Smart Insights. Strategic Work. Results.
Select projects led by Jules
Brand Leadership
As Director of Brand Management at MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, Jules was responsible for launching the first-ever brand and marketing initiative for the school in its 104-year history. Specifically, she was challenged to clarify and accelerate the adoption of the brand, lead the digital transformation, and raise the profile of the school with global business leaders.
To increase awareness with this target Jules conducted qualitative research to understand their content consumption habits. She came to learn they were listening to podcasts to gain topical and leadership knowledge. This insight led to the launched of the MIT Sloan podcast, Data Made to Matter. The pod is designed to explore business breakthroughs that come from applying data-based research to real world challenges.
The School advertised the pod on Planet Money, How I Built This, and on social media to great success. Each episode averaged over 3,100 plays, and Data Made to Matter charted on iTunes Top 40 Business Podcasts for 3-weeks in Spring 2017.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Jules' account management experience on brands like Pantene, Pringles, Ritz and Febreze taught her the importance of bringing together discipline experts to ensure projects are executed with excellence.
Procter & Gamble bet big on FEBREZE Candles, in fact the Candles' launch was the largest product initiative in P&G’s Home Care division in FY 07/08. Jules, as an Account Supervisor, led an interdisciplinary team through the design and delivery of strategy, big idea, in-store displays, digital, PR, etc. She conducted in-home qualitative research, contributed to the development of product concepts and creative brief, and partnered with the creative team and clients to ensure successful TV and print ads.
Candles represented 60% of Febreze growth in its launch year, and it was named the 3rd most memorable product launch of 2007 by Schneider Associates (behind the iPhone and Windows Vista).
Consumer-Centric Strategy Design
Jules led the development of brand and communication strategy for brands such as Clearasil, Woolite, Resolve, Revlimid (Celgene), and Novartis Transplant Franchise. She leverages her experience with design-thinking commercial and product innovation to drive brand awareness, affinity, and revenue.
When you can't compete with the category leader in media spend or share of voice, you have to think beyond the jug. With this in-mind, Jules repositioned WOOLITE as a beauty brand, the brand that cares as much about your clothes as you do. Woolite relaunched at New York Fashion Night Out in 2012 with a pop-up shop on Broadway, transformed its social media presence, and revamped its TV ads.
Facebook engagement with the brand increased by 85%, momentum resulted in category leading growth of 4%, while most detergent brands declined.
Traditionally, teen boys don't get a lot of love from the big beauty players. And, accordingly, a CLEARASIL skin care segmentation confirmed there was a real business opportunity with this target. Jules set out to understand the target's psychographics through qualitative and syndicated research, and crafted a creative brief that emphasized the functional-and emotional-benefit of speed. As co-lead of the interdisciplinary team, Jules worked with her colleagues to hit the right tone for the creative, and collaborated with the media team to sell-in an unusual partnership for the brand: Xbox.
Ultimately, Clearasil Ultra consumption increased 10%.
Brand Building From the Ground Up
Jules has partnered with founders and been a founder herself for startups like Chegg, Oyster, BLDG BLOK, and Tally. Like all dedicated entrepreneurs, she rolls up her sleeves and takes on any and all tasks, including: defining business model, brand positioning, value propositions, conducting user need and UX research, crafting pitch decks, fleshing out the target's persona, and designing strategic partnership proposals.
CHEGG sought to disrupt the college bookstore monopoly by offering students a viable alternative: text book rental. After a successful soft launch, Chegg.com and its agency, developed an integrated campaign that included tactics such as online video, display ads, and on-campus brand advocates. Jules oversaw development of all creative deliverables: she managed timeline, production, communication with the animation house, and served as a trusted partner to the clients on a daily basis.
Upon launch, increased awareness of Chegg.com led to customer base expansion 10-fold, making company #1 in textbook rentals 2009/2010.
Brand Evolution
Throughout her career, Jules has seized opportunities to help businesses, like Pavement Coffeehouse, define their brand positioning and marketing /communication strategies. She applies the lessons from building some of the biggest brands in the world to small business and brands poised to grow!
PAVEMENT COFFEEHOUSE has been serving high quality bagels and coffee in Boston for over 20-years. With 6-stores located close to college hubs, each store has it's own personality. But, as Pavement prepared to open its 7th store and roast its own coffee, it need to solidify its brand strategy and commit to a cohesive and consistent user experience at all locations.
Jules executed a comprehensive review of the coffee category, qualitative research, crafted a new brand positioning, identified/defined a new target, and designed a social media strategy. Pavement is now integrating the new brand strategy into its website and workflow. Results to come!