Emily Anadu Email & Phone Number

New York, United States

As a versatile freelance creative strategist and product marketing specialist, I merge innovative creativity (as demonstrated through my work in building The Lay Out) with strategic marketing (as demonstrated through my career leading brand and product marketing for Street Fighter, Dragon Ball Video Games, the Nike SNKRS App, etc) to drive product success and brand growth. This extensive experience can help businesses craft compelling narratives and market-leading strategies that resonate and deliver results.

Initiated, concepted and now drive the vision and strategic priorities for a thriving community platform, The Lay Out, which provides avenues for authentic expression for the Black community, drives impact though non-profit partnerships and fosters cooperative economics through our small, Black-owned business initiative, BuyBLK. ByBLK. - The Lay Out curates programming attracting audiences of 12 – 8,000+ people and has partnered with brands and organizations such as MAX (HBO), The Infatuation, BBDO, SheaMoisture Men, Amazon Music, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Magazine, and Brooklyn Navy Yard.- Spearheaded the network expansion of The Lay Out’s small, Black-owned business network, BuyBLK. ByBLK. to over 500 brands in 2023 from ~100 at the end of 2022. Executed live marketplaces ranging from 15 small, highly curated thematic brands to large scale markets with over 80+ brands. Through this network, I have also concepted and executed collaborative products and activations for our brand partners such as a special Wu-Tang Clan inspired ice cream flavor for MAX to commemorate Juneteenth and a braid bar for Matthew Cherry’s animated series, Young Love.- Actualize all graphic design, build and manage our digital touch points while also creating and executing digital and CRM strategies which have led us to engagement rates which exceed industry standards. - Designed and worked with factories to produce our first merch collection, currently being sold on The Lay Out's owned cooperative economics/ e-commerce platform, www.buyblkbyblk.com, which I also built and manage. - Featured in media outlets such as OK Player, Vogue, The New York Times, Pix11 and New York Magazine.

New York, New York, Us

In my initial role as Senior Director of Commerce Marketing, I led initiatives aimed at maximizing audience growth and driving transactions, measured by GMV (gross merchandise value), across Verizon Media brands. I worked in tandem with product and engineering teams to develop product features, while also leading specific campaigns and communications to position and promote shopping and commerce experiences across mobile apps, mobile web, and desktop.As Yahoo expanded its commerce initiatives, my role evolved to encompass both commerce operations in addition to commerce marketing. Over the course of a year, I led a team that grew from 1 direct report to 15, overseeing functions such as product marketing, SEO, category management, merchant development, seller success, and merchandising. This expansion included the integration of traditional retail roles to support the launch of a native marketplace alongside Verizon Media Group’s affiliate model of generating revenue.Collaborating closely with product management and engineering, I played a key role in developing product roadmaps and consumer-facing messaging. Together, we successfully launched Yahoo Shops, a native party marketplace. However, following the acquisition by Apollo Management, the marketplace was ultimately sunset.

Beaverton, Or, Us

As part of studio leadership team, collaborated closely with product, engineering, and data science to optimize the consumer experience in the unique e-comm landscape characterized by high demand and limited supply. Serving as a key liaison to brand teams, I ensured alignment between SNKRS app features and footwear roadmaps, essential for successful launches like SNKRS Stash featuring Don C’s Jordan 2.- Leading the "fairness" initiative, partnered with data science to identify and reward SNKRS members with exclusive access to sneaker releases. In this environment, where demand outstripped supply, traditional valuation based on spend was inadequate. Demonstrating the impact, I showcased increased spend and engagement among members with exclusive access, presenting the findings to former CEO Mark Parker and earning ongoing recognition from current CEO John Donahoe.- Collaborating with engineering, operations, and brand teams, spearheaded the consumer launch of innovative features, including SNKR Stash, SNKRS Cam, and SNKRS Pass—a reservation/pickup system at 1st & 3rd party retailers. In 52 weeks, my team executed 70+ launches, featuring high-profile releases such as Virgil Abloh’s “The Ten” collection and Kendrick Lamar’s shoe drops during concerts.- Worked with brand and digital to launch the expanded content program within the SNKRS app to increase engagement with the app outside of commerce interactions. - I selected the Dominican community in NYC to celebrate, leading the ideation and launch of the Air Force 1, De Lo Mio. I ensured authentic representation by involving community members in product design, marketing, and photography, collaborating with Cesar Perez and Dominican photographers.- Contributing to academia, I worked with Anita Elberse of Harvard Business School on the HBS Case, "Nike: Changing the Sneakers Game." I later assisted in teaching the case to an MBA class, highlighting practical insights from my role at SNKRS.

