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Brand Manager NA at Primus | Silva

Top Management

PACKAGING: Thule

Thule hardgood products are mostly sold in boxes with ample room to highlight any features and information. When the brand started selling soft goods that required a hang tag, it was my job to conceptualize and create a collection of different types of packaging that would relate to the current packaging but would allow the new product to be merchandised and displayed within the correct department within a store.

The accordion fold hang tags with reinforced aluminum tabs was the Thule solution to a hang tag while the hinged box worked for the smaller electron cases.

CAMPAIGN: Topo Designs x Hedley & Bennett Collab

Introduction of a brand into a new customer base or segment helps extend the brand reach. Product collaborations are a great way to accomplish this. At Topo Designs I worked on a variety of different brand collaborations and the partnership with Hedley & Bennett is one of the most unique projects that I had the opportunity to work on.

Who would think that a traditional outdoor gear brand and an apron brand would think of partnering, but the combination of new materials and color blocking for the h&b customers and a new useful workwear piece for the Topo Designs customers was the perfect matchup.

During my time at Topo Designs, I was able to help drive the success of brand collaborations. By managing the product assortment (the number of pieces, not the design), the communication (both visually and verbally), and the launch plan (timing and deliverables), I was able to make collaborations at Topo Designs collectors items.

CAMPAIGN: Dream Backpacking Kitchen Sweeps

When tasked at building newsletter lists, but not a large budget to do so, running a sweeps (giveaway) with a variety of compatible brands is a great way to accomplish this task.

The goal of the sweeps is pretty easy: (1) to build each brands newsletter lists and (2) to introduce non-competitive brands to current newsletters lists by developing and executing sweeps campaign that drives an “enter-to-win” collection of emails that is then distributed to each brand at the end of the sweeps.

For the Dream Backpacking Kitchen Sweeps we partnered with seven other smaller brands. Each brand ask was simple, to provide gear for the winning email (MSRP $200+), to send a dedicated sweeps email to list (they could develop their own, but creative was provided) and finally we asked that each brand post about the sweeps on a social media channel at least once.

This sweeps was a success as it doubled both the Primus and Silva lists and drove 3.5k entries with at least 6.5k page visits.

ART DIRECTION: Case Logic Product Photography

Products can be works of art if you let them. Within the Case Logic 2008 Catalog, we let the products mostly speak for themselves with a new way to photograph the product, and what we liked to call skyline and detail shots.

In 2008, this was a relatively new way to showcase products, and I was given full responsibility to art direct these shots, used in small format in a catalog to huge larger than life trade show graphics.

2008 Case Logic Product Skyline (shot by Brian Mark)
2010 Case Logic Product Close-Up (shot by Brian Mark)

ART DIRECTION: Topo Designs Grid Shots

When introducing an outdoor brand infused with the everyday, what better way to showcase the breadth and variety of products available than a grid shot.

Working together with the content coordinator, we built the concept and story behind each of these lay downs, be it color, a collaboration or an outfit for a certain activity. The lighting, folding, positioning of products, all had to be accounted for to highlight each and every product within the grouping.

ART DIRECTION: Thule Lifestyle

When you have multiple divisions and offices for the same brand, how do you ensure that everyone delivers consistent imagery and on brand assets. Thule’s answer was a week-long+ photoshoot at multiple venues that showcased both the diversity of products and the consistency of Thule’s brand message to “bring your life”.

I headed up this shoot and worked with the Marketing Managers from each of the four international offices. By partnering with each but leveraging the resources, props and locations, I was able to ensure each division received all needed lifestyle imagery for product launches and the bulk of the year in a consistent way that came in under budget.

Locations ranged from city streets, to sandy beaches, to windy roads, to cyclocross events and seaplane.

2013 Thule lifestyle photography (shot in 2012, Lake Tahoe by Marcel Pabst)
2012 Thule lifestyle photography (shot in 2012, Chamonix France by Marcel Pabst)

PRINT: Topo Designs Brand book

When a brand is relatively new to the market and looking to grow, it’s important to make sure customers (both wholesale and end consumer) know what the brand stands for.

I was able to accomplish this by creating a mini brand book for Topo Designs. Pocket size but packed full of beautiful imagery, both lifestyle and product focused, this book delivered on the question of what Topo Designs stood for. With such impactful imagery and short and sweet statements, it quickly became the resource to introduce the brand or use as an elevator pitch.

