Jeffrey Smith

As the Vice President of Marketing at Discogs, I continuously focus on enhancing our iconic brand, driving audience growth and retention, revenue diversification, and securing a thriving financial future. As a critical senior leadership team member, my unwavering dedication to our brand legacy ensures we maintain our unrivaled global leadership in vinyl and music collecting cultures. With boundless innovation and a dedicated team, we redefine excellence in the music industry, leaving an indelible mark on a global scale while fostering the continued growth and recognition of our legacy brand.

As the Chief Publicist and Founder of an independent PR agency, I led all aspects of the business from vision to execution. Over thirteen years, I grew the company into an eight-person team with offices in Brooklyn, Nashville, and Louisville, delivering hundreds of successful publicity, content, and social media campaigns worldwide for independent and major record label clients. Our achievements include securing thousands of press opportunities, appearances on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Late Show, and print campaigns in GQ and Rolling Stone. Working with industry-leading labels such as Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music, I have built and managed strong client relationships while being recognized as a notable influencer in the music industry, regularly speaking at events like SXSW.

I successfully established and led the Do502 platform, a pivotal voice and destination for event discovery in Louisville. With a lean and agile approach, I achieved rapid user acquisition and retention through social media, influencer, and content strategies, reaching over 16% of the city's population. Enhancing brand identity through the #HowWeLou social media campaign, I spearheaded events and strategic partnerships, propelling the platform's audience growth by an impressive 230% YoY from launch to the second year.

Here, I directed the marketing and public relations efforts for a start-up independent record label with global distribution and a roster of four emerging pop/rock artists.

As a dynamic leader, I devised strategic marketing and communications plans, significantly enhancing brand awareness, audience growth, and overall business outcomes. I fostered brand continuity and audience development through effective marketing, public relations, and promotional efforts. Notably, I led outreach initiatives, marketing events, and city/cultural partnerships, integrating the company's vision and mission into the community. Additionally, I played a vital role in shaping and implementing Louisville Ballet's Strategic Plan, ensuring its successful realization.