Laura Kershner Email & Phone Number

New York, Ny, Us

Partnering with agencies: - build strategic tools & capabilities for internal use - work with creative teams to kick off new projects - write brand books and develop 'storytelling' decks - pitch new business Partnering with brands: - write actionable briefs - translate consumer insights into creative objectives - assess competitive landscape and establish positioning - develop flexible, scalable visual identity systems - rationalize product architecture - pitch to retailers, optimize retail strategyRecent clients include:Coca Cola | Leading innovation teams to develop natural soda product pipeline - consumer research & insights - competitive landscaping & insights - strategic platforms and product concept writing - innovation work session with cross-functional teams - mapping concepts against portfolio-wide architecture systemCenter on Addiction | Merging the two largest addiction advocacy organizations in the nation under one holistic brand umbrella - stakeholder interviews - competitive landscape & insights - full day working session with executive team - brand equity, positioning & architecture - visual identity system & verbal toolkitAruliden | Partnering with agency creative teams for a range of beauty clients, including Supergoop, LG, Bobbi Brown and Lipstick Queen - trend reporting & consumer insights - competitive landscaping - brand positioning & equity development - strategic platforms and creative concept writing - innovation platforms & product pipeline guidance - brand architecture systemsFunction of Beauty, Cabinet Health, Cat Person | Helping digital brands launch successfully into brick and mortar retail - consumer & competitive insights - retail audit, shelf analysis & insights - product architecture & visual identity systems - storytelling pitch decks

New York, Ny, Us

NICE Internal Capabilities- Created and implemented agency-wide strategic toolkit - Served as primary facilitator for all brand equity and ideation sessionsProcter & Gamble Beauty- Authored global trend report to inform innovation platforms for Asian prestige beauty market- Created design and marketing platforms for skincare formulas and technologies across innovation pipeline- Developed strategic insights and storytelling deck to serve as inter-agency brief for 2018 Covergirl brand restageThe Coca Cola Company - Led Shopper Marketing vision project to optimize TCCC strategy for evolving retail landscape- Comprehensive audit of Coca Cola Stills Portfolio with strategic design/positioning insights- Brand repositioning, visual identity and packaging systems for ZICO and Hansen’s Hershey - Collaborated with upper management to optimize company-wide product innovation and packaging design process- Developed jobs-based innovation platforms for 10-year food and packaging innovation pipeline- Brand identity and packaging design for Take 5, PayDay, Almond Joy, Mounds and Rolo Head & Shoulders- Led strategic/design arm of inter-agency global visual identity team for four years, stewarding the evolution of brand identity systems, creative concepts, retail strategies and packaging designJockey - Rationalized product architecture, developed new brand equity toolkit, redesigned full packaging lineup including production of on-figure photoshoot for all garments- Led inter-agency visual identity team, ensuring consistent brand execution across touchpointsOther clients include: Rimmel, Herbal Essences, Olay, Banana Boat, P&G Baby Care, P&G Laundry Care

Paris, Fr

Leading Client Services for a roster of global fashion and beauty brandsCoty Beauty | Managing a portfolio of fashion and celebrity fragrance franchises - Developed and produced global campaign for Guess Night, partnering with Coty and Paul Marciano to develop new digitally-focused go to market plan targeting young, urban consumers- Refreshed Halle Berry fragrance franchise with Wild Essence campaign, elevating a mass-market fragrance with nuanced storytelling and luxurious multi-sensory visualsMurad | Repositioning a cosmeceutical doctor brand to better compete in a fragmented market- Leveraged new brand positioning and prestige laboratory visual codes to produce advertising photoshoot, managed team of creatives to design all resulting materials for print, online, retail and DTC channelsElie Tahari | Developing a consistent visual platform for one of the largest privately-held fashion brands- Managed the conception and production of global SS13 campaign with earth/air visual platform, establishing Elie Tahari as an “elemental” luxury brand, providing a cohesive visual/story thread to unify future seasonal campaigns Folli Follie | Capturing market share in Asia and Europe for a leading global accessories brand- Supervised development of SS13 and SS14 campaigns, leveraging insights in Asian and European markets around luxury travel with “It Girls” jetsetter concept for print, video, OOH, in-store and digital

New York, New York, Us

Leading creative direction, brand strategy, consumer insights and public relations for the first online floral subscription service, doubling consumer subscribers and growing total revenue 700%- Facilitated qualitative focus groups to define consumer segments and inform residential/corporate product offering - Developed brand equity, look/tone/feel and product architecture platforms, rolling out visual identity across all touchpoints- Led team of 9 floral designers and 2 buyers to introduce design-led product development process - Art directed and styled bi-monthly photoshoots for consumer and corporate lines of business and blog editorial content- Created blog, managing team of 3 writers to execute editorial calendar structured around weekly creative concept- Led PR strategy, managing 4 regional PR agencies and attending all local market events as H.Bloom brand ambassador

Establishing expertise in branding, consumer research, product development and design with a boutique beauty agency approachSenior Brand Manager, October 2010Brand Manager, September 2008Brand Coordinator, October 2007Procter & Gamble | Leading brand strategy, product development and packaging design for four global beauty brands- Led team of art directors and strategists through concepting, research and development of 5 haircolor franchises under Clairol and Wella brands, creating the highest performing research concept and design in P&G haircolor history- Managed 12 product launches under Covergirl and MaxFactor brands, including concepting and bringing to market LashBlast, Covergirl’s most successful product launch- Facilitated bi-annual “hot house” ideation sessions for Covergirl and MaxFactor, partnering with client design managers to analyze consumer insights and develop product and commercial innovations for future initiative pipelinesSprings Global | Leading strategic and creative services for $1B bed, bath and home licensor- Developed national print and video campaign, OOH and in-store creative for sold-out launch of DVF Home- Led team of creatives to concept and produce six seasonal advertising and packaging shoots for Springmaid and Wamsutta, redesigned e-commerce interfaceJacob | Reigniting consumer passion for an established Canadian retailer- Refreshed brand positioning and consumer target, mapped competitive landscape and developed print campaign to reposition Jacob as “the chic style resource” in a fragmented fast-fashion market- Led creative team in development of new merchandising strategy, bringing editorial “style resource” concept to life across all in-store touchpoints, from planogram and lighting to signage and product displayOther clients include Prescriptives, Clarins, Perricone MD, Nordstrom Rack and FusionBeauty

- Managed brand strategy, television campaigns, collateral and web development for clients such as YMCA Memphis, Crime Stoppers, Memphis Cook Convention Center and The Child Advocacy Center