PRINT: Line-At-A-Glance

As full line printed catalogs moved to digital, the need for a streamlined, cost-efficient, brand building tool for trade shows and sales meetings became a necessity. The yearly Line-At-A-Glance (or lovingly called the LAG) became the go-to sales need for the internal team and rep force.

The LAG became the go-to sales tool for each brand that I have worked with through my career. This lightweight, market specific piece was able to be printed digitally and was handed out at trade shows and used on sales calls. This easy-to-use piece could be used in a variety of ways: (1) to introduce the entire line to new customers, (2) to showcase current wholesale assortments and the gaps within the line, and (3) as a way to highlight any new products for the year.

EVENT MANAGEMENT: OMA – Media Shows

Brands are always looking for better ways to connect with the media and through them their readers. With nationwide trade shows on the decline, the Outdoor Market Alliance hosts a bi-annual event that provides the space and opportunity for media, PR professionals and brands to meet-up and align upcoming stories with the latest outdoor gear.

For this local Denver show, I partnered both with the Primus PR agency and later headed up the event on my own. I was able to leverage the local rep’s showroom and build out extended spaces for both Primus and Silva to showcase the latest products or even introduce the brand to the media.

This show produced dozens of meetings across a wide range of media outlets that in turn led to coverage in gear roundups, gear guides and even landed in some best-in-test articles.

EVENT MANAGEMENT - Active Interest Media Dinner

When you are lucky enough to have a world class media house in your backyard AND a trailer on loan for events, what better thing to do than treat the media to a four course dinner, all cooked and served on brand gear?

Primus was able to partner with Chef Adam Dulye to create tasty experience where writers, editors and employees from AIM media gathered on their back patio after work for dinner where they were able to relax and enjoy a meal because food tastes better outside, especially when cooked by Adam. We gathered round this family style meal, told stories about past adventures as the sun went down and we filled our bellies.

This event showcased the breadth of the Primus assortment and showcased the fact that a camp stove doesn’t just make hot dogs and hamburgers but can create gourmet meals pretty much anywhere if you just do a bit of pre-planning.

PACKAGING: Case Logic

When I started as the packaging specialist at Case Logic, their packaging was what we liked to call “fruit loops” at real. With colors all over the place from red to blue to orange, the company logo was the only thing holding the brand assortment together.

I was brought in to implement the transition into the updated mostly black and white packaging that allowed the product color to be highlighted and stand out on shelf. I worked with both the product team and our team in Hong Kong to develop new styles of packaging that showcased the features of the product, and looked to fix the age old problem of packaging being opened on the retail floor and then left.

I developed a way that a customer could easily open (and close) a box, that would allow them access to a product while keeping packaging clean on the retail floor.

<p>I am a high-energy, creative and team leader with over 25 years of experience at both in-house marketing departments and creative agencies. I specialize in building brand stories­ and product launches–from developing a strategy, creating visual assets, delivering sales materials across omni-channel environments, planning trade show and retail merchandising, to the execution of successful media and consumer events.&nbsp;</p><p>With a degree in graphic design, I started my career by laying a foundation of creating brand assets that delivered on the needs of internal and consumer clients. I was frequently promoted internally, expanding roles and responsibilities, built multiple internal marketing teams, and worked with international cross-functional teams to develop and deliver global brand narratives and North American growth strategies.</p>

Works in tandem with the overseas marketing teams (Primus & Silva) from the brand headquarters in Sweden and the North American distributors
to develop and execute a global and market specific brand strategy, marketing calendar, and budget.
• Currently managing four North American B2C sites for Primus & Silva (in the US and Canada) that are experiencing steady MoM growth in traffic (up 50-75%), orders (up 50%), and sales (up 50%).
• Building four unique newsletter lists to address each market for Primus & Silva in North America. Both brand US newsletter lists increased by 200%-2000% since the start of the year.
• Deliver consistent email campaign strategies that drive sales and brand visibility, often experiencing an increase in traffic (100%) and sales (75%) on sites during the newsletter send day or timeframe shortly after.
• Manage the PR relationships in North America resulting in over 100 placements and 1.2B impressions within mainstream and
outdoor media in 2023.

