Employee spotlight: Molly Davis

What makes 84.51˚ an intriguing company? Is it the flexible hybrid work options, the free food regularly found around the office or the challenging problems that we tackle? While these aspects are undoubtedly great, it’s the people that make working here truly special. Check out our Employee Spotlight series to learn more about who we are and the unique traits of our teammates. 

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio  Office Location: Cincinnati, Ohio  Start Date: April 2024  Job title: Senior Account Executive, Kroger Precision Marketing 

Describe your role. 

I help CPG clients grow their business at Kroger by identifying areas of opportunity and building custom omnichannel programs using various KPM media tactics to support their goals and reach the right audiences.  

How long have you worked in media sales and what inspired you to pursue this field?

I have been in media sales for nearly 15 years. I was a marketing major in college and my sales professor urged me to consider a career in sales (turns out, he knew me well!). After selling radio and digital media for 8 years, I decided to focus my career solely on the exciting, ever-changing world of digital media not only because it was where advertising was shifting focus to, but because of the growing ability to define and measure success.  

What interested you in joining 84.51°? 

There were multiple reasons why I was interested in this role:  

1. I saw how retail media was exploding as an avenue for CPGs to effectively communicate with their target audience and prove return on investment through closed-loop measurement. I knew I wanted to be a part of this growth and evolution, especially with Kroger, my hometown grocer. 

2. I heard amazing things about how 84.51° treats their employees, from ample paid time off, to a supportive environment for working parents and their focus on the health and wellbeing of their employees. 

3. The people. Everyone I knew that worked at 84.51° was extremely intelligent, passionate, and kind. I truly feel as if my previous roles outside of the organization shaped me for this role, and I felt a strong sense of belonging from day one.  

What has been the most memorable experience or favorite project you’ve worked on?

I love working on innovation. This year I was fortunate to be a part of my clients’ Innovation Summits where they unveiled their planned innovation for the following year. From there, I have been working with my clients on developing custom full funnel launch plans to help them introduce their new products to Kroger shoppers and sustain success at the shelf through various KPM onsite and offsite media tactics. Both of my CPG partners won Gold Innovation Awards at Kroger this year, so it has been really exciting to help catapult the success of their new products.  

What’s your favorite part about working at 84.51°? Do you have a favorite benefit or perk that is offered?

My favorite part is hands down the people. Everyone is so smart, authentic, and willing to help. 84.51° has done a fantastic job at cultivating collaboration over competition. Employees seem to actually live out the values of the organization, and to me that is extremely unique.  As far as my favorite benefit or perk, I love the access to health and wellness resources that the company provides. Each office is equipped with standing and walking desks, a full gym with various fitness classes throughout the day for our physical health, and they provide access to mental health resources. Instead of having “sick days”, we have “Health & Wellness” days that we are encouraged to use throughout the year for whenever we need a break, regardless of illness. It’s clear that 84.51° cares about the wellbeing of its employees.   

What advice would you give to those who are considering working in this field?

The retail media space is evolving and growing at such a rapid pace! It’s truly such an exciting time to be a part of Kroger Precision Marketing. If you have a passion for media, are a consultative seller, enjoy leveraging data and working cross-functionally, I can’t recommend a role with KPM enough. 

What do you like to do in your free time outside of work hours?

My husband and I have a three-year-old boy who keeps us very busy visiting every playground and children’s attraction across town! I also run a health and wellness organization called Quidwell. Our mission is to help every woman in Cincinnati find her best version of health by featuring all the amazing resources there are in Cincinnati. So, if not at the local park chasing a toddler, you can find me checking out the newest fitness or wellness facility in town (and spreading the word about them on social media)!