Hi, I’m Tom
I’m an independent brand strategist. I work with brands, agencies, and founders on brand strategy, creative development, and consumer insights. I’m open to projects, longterm or fractional contracts, and permanent roles.
I learned brand strategy by working with some really talented people at places like TBWA, BBDO and Ogilvy in the US and UK. I love figuring out how to make brands matter to people. I’m always passionate about the brands I work on, whether they’re already successful or need help getting there.
I’m an East coast transplant, now based in Los Angeles raising two boys and a dog with my husband.
Capabilities
Brand Strategy & Positioning: Defining brands through brand purpose, architecture, brand narrative and behavior, and helping sell in to key stakeholders.
Startups: Working with founders to launch new brands, including competitive analysis, consumer research, positioning, and creative development.
Strategy Leadership for Agencies: Covering key accounts, pitching new business, developing agency positioning, case studies and strategic tools.
Creative Development: Collaborating with agency or in-house creative teams to develop integrated campaigns from creative brief through execution.
Consumer Research: Leading quantitative or qualitative research – lots of focus groups and interviews, plus segmentation, tracking, and testing.
Experience
Global Brands
Global brand marketing at Google, working on positioning and creative strategy for one of their largest brands. Managed agencies and internal stakeholders. Previously, three years in London leading global brand strategy on the Unilever portfolio at Ogilvy & Mather. collaborating with teams across the network.
Consumer Packaged Goods
Fresh thinking on established brands in categories from skin care to laundry to pet food. Helped relaunch Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” which won 19 Cannes Lions and the Titanium Grand Prix.
Automotive
Brand leadership and model launches in every segment, across mass and luxury brands, including Kia’s 2023 Super Bowl spot and New Year’s Eve Times Square activation. Recent work on hybrid and EV.
Food & Beverage
Brand development and new product introductions in multiple categories, from artisanal startups to CPG giants to premium spirits: Hellmann’s, Patrón, Frito-Lay, California Avocados, Jimmy Dean, Ballpark, and Stellar Snacks.
Entertainment
Helping to position entertainment brands and pitching integrated campaigns to launch new titles on streaming services: Amazon Prime, and FX.
Disruption
Built a successful consulting practice based on TBWA’s Disruption methodology, helping brands figure out which rules to break and why. Completed projects for agency clients and new business prospects.
Education & Nonprofit
Helping educational institutions and cultural organizations evolve their brands in a changing cultural landscape: UCLA School of Theatre Film & Television, Loyola Marymount University, and LA Pride.
CSR & Sustainability
Worked with P&G and Unilever to transform their brands from equity-driven to brand purpose, and establish CSR and sustainability platforms.
Resume
GOOGLE, Los Angeles
Global Brand Marketing / Contract / 2022 - 2024
Strategy lead for one of Google’s largest brands. Partnered with brand team on 12 month brand strategy project and upcoming global campaign. Extensive quant & qual research, consumer segmentation, brand positioning, brand identity and guidelines, agency and stakeholder management. Contract extended to 18 months.
MullenLowe, Los Angeles
SVP, Director of Strategy / 2014 - 2018
Helped establish a new office, building an integrated strategy team across brand planning, analytics, digital and social. Starting with Acura as founding client, we added Patrón, Whole Foods, EVA Airways and California Avocado. We were named to Advertising Age’s “Agency A-List” for 2018.
Ogilvy & Mather, London
Global Planning Director / 2011 - 2014
Led the global brand strategy team for the agency’s portfolio of Unilever brands, including Dove, Hellmann’s, OMO, and Dove Men+Care. Collaborated with teams in New York, Paris, Singapore and São Paulo.
TBWA\Chiat\Day, Los Angeles
Director, The Disruption Consultancy / 2008 - 2011
Founded the agency’s consulting practice, with projects for P&G, Pepsi, lynda.com, UCLA, and Zynga.
Group Planning Director / 2005 - 2008
Lead planner on P&G, Sara Lee Foods, UNICEF, and several new business pitches.
Planning Director / 2003 - 2005
Lead strategist on Nissan’s Infiniti brand.
Senior Account Planner / 1999 - 2002
Managed Nissan’s sedan portfolio, with $100+ million in annual media spending, plus their largest-ever model launch.
BBDO, Los Angeles
Planner - Senior Account Planner / 1995 - 1999
Creative strategy and research on MARS Petcare, Best Western, Pioneer Electronics, and new business.