As the partner and product marketing lead for UP by Jawbone, my role encompassed everything from go-to-market for UP launches to developing and managing key app and hardware partner relationships as well as key consumer brand collaborative relationships.- Concept and initiate marketing relationships with companies/ brands such as OPI, BaubleBar and GlamSquad that help introduce Jawbone to new audiences while driving brand positioning - Initiate, develop and manage key app and hardware partner relationships, in collaboration with business development, product management, engineering and legal- Initiated, concepted and drove UP by Jawbone’s first in-app, revenue-driving, brand partnership with Estee Lauder’s Lab Series line, ensuring brand alignment and keeping the UP community’s experience as the top priority- Marketing lead for UP4, Jawbone’s Tap-To-Pay fitness tracker which integrated American Express payments.- Marketing lead for UP product launches. In all launches, worked closely across the marketing and product teams to ensure that all consumer facing language in everything from press releases, customer care scripts and emails to product videos and app store descriptions maintaining consistent messaging, translated as needed for audience - Initiated Jawbone’s inclusion as an inaugural partner in Nest’s “Works with Nest” Program- Key interface between marketing and the product management team to develop and manage GTM plans for app and hardware releases - Work closely with research to ensure consumer messaging is in line with consumer expectations and desires when shopping in the wearables category. These consumer insights were translated across everything from web to packaging- Concepted and launched UPxART in partnership with Jawbone’s creative director, releasing UP by Jawbone’s data in collaboration with contemporary artists such as Shantell Martin.

- Manage launch of new titles and game initiatives from strategy through execution covering activities from pre-launch through post launch, working across email, network cross promotions, digital ad acquisition, biz dev, PR, community, social media and offline channels- Concepted and led the launches of several Zynga titles including, CastleVille. A Zynga-first pre-awareness campaign for CastleVille garnered over 1 million fans on FaceBook in 10 days and a YouTube chart position for the game’s trailer.- Concept and plan features to drive player engagement in partnership with development studios and engineers- Develop plans and KPI’s focused on new player acquisition, retention and reactivation in partnership with mobile/ web acquisition and email teams- Develop and execute umbrella creative campaigns for launches and large scale game initiatives in partnership with agencies and internal creative teams- Define target audiences and market opportunities in partnership with player insights team- Program lead for Zynga’s promotional partnership with Lady Gaga, Zyngaga. Worked with over 100 people across the company and agencies in 5 weeks to execute biggest company wide initiative to date. Singled out as Atlas Award winner (award given to employees who are heavy lifters and did whatever it took to deliver great results).- Program lead for PokerCon, Zynga’s largest fan event celebrating our oldest franchise, Zynga Poker- Patent holder on Zyngage, portion of Zynga’s ad platform developed as a team hackathon project2007-2010

Managed team of product marketing managers and channel marketing to drive the marketing and media strategies for console and digital titles that have included Devil Mat Cry 4, Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter IV, Super Street Fighter IV, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Super Street Fighter HD Remix, Lost Planet, Lost Planet 2, and Marvel vs Capcom 2.• Work closely with licensing department to suggest new licensing partners and manage existing licensing partners. Initiated and drove relationships with Nike, Kid Robot and Tokidoki.• Helped establish key processes for the marketing team such as budgeting, marketing/ media planning. • Work with development studios and public relations to help ensure consistency of messaging between marketing, community and pr.• Establish promotional/ lifestyle partners for key titles to extend marketing budgets.• Plan and execute events ranging from large scale launch events (2000+ attendees) to smaller community based events (20+ attendees).• Managed channel marketing team to develop pre-sell goals, pre-sell items and in store marketing programs.

•Directly managed and executed all marketing initiatives and budgets for console and PC brands including: Dragon Ball Z, Pat Sajak’s Lucky Letters, Arthur and the Invisibles, and the Atari Classics titles.•Worked closely with game producers and studio developers in the US, Japan, Germany, and the UK to coordinate development schedules and creation and distribution of press and marketing assets.•Worked with media agency to create plans and manage development of all creative for online, print, video, and viral media.•Worked with licensors and licensees to insure brand integrity for external and internal IP’s.•Coordinated channel marketing initiatives with sales and retail partners to maximize success of pre-launch and launch programs. Participate in sales calls with Best Buy, Target, Toys R Us.•Presented marketing plans to senior management, sales and external partners.•Researched competitive titles/ industry trends and forecasted sales for current and future games.

• Completed strategic project within the lip-gloss category. Analyzed market and identified key consumer targets and developed integrated marketing plans to increase market share.• Worked with lip/ color team on operations such as packaging, field communications, and weekly sell through analysis.

Managed the US development and growth of 4 intl brands, Chupa Chups, Crazy Dips, Pop Rocks, Whistle Pops, and several in and out items, which represented 70% of the company’s revenues.•Led weekly cross-functional meetings with US functional teams based on input from intl brand teams and factories on 3 continents.• Secured product placement for brands at celebrity events and in films. • Managed forecasting and inventory for all brands. Efforts reduced company inventory from $15M to $4M and increased topline brand profitabilities by 5-10% in one year.• Consolidated major agency functions resulting in $200,000+ in agency savings. Managed projects such as annual sales meetings, promotional relationship w/ Six Flags Theme Parks and TV test markets.• Managed re-launch of 2 brands, Chupa Chups and Whistle Pops, and launch of Rush Rox, a co-branded candy with Dr. Pepper/ 7up. • Participated in sales presentations with retailers.

Master, Business Administration

Bachelor Of Arts Degree, Sociology