When “The Daily Carnage” hits subscribers’ inboxes each morning, they read it. Advertising execs across the country open the email religiously, and its distinctive tone has made it a must-read for anyone in marketing.

But, advertising’s biggest email doesn’t come from a massive agency in New York or Los Angeles. “The Daily Carnage” comes from the team at Carney, based out of Regent Square.

‘The Daily Carnage’: From Pittsburgh with love

Carney, a Pittsburgh-based digital agency, didn’t set out to make “The Daily Carnage” a national phenomenon, explains Nicholas Comanici, Carney’s chief marketing officer. It had always been his practice to stay on top of industry news, whether that’s reading a book or listening to the latest podcast on a marketing tactic.

With that, “The Daily Carnage” was born, but it wasn’t some overnight success. Initially, it was seen primarily as a benefit to Carney’s team, Comanici explains. “I felt that if the team could write a daily newsletter, it would force them to read something current and then pare it down. It keeps them sharp, and it’s something to engage our current clients and prospects with.”

Recipe for growth: fresh content and antique advertisement

Now, the newsletter draws comparisons to the Skimm for its quippy but informative tone. So how did The Daily Carnage find its audience and grow?

Comanici attributes the success in part to the hard work the team puts in building high-quality copy for the newsletter: “Because it’s daily, we’re essentially writing the email the day before. The content is super fresh.”

Primarily, it’s broken down into a few sections. It starts with the highlights from the past 24 hours; what’s happening in the news or industry verticals. Then, there’s the tactic or tool section, offering up advice on topics ranging from “How to Deal with Trolls” to the best work-from-home tactics as well as recommendations for helpful online apps or tools.

Then there’s the reader favorite. “Everyone’s come to love this feature. We’ll include an ad from the past in the newsletter,” said Comanici.

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While the format varies from day to day, “the point is, it’s very simple. It’s easy, it’s readable,”Comanici said. “Most people open it up, scan down and find something that applies to them. It’s the best marketing materials for a quick five-minute read in the morning.”

A newsletter from Pittsburgh has cross-country appeal

The reach of “The Daily Carnage” goes far beyond the three rivers. The newsletter has a national following.

For Comanici, this kind of national reach is encouraging. While Pittsburgh’s startup scene is booming, he acknowledges “that marketing is not necessarily in the forefront in Pittsburgh, we have a lot of room to grow. We get compared to some of the bigger cities, but we’re not there yet. We have to keep pushing forward.”

The timeliness, voice, and care the team puts into The Daily Carnage makes it a standout in the newsletter world, something Comanici acknowledges isn’t always easy. “If we’re going to compete in this industry, we may not have the biggest staff, but we do things that aren’t always scalable, like ‘The Daily Carnage.’ It’s sometimes difficult, but that’s what can differentiate us.”

Favorite Pittsburgh Places

We asked the team at Carney to share some of their favorite local spots for inspiration around town:

• Gepetto’s Cafe // Lawrenceville
• Carmellas Plates & Pints // South Side
• Girasole // Shadyside
• Three Rivers Arts Festival // Downtown
• Millvale Music Festival // Millvale
• Randyland // North Side
• Games N’ At // South Side
• Tollgate Revival // Braddock
• Switch & Signal Skate Park // Swissvale
• Sing Sing // The Waterfront

From The Daily Carnage Newsletter to The Yearly Carnage Conference

On Friday, October 4, 2019, Carney will host the second annual conference, The Yearly Carnage. The team at Carney works to make sure that The Yearly Carnage is not your average conference for marketers.

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This year’s Carnage will feature marketing experts across a variety of industries, including execs from Duolingo, MailChimp, and Charity Water. The hands-on event is being held on October 4th, 2019 at the New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh’s Northside.

Use code VERYLOCAL to take $10 off the registration fee for The Yearly Carnage 2019.