Ken Quinn: Executive Brand Strategy Consultant in Seattle, WA
Ken Quinn
Executive Brand Strategy Consultant
Seattle | United States
Skills
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Work experience
REI (Recreational Equipment Inc)
Senior Brand Strategist, Marketing Communications | 11/2017 - 02/2023
Led REI’s strategic framing for all seasonal and sale event go-to-market campaigns, driving $1.2B+ in sales annually.
• Directed REI’s strategic point of view (POV) for its 9 activity categories, revolutionizing the Co-op’s marketing approach with more relevant customer messaging and insight-led merchandise assortments.
• Developed REI’s brand narratives, contributing to record-setting brand awareness and consideration scores, subsequently ranked #1 by Forbes Magazine as the 2023 'Best American brand for social impact'.
• Created the strategic positions and creative briefs that launched REI’s rentals and used gear businesses nationwide, selling 1M+ used items in its first year and exceeding non-member conversion goals.
• Established GTM campaign postures that consistently beat growth targets, increased market share, while implementing marketing process efficiencies that resulted in hundreds of hours in operational time savings.
• Initiated the ‘North Star’ collaborative charge for endemic and non-endemic partnerships (REI x Airstream).
Ken Quinn Consulting
Freelance Brand Strategist | 04/2009 - 01/2018
Collaborated with agencies and clients nationwide on brand definition, brand architecture and GTM assignments.
Clients: Razorfish, VSA Partners, Hornall Anderson, CMG Partners, Brand Labs, Avenue, ZAAZ, 50,000 Feet.
Projects: Papa John’s, School of Rock, SmartWool, Razorfish, Microsoft, Clearwire, Boeing, Aon and Manchester United.
• Activated Aon’s $23M sponsorship of Manchester United with brand guidelines and internal rollout campaign.
• Co-authored a comprehensive brand book for SmartWool to facilitate successful global expansion, ensuring consistent brand messaging and identity across markets.
• Pioneered the “Be.Do.Say” brand philosophy, implementing successful approach with agencies and clients.
• Formed the strategic playbook for Microsoft’s “Art of Touch” experiential campaign, inspiring the global art community to develop ‘the world’s largest digital art piece’ and Microsoft store events that were at full capacity.
• Educated U.S and New Zealand university students with lectures on brand strategy and related techniques.
50,000 Feet
Director of Brand Strategy | 10/2014 - 10/2016
Spearheaded the implementation of the firm’s strategic philosophy while serving as the strategy arm for both the firm’s heritage and growth accounts.
• Orchestrated brand workshops and spearheaded the creation of FedEx’s brand architecture for the Fortune 50 reverse logistics venture, resulting in elevated client satisfaction, account growth and C-suite endorsement.
• Galvanized client relationships and drove account growth by leading brand strategy assignments, including the re-brand for Haier, Sony Sound re-positioning and MasterCard’s mobile payments messaging playbook.
• Achieved measurable account growth, leading to recognition by Inc. Magazine in 2015 as one of the ‘Fastest Growing Private Companies’ in the United States.
Possible Worldwide (WPP’s Global Digital Agency)
Associate Director of Strategy | 04/2012 - 10/2014
Served as lead strategist for the agency’s top tier, Fortune 50 accounts, which included Samsung, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Amazon, Intercontinental Hotels Group and Microsoft.
• Headed the AT&T account, making it the agency’s largest, highest satisfaction, most profitable account globally ($10M+), resulting in 12 account team hires in the first year.
• Led strategy, creative briefing for Samsung premium monitor account, resulting in YouTube and Addy awards.
• Inspired and managed a team of 5 junior and senior strategists that consistently won new business.
VSA Partners
Brand Strategist | 09/2004 - 04/2009
Championed transformative brand strategies for organizations, such as Avery Dennison, Bell Canada, Caterpillar, GE, Harley Davidson, Sappi, and Tishman Speyer, interacting with C-suite decision makers worldwide in the process.
• Performed in-depth research and data analysis to uncover provocative brand insights, resulting in insight-led brand strategies and parameters for creative concepting.
• Directed the strategic orientation for Harley Davidson, Avery Dennison and Bell Canada’s award-winning annual reports, resulting in enhanced client partnerships and expanded brand assignments.
• Played a pivotal role forming and executing Caterpillar’s global brand campaign ‘Making Progress Possible’.
• Orchestrated content for GE.com, widely accredited for its innovative and pioneering magazine-style format.
• Crafted the brand blueprint and portfolio reevaluation for Sappi, which the CEO credited with driving a profitable turnaround, resulting in a long-standing, $2M+ partnership with the firm.