and proof. She wants someone who has looked at her business and can say, plainly: here’s what you’re doing, here’s what we notice, and here’s how we can do something better. Cold outreach can work—but it has to earn the click. She describes the kind that gets through as simple and specific: a known problem, clearly stated, with a clear cost. She points to AI-focused vendors as an example—teams that understand the cost structure of creative services, explain what they solved, and put the trade-off on the table without making her dig for it. No grand speeches. Just a novel solution and the math. She also follows great work in the world. If she sees a strong campaign, she wants to know who did it. That’s credibility she can evaluate quickly, because it doesn’t rely on promises—it relies on evidence. And the way she discovers ideas may surprise agencies who believe the path runs through trade press and awards. Corbett says her media consumption mirrors the target demographic she’s marketing to. She’s more interested in native content consumption than in what someone wants her to think the trend is. She follows creators in the space, pays attention to what her husband consumes, and relies on her own competitor intelligence—monitoring where
M&A Signals – Deals Announced Through March 11, 2026
Highlights Veeva acquired Ostro — Deal value: $100 million Veeva builds software for the life sciences industry. Ostro is a brand engagement platform that helps patients and doctors get compliant answers through AI-driven chat on brand websites. Veeva said the deal will strengthen how life sciences brands deliver approved information and support customer engagement. It also plans to connect Ostro with Veeva Commercial Cloud over time so online and field interactions… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
The Hidden Business Development Signal Behind a Creative Agency Win
Problem / Context Most agency business development teams are stretched thin. Sometimes it’s a team of one. Sometimes it’s the founder juggling growth while running the business. That makes time the most precious resource. And it’s why many agencies fall into the same trap: chasing too many companies at the wrong moments. Inbound helps, but it’s rarely enough. Sustainable new business requires proactive outreach. The challenge is knowing where to focus. This is where signals matter. For many agencies—media, digital, production, PR, and social—one signal in particular is worth watching closely. When a brand hires a new creative agency. The Signal You see it in the trades all the time. “Brand X appoints new creative agency.” Sometimes it’s a full creative agency of record. Other times it’s a brand refresh, a repositioning effort, or a new campaign platform. At first glance, that news might not feel relevant unless you’re a creative shop. But often, it is. Creative work rarely lives on its own. Once a brand platform is developed, it usually triggers a series of downstream needs: campaign rollout, content production, media activation, website updates, and launch communications. In other words, creative often sets the stage for everything that follows. Why It Matters When brands invest in new creative, they are usually doing one of three things: Launching a new brand directionEntering a new growth phaseResponding to new marketing leadership All three create movement inside the marketing ecosystem. New creative platforms need assets. Campaigns need distribution. Launches need amplification. That’s when media partners, production studios, digital agencies, and PR firms often come into the picture. The creative announcement is rarely the end of the story. It’s often the beginning. The Mistake Most Teams Make Most agencies treat this type of news as a trigger to pitch. They see the announcement and immediately send a generic “we saw the news” email. That approach rarely works. The brand is busy onboarding its new creative partner. The marketing team is focused on strategy, planning, and internal alignment. Cold outreach in that moment usually lands flat. The signal is real. The reaction is wrong. The Smarter Move Treat the announcement as a context signal, not a sales signal. It tells you the brand is investing in marketing. It suggests campaigns and activations may be coming. It hints that other partners may eventually be needed. That insight should guide how you show up. Not with a pitch, but with perspective. Research the brand’s direction. Understand what the creative platform is trying to achieve. Share thoughtful commentary, relevant case studies, or insights about how companies activate new brand platforms successfully. Signals guide your behavior. They shouldn’t rush it. How to Use This When you see a creative agency appointment, slow down and look closer. What exactly was awarded?Is there a new CMO involved?What partners already exist?What work will likely follow the creative strategy? Those answers tell you whether the signal is meaningful. Sometimes it won’t be. But when the conditions are right, it’s a strong indicator that a brand’s marketing ecosystem is evolving. And the agencies that win those relationships usually aren’t the ones who pounced first. They’re the ones who showed up early, stayed thoughtful, and remained useful as the story unfolded.
Funding Signals – Activity Through March 10, 2026
Highlights Sierra Space raised $550M (Series C) led by LuminArx Capital Management Sierra Space builds satellites, spacecraft, propulsion systems, reusable spaceplanes, and other space infrastructure for defense, civil, and commercial missions. The company plans to use the funding to expand national security space initiatives, secure additional contracts, and scale production of mission-critical technologies. That makes this a clear growth round tied to capac… Get Unlimited NextBigWin Access Subscribe to become a NextBigWin Pro member and get access to all our exclusive content. Turn access and intelligence into your next big client win. Already a member? Login Subscribe to NextBigWin Pro
U.S. Army RFI Flags Full-Service Marketing Scope With National Recruiting Reach
At a Glance Buyer: U.S. Department of the Army, Mission and Installation Contracting Command – Fort Knox, on behalf of the Army Enterprise Marketing Office Industry: Government/Military Recruiting Marketing Location/markets: United States; all regions of the country Primary scope: Marketing and advertising services supporting Army personnel acquisition and retention programs Key deliverables/channels: Strategic and operational planning, creative and content development, production, media strategy/planning/buying, digital marketing, website management, direct response, public relations, social media, events, sponsorships, market research, lead management, and contact center operations Budget: Not specified Contract type/term: RFI/Sources Sought; future contract structure not finalized; Government is evaluating single-prime, hybrid/modular, and alternative media structure models Key dates: Response deadline Mar 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET; possible solicitation release in late Spring 2027 with 30 days for proposal response Eligibility/must-haves: NAICS 541810; businesses of all sizes encouraged to respond; must identify business size; ability for contractor employees to obtain CACs; capability statement limited to 15 pages; experience with similar large-scale work requested Why This Could Be Interesting The U.S. Army, through its Army Enterprise Marketing Office, is testing the market for a future marketing and advertising engagement tied to recruiting, retention, and civilian hiring. This is an RFI, not an RFP, but it points to a serious upcoming opportunity. The scope is broad and enterprise-level. In plain English, the Army is looking at everything from strategy, creative, and production to media, digital, PR, social, website management, analytics, CRM, lead operations, and contact center support. What makes this worth a look is the scale and complexity. The document describes a national mission, diverse target audiences, and a need for integrated omni-channel work backed by measurement, optimization, governance, and risk management. This is not lightweight project work. There is also a meaningful signal in the procurement structure. The Army is still deciding whether to use one integrated prime, a modular setup, or split certain media functions. That creates an opening for both large lead agencies and specialized partners that can make a strong case for how the work should be organized. Best suited for larger integrated agencies, major government contractors, or specialist partners with deep media, analytics, martech, and stakeholder-management capabilities. Response deadline: March 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET Sign up for the RFI here.
