Vice President, Marketing
Lebanon, Tn
Led all aspects of marketing for Cracker Barrel restaurant/retail stores including message strategy, channel planning, traditional/digital media, integrated promotions, internal/external agency management, PR, local marketing, and decor. Acting CMO/Direct Report to CEO, April 2019-September 2020.- Improved ad awareness by ~500 bps and unaided awareness by ~200 bps via major integrated marketing launches (Southern Fried Chicken, Country Fried Turkey) and brand promotions (50th anniversary, Macy’s Parade, music partnerships).- Revitalized brand message by focusing on “home away from home” equity, featuring food as hero, and relentlessly copy testing; delivered 5 TV ads with effectiveness indices in the 175-210 range and billboards consistently above benchmark.- Improved marketing investment productivity, cutting ~$10MM over 3 years via contract negotiation, leveraging partnerships, rationalizing services, building in-house capabilities, and eliminating inefficient spending.- Transformed media from primarily unmeasured traditional channels toward measured digital/targeted media by growing digital media investment, championing use of digital analytics, improving consumer targeting, and upgrading media agency.- Drove 200+bps of incremental traffic growth during 2019 Southern Fried Chicken launch by rigorous planning and execution of 360o programming including TV, digital, social, search, billboard, PR, music partnerships, and in-store activations. - Tapped to lead priority strategic projects including 2018 assessment of traffic decline, initial COVID reopening plan, redesign of Diversity & Inclusion strategy, and evolution of off-premise strategy.