I’ve done it. I’ve found the most ridiculous looking corporate website on the web. It has an animated moving background and multiple bouncing balloon/blimp logos that make it look like it’s straight out of the Imagination Land episode of South Park. It may be a little hokey, but it works for Niles, IL (right outside of Chicago) based The Bradford Group because they’re in the collectibles industry. Their customers aren’t concerned with flash and edginess, they’re all about sentimentality. When you’ve been doing direct marketing of collector plates, music boxes, and all kinds of commemorative items for 36 years, you probably know your audience. So, even though The Bradford Group’s web design leaves me laughing out loud, I’m not going to sell them short based on my taste as a non-collector. (And if you totally disagree with me and love the design, you can make it your computer’s background.)
Take a Balloon Ride
The Bradford Group has a wide variety of brands that fill different niches in the collectibles market. They have The Bradford Exchange, which is all about “limited-edition collector plates”, and there’s also Hawthorne Village, which focuses on “finely crafted collectible villages, electric trains, figurines and accessories.” There are also 9 more brands that market items like sports collectibles, ornaments, and diecast cars and trucks. It’s a business that I know nearly nothing about, but it sounds like it has a lot in common with MBI Inc., whose jobs we featured here a few months ago. Beyond having similar businesses, they also both seem to have a huge interest in entry level talent and recruiting in general. The Bradford Group’s website is plastered with links promoting their jobs, including a special section for College Recruiting. They seem to do a good amount of on-campus recruiting for positions like Direct Marketing Associate and Product Development Associate, and you can take a look at what kind of positions they currently have available here. They also have a call for freelance artists posted on their site. The current job postings seem to be more focused on interns than entry level, but there’s no reason that you shouldn’t try reaching out to them and finding out more about career options at The Bradford Group. Also, don’t forget to take an online tour of The Bradford Group’s headquarters, it looks pretty neat.
Links to Help You Begin Your Research
- TheBradfordGroup.com
- Jobs at The Bradford Group
- College Recruiting at The Bradford Group
- About The Bradford Group
- The Bradford Group’s History
- The Bradford Group’s Brands
What do you collect?
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is the funniest, most in-your-face career guide on the market.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hi Willie — Thanks so much for the post, it’s awesome!
We are very interested in speaking with both college students and recent grads about our Intern and entry level Marketing Associate positions. Our internships typically last between 3-6 months depending on the individual and really provide someone an opportunity to learn our business. Our marketing positions are very analytical by nature and people who study finance, economics, statistics, as well as marketing, are always encouraged to apply.
Thanks again!
Amey Kennedy
Human Resources Representative