Brand Manager

Worked in tandem with the overseas marketing teams from brand headquarters (Sweden and Germany) to develop and execute
global brand strategies, marketing calendars, and budgets.
• Leveraged “sister brands” for additional brand visibility. Showcased Primus, Brunton, and Hanwag as “prop” partners within Fjällräven
marketing. Ran clinics at the yearly Fjällräven Classic in Colorado where Primus became the food partner for the event.
• Developed a Fjällräven Shop assortment for Primus that led to 100% growth in sales YoY.
• Ran point on the B2C sites for Primus and Silva, with sales that consistently met sales goals and moved channel into the top
five accounts in sales for each brand.
• Developed newsletter communication strategy and created assets for both Primus and Silva, driving sales and growth to each online channel. Often driving the largest sales numbers in month end reports.
• Partnered with PR team to built and run in Primus Cooking Classes with select media outlets to cook with the Primus Partner Chef. These classes
often led to media coverage for the brand in outlets such as Gear Junkie, Sunset Magazine, and Food & Wine.
• Integral member of the global marketing teams, running point on global projects such as campaign and product copy, newsletter direction, and photoshoots.

Head of Marketing NA

Joined the small team when the brand was under 10 employees. Helped grow the brand, the marketing team, and the visual
impact towards what the brand looks like today.
• Built, grew, and managed team of six full-/me employees ranging from photographer to ECOM specialists. This team created processes, developed, and executed plans and programs that achieved yearly double-digit growth that exceeded online sales goals, and grew the company’s email list, resulting in 100% growth each year.
• Led team to develop a toolbox that could be used across multiple channels and audiences. We delivered sales materials that increased pre-book numbers by over 100% and seasonal fill-in orders by 50%. We built an image library including lifestyle, product/feature shots and grid/laydowns that drove content to 300k+ followers across social channels.
• Ran point for all brand representation and customer touch points. Developed product assortment, shop flow, and merchandise plan for the new brand shops in Fort Collins, San Francisco, and Boulder. Designed the space and built the event schedule for trade shows that made the booth one of the busiest within any given trade show.
• Grew brand reach into new markets with events and collaborations across a wide range of interests. Introduced Topo Designs into the Aspen Jazz Festival, the Hot Luck Food Festival, and the Fort Collins/New Belgium bike-to-work station. Also led collaboration partnerships with Woolrich, Chaco, Opinel, Tenkara Rod Co., and Danner, resulting in the quick sell through oft these limited-edition products.
• Drove in-house PR initiatives and built strong relationships with media, increasing press hits 66% each year.

MARKETING MANAGER

Drove new business development and/or because primary liaison between the client and agencies that planned, created, and executed approaches, pitches, and pricing for proposals for solutions and services that led to 200k+ of new business.

FREELANCE & CONTRACT WORK

MARKETING MANAGER: 2011 – 2013
Promoted into more of a traditional marketing roll, running brand communication, executing sales tools, creating trade/retail needs, and managing internal marketing team.
• Became a global member of the Thule creative team working closely with the hard goods team in Connecticut, the brand team in Sweden, and the Chariot team in Canada to execute a global brand vision by developing and enforcing brand guidelines in all marketing materials. Led team in planning, developing, and delivering the first global lifestyle photo shoot for all brands.
• Supervised team of creative individuals, consisting of graphic designers, photographer, and marketing coordinator. Built career paths and successes for each to only lose one employee in my tenure.
• Planned and executed the first soft goods launch for Thule with the Crossover Luggage Collection, introducing the brand into new channels (travel and computer electronics) and developing an iconic product name that is still available today.
• Evaluated multiple marketplaces to ensure that marketing materials supported the most effective way to deliver the brand and increase sell-through at retail. Managed global packaging refresh.

DESIGN SUPERVISOR – MARKETING: 2007 – 2011
Managed trade show booth logistics, creating a branded environment that helped drive brand awareness and all packaging project from development, to creation, and final production to ensure on-time delivery.

PACKAGING SPECIALIST: 2005 – 2007
Accountable for project management of packaging development for 100s of products ranging from hang tags to elaborate cellphone coxes. Brought all dieline creation and production in-house and managed deliveries to hit product launch deadlines.

MARKETING MANAGER, DESIGN SUPERVISOR – MARKETING, & PACKAGING SPECIALIST

Traditional graphic designer roll-developing workbooks, creating packaging, and managed all content for the Kelty website.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Find out detailed information about Rebecca Day, Brand Manager NA at Primus | Silva in Lafayette, Colorado

Rebecca Day: Brand Manager NA at Primus | Silva in Lafayette, Colorado

Rebecca Day